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What’s Your Current Go-To Makeup Look?

by 29 Comments

MAC Indulge Fall 2013
Smokey eye ’til I die!

Is it bold eyes and a nude lip? Bright cheeks and lots o’ lashes? Cat eyes? Sparkly glitter liner? Matte neutrals FTW?

I always feel like fall is a good excuse to go completely crazy in the makeup department, especially with my eyes, so lately, with fall all but here already, my go-to look of late has been some sort of variation on smokey eyes, with contouring and highlighting on my cheeks, and a dark lip.

Basically, if I can look like a vampire extra from Underworld (the first one, of course), I’m happy. 🙂

Now, if I have an appointment or someplace to be where I have to look somewhat responsible (CRAP), I’ll swap out the bold lip for something nude.

These days, I feel like I can’t stop wearing Tom Ford’s Sable Suede, which, while expensive, just might be the best nude lipstick on the planet right now, no joke.

Anyhizzzz…what’s your current go-to makeup look these days? Describe it in great detail please (so as I may try it myself!), if you’re inclined, or jot a quick list — whatever you feel like doing. I’m always curious about what other people are wearing. It’s the voyeur in me, I guess!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Comments

  1. My current go to eye for work is a smokey taupe, usually MAC Sweet Sienna pigment on the lid with the inner rims lined with Lancome Kohl Noir pencil. If I want to amp it up I have a slightly darker taupe cream shadow from German brand Cat rice (sadly disconned I believe) that I pack on underneath.
    Since I took my hair back to its natural colour I don’t wear deep colour on my lips anymore, so I always have some form of nude on them.

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  3. I usually wear Suspect (from the Naked 2 palette) on my lids, and use Snakebite in the crease. I might deepen the crease with Blackout, depending on how adventurous I feel, lol.
    It’s always either a MLBB shade (I love Revlon Lip butter in Berry Smoothie) or lipgloss.
    I always play around with my eyeliner though, It’s a fun way to try colors.

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  4. I’ve been wearing my glasses a lot recently instead of contacts so I’ve been wearing a simple eye, just a kitten liner with brown gel and a subtle shimmer with two faced magic mushroom. Then I like a brighter coral cheek and lip such as MAC royal sunset and YSL coral incandescent. I’m quite fair and i find this combo gives me a fresh but almost retro vibe. It still feels like summer where I live so I haven’t transitioned into fall wardrobe/makeup yet.

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  5. Ugh, my go-to is boringsville right now. I don’t work a conventional job where I see people…I walk dogs.
    Right now it’s a CC cream for the sunscreen and light foundation and mascara (and that’s if it’s not super hot and it won’t melt off). If I’m meeting a client, I’ll pop on a shimmery nude eyeshadow and blush.
    Outside of work, my go-to is natural with a pop of color: I like to do either an amethyst or peridot eyeliner (I have a dual-ended pencil from Tarte that I loooove), smudged out into a bronze eyeshadow and then smudged into my lower lashline. I’ll add a bit of highlighter and bronzer as well as blush (another Tarte love, their blush in Blissful) and go for a lip stain (berry colored) or colored balm on my lips.

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  7. My go to look used to be a basic cat eye and eyelashes, but now since I’ve been experimenting with eyeshadows I don’t want to go back! Eyeshadows all the way with big fake eyelashes!

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  8. My go to look currently is a bronze-olive smokey eye with clear lip balm or a neutral pnk lip.

    – I start with NARS eyeshadow primer
    – With a 217 brush I apply + blend Armani’s Eyes To Kill in #24 as it becomes very smooth. It’s a really interesting texture that becomes very smooth the more I blend.
    – Then I apply a neutral brown in the crease like MAC Folie or Brun with a 224.
    – To darken the outer corner I use some kind of dark shade like MAC Legendary black or Howzat.
    – For the inner corner I use Illamasqua’s pencil in Fickle.
    – Lastly I add lots of Feline liner on the lower lash but only a little on the upper lash line and tight line because I like the slightly more smudgey look on the lower lashes. Oh and mascara too. My current rotation includes Armani Eyes To Kill Excess or Lancome’s Hypnose Doll Eyes.
    – I don’t always highlight my brow bone but sometimes I use a matte bronzer like MAC’s Matte bronze.

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  9. i have been having major issues getting out of bed this week…so ive been sticking to a super simple eye (UD YDK or sephora taupe jumbo pencil on lid, with sephora jumbo pencil dark taupe liner) and lots of layers of tarte lights, camera, lashes for a fluttery soft lash. Then a light layer of powder foundation, tarte glisten blush, and burts bees sweet violet tinted lip balm. fool proof look for the office. if i need to amp it up for night time, just add some drama with a dark color from the sonia kashuk jewel eye palette in the crease.

