Rose and Amber

Creating new and interesting colour combinations is always fun - its especially interesting when you find two shades that really compliment one another and create an exotic, yet romantic feel.  Rose and Amber seem to have that affect - the rose is elegant and romantic and the amber is warm, rich and spicy.  I think this is a truely sophisticated combination:

For this look I used NARS Isolde eyeshadow duo on the eyes with Teddy eyeliner (MAC), Dolce Vita blush by NARS with Amber lights shadow by MAC as a pop of colour blended into the blush. I lined my lips with Beet liner by MAC, applied Impassioned lipstick and then blotted Amber lights shadow onto the lips (all MAC products) and blended it into the lipstick! I love the comination of deep rose and warm amber - its such a unique and interesting combination!

The brighter the better!!!

Clear Springs need bright, clear, warm shades and nothing says this better than a Bright Golden Yellow shade.  "They" say the Proof is in the Pudding, so here I am wearing uber-bright lips and an even brighter golden-yellow top:

For the makeup in these photos I used Isolde eyeshadow Duo by NARS, Teddy eyeliner with Cover Girl's Swiss Chocolate shadow smudged into the upper lash liner.  I'm wearing Exhibit A as a blush with Smashbox's Flamingo shadow as a pop of colour.  For my lips, I'm wearing Impassioned lipstick by MAC!!!

I am so in-love with this palette and these shades!!!

Clear Spring

The Saga Continues:

For months now I've been going back and forth between Cool Winter, Soft Summer and Clear Spring as the best palettes for me.  I really liked a lot of the cool winter colours, but I really, really feel that there is a level of warmth that is missing from that palette that I need.  Also, the blue and grey tones seemed to drain me, especially when I wore them as eyeshadows (I got comments that I looked tired or people would ask "are you sick or coming down with something?).  I tried really, really hard to make the cool winter work for me, but there was something that just didn't fit.  Clarity is something that I definitely need (I get endless compliments when I wear a very bright golden yellow, coral, warm aqua and orange-red shades).  The clarity combined with warmth was something that was missing from the Soft Summer palette - the natural makeup tones of Soft Summer seemed okay, but when it came to clothes and accessories, the Soft Summer shades were blah, too muted and to dull for me.  I started to post pictures of the clear spring shades on my facebook 'makeup album' and the compliments started coming in - I even started to get more compliments from people at work, saying that I look healthier, fresher, one person even said "I wish I could wear those bright colours so well, they look great on you, but would over-power me".  I think what really makes the Clear Spring palette work for me is that I'm a spring that flows into winter, so I still have my black and grey basics, along with my coral, peach and clear orange reds that I adore and knew in my heart always looked great on me.  I don't at all regret my journey with the cool winter shades - but I have to say, I feel at home with the clear spring palette.   Here is one of the pics I have with clear spring makeup (and I'd love to hear your feedback):

Clear - Spring makeup:

Face:  I started with Loreal's N4 concealer and then used Make Up For Ever's HD Foundation in #155.  I applied NARS Orgasm Illuminator all over my face after my foundation set (I love the subtle peach glow it gives)


Eyes: I used the gold shade in cover girls 'dazzling metallics' trio as a base. Then used a shade called 'faux pas', which was in a quad I got from Lancome in a gift set. For the lid, I used MAC's amber lights. Clinique's black-brown eyeliner was used on the top lid only and smudged with 'chic' eyeshadow by lancome. I used MAC's Indigo eyeliner on the lower-lash-liner, finishing with Dior-show masacara in black.

BLush: I used NARS Exhibit A with Smashbox's 'Flamingo' eyeshadow as a pop of colour.

Lips: I used Lancome's Bronzelle lipliner and filled in my lips with MAC"s Impassioned lipstick. I then used 'Flamingo' again to dab onto the lips and give it that peachy-melon sheen

Exhibit A

If Michael Jackson is the king of pop and Kate is the new princess, Exhibit A is the Queen of Blushes!!!  Its considered a cult classic by NARS and makeup artists and I don't think 'any' other makeup company makes a blush this extraordinary!!!  Its one of those blushes that many people will walk by and say "no - thats way too bright for me, without even giving it a chance".  Yes. it takes confidence to wear this shade, but there is something to this blush that can look natural and pleasing to the eye, especially when it wear it with a certain balance with the rest of your makeup.  If you're into colour analysis and theory, this is the perfect blush for Clear and True Springs.  Its that perfect 'clear red' shade thats not muted, not too bluish and not too orangy, but at the same time its not a 'true red' - there is a slight yellowish, coral undertone.  I think this blush looks amazing with a clear or coral based red like MAC's Lady Danger or NARS Heatwave. In this photo I'm wearing it with Revlon's new lipstick shade 'Siren' - a coral shade that looks amazing with Exhibit A:

I tried to stick to a neutral eye to balance out the clear red lips and cheeks - I used a neutral brown shade from my lids into my crease (a colour similar to cork by MAC) and then used Smolder eyeliner by MAC, using Night Breed (NARS) to smudge into the upper lash line.  I then used Exibit A blush and finished off the look by using Auburn lipliner by MAC with Revlon's Siren lipstick - this liner/lipstick combination is awesome!!!

