Burt's Bees Rhubarb Lip Shimmer

I've been hearing a lot about this shade from many people, so I decided to give it a try!  I thought this shade would be much more sheer, but in fact, it gives you a lot of colour :)  Rhubarb is definitely a deep pink-red, but more neutral vs leaning too cool or warm!  The best part about this product is that it's from Burt's Bees, so you get that tingly, moist and healthy feel to your lips!

I wanted to create a classic look this morning.  I applied by usual base of concealer and tinted moisturizer,  Then for the eyes, I wanted something simple yet classic.  I went with a sheer white eyeshadow shade by Make Up For Ever (Dimond Shimmer).  I then used Smolder eyeliner by MAC and applied it to the top 3/4 of the upper lash line and fully to the bottom lash line.  I then used my finger to smudge out the top liner.  When it blends into the white shadow it creates a nice value of colour of black, grey and then the white - its actually a very cool effect!  I finished with black mascara!  I used Sin blush my NARS and then applied the Rhubarb lip Shimmer!!! :)

Chic Look For Work

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to what type of makeup is work appropriate.  I tried the natural look, the nude lip for day look etc, but I've come to appreciate and understand that one of the things that lifts me up during the day is wearing a chic red lip.  It's going to sound weird, but it makes we work harder!  I believe strongly that how you look and feel really influences your work ethic!  When you're not feeling well, you don't give things 100%.  However, when you feel 'fantastic', you want to work hard and be your best.  I created a look that I think is chic, work-appropriate and makes me feel 'fantastic':

This look is very classic, goes with everything in my wardrobe and it takes literally 5 minutes to put together!  I started with the MAC concealer palette and Laura Mercier Tinted moisturizer!  I always put concealer on my eyelids too, as it acts as a shadow and liner primer   Next, I used Coffee eyeliner by MAC - I applied it to the top lash line, only lining the outer corners and also on the lower lash line.  I then used my finger to smudge out the upper lash line.  I wanted to keep it very simple and fresh, so no eyeshadow.  I went with Coffee because it's the most superb deep brown liner.  Black liner is slightly too harsh for this work-day look, although I think I would pop it in my purse to use for evening if I was going to an after work event.  For the blush, I used my absolute current favourite 'Sin' by NARS.  Once again, its a colour that goes with everything.  For the lips, nothing makes me feel more alive and confident then a 'red lip'.  However, a bright true red can be a little too much for work, so I used Mahogany lipliner by MAC and layered YSL #1 Le Rouge lipstick on top.  Mahogany lipliner gives the red a slight deep drown tone, which shifts the colour into a neutral-red tone!  I think there are three key elements to creating an elegant and fabulous day look:

1) The colours and tones go with everything - they are neutral enough to wear with practically everything you own

2) The look is simple and classic - a swipe of liner, a touch of mascara, a classic red lip - no extra fussing, no additional shadows and highlights etc etc - simplicity is elegence!

3) You feel 'amazing' - you can walk around and feel like "I've got this" no matter what situation you're facing - you're not afraid to be the best you can be!

Hope that you enjoyed this post!  I'm going to rock this look today :)

Lipstick and Colour Analysis Rant :)

I think that combining red and pink lipstick shades has become a new makeup obsession for me.  This morning I applied my NARS Fire Down Below lipstick and felt like it needed something 'more' - I thought to myself: 'do I want to add a true red or something more wine-like???' - I decided I needed something with a little pop of colour, so I decided to try NARS Schiap on top - Success!!!  I absolutely loved the combination:

I've been thinking a lot about lipstick lately and how lipstick seems to be the product that I'm the most interested in and obsessed about!  Aside from colour theory, choosing and creating a signature lipstick look has been the focus of my makeup journey.  I've taken a step back from colour analysis because I started to find that it was too 'boxed in' and colour perception really is in the eye of the beholder.  I was draped twice as a True Autumn and I don't agree with that analysis now.  Every time I post a look on this blog and relate it back to colour theory, I get some great feedback from people (which I love), but everyone seems to see something different or like a particular look on me vs another.  I'm just happy to post and learn from each makeup experiment I do!  I feel personally drawn to the Deep Winter palette and am currently exploring that again, but I don't want to make my blog about 'what season am I?' - I'm going to leave that topic by saying that I'm for sure some type of neutral that can get away with various colours and looks.  Do I value colour analysis and think it has a valid place? Absolutely!!!  I think that its important to know what colours look good on you, but I don't think you need to deny yourself wearing something you really like because it doesn't fit into a seasonal 'box'!!!  On that note, I'm going to be exploring the lipsticks I love and I'm going to continue in my efforts to create a makeup 'wardrobe' - although, I have to admit that its been harder than I initially thought - I love lipstick too much to just keep '5' - :) However, its time to get serious about budgeting for makeup and I've always loved the idea of having a signature look - a set of lipsticks that I wear on a consistent basis - its very 'Chic'!!!  

