Rad Or Bad: Tricky Runway Beauty Trends

The Paris, London, and Milan runways were loaded with beauty looks that clearly reveled in the rule-breaking aesthetic of Fashion Week. While technicolor lips and brightly colored eyes popped up in every city, another wave of head-turning looks were indexed in our questionable hair and makeup trend shortlist. And it wasn't just up-and-coming designers opting to play the wild card for spring 2011. Big names like Lanvin, YSL, and Giorgio Armani swapped in debatable looks too. Runway looks are bound to be a bit over the top, but can these trends translate into something fresh yet wearable or are they really just hair and makeup gone crazy?

1. The Lower Level—Giambatissa Valli and Zac Posen chose to emphasize the lower lashline with a minimalist line at Valli and liner and fake lashes at Posen. Does the look throw off the eye makeup balance or is it or the perfect accent?

2. Slippery When Wet—Designers like Lanvin and Bottega Veneta went for the just-out-of-the-shower look. It's easy to replicate with damp hair and strong gel combed through the hair, but is it too Underwater World?

3. Gone, Baby, Gone—Models at Valentino, Gareth Pugh, and YSL had brows bleached into oblivion, upping the pale-as-death meets sci-fi ante. Attempting this look is best left to the professionals and Wella's Laurie Foley offers these tips on making it work: "The goal of this look is to make the brows disappear, turning the spotlight on intense eye makeup or wow-worthy hair. You need to go as light as possible, so someone with light skin requires an almost white brow, while a nude effect on very dark skin is created by going only a shade or two lighter than skin level and then covering with foundation. While you may be tempted to do a quick at-home bleaching, risks include breakage if the bleach is left on too long or orange brows if wiped off to quickly."

4. Wrap Stars—Andrew Gn, Giorgio Armani, and Moschino definitely made the turban the hair accessory of the moment, but does this look channel a new sophistication or just Palm Springs grandmother? Stylist Oribe tied up Armani's look and recommends pinning hair close to the scalp and spraying with a strong hold hairspray before turbaning-up.

5. Pop Art, All Over—Cover Girl makeup artist Pat McGrath paired super-pigmented cream eyeshadow with vivid lips while M.A.C.'s Val Garland created an icy, Laduree-inspired look at Mary Katranztzou—but is the combo of both candy-colored eyes and lips daring or overkill?

Above, from left: Spring 2011 beauty look from Dior; Dior Rouge in Favori Red, $30, available at Saks; Buxom There To Stay Eyeshadow in Saint Bernard, $17, available at Sephora.