Chanel l'amoureuse lipstick

Chanel l'amoureuse lipstick is such a rich, velvety deep pink shade.  It's not a fuchsia colour, but rather a more muted version of a darker fuchsia.  It applies very soft and smooth and settles into a nice matte texture.  I wanted to create a look using this shade that works for everyday.

I used taupe and sheer matte mauve shades on the eyes.  I began with MAC Quarry eyeshadow from lid to crease.  I then added urban decay demolition liner and smudged the upper lash line with MAC Copperplate eyeshadow.  For the blush, I decided on Arbonne dusky rose.  The finishing touch was the Chanel l'amoureuse lipstick.  I will definitely be re-creating this look, as it's really great for a day into evening look, as well as for a professional everyday shade.  It's always nice to have a Chanel lipstick on hand :)

Classic Cranberry and Mauve Combination

One of my favourite combination of colours is anything in the purple and berry families.  I don't wear these shades as often as I'd like, but I truly do love them.  MAC Amorous lipstick is the perfect shade of deep cranberry.  It leans slightly more purple, but works really well with any purple, mauve or berry combination.  I decided to create a look using these shades:

I started with my basic concealer/foundation and then applied Quarry eyeshadow by MAC on the lid into the crease.  Quarry is a very muted soft mauve shade.  It works really well with the cooler and softer palette.  I then added definition by using Urban Decay Demolition eyeliner and smudging the upper lash line with MAC Copperplate eyeshadow.  For the blush, I went with Arbonne dusky rose.  The real pop of 'berry' comes in with MAC Amorous lipstick :)  I picked a scarf this morning that is in an interesting blend of deep cocoa-berry, purple, mauve and pink.  I think it really compliments the makeup look well.  What I like the most about this look is how versatile it is.  This could be a polished and professional work look or even an evening look.  Versatility is important for a look.  Berry and mauve shades will never steer your wrong - they are classic!

#UltimateVegasOutfit

I am very excited to write this post!  I was asked to participate in the 'Ultimate Vegas Outfit' challenge.  I of course, wanted to take the perspective of a makeup artist and create a look to go along with a black-gold shimmer pashmina with black dress pants.  Part of the challenge is to respond to the 'dream question': what would I create if I could spend a day in Los Vegas??? :)

When I think of Las Vegas, I most definitely think of lots of bling and fast-paced fun.  However, I also think of the image of an elegant, fun-loving look. When choosing a look, there’s so many different Las Vegas hotels to style for!   Vegas isn't just about getting lost in the casinos, its also about individuality, sensual mystery and 'fun'.  My look is more about a classic, girls night out type of makeup.  I wanted to pair a classic black liner, neutral eyeshadow, pink blush and red lipstick with a hint of rose.  It's a look that says 'Bond Girl' who knows her worth:

For the Ultimate Vegas Outfit experience, it's key to pair this look with a shimmery black pashmina with gold threading.  It's the perfect marriage with a classic red lip.  Diamond studs is the ideal accessory!  For this makeup, it's key to keep your eyeshadow natural.  I went with a shade called Quarry by MAC.  The black liner is the key for this look.  It is the 'ultimate vegas' answer to Chic Eyes.  I used Marc Jacobs highlighter gel crayon.  It applies so well and easy to carry for those vegas party touch ups.  The blush shade is subtle for this look - Bobbi Brown Sand Pink is the ultimate pink blush!  The lipstick is what takes centre stage.  When I think Vegas, I think 'red lip', but I wanted to give it a bit of a 'twist', so I used NARS Jungle Red lipstick, but then went over this shade and created a pretty outline with MAC Nightingale lipliner. If I spent a day in Vegas, this would be my 'Ultimate Vegas Outfit' and makeup look.  Vegas is unforgettable and so is the allure of a woman :) 

Smokey Taupe and Nude-Mauve

I have to admit that I've been playing around with the cooler tones lately and I really like the softer, cooler palette.  Now that spring is around the corner, it's time to consider putting the browns and orange shades away and wearing my soft summer colour palette.  This palette is full of beautiful nude pink/mauve, soft pink, taupe and berry shades.  I recently came across a lipstick in my NARS collection that I absolutely love - Catfight.  Catfight is described as a nude-mauve on the NARS website and it the perfect spring nude lipstick.  I wanted to pair this shade with a subtle smokey 'taupe' eye.  I love the combination of soft mauve and taupe.  It's so pretty and feminine:

For this looks, I started with loreal true match foundation and concealer in C4.  I then applied NARS Angelika blush (a perfect accompaniment to the Catfight lipstick).  For the eyes, I started with Sephora's Dark Taupe chubby-stick eyeliner on the upper lash line.  I then blended Urban Decay Mushroom eyeliner into the Dark Taupe and smudged these shades together.  I then applied the Mushroom liner to the lower lash line before finishing with black mascara.  The Catfight lipstick is the perfect nude for this smokey-taupe eye makeup look :)

