My Makeup Journey!

I love blogging! Being able to combine blogging with expressing and sharing my makeup journey has been a true blessing and I'm grateful that I have a forum in which to do that! I have posted numerous things about makeup shades, taked about colour analysis, created different colour palettes and collages. I have been on a journey of thinking I'm a deep winter, soft autumn, true autumn, soft summer etc etc - I do not at all have any regrets when it comes to makeup and colour. I have no regrets with colouring my hair a burgundy red shade, cutting my hair short, wearing a bright fucshia lipstick or even sporting a teal eyeshadow. The time and energy I spent creating various colour collages, trying to 'figure it all out', going against what my intuition was saying - nope, no regrets at all, just genuine gratitude for where my journey has taken me. I have to say that I have been wearing the same look for a while now. I love the simplicity and the timeless classic feeling of having a signature look that 'works'. I have embraced the true autumn palette full force (which I was drapped in twice) and am really, enjoying just being happy with something that is authentically ME! I see myself taking this blog into a new direction. Its not going to be about 'my look', my journey into colour - I want it be more about a journey into what beauty and elegance truely are - really embracing the 'simple things' - finding the meaning behind 'authentic' beauty. I'm excited for what is to come with this blog. I want to leave this post with sharing with you my current 'look', the 'authentic me':

Amber lights eyeshadow by MAC combined with a warm brown liner (Mambo by NARS) has become my classic eye makeup look. NARS blush in Madly is just 'amazing' - I love how the colour looks on its own - its the prettiest warm shell pink shade. FOr the lips, nothing is better than the right shade of red - for me its a warm, brownish red shade - I love mixing a deep red like NARS Fire Down Below with Revlon's 'Copper Chrome' (seen in this pic) or with MAC's Chili! I have a wonderful feeling that this new year is going to bring amazing new makeup experiences. I can't wait to continue to share my journey with you!!!

Bronze Shimmer Lipstick MAC

Not quite bronze, not quite amber and not quite gold, all of 'Bronze Shimmer's' 'Not Quites' make it the PERFECT bronze-amber-gold combination - I love how in not being able to describe a shade, it morphs into its own perfect 'unexplained' colour. Regardless of what 'Bronze Shimmer' is or isn't, its ideal for a warm, terracotta or orange-brown based. If you're looking for a unique 'autumn' tone to wear this fall, Bronze Autumn may just be your perfect shade because its stunning when paired or blended with other shades or liners. You can tone it down for everyday with a natural liner like Spice or Chicory (I used chicory in this look) or use it on top of a tomato red shade for an evening 'uber HOT' look! I decided to play around with warm golden brown, copper and amber tones with this look - check it out:

I started with my basic concealer, tinted moisturizer and then applied my current 'favourite' blush - coppertone by MAC. For the eyes, I used brule+retrospeck, blended as a base shade. I also mixed amber lights and espresso and applied this combo on the lid into the crease (all MAC shadows). I used NARS mambo eyeliner and smudged the upper lashline with MAC's espresso before finishing with mascara. MAC chicory lipliner was applied to the lip and topped with Bronze Shimmer Lipstick - Voila, a warm, gold infused autumn look!!!

Amber 'Glow'

I currently have an obsession with anything amber, particularily makeup shades that give off that golden amber glow. It fits in with my true/warm autumn palette perfectly. For this look I started with my basic face of concealer, tinted moisturizer and Coppertone blush my MAC. I then applied Brule mixed with retrospeck as a base shade on my eyes, used 'uninterrupted' eyeshadow from lid to crease and blended amber lights onto the lid (all MAC)- I lined my eyes with coffee eyeliner and smudged with NARS galapagos shadow! For the lips, I mixed in NARS honolulu honey with MAC Chicory lipliner. I can't even say in words how great it feels to be wearing my true autumn shades again!!!

Warm, Muted Copper Tones

Embracing the True Autumn palette again has been so inspiring and liberating. I have been reading a lot of style books and articles and trying to come up with makeup looks that encorperate both my colour palette and my dominant style type, which lately has had more of a gamine mixed with avant garde flair. For evening, I am still sporting the red lip, but going for a spicier, warmer red and for day I have fallen in love with copper tones that are warm, yet muted and soft vs shimmery and glittery - I think this is the idea natural/neutral look for true autumn 'gamine' - check it out:

For this look I started with a warm golden concealer/foundation, Coppertone blush my MAC (which has literally become my absolute favourite shade), Sandalwood Beige lipstick by Revlon and for the eyes, I mixed MAC's espresso and soba, lined my eyes with NARS mambo eyeliner and smudged the upper lashline with NARS Bengali eyeshadow - I finished off the look with mascara!!!

Accessorize with Colour - Mustard/Marigold!!!

I love accessorizing with the brighter and warm yellows of the true autumn palette. WHat better way to add a splash of colour to an olive or warm chocolate base, then adding a mustard toned scarf - now imagine adding a pair of mustard toned gloves too? THat's autumn perfection!!! Now is the time to invest in autumn toned accessories, so wild - think scarves, belts, gloves, purses!!! CHeck out the makeup look I created to wear with the mustard/marigold tones of the TA palette!!!

I started this look with my favourite base - NARS GInger concealer with St. Moritz tinted moisturizer. I used NARS Madly blush because I wanted a natural warm shade that wouldn't overpower the rest of the makeup!. For the eyes, I used era as a base, mixed retrospeck and saddle and applied from the lid to the crease (all MAC) and lined my eyes with NARS Mambo liner, smuding the upper lash line with NARS Galapagos before finishing with mascara. I then applied MAC Chicory lipliner and swiped on Spice is Nice lipstick!!!

Emerald Turqouise

Emerald Turqouise is a warm green-blue that looks STUNNING against True Autumns other warm shades such as terracotta, gold, olive etc. I decided to pair a emerald turqouise sweater I just picked up at Old Navy with a warm olive green eye and terracotta lip - the combination is gorgeous - its really fun pairing different shades from the Autumn palette and seeing what stunning combinations you can come up with. Emerald Turqouise + Olive green is a keeper!!!

FOr this makeup look I started with NARS ginger concealer and St. Moritz tinted moisturizer. I skipped the bronzer, but used a bronze toned shade as a blush - Sweet as Cocoa by MAC. FOr the eyes, I acheived the olive toned shades by using YSL #10 eyeshadow quad (I used the lighter and deeper olive shades only). I use Sephora olive eyeliner and applied mascara to finish. I then lined my lips with Mahogany lipliner and used Strength lipstick - both by MAC

True Autumn........wins yet again!!!

True Autumn..........its a season I love, its a season I always seem to come back to and its a season that just works. I've been draped twice as a true autumn and recently walked into a cosmetics store where the makeup artist kept giving me colours like burnt sienna toned lipsticks and copper-brown blush - when I asked her why she was choosing these colours, she said "well, you're a typical autumn". I think for a while I was so hopeful for Soft Autumn to work because I loved the soft, delicate look of the season, but then I ventured into a whole different direction, partly because I had an on-line consultation where I was told I was a deep winter soft! ummm....NO, I'm not! I get that now - I also 'GET' that its time to stop fighting the answer thats been right in front of me this whole time - TRUE AUTUMN. Its interesting that after all my colour experiements, true autumn keeps re-appearing - after two drapings and having David Zyla himself confirm that I'm a 'bronze autumn', you'd think that would be enough to say "hello, why would you consider any other season???" - my answer, I have NO clue - Its time to finally step into true autumn!!! THe proof is in the pudding: