My Wedding Makeup

I actually didn’t know what I was going to do quite yet for my makeup until I tested out Guerlain Turandot Eyeshadow Palette (which I reviewed last month).  I loved the way it looked on me, and the colors were perfect for autumn.  I knew at once that it was a happy medium that used color and not just neutrals, but it wasn’t too bold or smoky, as our ceremony was being held in the late morning.  I went with a gold eyeliner on the bottom lash line, because it brightened up my eyes, so naturally, Honey was my go-to, as it was one of my all-time favorites.   With the warm-toned eyes, I knew I’d be going with corals, which I tend to like on myself.   I wore the same eyes and cheeks all day long, but for our evening reception, I changed the lips to Chanel Dragon and Bobbi Brown Naked Plum.

I won’t have my photos back for approximately a month, but when I have some to share, I will be sure to share a few.  These are the only photos I managed to take in the last few minutes before we had to leave to go to the ceremony location.  I spent a half hour on makeup, even if I used a truck-load of products!

Eyes:

• NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
• Guerlain Turandot Eyeshadow Palette
• Burberry Trench Eyeshadow
• Urban Decay Honey 24/7 Eyeliner
• Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Waterproof Mascara
• MAC Espresso Eyeshadow
• MAC Clear Brow Set

I applied a layer of primer on from lash line to brow bone.  Then, I applied the lighter plum eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, followed by the darker brown eyeshadow on the outer third of the lid.  I patted the gold eyeshadow directly on the center of the lid and pulled it outwards and inwards to blend with the other two colors.  I used separate MAC 239 eyeshadow brushes for those three colors.  I swept on the darker plum shade into the crease and diffused it upwards using Make Up For Ever’s #17S crease brush.  Next, I took the MAC 239 again with the gold eyeshadow and patted it on the inner tear duct and then pulled it upwards over the inner crease.  I lined the lower lashes with Honey eyeliner.  I filled in brows using Espresso eyeshadow and MAC’s 266 brush, then combed through them with a clean mascara spoolie and set with brow gel.  To finish the look, I heavily applied Eyes to Kill mascara (waterproof, of course) to upper and lower lashes.

Face:

• Eve Pearl Moisturizing Primer
• Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer
• Guerlain Parure Gold (02 & 03)
• OCC Concealer (Y2)
• Cle de Peau Concealer (Beige Ochre)
• Guerlain Terracotta Light Touch Highlighter (02)
• Tom Ford Love Lust Blush
• MAC Sculpt Sculpting Powder
• Guerlain Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush
• Guerlain Teint Rose Pressed Meteorites

I applied the moisturizing primer first, just prior to applying my eye makeup, so it would have a chance to sink in.  After fifteen minutes or so, I applied the Mineral Veil primer, and I let that sink in for five to ten minutes.  I used one pump of #02 and half a pump of #03, then mixed them between my fingers, and dotted it all over the face.  I used Hourglass #2 Foundation Brush to blend and diffuse the foundation on the face and down the neck.  I applied two pats of Cle de Peau’s Concealer on my under eye area and blended just over the bridge of my nose.  I then patted OCC’s Concealer over that.  I finished the under eye area by lightly tapping Terracotta Light Touch to brighten.  To add color to cheeks, I tapped Love Lust blush on apples and blended towards temples with MAC’s 116 brush.  I lightly contoured the hollows of my cheeks with MAC Sculpt and MAC’s 168 brush.  I lightly swept on Parure de Nuit as a highlighter on cheek bones with MAC’s 165 brush.  To set everything into place, I used MAC’s 184 brush and Pressed Meteorites.

Lips:

• Guerlain Gems Rouge G Lipstick
• Cle de Peau #2 Lipgloss
• Bobbi Brown Citrus High Shimmer Lipgloss

I applied Gems lipstick onto lips with a lip brush.  I lightly patted Cle de Peau #2 on the center of the lower lips, then pressed lips together.  I finished by applying a full coat of Citrus and lightly pressing my lips together.

See more photos & swatches!

Bright Makeup: Hot Pink Smoky Eyes

Go fierce or go home! Dark, sultry smoky eyes with a hot pink edge paired with equally in-your-face pink lips.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot (neutral beige base), MAC Fuchsia Pigment (fuchsia), Sugarpill Dollipop Eyeshadow (matte fuchsia pink), Sugarpill Bulletproof Eyeshadow (matte black), MAC Stars ‘n Rockets Eyeshadow (fuchsia-purple), MAC Beautiful Iris Eyeshadow (iridescent icy purple), MAC Blacktrack Fluidline (black liner), Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner (purple), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Setting Powder
• Cheeks: MAC Sculpt Sculpting Powder (dark nude), MAC Shell Pearl Beauty Powder (soft champagne-peach)
• Lips: MAC Petals & Peacocks Lipstick (hot pink), MAC True Babe Lipstick (hot pink)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 168 (fluffy angled brush), 165 (tapered blush brush), 130 (flat stippling brush)
• Substitutes:  Shell Pearl = Soft & Gentle; Petals & Peacocks = Girl About Town; True Babe = Pink Poodle

