MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Blue Sorcery, $20

TGIF, my little Sasha Fierce!

Sorry, couldn’t resist. I’ve had Beyonce’s I Am Sasha Fierce CD on repeat today…

Ms. Fierce is Beyonce’s sensually aggressive stage alter-ego, and since I was feeling a little *fierce* today myself, I thought I’d explore the concept with this silver, blue and peach face of the day.

It incorporates tidbits from MAC’s recent Magic, Mirth and Mischief.

I used the Surprise Me face chart as a loose guide, adapting it to work a little better with my skin tone.

The blue comes courtesy of MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Blue Sorcery (that’s it above), and the peach lips from Dazzleglass in Phiff! and MAC’s Lipstick in Surprise Me.

Lipstick in Surprise Me, $14

Continue Reading…

Fo’ reals, it’s physically impossible to take pictures of yourself wearing purple and gold striped eyeshadow without making a cra-zaaay face!

I was feeling adventurous yesterday, so I decided to try another potential Halloween look, this one inspired by this face chart from Urban Decay.

All of the makeup for my lips and eyes is from UD, namely the 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Eldorado (from the Super Stash kit) and Ransom, Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Midnight Cowboy, Deluxe Eyeshadows in Frigid and Freakshow, Skyscraper Mascara, 24-7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Wallflower and Lipstick in Naked.

On my cheeks I’m wearing Benefit Dallas blush…

Continue Reading…

Procrastinators, unite!

No need to worry. There’s still plenty of time to come up with a costume for Halloween. Here’s one idea…

Remember the pseudo backup band from the video for Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love?

I felt like trying the black smokey eye/shiny red lip combo the ladies in the video made famous and used a mix of makeup, including the NARS Modern Love Palette, Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume II, NARS Mounia Blush and the red lippie and gloss from Estee Lauder’s Ultimate Red.

Eyes without flash

Continue Reading…

Hey, celebutantes! Remember the Benefit holiday 2009 kits from a few weeks back? This morning I felt like playing with ‘em, so for my look today I put Celebutante and Powderazzi to work (along with some goodies from Benefit’s permanent line).

I wasn’t feeling too coordinated (observe my birdsnesty hair), so I went with an easy pewter eye that didn’t require a ton of blending, pairing it with a plum lip — which initially seemed like a good idea but didn’t turn out great judging by these pics, LOL! Once I eat my lipstick off, I’ll probably change to something more neutral.

What makeup are you wearing on this terrific Tuesday?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. If you’d like to see a tutorial featuring this look, hit me up in the comments!

If you’re feeling blue about Homecoming, you’re not the only one. The color’s been a popular choice this season for formals and dances.

MBB reader Cheyda is looking for makeup ideas to go with her blue dress.

Hi Karen!

I am going to my first formal dance (homecoming) in about a week.

I’m wearing a navy strapless dress with my hair down, and I have NO idea what makeup to wear.

I want it to be kind of dramatic, but not too out there. Plus, it needs to stay put.

Any suggestions as far as colors and brands?

Thanks a bunch!

Cheyda

Hi Cheyda,

How exciting! Dances are so much fun. Not only do you get to play dress up, but they’re also great opportunities to try new makeup looks.

It sounds like you want to be noticed without looking overly done. I got you.

Before we get into details, here are some things to consider:

Photography. Chances are you’ll be in some pictures, so you’ll want makeup that looks good in photos. When I do makeup for pictures, I wear a little more than I normally would. Natural, everyday-type looks, those done with a very light hand, can look washed out under flash photography.

Leading up to Homecoming, take a few practice swings at your look. Go from start to finish and ask friends or family (or use your camera’s shutter timer) to snap some test pictures with the flash. It’ll give you time to adjust your technique before the dance.

Long-wear products. If you plan to dance the night away, you’ll want your makeup to last, so primers, waterproof formulas and long-wear products (like lipsticks vs. gloss) are musts. Layering also helps increase wear time.

To go with your navy dress. I’m thinking a shimmery purplish blue smokey eye with pinkish nude lips and a sheer, matte pink cheek. What do ya think? I can see it now… The colors should pop without looking to matchy-matchy or melodramatic.

What you’ll need

1. A shimmery peachy eye primer like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin ($17)
2. A shimmery golden beige shadow with glitter like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Midnight Cowboy Rides Again ($16)
3. A long-wear, shimmery blue eye pencil like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Binge ($36, part of the Super Stash set)
4. A shimmery purplish blue eyeshadow like Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Frigid ($18)
5. A black eye pencil like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero ($17)
6. A waterproof mascara like Stila Lash Visor in Black ($12.50)
7. A sheer matte pink blush like Chanel Joues Contrastes in Rose Dust ($40)
8. A nude lip liner like MAC Cremestick Pearl Liner in Gingerroot ($14.50)
9. A nude lipstick like Benefit Full-Finish Lipstick in Lady’s Choice ($18)

You can find drugstore alternatives (Sonia Kashuk makes some great ones) to most, if not all, of these products. If you’re interested, shoot me a line and I’ll send some suggestions.

Continue Reading…