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  10. I’m totally blah and work safe nudes for the week. Yet for some reason I get giddy when I decide to break open the Balm’s Meet Matt(e) Nude palette. Matt Singh or Matt Lombardi on my eyelids. Matt Hung (heheehehehehe) or Matt Abdul on my crease. Then I take one or all of the brown/navy colors and gently pat them on the inner and outer corners of my lid. Matt Garcia would sometimes be my eyeliner if I want something subtle. Matte eyeshadow is so retro and glamorous!

    I’m into lip stains right now. The L’Oreal Colour Caresse line went BOGO at Ulta and I went crazy. Infinite Fuchsia is great. It can build to a deep fuchsia on my lips but a quick swipe is instant magenta pink color. Did I mention it’s loads cheaper than the YSL Vernis à Lèvres?
    Tennyoceres recently posted … Cincinnati Bengals

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  11. Okay, well, you asked for it….since I work full time, this is my work routine. I usually start with a sheer wash of Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzer, a little more on the contour and natural bronzing areas. A little concealer if I need it. Brows are a non negotiable, I never leave the house without them, I use Anastasia brow wiz. Eyeshadows in either pink/plum or bronze/taupe depending on what clothes I’m wearing. I have too many to list. Eyeliner in plum or olive green, usually Urban Decay 24/7. Mascara is the second non negotiable, and that’s always Clinique High Impact Extreme.
    A new (to me) blush, Milani Luminoso. Oh dear, this blush is DA BOMB for my look. I like strong eyes and lush lips, so I need to keep the blush subtle and this gives my cheeks a gentle apricot-y innocence.
    Top the whole thing off with Chanel Les Beiges and a shiny, juicy neutral lipstick (usually Bare Minerals Break Away or Bite in Musk) and I can be out the door in about 15 minutes.
    Whew! It took me longer to write this than it takes me to put it on in the morning!

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  12. Lately, I’ve been doing really quick, neutral eyes – like just one or two shadows, some black eyeliner and mascara. Then foundation or a BB cream to even out my skin tone, some blush or bronzer and lip gloss.

    I love your somkey eye look in the pic!

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  13. I tend to play up my eyes using bright colors. I have a mass amount of makeup to choice from so I’ll decide what to use depending on my mood or outfit.
    I’ll do a smokey eye in purple, blue or gold. For neutrals I use the Naked palette or my new Lorac Pro palette. Neutrals tend to blend in with my NC50 complexion, so I’ll usually wear a bright lipstick with them.

    I always start with eyeshadow primer either Two faced shadow insurance or Nars smudge proof.
    Black or brown eyeliner but I use colored pencils too. My favorite eye pencil is Bobbi Brown’s black plum makes my brown eyes pop! Or Urban decay’s Demolition.I use Jordana pen eyeliner or Bobbi Brown gel liner on top, pencil on bottom.
    I like a volumizing mascara currently rotating between Neutrogenia healthy volume and Chanel Le Volume. I pick the blush based on my lip color or total look.
    Sometimes I use a BB cream mixed with MAC strobe cream (thanks Karen)or Giorgio Armani fluid sheer. I can get away without foundation so I rarely wear it. For powder I use Guerlain Meterorites or skip it.

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  14. My current go-to has been mostly professional neutrals and minimal makeup. I’ve been using Sonia Kashuk’s Eye on Neutral palette quite a bit, and also a neutral Benefit palette (in either Glamorous Nudes or one of the other palettes that came out sometime early this year or later last year), because it’s something that can enhance my natural beauty but still look very professional and natural.

    When I’m home I actually will either rock no makeup (if I’m not going anywhere), or if I go out, I will do more “fun” makeup, like using my UD or MAC duochrome eyeshadows and creating a runway type eye. As for my lips, lip balm is my best friend, and because I still have something of a tan from running and summer, I mainly use bronzer and some blush as my foundation.

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  17. I tend to go for a bit more drama in the fall, too – though my go-to is still toned down, for work purposes.
    I’ve been wearing the heck out of bareMinerals blush in Dusk – fuh-reakin PERFECT for fall. I’ve been wearing darker balms (burts-bees-style) or a clear gloss, with neutral eyeshadow on my lids (either the fawn brown in Cargo’s Baja palette, or UD’s Chopper, if I’m feeling a lil’ glittery. I like dark orange shades, too!). I’ll sometimes smudge something dark on the outer corner of my upper lashes, like the Bare Escentuals Earth or Water shadows in The Elements Ready Eyeshadow pallete (sometimes I even layer the two – perfect match for my blue eyes). If I’m feeling daring, I’ll smoke my eyes out with those same dark colors, or I’ll wear one of the dark colors as a wash on my lids.
    Today was the first day I wore foundation to work since the spring – sigh! Goodbye, summer skin.