For eyes, start by applying Soft Ochre paint pot as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. With the 239 and water-based mixing medium (or water), apply Fuchsia pigment all over the lid area. Using the 239, apply Dollipop eyeshadow on the entire lower eyelid area. Darken the outer third of the lid with Bulletproof eyeshadow with the 226, gently brushing it into the outer crease. Lightly blend Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow, with the 226, in the crease. Lightly tap and brush Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Beautiful Iris eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone and inner tearduct. Bring everything together by applying Lust eyeliner on the lower lash line and Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush. Finish by applying Blacktrack fluidline to the upper lash line with the 208, and then sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sculpt sculpting powder to the hollows of the cheeks to lightly contour and blend onto cheeks with the 168. To highlight, apply Shell pearl onto the cheekbones with the 165.

For lips, apply Petals & Peacocks lipstick first, and then layer True Babe lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

I was watching Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance Music Video yesterday, and I felt a little inspired by the bold makeup she’s wearing around the four minute mark. At first, I thought she was wearing this look while dancing a bit, but I think the looks are different–the one she wears while dancing (also around the four minute mark) seems cleaner, not quite as dark, though the lips seem really similar.

Anyway, this is inspired by and not so much as an exact replica. If you wanted to be more on target, I’d say to go for a slightly messier smoky eye, add a little bit of gloss to make it look wet and have a sheen, and then go for a very dramatic cheek contour. The shape of the black portion on the eye also goes up quite close to the inner brow bone and then comes down.  The lashes should also be bigger and flair out more on the outer lash line.

Also, this look is actually REALLY easy. No, seriously! It’s pretty much any cream black base all over the lid. I used the same technique I did back in 2007 to create this black smoky eye tutorial. The lashes took me infinitely longer and still didn’t adhere correctly–but it was good enough to fake it in photos (and my eyes were burning from upper lash line irritation, so it was a hurry-up-and-finish situation).

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Blacktrack fluidline (black), Carbon eyeshadow (matte black), Vex eyeshadow (duochrome white-purple), Bisque eyeshadow (matte highlighter), Feline kohl power (black), false eyelashes (anything big and dramatic), Zoom Fast Black Mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Sculpt sculpting powder (dark shadow), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronzy highlighter)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (#140)
• Lips: Red No. 5 lipstick (deep red), Violetta lipstick (bright purple), Vino lip pencil (dark red)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Red No. 5 = New York Apple

Directions: Apply Blacktrack fluidline all over the lid as the base with the 249. With the 239, pack Carbon eyeshadow on all over the lid. Using the 226 brush, lightly blend the crease with Vex eyeshadow. Sweep Bisque eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Feline Kohl Power on lower lash line, and apply false lashes to upper lash line, then lightly apply Zoom Fast Black mascara on lashes. Sweep hollows of cheeks with Sculpt sculpting powder using the 168, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 165. Apply Red No. 5 lipstick to lips, and then top with Violetta for color and shine.

Check out more photos!

Beauty Basics: How to Contour & Highlight Your Face for Everyday Wear

This tutorial is about contouring and highlighting your face in a way that’s subtle and practical for everyday. You can always create darker shadows for a more dramatic look.

Products Used

• MAC 165 Brush (Review)
• MAC 184 Brush (Review)
• MAC Sculpt Sculpting Powder (Review)
• Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (Review)

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You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (creamy neutral base), Lightsweep shaping powder (PRO) (soft nude), Sculpt sculpting powder (PRO) (soft taupe), Soft Focus shaping powder (PRO) (soft yellow nude), Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner (warm brown), Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Dainty mineralize blush (soft peachy pink)
• Lips: Burnin’ lipstick (dark purple), Ms. Fizz dazzleglass (shimmery fuchsia-purple)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Dainty = Peachykeen; Burnin’ = Cyber; Ms. Fizz = Venetian

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. Apply Lightsweep shaping powder all over lid with the 239. Gently apply Sculpt sculpting powder into the crease with the 239 to define and add shadow. Sweep Soft Focus shaping powder underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Dainty using the 129. Apply Burnin’ lipstick to lips, and then top with Ms. Fizz dazzleglass for color and shine.

Check out more photos!

I used Soft Ochre paint pot on lid, Ricepaper eyeshadow all over lid, Brun eyeshadow in outer crease, Soft Brown eyeshadow in outer crease, Patina eyeshadow on outer lid, Ricepaper eyeshadow on brow and lower lash line, Blacktrack fluidline on upper and lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. I had Margin blush with Scult sculpting powder on cheeks. I wore Mari-sheeno lipstick (LE) with Moonbathe lipglass (LE) on my lips.

** These are recommendations for dupes based on permanent colors available — may not necessarily be identical; they are the closest I can think of!

Mari-sheeno = no dupe!; Moonbathe = Love Nectar