A Signature Look

Cleaning out my makeup drawer the past few days has left me feeling both wonderful (to finally declutter yet again), but also sad and disappointed!  Looking at all the impulse buys from the past year, I sat down to calculate how much money has been going into all these seemingly 'normal' purchases and the final result left me wanting to kick myself.  I thought of all the things that I could have purchased instead with that money and I honestly got downright 'angry' at myself.  I'm begining to see makup differently the past few weeks and the course I've been taking is affirmating my new makeup philosophy!  Yesterday in class when we talked about runway makeup, the key principles settled around creating a look that is vastly different than a typical 'everyday' or natural look, yet many makeup companies 'SELL' their products and market their products based on whats 'in' or recently seen on the runways!  The makeup lovers and addicts, flock like seagulls to get a peek at the new collection.  An everyday look should have nothing to do with whats 'in' on the runway (unless the runway look is natural).  I thought about all the classy, sophisticated women I admire and the allure of the chic European woman and I realized, their look is so alluring because its simple, elegant, perfect for day.  Makeup should be about enhancing your own personal and inner beauty.  Makeup companies like Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier have stayed true to this philosophy and I hope that they continue to do so.  I find it interesting that every time I'm looking to create a very chic, elegant makeup look, I always get drawn back to Bobbi Brown - her colours and 10 step makeup look is perfect for that everyday 'signature' look:

For my signature look I started with a tinted moisturizer, added secret camoflauge #4 by laura mercier as my concealer and used Maybelline's honey beige powder.  I have a new favourite highlight shade I used (Bourjois illuminating touch in Rose Essentiel).  I used a bronzer as a contour shade and then mixed Bobbi Brown's Tawny and Dessert Rose blushes.  On the eyes I started with Navajo as a base and applied Cement shade on the lid to crease (both bobbi brown).  I then used one of the palettes in the 'Naked Eye' collection by Too Faced - I used 'Lap Dance' in the crease and then smudged 'Stiletto' a deep black shade into the eyeliner (I used MAC's Teddy).  For the lips, I used Bobbi Brown's Blondie Pink lipliner (which has been discontinued, but MAC's Nice N Spicy is an 'exact' dupe).  I then applied Blush lipstick by Bobbi Brown (or you can use Laura Mercier's Brown Sugar glossstick - another Bobbi Brown dupe).  I then used my finger to dab on Dessert Rose blush onto the lips!

I've always wanted to embrace that chic, elegant yet natural look - I am so inspired by woman who have this classic, signature look.  I've packed up all my 'impulse buys' and have decided to put them to good use in my makeup artistry kit - that way I'm still putting the makeup to good use, but for my own personal look, I've decided to embrace a signature look.  I'm giving myself a limit on the makeup I have - I feel I only really need two lipsticks for day, one for evening and one for a more glam evening (which I already know is going to be a red shade).  I look forward to sharing the rest of my journey with you and I hope to expand the things I write about on this blog - fashion, tibutes to style icons and anything new and upcoming in the beauty/makeup world - stay tunned to a whole new chapter!!!