Before showing you today's picture, I'm going to wax poetic about the new spring collection from NARS. I was pretty disappointed in their holiday offering, especially the limited edition Arabian Nights eyeshadow trio, which looked vivid and dazzling (and like three separate colors!) in the pan but, when you put them on, they were all shades of black. Just not doing it for me.

The spring collection, however, is fabulous! I'm particularly a fan of the Douce France eyeshadow trio, the Valparaiso lipstick, and the Diamond Life nail polish. I'll swatch everything as soon as I get a chance. My other favorite: The new eyeshadow duo in Paramaribo, which I put to good use today.



Products used:

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer
Manly Palette #64
NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Paramaribo
Sephora Nano Liner in Khaki Green
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

I had a lot of time to play this morning, so I broke out a ton of Bare Minerals shadows (which are gorgeous, pigmented, blendable, and-- at $13-- a pretty good deal) and did this:



I started with the True Gold in the corners and under the arches of my brow. Next, I went 1/3 of the way across my lid with Bronzed, taking it up to the brow bone. The next 1/3, I used Moonshine (which is a High Shine eyeshadow; when I use these, I tap a bit of the shadow into the lid, since the included applicator is terrible.) Then, on the outer third, I used Soul Sister. Above Soul Sister, I drew a thin line with Sex Kitten between the purple and gold. Then, I filled in with Bronzed. Deciding to take it a little darker, I covered up part of the outer third with Coffee Bean, then a touch of Onyx. Then, I blended everything together and added eyeliner and mascara. After lining with Buxom Lashliner, I took an eyeliner brush and added some color on the bottom: True Gold, Bronzed, Moonshine, and Soul Sister.

Products used:

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer
Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in True Gold, Coffee Bean, Soul Sister, Onyx, Sex Kitten, and Bronzed
Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Moonshine
Buxom Lashliner in Leatherette
Stila Major Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

I started off by lining my eyes with Urban Decay's 24/7 pencil in Graffiti. After that, I covered my lids in Saint Bernard, then blended Bulldog over the outer edge. From there, I pulled Husky up to my eyebrow. Finally, I used Make Up For Ever's Aqua Eyes in 0L to add definition.

Products used:

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eyelid Primer
Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Graffiti
Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 0L
Buxom Stay There Eyeshadow in Saint Bernard, Bulldog, and Husky
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Tonight was the second game in the series against our arch-rivals. We lost 3-2, but I was very proud of our team; despite not being able to put a full team on the ice, as a result of injuries and early departures, we hung in there until the final minute when the other team scored their last goal.

I was dressed well for the occasion, though... today I used the same colors as I did yesterday, but with an added eyeshadow and a new twist.



Products used:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #8
Make Up For Ever Aqua Black
Lancome Color Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow in Ciel du Soir
Stila Major Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Tonight, the team I cheer for (St. Cloud State University) is playing their arch-rivals (the University of Minnesota.) I can only assume it will be an end-to-end game filled with passion, tension, and words you wouldn't say around Grandma-- as always.

Earlier this week, I declared my allegiance by painting my nails with the St. Cloud State logo. This weekend, I'm flying the colors on my eyes!



Products used:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #8 and #4
Make Up For Ever Aqua Black
Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Pure White
Stila Major Lash Mascara

Products used:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #21, #22
Buxom Stay There Eyeshadow in Chihuahua
Make Up For Ever Aqua Black
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

There's no special story behind this, except that once I finished, it reminded me of the colors of the ceiling in a local Catholic cathedral. The ceiling is painted in a Southwestern motif. Thus, "Santa Fe." (I'm really grasping at straws here with the names lately. That will change when I get into a new theme next week!)

Until then, cream week continues, with an eye (or two!) full of Benefit...



Products used:

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Strut (liner and outer edge of lid), Tidal Rave (lid), Birthday Suit, and RSVP
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Products used:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #21
Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Purple Snap
Sephora Nano Liner in Wild Spirit
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Products used:

Sephora Nano Liner in Chocolate
Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Birthday Suit, Flatter Me, RSVP, and Fahrenheit Fab
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

I wasn't leaving the house today, so I decided to do something I've been wanting to try, but not necessarily wear for a day. I used a star sticker (a stiff one, with cardboard backing), affixed it to the end of a makeup brush with a glue dot, moistened it, dipped it into gold eyeshadow, and used it as a stamp over a lid coated with lashliner. The result:



Products used:

Buxom Lashliner in Leatherette
Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in True Gold
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Tonight was yet another hockey game. Now, I should mention that I've held season tickets to St. Cloud State since I was just five years old, and haven't missed a game in over twenty years. I'm a dedicated fan. So, it wasn't too much of a stretch for me to decide to do a red-and-black smoky eye (team colors!)