For this look that I created today, I used a shimmery white shadow from the lid into the crease (Make Up For Ever in Diamond Shimmer White).  I then applied Smolder eyeliner and smudged in Smut shadow (both MAC) - I've been applying eyeliner to the outer 3/4 of my eyelid vs the entire lid and I'm loving this effect (I discovered this looks the best and helps to open up my eye and give less of that 'heavy handed eyeliner look).  For the blush, I applied Sin by NARS and for the lipstick look, Fire Down Below blended with Schiap (NARS)!!!

Combining Red Lipstick Shades

Red lipstick is very chic!  I think it's important to create looks and use colours that suit your skin-tone.  There are some unique red shades out there - blue reds, yellow reds, orange reds, true reds, deep reds, burgundy-wine reds etc etc.  Sometimes it can get confusing to know which red to buy because there are mixed messages out there from the beauty world, not to mention 'trends' and whats 'IN' at the moment!  I've read some articles that mention that you should wear a red that compliments the undertone in your skin - i.e. if you're cool toned, wear a blue or pink based red and if you're warm toned, wear yellow-orange based reds.  Neutrals, I assume can wear just about anything!  In other articles, I've read to wear a red that adds contrast to you natural skin tone so that the colour can really pop!  I can understand why wearing red can be confusing.  My personal opinion, is to discover your best red by trial and error and mixing/combining your own shades.  When it comes to makeup, you almost need to think like an inventor!  Makeup artists invent looks all the time and then they 'sell' it to you.  If we're not careful, we can get seriously caught up in buying what's new and trendy to the point of forgetting about our own personal style!  I really think that many women are loosing the ability to create a personal look or sense of style because of the fashion/beauty industry - however, I will leave that to another post!  Getting back to wearing and creating your own personal red lipstick beauty look, its important to have fun with finding your best red!  You have to absolutely love everything about wearing a red lip, from the look of the red, the feel of the formula/texture on your lips.  Red truly is about feeling confident and powerful and saying: 'I'm here world, you're going to hear me roar in a few seconds'.  Combining shades of red and creating your own version of red gives you the creative power to achieve a signature red look.  I remember reading a book in university called 'Bombshells manual of style' or something similar to that - one of the tips in that book is exactly what i'm writing about here - almost every Hollywood Bombshell wore of red that was her own creation and it was usually a mix of 2 or 3 shades.  If you happen to adore a particular shade of red and its swipe and go, then by all means continue wearing that shade, but give yourself the opportunity too to create something a little different sometimes.  Here's my red look for today - I combined a deeper red, NARS Fire Down Below with Ruby Woo by MAC - I wanted a neutral true-deep red shade:

I started with my basic makeup - concealer, tinted moisturizer.  I then applied NARS Sin blush (my fave and its fantastic with a red lip).  For the eyes, I applied a shimmery white shade from Make Up For Ever over the lid.  I then lined the outer corners of my eyes with Coffee eyeliner and smudged in Smut shadow into the upper lash-line.  I then applied Brun shadow into the crease before finishing with black mascara.  For the lipstick - NARS Fire Down Below + MAC Ruby Woo!!!

