SPicy Mustard and Orange

I was inspired to create a very spicy autumn makeup look. I used a lot of orange/golden brown and gold based shades and teamed the makeup look with a warm, spicy mustard coloured top - here is the makeup I used for this look:


Face: Mineral Fusion Foundation in Warm, MAC NC 30 concealer and 'Matte Bronze' bronzer as a powder. I applied Gingery blush and then used the orange shade in the 'Marche a...ux puches' eyeshadow duo as a pop of colour on the cheeks

Eyes: I mixed brule and retrospeck and applied this as a base and then mixed the two shades in the MAC Marche aux puches eyeshadow duo and applied from the lid into the crease. I used MAC's Coffee eyeliner and smudged NARS galapagos into the upper lash line. I finished the eye look with MAC's Zoom lash mascara in Lofty Brown

Lips - I mixed NARS Autumn Leaves with MAC's Chili for a spicy orange-red shade:      

Eye Colour Harmony

Since reading David Zyla's suggestions for how to find your perfect Energy Colour (check out my last post for more details) - I've become a little obsessed with trying to figure out the different colours that are in my eye.  My eyes have always been difficult to determine colour-wise because they are green-hazelish that seemed to be a combination of khaki, grey-green, olive, with amber flecks AND to make things more complicated, my eyes seem to change colour depending on the weather, what I'm wearing etc etc etc.  I decided that instead of looking at a photo of my eye on its own and trying to figure it out, its probably easier to use my Soft Autumn and True Autumn swatches to see if I can't find a winning colour and put the mystery to rest.  Here is what I came up with:

I decided to swatch the True Autumn Khaki/greyish shade next to my eye, as I always thought my eye had elements of this colour and it seems that it does, but there is definitely some green in there that is screaming to get out, so I decided to swatch the SA grey-green shade next:

The grey-green shade of the SA swatch seemed a little muddy next to my eye - the colour in itself seemed like a closer match, but there is still something more green in my eye so I tried another SA greenish-grey shade:

 I noticed a golden element that was lacking in the SA khaki-green and grey-green shades, so I decided to try a TA golden-olive swatch:

As soon as I saw this comparison, I thought BINGO - this is it - my closest match!  That golden olive shade is in perfect harmony with my eye-colour and I understand now why David Zyla would call this your 'energy' shade - there is something about this colour that makes my eyes 'come to life - my eye colour seems to POP next to this swatch and any dullness disappears!

I found that trying this eye colour harmony/swatch test was very 'eye-opening' - LOL (pun intended) - it really made me more aware of how much I need that little bit of extra golden influence that the SA green-khaki and grey-green shades seemed to lack - I recall being draped in this shade last year when I was draped as a TA and this colour was one of my best - I regret not taking a photo of that shade during the draping process, but I'm definitely going to play around with this shade as my 'energy' colour!!!

David Zyla - Color Your Style

For those who think that colour analysis is an 80's thing - THINK AGAIN!!!  David Zyla is an Emmy Award-winning Stylist and works with celebrities and on a regular basis.  He has writen a best-selling book 'Color Your Style'  where he teaches women and men to find their best colour archetype and how to find their best colours.  If you think that Hollywood doesn't use the secrects of knowing their best colour season, you are mistaken - not only do celebrities seek out experts like David Zyla, they know something that many women don't - and that is that knowing your best colours will literally change your life.  Once you start wearing your best colours, people will be in awe of how you radiate and glow with a special aura of beauty and charm.  In David Zyla's book (and website http://www.davidzyla.com) David outlines the specific colours that every woman should know - the following is an excerpt from his book/website:

You have 8 basic colors. Here’s what they are.


And here’s how to find them.

THE 5 THAT EXPRESS WHO YOU ARE

Essence: Your vulnerable color, your version of white, a skin tone that harmonizes the colors in the palm of your hand
Romantic: Your passion color, your version of red found by gently pinching a fingertip—or the color of when you blush
Dramatic: Your “look at me” color, your version of blue, found in the color of the veins in your wrist
Energy: The color that supports you when you need a pick me up, taken from the darkest part of your iris (but not the ring around the iris)
Tranquil: Your peaceful color, taken from the lightest part of your iris

3 NEUTRAL BASE COLORS

First base, formal, your version of black, taken from the ring around your iris
Second base, less formal but still serious, your version of brown, taken from the darkest part of your hair
[tips in the book for where else to look if you color your hair]
Third base, casual, your version of khaki, taken from the lightest part of your hair (tips in the book for where else to look if you color your hair)

This has inspired me to take a closer look at my eye and see if I can't find my best tranquil and energy colours.  I know that my best dramatic colour is True Autumns warm teal shade.  My romantic colour is a warm coral and I'm still working on figuring out my essence colour.  With the 3 neutral colours, my first base colour is TA's deep grey shade, my second base colour is a medium to dark golden brown and my third base is a warm 'golden' toned khaki. 

What I'm having a bit of a difficult time with is discovering my Energy colour, which is supposed to be the 'darkest part of your iris' but NOT the ring around the iris - perhaps you can help me figure it out - check out the following pics - I'd love to hear what you think:

I'm thinking that my energy shade might be a warm grey-green??? And my tranquil colour is a warm amber, light golden brown/honey shade?

