Whew! What a long day… The professors at my school might go on strike this week. It looks like my burgeoning re-education may get cut short. And it barely even got started, LOL!
Enough of that! How was your day? Did ya catch the Oscars last night? I couldn’t help but notice how many of the actresses wore natural cheek looks in shades of peach or pink blush. They looked barely brushed on, like watercolor whispers for cheeks.
I love the look. It’s so flexible and goes with practically anything.
When I’m feeling peachy…
I like Neutrogena Soft Color Blush in Soft Suede, Benefit Coralista, MAC Pinch O’ Peach or Shu Uemura M Brown 73.
When I’m craving pink…
I like Neutrogena Soft Color Blush in Divine Wine, MAC blush in Pink Swoon, Blushbaby or Benefit Dandelion.
Bounce, baby…
For barely there color on my cheeks — almost transparent — I get good results with the Shu Uemura 7.5ex fan brush, going from the apples up into the hairline using the bounce technique.
No worries if you don’t have a fan brush handy, though, because a regular blush brush works fine, too.
It’s time to hit the red carpet, or in my case, the couch. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
NJ says
There were some simply stunning looks on the red carpet. I didn’t think I could be more in love with Anne Hathaway, then she showed up in that mermaid scale champagne dress that put all the other tail dresses to shame. I really liked all the purple eyeshadow that snuck into looks too.
Have you seen Slumdog Millionaire Karen?
Karen says
Hi NJ,
I watched Slumdog a few weeks ago. Have you seen it? Did you like it? I thought it was great!
Briana says
No oscars for me, I watched Mythbusters instead 🙂
I did check out the outfits today, I have to say the only one I really liked was SJP’s dress!
My monday was pretty good because it was my last day of work! I’m so glad to be done this job!
Kate says
I think I’ve watched the Oscars once in my life. They bore me to distraction. I do like looking at the dresses and make-up the next day though.
I was very happy the The Duchess won Best Costume (seriously, Keira Knightley had to be sewn into some of those costumes) and that Wall-E won Best Animated Picture. I need to buy Wall-E as that movie was cute-overload. It was darn funny too. I do own The Duchess.
I always have very little blush on. I don’t need much as my cheeks are naturally pink but my tinted moisturizer tends to cover that.
The trick to that natural matte blush look is using having the right shade, using very little blush and lots of blending right on the apples of the cheeks. If you don’t know naturally what color your cheeks turn, pinch them 2 or 3 times and match your blush to that. Dab your blush brush very lightly once or twice into the blush and blend in circles on the apples of your cheeks. I use either the second or last color in Covergirl’s Tru Cheeks in 1 depending on my eye make-up. No bronzer. No highlighter. I do that nearly every day as I hate the noticeable blush look.
Karen says
Hi Kate,
I enjoyed the costumes in The Duchess, too. So beautiful!
Oh, and thanks for the blush tips. 🙂
H. says
*waves* First time posting a comment! I have to say that I love, love, LOVE your blog. It’s informative, up-to-date, and has an overall great look. I also love the fact that you’re a woman of colour as well (my background is South Asian); it gives me a bit of an idea of how the colours would look on me!
Anyway, great Oscar post. Many of the ladies looked so elegant and classy with their makeup, especially with the natural and barely there blush. pretty!
You should definitely do a Freida Pinto post, since her makeup is always flawless. Like seriously. It’s just the right amount and never overdone. Here’s a link that has a bunch of great shots of her (http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/search/label/Freida%20Pinto). The makeup she has for the 2009 SAG awards looks phenomenal. It’s a beautiful shade of pale blue. and the nude lip look she’s always sporting looks amazing (can you tell she’s my girl crush of the moment? lol).
cheers!
Karen says
Hi H.,
It’s very nice to meet you. 🙂
I loved Frieda’s SAG makeup. She inspired this FOTD a few weeks ago. I’m going to try it again in a few — hopefully it’ll turn out less teal.
Karen B says
I loved some of the make-up looks. Kate Winslet looked her fabulously glowing self, I liked Anne Hathaway’s make-up as well and Natalie Portman, can you say glow?? Fab 🙂
Karen says
Hi Karen B.,
Oh, I know! So many ladies looked absolutely gorgeous.
I wish I could look like that every day. I’d totally want to go to the grocery store wearing a full length gown, ha ha!
Karen says
Hi Briana,
SJP’s dress looked gorgeous!
Congrats on finishing your last day of work. What’s next for you? Do you have a new gig lined up?
victoria says
i thought so too. i thought this year for some reason most of the ladies, well almost all that i’ve seen, were beautiful. i thought could it be their makeup. the dresses weren’t bad, nothing was overly done. even how they announced the nominees were very personal and touching. they said they cut down cost but quality wise, i thought it was pretty impressive. remember how one time the bronze thing was in and a lot of them kind of over did the bronzers? ewww, i did not like that. everyone was glamorous but not over the top.
Karen says
Hi Victoria,
I agree. The elegance factor was definitely kicked up a notch, but it wasn’t too over the top. I loved the looks!
lesley says
I didn’t get to catch the Oscars, ugh, I had a staff meeting–which was important considering the most recent happenings here at USF–but still. I saw many pictures and raves/rants about the outfits, but I have to admit that I really like the matte and almost minimalistic makeup looks.
I guess this all comes together with the fact that I purchased my very first MAC Blushcreme yesterday in Lilicent because I was so inspired 😉 The MA instructed me to apply it with my 116, but I’m kind of curious to try it out with my 187… we’ll see.
My class got canceled today! Yay! But sadly it’s not my evening one that runs from 6 to 9 pm. It’s times like these when I wish I had a cat to cuddle up with when I have time to waste and Hubby is out.
Have a good day Karen! 🙂
Karen B says
That would be fab 🙂 Hehe. But at least we can do the makeup that would go with it right?
lexi says
i have to admit my favorite look was Angelina’s – i love the look of a black gown that provides a perfect backdrop to gorgeous emerald jewelry – did you see that rock on her finger? it was the size of my daughter’s head..
loved penelope as well – gorgeous in white – like a ballerina princess
i loved the makeup – not overdome if anything it’s what i would do if it’s date night at a fancy restaurant or wedding…looks like i’ll have to invest in a neutral blush..is mac’s mocha a good shade for our skin tone?
Karen says
Hi Lexi,
I found MAC Mocha to show up really dark on me. When I wear it I have to apply it with an ultra light touch.
Did you ever pick up stuff from Smoke Signals? There was a blush called Emote that makes a great natural cheek. I checked the MAC website “discontinued” section and its not there (boo hoo). I did see it on ebay (I just dunno how legit those auctions are sometimes).
gn. says
Hi! I love your blog, btw. 🙂
I think I suffer from blush-phobia. hahahaha. I’m not too comfortable wearing them, so this look from the actresses looks great. I blush easily so the color goes all over the place! Haha, and I don’t know what to pair with pink cheeks, peach cheeks 😀
(I’m such a noob. haha!)
Karen says
Hi Gn.,
A good general rule that I like to follow is to pair peach cheeks with warm looks (bronzes, warm browns, golds) and pink cheeks with cooler looks (blues, purples). I break that rule all the time (LOL), but it’s a good place to start!
Juanita says
Reese Witherspoon’s blue eyeshadow looked too heavy, the dress didn’t help either. I didn’t see any looks that blew me away.
BF & I watched tons of nominated movies, and none of them did it for me like No Country For Old Men, La Vie En Rose, & There Will Be Blood from last year. I was impressed with Hugh Jackman singing & dancing!
Karen says
Hi Juanita,
Hugh is the man. I would love to hang out with him. He seems like fun!