Products used:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #2, #17
Make Up For Ever Aqua Black
Manly Palette #77
Sephora False Eyelashes in Glam
Stila Major Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

I woke up this morning, knowing it was '80s day, and cringed at the thought of bright, colorblocked lids. Especially since I was working and then going straight to a hockey game. Turquoise doesn't really go well with my red, white, and black jersey.

So I cheated. A lot. I took inspiration from the bright colors of the decade, but I toned it down a bit and blended it as well.



Products used:

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer
Bare Minerals Shadow in Azure
Bare Minerals Shadow in Water Lily
Too Faced Perfect Eyes Eyeliner in Perfect Black
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

The 1970s saw the disappearance of spiky lashes. Finally, after decades of emphasis on the lashes, women of the '70s decided to go natural. And not just with the lashes-- with everything. The focus was on being a natural beauty. On the face, bronzer was a must-have. I made my bronzer do double duty today...




Products used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Lorac TANtalizer Bronzer
Bare Minerals Mineral Veil
Manly Palette #64 and #65
Sephora Nano Liner in Chocolate
Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash in Brown

When it comes to my foundation, I'm pretty loyal. I have three that I own and use regularly: Cover FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation (Sephora, $42), Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (Sephora, $40), and Boots No. 7 Intelligent Balance Mousse Foundation (Target, $13.99). But after seeing Sarah Lucero work her magic with Stila's Perfect and Correct Foundation (Sephora, $44), I decided to give it a shot.

When I put it on my face, it was strange; the texture is almost like a whipped liquid. That's the best way I can describe it. It's medium coverage when you put it on, but I was able to build to a nearly full-coverage finish.

I was blown away by the glow it imparted on my face. Those with overly oily skin won't be big fans of this; it does leave a dewy look.

I paired it with the Stila Convertible Lip and Cheek Color in Lillium (Sephora, $25) and dusted a thin layer of Bare Minerals Mineral Veil (Sephora, $20) over the top. It lasted all day long, even after being under some hot lights.



Pros:
Buildable: medium to full coverage
Glow, glow, glow
Moisturizing
Lightweight

Cons:
Too much shine for oily skin types
Pricey (compared to other medium-coverage liquids... Cargo gives you 40 ml for $34, and Too Faced gives you 30 ml for $36).
Limited amount of shades (eight)

Overall, I was very impressed. Would I switch from my beloved trio? Probably not, but I might add it into the mix.

After three days of neutrals, I'm glad to get back into some color!

The '60s saw the disappearance of the wingtip, and the coming of even more dramatic lashes, a la Twiggy. Women would actually draw on bottom lashes, and having lashes clump together in points was considered stylish. The waterline was lined with white, and the eye was lined in black. Blues and greens were popular colors.



Products used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Charlotte Ronson All Eye Need Palette in Nicole (Yellow)
Make Up For Ever Eye Shadow #5
Bare Minerals Ready Duo in The Vision (Illusion)
Buxom Lashliner in Leatherette
Buxom Insider in Pearl
Stila Major Lash Mascara

Women of the 1950s still loved a neutral eye, although there were a few differences. Brow arches were very defined; the wingtip became essential, and the line became a bit thicker; and shine fell out of favor as matte lids became the new desired look. The application technique changed, also. Three primary shades were used. Beneath the brow, a highlight (lighter than the skin) was used to emphasize the brow arch. Beneath that, all the way down to the lashline, went a shadow that was as close to the skin tone as possible. Then, in the crease (or slightly above), a darker color was used to create dimension and depth.



Products used:

Kat Von D Concealer in Light
Manly Palette #63, 65, 71, 116
Buxom Lashliner in Leatherette
Stila Major Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Tomorrow: '60s! I am so excited for some color!

I stayed true to the '40s wingtip and, since women were still adorning their lids with Vaseline in the early part of the decade, I went with a shimmer to echo that shine. Then it was blend, blend, blend, walk out the door bleary-eyed, and talk to no one until I got to Caribou Coffee. ;)

Products used:

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer in Light
Lorac Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Movie Star
Lorac Front of the Line PRO
Stila Major Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Can we just take a minute to look at Angelina Jolie from last night's awards? Everything is flawless. Her dress, her accessories, and-- especially-- her makeup. This is a classic 1940's-1950's look. The phrase "Old Hollywood glamour" gets thrown around fairly loosely, but that's exactly what we're seeing here.







