Get your pucker on girls! Cupid's arrow is pointing straight at your pretty pout this Vday, begging for some hot coloured hues. So what better time to try out the season's biggest beauty trend?

Red lips ruled the runway for Spring '12, and - almost halfway into New York Fashion Week - I can officially report that it's a recurring theme for Fall '12 as well. Invest in this bold look now and you'll have a kissable pout well beyond love's special day.

There's a new product line to add to our ever-increasing bizarre beauty lineup. It goes by the name Dairyface, which is really about as self-explanatory as any product name can be.

The skincare range is made from food grade ingredients, so fresh that they require refrigeration. This takes the organic beauty trend to a whole new level, almost back to the days of egg facials and mayonnaise conditioning masks.The packaging even resembles yogurt containers from the dairy aisle. In fact, you can buy Dairyface just a few aisles over at high-end grocers, such as Whole Foods.

When I was 16, my orthodontist told me I needed braces. The news followed five years of retainers, the removal of several teeth, and various other forms of torture, so I decided crooked teeth were the way to go. Now, thanks to a new trend emerging in Japan, it appears as though I was simply ahead of the curve.

5:10 - Jump on my bike en route to the venue.

5:12 - Crap! My tire is flat.

5:14 - Jump on the streetcar.

5:35 - Getting off the streetcar I notice a taxi stopped in the middle of Queen Street. A man jumps from the car, hair perfectly gelled, phone pressed to his ear. As he whizzes past me and into the nearby fabric store, I see that it's Stephen Wong, one half of Greta Constantine. Last minute run, I suppose. He looks stressed.

A few years ago, I returned home from Rio de Janeiro with what I thought to be a cluster of freckles under my right eye. As my sun kissed skin regained its ghostly shade, however, the stubborn spot remained. The following summer another popped up, this time under my left eye, so I decided it was time for my first trip to the dermatologist.

Yep, I see what you mean, she said. It's hyperpigmentation and it's happening here, here, and here, too, she added. I freaked out a little bit, especially when she pointed to what can only be referred to as my moustache area—not exactly a spot I was looking to darken. She went on to tell me that it was a result of sun exposure combined with my oral contraceptive. There were bleaching agents she could prescribe, but unless I came off of the pill, it would only reoccur.

Makeup guru Diana Carreiro recently enlightened me with loads of new beauty tips. I listened closely since the woman looks nowhere near her age and has made hundreds of models and celebs sparkle with her magic wand, or rather her makeup brush (same thing).

As Diana spoke, I could barely keep up with my notetaking. "Exfoliate your cheeks before applying blush" reads one. "Generationals" I can make out of another…shoot what does that mean? Is it a Dermalogica product? She swears by their skincare and I'm telling you she has the skin of a 16-year-old...g-e-n-e-r-a-t-i-o-n-humph, oh well.

Despite ten years of interviewing makeup artists and skincare professionals, I recognize that I am not one of them. In fact, even with all of the many fabulous tips I've picked up over the years, I'm fairly certain that some of my practices would garner a big old tsk tsk if those pros ever found out…so naturally I'm going to put them on the Internet. Wacky as they may be, I stand by these little tricks of mine, and perhaps you'll see some merit in them, too.

With the huge difference in price between drugstore beauty buys and those with designer labels, it's hard to know if there is a great divide in quality, too. Having spent lots of time on set and in the company of professional makeup artists, I can say that - for the most part - there is. However when it comes to certain goods like mascara, even the pros reach for a cheaper brand.

Here are the top 3 drugstore beauty buys:

I'm turning 30 soon – like, really soon – and for me, 30 is a big deal. I've already had my life freak out in sheer anticipation. Quit my steady 9-5? Check. Moved to the other side of the city to avoid former work surroundings? Check. Money permitting I would have taken the summer to travel South America for one final push at outrunning 30, but alas my broke self has no choice other than to face this impending doom.

It's not the number that scares me so much as the reality of it. Thirty looks and feels much different than 29. Just ask my hangover. And then there's my general lack of energy, my slowing metabolism, and - worst of all - my aging skin. My mom used to tell a story about receiving Oil of Olay for her thirtieth birthday and weeping in response. I, on the other hand, have an open door policy on anything and everything that can help my skin stay bright and taut.

I recently spoke to Dr. Cory Goldberg about just this and asked him about the best ways to start preventing aging now. Here's what the good doctor had to say:

Forget the new princess—it's all about Pippa Middleton these days. Ever since Kate and William wed it seems her lil' sis has stolen the spotlight. First there was Pippa's coveted behind, then a rumoured tryst with William's baby bro Harry. What's had me admiring the new Brit It girl all this time, however, is her gorgeous glow.

All this talk of Pippa is proof that au naturale is still the chicest way to roll and there's no better time to sport it than summer. I spoke with M.A.C Senior Artist Melissa Gibson for a step-by-step guide to Pippa's girl next door beauty: