The Beauty Lessons We've Learned from Kate Moss

The phrase "style icon" gets thrown around way too much. But in Kate Moss's case? It's totally accurate. And although she's the ultimate chameleon on the job, when she's on her own, there are some beauty looks she practically owns. Here's what we've learned from the world's coolest supermodel. 

DON'T TRY TOO HARD 
The underlying theme of all of her looks is effortlessness. As Moss told Allure, her beauty routine can require as few as three products: "For makeup, a bit of blusher--what you call bronzer--a bit of an eye, and an eyelash curler." You don't see her in garish colors, overly sculpted hair, or aggressive trendiness--just bringing out her best features simply. 

STICK WITH SMOKY EYES 

They're the perfect blend of sexy and smudgy, done up and un-fussy--no wonder Moss rarely strays from this signature makeup look. And once you nail it, the look requires minimal time and effort (even for nonsupermodels). Start by lining your top and bottom lashes with a soft black pencil and smudge the line with a Q-tip. Then, with a densely packed shadow brush, apply a black or gray shadow (shimmer or matte, your choice), all over your lids and blend the pigment lightly up over the crease and toward the outer corner. Add a few coats of mascara and boom! Try Rimmel London Glam'Eyes HD Quad Eye Shadow in Black Cab and Estée Lauder Artist's Eye Pencil in SoftSmudge Black. 

RED LIPSTICK IS CLASSIC FOR A REASON 

When Moss does switch up her look, she does so with a rich shade of red lipstick. A pure shot of color on the lips makes you instantly glamorous and elegant--whether you're in a motorcycle jacket or a floor-length fishnet gown. (OK, we'll leave that last one to Moss.) One of the best red lipsticks we've ever tried is Moss's Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 01. It's highly pigmented, moisturizing, and flattering on all skin tones because of the cool blue undertone. 

BEACHY WAVES WORK AT ALL TIMES 
Case in point: Moss wore them to her wedding in 2011. The trick to is to keep your hair on the shiny side, not dried out and matte. Rub a volumizing mousse, like Kérastase Resistance Volumactive Mousse, through wet hair before rough-drying it. Then curl just a few sections of hair with a large-barrel curling iron, breaking up the curls with your fingers. Add the shine with a few spritzes of glossing spray, such as Garnier Fructis Style Sleek 5-in-1 Serum Spray. 

THE ONLY TAN IS A FAKE TAN 
We hope you know this by now: A real tan puts you at risk for skin cancer, not to mention wrinkles. The only option for a bronzy glow is to fake it. Moss, who recently became the face of St. Tropez self-tanning products, told Allure, "Anything goes with a bit of a glow, especially if it's not too dark." Choosing the right tanner is key: Pick the one that's meant for your skin tone, not the color you want. Foams blend best; tinted ones let you see streaks and whether you've missed a spot. 

TRY BANGS 

The key to trying bangs is to just get them already. Need a little inspiration? Moss has had blunt bangs, shaggy bangs, side-swept bangs, long bangs--you name it, she's worn it. The key is maintenance and upkeep. Apply styling lotion to the hair before blow-drying bangs, directing the heat from the nozzle straight down from the roots. Quickly run a miniflatiron over them, and depending on your level of flyaways, add a light coating of hair spray or a dab of hair wax. Blunt bangs should be trimmed as soon as they start growing well below the brows (it can drag down the face)--just promise you'll never attempt to cut them yourself.