To replicate Angelina's look, try these products:

Complexion

Meaningful Beauty Glowing Serum (QVC, $62). This serum will moisturize and give you a lit-from-within glow before you put on any makeup. You've got to have radiance on the red carpet!
Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer (Sephora, $48). Prime with this product to create a smooth canvas for makeup application. This multi-tasker minimizes pores and fine lines, evens out skin texture and tone, and protects the skin with SPF 20.
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet Foundation (Sephora, $34). The complexion of that era was matte and flawless. Rather than go for the HD version of the foundation, use this one to keep the shine down even further. Best of all, unless you have extremely oily skin, you don't need a powder on top.
Cargo Medium Matte Bronzer (Cargo, $28). It looks like Angelina's makeup artist skipped the blush and sculpted her face with bronzer, emphasizing her cheekbones. Cargo has long been a red carpet staple, and this bronzer is the best in the business. Use it just below your cheekbones to draw attention to them.
Make Up For Ever HD Powder (Sephora, $30). For a perfected, airbrushed look, tap a tiny bit in the cap (like sprinkling cinnamon on your latte), dip your powder brush in, tap off excess, and apply to face with a rolling motion. The biggest mistake you can make with this powder is to over-apply.

Eyes
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden (Sephora, $19). Match the rest of your matte complexion with this base.
Cargo Essential Palette (Cargo, $32). This palette of matte neutrals comes in three options: Cool, Warm, and Dark, allowing you to match the shadow to your skin tone. (A simple test for skin tone: press down on the veins of your inner wrist for five seconds, then let go. If your skin has a yellowish cast and the veins appear green, you have a warm skin tone. If your skin has a pinkish cast and the veins appear blue, you have a cool skin tone. If you're still not sure, it's best to err on the side of warm). For Angelina's look, skip the darkest shade; the '40s and '50s were a time of natural colors. Highlight your inner corner with the lightest shade, sweep the second shade over your entire lid, and accent the outer corner of your lid and into your crease with the third shade. Blend everything together for a natural look.
Lorac Front of the Line PRO in Black (Sephora, $23). Angelina is wearing the classic '40s-'50s wingtip. For a perfect wing, start lining on the bottom of your eye first, near the center, and draw outward. When you get to the outer corner of your eye, extend the line. Then line from the top center, drawing outward, and meet the other line to make a point. Fill in any blank space.
Benefit They're Real Mascara (Sephora, $22). Unbeatable volume, curl, and length. No mascara matches this one for dramatic lashes. Make sure you start at the roots of your lashes to get the maximum effect, and don't touch the bottom lashes-- concentrate only on the top ones.

Lips

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Lip (Sephora, $30). We don't all have Angelina's lips. For those of us who don't, we can always dream-- and cheat a little. Dab a bit of this on your lips for an instant smoothing and plumping effect.
Make Up For Ever Aqua Lips in 8C (Sephora, $18). Draw the top center and bottom center of your lips first to create perfect symmetry. Next, draw the outer corners. Then, connect the lines and fill in your lips.
Lorac Breakthrough Performance Lipstick in Leading Lady (Sephora, $22). This bold red with blue undertones is the perfect finishing touch for Angelina's amazing red carpet look.

So, what do you think of her look? Stunning? So-so? (And her dress, and all the other dresses... oh, I love awards season...)

After the Roaring 20's, makeup-- much like lifestyles-- became much more low-key. Barely-visible liner replaced thick kohl. Soft brown eyeshadow replaced heavy black lids. And women started to wear Vaseline on their lids to make them shine. The only drama that remained was in the lashes; women continued to prize thick, black lashes.



Products used:

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer in Light
Manly Palette 64, 65, 71
Sephora Nano Liner in Chocolate
Stila Major Lash Mascara
Vaseline Lip Therapy

Welcome to my first theme week: decades of makeup! Normally, I'll start theme weeks on Sundays, but I went out today and really wanted to do something dramatic.

Now, I absolutely love vintage. I've got a collection of hats, jewelry, clothes, shoes, gloves, etc. from the 1920s to 1950s. While the '40s and '50s were my favorite era for fashion, the Roaring Twenties are my absolute favorite years for makeup!

This is a look I learned from the Make Up For Ever Academy (eyes & lips). I'll go through this one step-by-step.