Please check out my most recent post where I tried an 'eye colour harmony' swatch test - Its kind of a PART 2 to this post: http://renata-beautyandelegance.blogspot.ca/2012/09/eye-colour-harmony.html

NARS Autumn Leaves Lipstick

NARS Autumn Leaves is part of NARS new fall collection, but its a permanent addition to the lipstick line.  This colour is very unique - its a mix of orange, red and brown and its sheer, so the colour is buildable.  Its also the type of shade that looks great with various lip liner shades - spice, chicory, brick, auburn (all MAC lipliners) would look amazing with this colour!  In this photo, I'm wearing Autumn Leaves on its own -I wanted to created an elegant day makeup look, so I stayed natural and neutral with the rest of the makeup, leaving the lipstick as the 'pop of sophistication' element of the look!  Check it out:

Here is the makeup that I used to create this look:

 

Mineral Fusion Foundation in Warm

MAC NC 30 Concealer

Gingerly Blush with Melba as a pop of colour (MAC)

Make Up For Ever #10 gold shadow as a highlight

MAC Soba from lid to crease, Woodwinked in the crease, Coffee eyeliner with NARS Galapagos smudged into the upper lash line, Zoom Lash mascara in Loft Brown by MAC

NARS Autumn Leaves Lipstick

Back to Work!!!

Its almost here - time to go back to work, after a fun filled summer.  Being a teacher is amazing and rewarding - I love so many things about my job and I have to admit that I'm very lucky to be able to have my summer off.  This summer I had an opportunity to really re-evaluate whats in my closet and makeup bag - I decided to take some time and really study the styles I love and what kind of 'look' I want to create for this coming school year.  I have some great basic and timeless peices and I've decided that I want to 'build' on this - using what I already have and creating a functional and working wardrobe.  I've really settled into True Autumn as my best season.  I've always tee-tottered between Soft Autumn and True Autumn as my best colour palettes, but really feel that True Autumn is my ultimate best, not to mention that I've been drapped twice, each time as a True Autumn, so I'm officially making it my 'home season'.  This is awesome for me because it makes shopping for clothes all that much easier, as I instinctively know what colour to get.  Chocolate and dark brown, teal, rust, mahogany, cream, ivory, orange, bronze, olive and moss greens, there are my go-to shades, the shades I want to build and expand on.  I decided to create a collage that illustrates how style and colour come together - check it out:

This year, I'm going to focus on building on and purchasing some essential clothing items, such as: a classic pencil skirt, brown pants/skirts, trench coats, work-appropriate dresses, jackets, blazers, classic cream-nude pumps and brown knee high boots.  This year, I've decided to live more simply, but at the same time, I'm going to make use of my best colours and knowing my best style!!!

In my last post, I wrote about being 'Mad for Mocha' - outlining my favourite everyday lipstick and makeup look - this will be my go-to everyday work look, which I love - I love the simplicity and elegance of this look:

Mad for Mocha!!!

Honestly, I think I annoyed myself today when I stood in front of the mirror and decided what lipcolour to wear - I actually said 'Mocha, Mocha, Mocha' in a semi 'Brady Bunch' Marsha voice - lol
Well, I have to say that choosing a lipcolour has become so easy for me these days, I've really settled into having a signature everyday lipstick look and Mocha is definitely my #1 favourite!!!  Today I also made a discovery with my eyeshadows - I mixed Soba and Amber Lights by MAC and created the most unique golden-brown-amber shade - I really love this look for everyday and am sticking to it as my favourite work/business look - check it out:

Here is the makeup that I used for this look:

Foundation: Mineral Fusion in 'warm'

Concealer: NC 30 - MAC

Powder/Contour - MAC Bronzer in Matte Bronze

Blush - Gingerly

HIghlight/Eyeshadow base - Make Up For Ever #10 gold

Lid to Crease shade - I mixed MAC's Soba and Amber lights

Liner - Teddy liner by MAC smudged with NARS Galapagos

Mascara - Zoom Lash Mascara in Lofty Brown

Lipstick - Mocha by MAC (my fave #1 everyday lip shade

So Chaud + Amber Lights by MAC

I always get excited when I feel I've discovered or invented a new and interesting colour combination.  THis time, I mixed a bright orange-red lipcolour (So Chaud by MAC) and topped it with an amber-gold shadow called Amber Lights (also MAC) - I love how the colour morphed into the ideal pumpkin orange shade with just enough gleam and shimmer seeping through due to the shadow!  I think this is such a pretty look for the upcoming fall/autumn season - this look would be superb for an evening out with a little 'brown' dress and touches of gold jewlery or warm cream pearls!!!

Here is a list of the makeup that I used to create this look:

Face:

Mineral Fusion Foundation in Warm

MAC NC 30 concealer

MAC Matte Bronze Bronzer (as powder)

Make Up For Ever #10 gold shadow highlight

...MAC Gingerly BLush

Eyes:

#10 as base, MAC Saddle from lid to crease blended with Amber lights (also lid to crease), Teddy eyeliner smudged with NARS Galapagos shadow (also on brows), Lofty Brown - Zoom Lash Mascara - MAC

Lips:

MAC So Chaud lipstick topped with Amber Lights Shadow