I'm excited to play around with some more red lipstick combinations :)

Light Peach

I remember reading somewhere a while back that light peach is a makeup artists best trick.  Last night, I was thinking about that and after picking up a few magazines and studying the looks, I noticed that peach is the perfect neutral to give warmth to the face without overwhelming it or create a disharmony with the rest of the makeup!  Peach tones and light peach in particular work with so many neutral shades: camel, beige, khaki, pastel shades, mint, blues and even some pastel pinks and red!!!  I'm still in the process of do my makeup bad decluttering and deciding what shades I want as my home base shades!  I've decided that for lipsticks, my magic number will be 5 - I'm thinking 2 for day, 2 for evening and 1 'fun' shade!  Right now, i'm definitely going to be adding a light peach-beige for one of my natural day looks.  Here's a classic light peach look I created today:

I used a MAC concealer palette to start and then applied Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer (I blended Oucher and Sand).  The blushes I used were: Sincere with 'Touch of Gold' blended in.  On the eyes, I lightly swiped on Cork eyeshadow and then used Duck eyeliner (all MAC products).  For the lips, I used MAC Etcetera lipliner and NARS Belle De Jour Lipstick!!!  I absolutely love this lipliner/lipstick combination - it works as a day look natural, but add a gloss and create a smokey eye look and you're ready for a sophisticated evening out!!!  NARS hands-down makes the best lipstick and lipcolours in my opinion.  I always feel chic wearing NARS!!!

Bordeauxline MAC Eyeliner

When it comes to eyeliner, I usually tend to use various shades of brown, grey and/or navy.  I was getting kind of 'bored' of the same look!  The last time I was at MAC, I asked the makeup artist there what her recommendation would be - she picked Bordeauxline and said "this will make the green in your eyes pop".  I decided to give it a try and I'm so impressed with this shade!  It's a warm burgundy type shade and it's not 'too red', which is what I often dislike about the plum/purple/burgundy shades.  Bordeauxline is perfectly balanced!  I also like how well it pairs with the rest of my makeup colours!  I decided to create a polished everyday look and use some warm shades:

I started with my basic concealer/tinted moisturizer combo and then applied NARS blush in Sin.  For the eyes, I applied amber lights (MAC) on the lid into the crease.  I then used NARS Oasis blush as an eyeshadow shade and applied it to the crease and outer corner of the eye.  I applied Bordeauxline on the top lashline only and smudged in MAC Deep Damson (which I got to go with the bordeauxline)!  I used black mascara and for the lips, I applied MAC Taupe lipstick!!! 

Taupe Lipstick MAC

I've noticed lately a pattern with myself with being drawn to neutral/natural shades.  In my continued exploration of what shades I want to be part of my 'makeup wardrobe' - I'm looking for colours that are classic, polished, go with everything and work with every season.  Since, I'm not really confident in the system of colour analysis anymore (those who don't know me - I can fit into many different colour seasons, but feel my base is somewhere between Autumn and Summer) - my new approach is to get to know my own personal colours and style - what colours do I know suit me regardless of what season they fit into?  What's my personal style and how does my makeup look support/work with that style?  I made a discovery this week when I put all my lipsticks together and started looking and how each one fits into my daily style/look - my eye kept on going back to Taupe by MAC.  I have my current favourite everyday casual neutrals - Blonde Venus by NARS and Chanel Indecise, but I feel like I needed a more polished - day into night neutral - something that leans into the reds, but not 'red' - Taupe is perfect.  Its also works with so many different lipliner shades, that you can make it more red or more brown etc.  I'm so excited to be making this part of my own personal 'makeup wardrobe':

 Since my skin tone is more bronzed from the sun these days, I decided to play up the warmth factor.  The one thing that I absolutely 'hated' about my colour analysis journey is feeling like I had to pick sides and that I had to give up wearing certain shades because they didn't fit into a palette.  I want to be FREE to choose whatever colour I want to wear on a certain day and work with the elements of my clothes and style to make it work.  No more, just 'cool, warm or neutral' - I'm wearing what I like!!!  The whole concept of a colour palette as a science limits a persons confidence in using their own judgment about what works for them.  I've gone from colour analysis fan to foe recently (although there is merit to know what colours look 'best' on you - colour analysis should be a guide only, not a 'science' or a gospel truth system with no movement or personal exploration) -  Anyhow, I want to make this post about Taupe Lipstick - I'll vent into another post - ha ha! For this look I started with my basic concealer and tinted moisturizer.  I then added Saddle eyeshadow by MAC into the crease and outer corners.  I applied Teddy eyeliner by MAC and smudged a colour called 'Chocolate Martini' from the Too Faced Natural Eyes eyeshadow palette into the Teddy Liner and finished with black mascara.  I then applied NARS Oasis blush and used MAC Trace Gold Blush as a pop of gold on the centre of the cheeks.  Last but not least, I applied Taupe lipstick!!! Taupe is definitely going to be a 'keeper' in my makeup bag!!!