NARS Anna Lipstick

I've had NARS Anna lipstick on my radar for a while now and finally decided to indulge myself.  I'm so happy that I did.  The NARS website describes this shade as a smokey rose and I would have to agree.  It's a softer, yet deeper mauve-rose shade.  It reminds me of lipstick shades that Katie Holmes would often wear pre-Bobbi Brown.  I wanted to create a look that would really bring out the rose tones:

This is a great look for Spring/Summer.  I love the petal pink scarf together with this lipstick and look!!!  I started with my basic face of concealer and foundation.  I used Loreal true match in C4.  I then applied NARS Angelika blush (my current everyday go-to).  For the eyes, I decided to pass on the eyeshadows, but instead, I blended Urban Decay Demolition and Mushroom liners on the upper eye lid and smudged this out.  On the lower lash line, I just used the Demolition before finishing with black mascara.  I then used NARS Anna :)
I absolutely 'Adore' this look and this colour palette!!!

The Soft/Rich Look

One of my favourite looks is a soft, subtle smokey eye and a polished, rich lipstick.  I was able to create this look a few days ago and I seem to keep coming back to it as one of my favourite looks.  It combines some of my favourite shades with the perfect balance of soft/deep value.

This look was inspired by Kate Middleton.  She always has that preppy-chic look that I love.  She seems to just get it 'right' all the time.  Her makeup and style really suit her!  I'd trying to do the same for myself - find a look that isn't forced, yet looks polished.  Here, I used MAC Blooz eyeliner and smudged the upper lash line.  Blooz is one of my favourite liners, as the shade really compliments my natural eye colour.  I used Angelika blush on the cheeks.  It also becoming one of my go-to stand-by's in the blush world.  I love how 'pink' it looks, yet how subtly it applies.  It's the healthy glow my skin needs.  Finally, the lipstick is Revlon Plumalicious.  This shade is definitely going on my top 5 list of lipstick favourites.  I'm very comfortable and happy in this look.  I love the shades of smokey blue in combination with pink and plums :)

Bobbi Brown Ruby Shimmer Lipstick

I have a very healthy obsession with lipsticks :)  Bobbi Brown lipsticks are among my favourites, although I don't blog about them as much as I'd like because I usually stick to the basic shades.  Recently, however, I decided to try a new colour and instead of getting my stand-by Sandwash Pink, I opted for the Ruby Shimmer lipstick.  I recall reading somewhere that the late Caroline Bassette-Kennedy wore this as her everyday lipstick shade.  She was such a classic and stunning woman, so I was happy to purchase a lipstick that she used to admire and love.  I wanted to create a very natural eye makeup look, so all I did was use MAC Coquette eyeshadow along the lid and slightly into the crease.  I by-passed the eyeliner and instead just applied some black mascara.  I also used the new Bobbi Brown duo blush.  I went with the Plum/French Pink duo and simply mixed the two blush colours together.  I finished the look by applying the Ruby Shimmer lipstick.  I really love this look to be honest - I can see why the late Caroline Bassette loved this lipstick.  The look is very classic and polished!!!

I am really happy to have this shade on hand, as it's the perfect 'day' red.  It's the perfect tone of ruby - not too bright and not too dark.  The shimmer, adds that additional element of chic because it's not too heavy.  This one is definitely a keeper :)

Preppy Inspired Makeup Look

Lately I've been browsing through magazines and noticed that the makeup look I'm most drawn to is a very classic, preppy, Ralph Lauren type of look.  I wanted to try and re-create this look, so I put together a very classic plum-red lip with natural eye makeup and a plum toned blush.  I've noticed that the most natural looks are a blend of rose, plum, blush and sheer red lipstick tones, in combination with taupe, beige, tan and camel eyeshadows.  I think that Kate Middleton is the perfect example of this type of style and look.  Here is the look I created:

For this look I started with a neutral concealer and Arbonne pink-beige foundation.  I then combined the two shades in the Bobbi Brown blush duo 'Plum/French Pink'.  For the eyes, I used MAC Coquette eyeshadow on the lid and then used an angled blush to smudge in MAC Smut eyeshadow into the upper lash line.   I used a black mascara to finish off the natural yet classic eye look.  The defining feature of this look is the plum-red lip.  I combined MAC Soar lipliner (which I used to fill in the entire lip).  I then applied MAC Lady Bug over the Soar liner.  Voila - a chic, natural, yet classic 'Ralph Lauren/preppy chic' inspired look!!!