Complexion

A 1920's complexion was matte, pale, and flawless. The makeup of the era was inspired by what the stars of the silver screen wore-- pan cake foundation. My face is unfortunately only one of those three (pale) so I got some help from a few of my favorite products. I dabbed a bit of Pores No More in the T-zone areas where my pores are enlarged, and mattified/primed my entire face with the Clear Prep FX. After that, I concealed. Benefit Lemon-Aid takes care of the dark circles under my eyes, while the two shades of Kat Von D concealer take care of slight redness and acne scars. To create the flawless look, I used Cover FX cream foundation, which is what I love any time I need full coverage, and perfected the face with Smashbox Halo and then a light dusting of Make Up For Ever HD Powder.

Eyes

Eye makeup in the '20s was dark and smoky. Steps to recreating a '20s smoky eye:

1.) With a concealer brush, cover your lid in Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in #2 (Gray). Blend up slightly past crease.

2.) Lift up on your brow and, with an angled eyeliner brush, apply a thick line of Make Up For Ever Aqua Black at the lash line. Smudge the edges of the line with a round smudge brush in circular motions to soften.

3.) Using the product left over on the smudge brush, line the bottom of the eye. Start in the outer corner and work inward to create a soft look.

4.) Go back and intensify with Aqua Black. Rim the entire eye, including the waterline, using a diagonal downward motion. Blend in with a regular smudge brush.

5.) With a blending brush, take a small amount of NYX Ultra Pearl Mania in Purple Pearl and gently apply a thin veil on the outer edge of the crease for a slight purple shimmer. Hold the blending brush horizontally and parallel to the lid, and sweep on gently.

6.) With a small, natural-hair eyeshadow brush, apply Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow #307 directly on the upper lash line. Blend up to the edge of the purple shadow. Also apply to the lower lash line.

7.) With a heated lash curler, curl your lashes. (If you don't own one, use this trick: heat up your regular eyelash curler by holding your blow dryer to it.) Apply two coats of Stila Major Lash Mascara to the top lashes. Layer one coat of Urban Decay Lush Lash mascara over the top. On the bottom, apply Stila Major Lash Mascara with a concealer brush.

Lips

The Make Up For Ever Academy has a five-step technique to perfect lips. Before lining the lips, I plumped and conditioned my lips with Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Lip.

1.) Line center of top and bottom lips to establish symmetry (I used Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip in 8C).

2.) Establish width. Line up the corners of the lip with the irises of your eyes. A 1920's lip can be narrow (early in the decade) or filled in to the corners (later in the decade.) I chose the latter to make the look more wearable.

3.) Starting in the outer corners, draw in one motion from the outer corner to top center, then bottom center.

4.) Fill in the entire lip with pencil.

5.) Apply lipstick (I used Make Up For Ever #43, Moulin Rouge) with a square-tipped lip brush. Don't press the outer edge of the brush to the lips; drag instead.

To add volume, you can apply a darker shade of lipstick in the center and create depth by lining the outer corner of the lip. The educator recommended using Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 0L (black) and blending; I dabbed just a bit in the center of my lips, and contoured on the outer edge as well.

What do you think? Which decade are you looking forward to seeing?

So last night, I found myself watching an episode of Doctor Who ("Midnight," to be precise) and subsequently had a dream about travelling in space. So, this morning, when I woke up, I decided to see if I could achieve something like a spiral galaxy on my lids. Success? I think this is something that could be played with.



Products used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyehadow Pencil in Clash and Delinquent
Avon Big Color Eye Pencil in Night Glisten
Buxom Lashliner
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Long day, quick post. Most of my looks have been vivid, so today I went natural. I broke out my new Stila palette for this one.



Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Stila In the Light Palette
Buxom Lashliner in Suede
Stila Smudge Pot in Bronze
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

This morning, I was running late, so I went back to a technique I've just learned this month: the crease wingtip. In retrospect, I wish I would have blended the black of the crease into the green of the lids. The tutorial I followed didn't recommend any blending-- I like the look of it with open eyes, but I think it looks better blended. That's what's nice about this project-- it's a learning process for me, too!



Products used:

Sephora Nano Liner in Pure White
Manly Palette 1, 13, 43, 44
Lorac Front of the Line Pro in Black
Urban Decay Lush Lash

Word is spreading about my 365-day challenge, and I'm getting suggestions from people (which I love-- it would be tough to come up with 365 ideas on my own!) A friend of mine challenged me to create a look with white eyeshadow, and this is what I came up with. As a bonus, I got to wear my favorite lipstick today, which usually stays shelved because I wear such bright and bold eyes!




Products used on eyes:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden
Sephora Nano Liner in Pure White
Nyx Ultra Pearl Mania in White
Manly Palette #65, #71
Lorac Front of the Line Pro Eyeliner in Black
Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

Products used on lips:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip in 8C
Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense in #43 Moulin Rouge