While we are loving the current monochromatic nail color trend — khaki, dove gray and black — we need a bit of brightness during these dark, overcast winter days. Why not take a cue from superstar Jennifer Hudson and make a beauty statement with dramatically bold nail polish? We love her nude makeup, chic little black dress, and the pop of brilliant hue on her hands...

We all know the mani/pedi rules: brights are the thing in summer, and deeper jewel tones are appropriate in winter. Enter Ciara, who proved rules are meant to be broken when she rocked these electric pink nails at an event last week. We love this look! The neon nails were so deliciously unexpected smack in the middle of December (and paired with her military-esque, tough girl jacket), that we're considering chucking all our cold weather-appropriate crimsons and amethysts. To get the look at home, try OPI 'About Brights' Nail Polish in That's Hot Pink ($5.67, amazon.com).

At a recent film premiere, all eyes were on model-turned-actress YaYa DaCosta when she strode in, and it's no mystery why. Forget the statement necklace and the mile-long legs -- the former "America's Next Top Model" finalist was rocking the fiercest silver eyeshadow ever! The pop of sparkly metallic color looked so glamorous against her brown skin, and gave her outfit the perfect amount of "ooh-la-la." To get the look at home...

For years, top celeb makeup artists like Sam Fine have been raving about the gorgeousness of orange blush on brown skin. It took us a minute to catch on (let's be honest, orange blush just looks so, so...Crayola in the packaging), but when we did, it changed our lives. Whether you're caramel-skinned like Kimora or dark-skinned like Alek Wek, a pop of tangerine on the apples of your cheeks adds warmth and radiance to the complexion. So nice in the winter, when your tan is a distant memory! Try Nars Powder Cheek Color in Exhibit A ($26, beauty.com), or e.l.f. Mineral Blush Natural Blush in Coral ($5, drugstore.com).

Conventional wisdom says that Black women (or brown-skinned women, in general), should go for deeper lipsticks and glosses -- like berries, plums, bronzes and browns. Well, pshaw! Garcelle Beauvais all but explodes that myth with her paler-than-pale, matte pink lip. Stunningly chic in an early Supremes kind of way, this shade is poised to be our new everyday neutral. To rock the look at home...

Sure, Ciara's dramatic, liquid-lined cat eye is a nighttime look. But you know those days when you wake up feeling feisty and sassy and hot? Why not throw caution to the wind and sport glamorous winged liner to go shopping with the girls, or to brunch with your man? You're guaranteed to turn heads and feel fabulous! Here's how to work it...

As every beauty junkie knows, nothing's sexier than a super-dark smokey eye. But instead of using black or navy shadow, right now we're really feeling gray hues, ala Raven-Symone. The paler shade really opens up the eye area, making small peepers look ten times bigger -- plus, the silvery hue is somehow more mysterious in a vampy, 1920's seductress kind of way...