Revlon Plumalicious

Here is another makeup request look - it's a look that is mostly a cooler toned winter look.  I started this look by picking out the blush and lipstick combination, which was NARS Angelika blush and Revlon Plumalicious.  On some makeup lists, these shades belong to the clear winter category, which I thought was interesting because on me, they don't appear to be clear or bright.  For the eyes, I kept it simple with Bobbi Brown cement on the lid.  Cement is a very cool medium taupe shade.  I then used MAC Blooz eyeliner (one of my favourites) and lined the upper and lower lash line.  I tried my best not to create a heavy line, but did decided to smudge the upper lash line before applying black mascara.  I then finished off the look with Revlon Plumalicious:

I went outside this morning to take a pic of this look because I wanted to capture it in natural light.  I also decided to wear a black scarf, which is a typical winter shade.  In terms of makeup, I really like this look.  I really like the Plumalicious lipstick in combination with the blue eyeliner.  I don't see the cool tones competing with my skin tone, which is a good thing I guess.  I also like how the blooz eyeliner helps to make the blues in my eyes pop out.  I would say that this look is a keeper for the days that I want to create a cooler, dramatic look :)

MAC Amorous Lipstick

Amorous lipstick is another shade that I came across when decluttering my makeup case.  It's described on the MAC website as a cranberry shade.  It definitely lives up to its shade description and I'm glad I found it again.  Since my skin tone is deeper and duskier, I decided to pair this lipstick with a neutral taupe eyeshadow look and soft pink blush:

I started by using Arbonne pink-beige foundation and Bobbi Brown Sand Pink blush.  For the eyes, I used Bobbi Brown cement eyeshadow, MAC Coffee eyeliner and smudged MAC Copperplate on the upper lash line.  I then swiped on Amorous lipstick :)  I think that this look is very consistent with a Deep Summer-Soft look or Soft Winter-Deep, perhaps even Deep Winter, although I think the effect is still predominately softer.  I've been experimenting with the soft makeup palette again and this is the closest I've come to my 'favourite' look so far :)

MAC Faux Lipstick

MAC Faux lipstick is a colour I often wore in high school (which for me was a long, long time ago lol).  I realized this past week as I was decluttering my makeup case, that this shade is still a true 'classic'. It's been around for a while and it's still just as pretty as it was 20 years ago when I wore it in my senior year.  In terms of palettes, it fits very nicely into the soft summer colour palette.  It looks very pretty with neutral shades of beige, taupe and cream shades. It's also a great shade to wear with various shades of blue.  It's most definitely a classic day lippie - swipe and go perfection:

I paired this lipstick with a neutral taupe eye and natural blush.  For the eyes, I blended MAC Quarry and Copperplate, lined my eyes with urban decay mushroom and smudged the upper lash line with MAC Club shadow.  I used Melba blush by MAC to keep the look soft.  I'm really liking these soft looks that I've been experimenting with lately :)

Soft Seasonal Look

I've have some requests lately to create a soft seasonal look.  Instead of doing two looks - one for soft autumn and one soft summer, I've decided to create a soft seasonal cross over look.  I started with the scarf as my soft inspiration.  I wanted to create a very blended, 'taupe'/pearlized look.  I started with a neutral concealer and then applied arbonne foundation in pink-beige with a few drops of loreal N4 foundation.  I used MAC Melba as my blush of choice (a colour I wore often when I was playing around with the soft seasonal palettes).  For the eyes, I blended MAC quarry and copperplate.  I then used urban decay mushroom eyeliner and used MAC club eyeshadow to smudge into the upper lash line.  For the lips, I applied Lancome Bronzelle lipliner first and then MAC Faux lipstick:

I really like a 'softer' look for day and can definitely see myself re-creating this look.  It seems harmonious, yet also has that very elegant, chic appeal to it.  It's always great to have soft makeup look options.  For me, the soft seasons remind me of 'comfort' - which is perfect for days when you need a hug :)

Dr.Hauschka Lipstick in 09

I seemed to have found this lipstick shade almost by accident.  Actually, another way of looking at it is that it was meant to be :)  I was at Whole Foods, picking up some groceries when someone complimented me on my lipstick.  We were standing by the Dr. Hauschka counter, so I tried to see if there was a matching shade to the colour I was wearing.  I zoomed directly in on the 09 lipstick.  It was the closest match to my Estee Lauder Tiramisu, but it was ever so slightly warmer.  I decided to try and it and was the best 'your lips but better' shade on me.

I wanted to take a photo of this look in two different environments to show that no matter what lighting is, its still natural and enhances my warm skin tone.  I decided to pair this lipstick with the Estee Lauder Hot Sienna (which is the blush I purchased to go with the Tiramisu lipstick).  I then applied Urban Decay Demolition eyeliner and smudged it with Revlon's cocoa shadow before finishing with black mascara.  I feel confident in saying that I now have two favourite everyday 'swipe and go' lipsticks.  The Tiramisu has a slightly more pinkish tone and the Dr. Hauschka has a 'touch' more peach/warmth.  This 09 shade was a great find :)

Estee Lauder Hot Sienna Blush

This blush shade is absolutely gorgeous.  It's very true to it's name - a very spicy sienna shade.  I couldn't help but want to wear this blush as a lipstick shade, so I used a lip brush and blended this blush with some lip-balm to create the perfect sienna lip.  

Of course I also used this shade as my blush :)  For the eyes, I wanted to create a neutral, subtle smokey look, so I used Urban Decay Demolition eyeliner and smudged Revlon cocoa shadow into the liner.  I finished the look with some black mascara.  I find that this look is very becoming with my rich brunette hair and olive skin tone.  I am now determined to find a lipstick version of Hot Sienna so I can swipe and go :)