Designer Rachel Roy has built a following for not only her beautiful designer and diffusion collections (Rachel | Rachel Roy is available in Macy’s stores across the U.S. and on RachelRoy.com) but also her amazing personal style and beauty. Talking Makeup has the scoop on how Rachel expresses her Indian ancestry through her makeup, and as well as her personal tricks to looking bright, fresh and flawless.

BTW- I loved watching Rachel Roy in one of the episodes of MTV’s The City. Are you also a fan?

Q. Have you picked up any great beauty tips or tricks that you can share?
RR: I feel a great mascara can open the eye and instantly make you look as though you’ve have a good night’s sleep, even when that is not the case. I use 2-3 coats of Lancome’s Fatale on the top, bottom, and also on the back of the top lashes.

Q. Do you have a beauty signature? A fragrance or a lip color that you just love to wear?
RR: Because of my Indian ancestry, I love darkly rimmed eyes – a messy eye adds a sexy yet natural look to a classic outfit. To make the eyes smoky, I use Revlon’s Luxurious Color Kohl eyeliner in Black Truffle on the inside of the lids.

Q: What about a lip color that you just love to wear? What do you put on to achieve your favorite look?
RR: Bright lipstick is a way to quickly pop an outfit and freshen up a look a la Ava Gardner in “The Barefoot Contessa.” My favorite bright is MAC’s Morange lipstick – it’s a great way to add a twist to a classic look.

Q. Any last bits of advice?
RR: Another way to make your face pop is to fill in the eyebrows. I use Bobbi Brown’s eye shadow in Navajo.