Dazzling Metallics

Now that autumn is here, I'm really enjoying playing around with the warmer shades, especially warm amber and gold eyeshadows.  I recently discovered Cover Girls 'Dazzling Metallics' eye trio.  The shades included are an orange-rust shade, a metallic charcoal shade and a yellow-gold shade:

I wanted to create a look that was very warm and would compliment these eyeshadows.  I particularily like the orange-rust shade and I wanted to use warm peaches and rusts to really work the autumn-like shades.  Here is what I came up with.  I went with a defined eye and a softer peach lip:

I recently got my hair done and had butterscotch highlights put in with a warm chestnut base - I think the colour really adds and works with the warm tones I'm wearing.  I started the look my mixing NARS orgasm illuminator with my HD foundation.  I then used the rust tone in the cover girl trio and added it to my brows.  I used the yellow-gold shade as a base and then used the rust again on my lids into my crease.  I used MAC's amber lights in the inner corners of the eye and into the lid and then used a golden brown shade (that I found in a lancome quad that was a gift with purchase) in the crease and outer corners.  I lined my eyes with MAC's Smolder eyeliner and then used the charcoal shade in the Cover girl trio to smudge into the upper lashline.  I used my favourite Dior-show mascara in black.  On my cheeks I used FACES blush (in an orange rust shade) and then applied NARS Exhibit A as a pop of colour.  I balanced out the look by using Bronzelle lipliner and NARS Barbarella lipstick!!!

I'm really liking this look on me - the warm colours are speaking to me again!!!

Bright and Vivid

I've lately become inspired by colours that are bright and vivid.  I've always loved clear true reds, bright teals, emerald greens, bright violet purple and coral/peach shades.  There is something to be said about bright colours that uplift your spirit and mood.  Since playing around with NARS Heatwave lipstick, I decided to try out some other bright shades in my makeup bag.  I wanted the look to be complimentary to the fall season, so I stuck with the warmer, clear and bright shades. I'm even wearing a bright yellow-green, almost 'clear mustard' sweater (its one of my faves from the GAP). If you had to label these shades within one of the 12 colour seasons, I'd say its consistant with the 'Clear Spring' shades.  I used an interesting mix of warm grey and amber on my eyes with a brighter teal liner and stuck with a clear orange red shade for the cheeks and lips.  I really enjoy playing around with different shades - its so much fun when you don't limit yourself to a particular palette and just have fun with makeup, but at the same time, its worth knowing your best shades!

For this look I started with my basic face - Loreal N4 concealer, HD foundation in #155 (but this time I blended NARS orgasm illuminator into my foundation).  I applied FACES blush in an orange/rust shade and used Smashbox's Flamenco as a pop of colour.  I then used a sheer warm beige as a base shade for my eyes (I don't have the colour name but its similar to Navajo by Bobbi Brown but without the frost).  I then used MAC's amber lights from my lid into my crease and used Print in the crease/outer corners only.  I then applied MAC's Indigo eyeliner (my current fave) and used Print to smudge into the upper lash line.  I used Dior-Show mascara in black before completing the look with MAC's Auburn lipliner and So Chaud Lipstick!!!

NARS Heat Wave

I honestly think that every woman needs to own this lipcolour because its literally 'POWER' in a tube.  It seems to be a favourite amoung the celebs and those in the fashion world.  Its everything that the shy girl would stay away from - bright, orange-red, show-stopping, completely in your face and uber sexy!  I wanted to work with the brightness of this shade, so I picked an equally bright eyeliner 'Indigo' by MAC to line my eyes with a light wash of amber shadow:

I was playing around with various shades at sephora today and I honestly can't remember what eyeshadow I put on - I think it was an amber shade from Shisedo, it was definitely in the amber/bronze family (I used this shade in my crease and into my lid).  As mentioned above, I used MAC's Indigo eyeliner on the top and bottom and simply smudged the upper lashline with a q-tip.  On my cheeks, I'm wearing Madly blush by NARS with Smashbox's Flamenco in the centre as a pop of colour.  The show stopper of course is the lips - NARS Heat Wave!!!
After my little makeup 'play-time' at Sephora, I continued my shopping, only to be stoped by numerous people who asked me what lipstick I was wearing.  I also walked into a department store that also sells NARS products and the Makeup Artist asked if I was wearing 'Jungle Red' - I said no 'Heat Wave' - she said that Heat Wave is one of the most interesting shades because it looks so different on everyone - on some people, its more red, on others more orange etc - Regardless, its a great colour that won me many compliments today - its a keeper in my books!!!