Emmy night's bold makeup statements

Sultry eyes, dark lips expected at this year's awards gala

By MONICA CORCORAN

FOCUS FEATURE: Kate Walsh's dark stained lips illustrate a look expected on the Emmy red carpet.

If you think choosing a red carpet gown will provoke worry wrinkles, just imagine all the myriad hair and makeup decisions to be made.

This year, you'll see fierce fluttering eyes and bold lips at the Emmys.

"The sultry eye is being redefined with deep, dark purples and forest greens with gold," says makeup artist Lizbeth Williamson, whose clients have included Christina Applegate and Bridget Fonda. She likes Tarte's Indelible Wink liquid liner in "plum" and MAC eye kohl pencil in "Rosemary and Thyme" for achieving the look.

On the fall runways, purple nails and lips dominated -- perhaps a kinder and gentler outgrowth of the goth look spawned by "Twilight" and vampire chic? Williamson, who prefers a demi-matte finish to skin, uses a soft plum gloss called "Da Bomb" by Lorac.

Dior makeup artist Ricky Wilson foresees a return to gray eye shadow, as a replacement to the black liner typically used for the red carpet staple known as the smoky eye.

"It should be mildly reflective, but no glitter," he says firmly and recommends Dior's "Smoky Design" palette to nab the look. Wilson, too, anticipates that some actresses will opt for a retro blackberry stained lip, reminiscent of the jazz club era. He sends his clients -- like Sharon Stone and Leighton Meester -- down the red carpet with a retractable lip pencil brush loaded with enough lipstick for two or three touch-ups.

But it's really the mane that can make or break a starlet's rep when it comes to critics. (Last year, actresses like Teri Hatcher, Debra Messing and Kyra Sedgwick opted for long, loose curls.) This year, Frederic Fekkai // artistic director Maurice Dadoun expects to see more "graphic hair with long bangs and straight edges."

As for the updo, which can resemble a misplaced brioche and be quite aging on the wrong head, Dadoun sees a more half-up, half-down look (just portions at the crown are swept up) replacing the traditional, severe bun. "It's all about movement," he says. Especially, for those lucky enough to get called up to the stage.