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  19. My everyday look (aka work look) is:

    -Neutrogena or CeraVe moisturizer w/ SPF
    -Skin79 bb cream on my cheeks (they’re too pink!) and anywhere else that needs a little evening out
    -Clinique brightening concealer in the corners and underneath the eyes
    -quick swipe of Rimmel Scandaleyes brown liner
    -lash blast mascara
    -Rimmel taupe brow pencil
    -a once-over with Bare Minerals matte powder since I have an oily Tzone (arg!)
    -Covergirl blush in Rose Silk
    -swipe of Sonia Kashuk’s satin lux lipstick in Nude Pink

    Wow. I consider myself low-maintenance and somehow that looks like a lot on paper, haha. I got it down to about a 5 minute routine though.
    The only difference between my everyday look and my ~out on the town~ important event look is more eyeliner, some brown smokey cream eye shadow, and more bb cream for a better coverage.

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  20. Everyday work look is:

    -Neutrogena or CeraVe moisturizer w/SPF
    -Skin79 bb cream on my pink cheeks
    -Clinique brightening concealer in the corners and underneath my eyes
    -maybe a little Rimmel Scandaleyes kohl brown liner (depends how lazy I am)
    -Lash Blast mascara
    -Rimmel taupe brow pencil
    -Bareminerals matte powder since I get shiny on my Tzone!
    -Covergirl blush in Rose Silk
    -Sonia Kashuk’s satin lux lipstick in Nude Pink

    Wow, I consider myself somewhat low-maintenance, but it looks like a lot written down haha. I have it down to about 5 minutes though. Eyeliner is what takes the longest.
    The only real difference between this and my ~going out~ look is more liner, more bb cream for coverage, and some brown cream shadow for a smokey eye.

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  21. I’m getting right into autumn/winter here in Scotland (and so is our weather!) so I’ve been doing a purple or black liner (will be getting a green one soon I think) in a strong cat eye and smudged slightly into the lower lash line with grey or purple or brown or dark blue smudged in and blended out to create a rockin’ smokey eye/cat eye that is also quite appropriate for work somehow and I’ve recently bought the Body Shop’s red/pink lip stain and Urban Decays’ Catfight lipstick for day/night respectively 🙂 I like adapting for the colder or warmer seasons, fun!!! I’ve got the Lancôme lip gloss in Bloody Black Cherry which is a dark purple vinyl-like gloss and smells of blackberry which I’m looking forward to breaking out for nights out later in the year 😀 (love your look in these pics, going to try and replicate it soon!)

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  22. My current go-to look is fairly basic at the moment. I am combatting the after-effects of a sunburn on my face (so mad about it, did not have the foresight to prevent it!), so my skin is more dried-out and reddish than usual. I have been going in the order of shine-killing primer, green concealer on my reddest spots, BB cream, skin-tone concealer on any blemishes still showing through, highlighting concealer on my dark circles, cream blush in a dark plum-wine color on my cheek apples and swept back, clear lip balm (the hardest part for me- I love bold lips but the sunburn has completely dried me out, none of my richly pigmented lippies are hydrating enough!), brown slightly-cat-eyed liner for day, black or slate big-cat-eyed liner at night, and always, always a jewel-toned eye in fall! Any color, as long as it glistens and glints like the crown jewels!

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  24. I love your look here so much!! 😀 we’re in Spring here now, but I love autumn/winter colours so much I’m still hanging on!

    My routine at the moment is embarrassingly mono-branded, now that I look at it! I have lots of other brands, but for some reason YSL has a lot of my HGs right now…

    Ok: face is YSL BB cream in Clear, touche éclat (with Lancome long wear concealer) for my undereyes, and YSL pressed powder foundation dusted over. Eyes are UD primer potion, then Naked 2 palette (usually pistol on lid, busted in crease and verve in the inner corner and blended over the inner quarter of the lid; little bit of busted on the outer half of the lower lid), with UD eyeliner in delinquent or zero to thicken the upper lashline and along he outer half of the lower waterline. Then some YSL mascara. Lips are Bloom Tangerine, Chanel Charme or Revlon lip butter in peach parfait for natural. For the lip look I receive unending (literally, it gets embarrassing!) compliments on, it’s Benetint with Bloom Petal over the top.
    *phew*

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  26. I’ve been not focusing so much on my eyes with eyeshadow…just curl and apply mascara. Been doing bronzer and a nice apricot blush and a similar lip gloss in the the same shade. Just been too lazy to go all out.

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  27. Fall is here and so are my lips! Ha…that sounds weird…what I mean is out with the sweet coral lips and in with the sultry burgundy lip! It may be a “new” trend, but if you’re a mature older cat like me you’ve been doing the burgundy lip forever. The other day I did my face in the Bobbi Brown Mauve Face Palette (eyes and cheeks) and a combo of Chanel’s Lune Rousse and Paris lipsticks on my lips. I adore these deep rich colors and hope to find a new burgundy lip this fall for my collection.

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