What’s the biggest risk you ever took with your makeup?
I ask this every so often, but mine was orange lipgloss. It terrified me at first, but I’m addicted to it now. I also took chances on blue eyeshadow and bright colored lashes. One of the things I love about makeup is that even if a look doesn’t work out exactly how I hoped it would, makeup isn’t permanent. If I don’t like something, I can always wash it off!
What’s the biggest risk you ever took with your makeup? Let me know in the comments.
Try your luck with the Makeup and Beauty Blog slot machine (click BET MAX above to start). You’ll need to have Flash installed on your computer to play. Have fun and good luck!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 7:11 amheavy lids with black eyeshadow and black eyeliner
i went through a phase in college i rocked the urban gypsy look
silk scarves on my head with long curly hair loose and large gold hoop earrings
ahh those were the days !
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 7:50 amHi Yadi,
I can *totally* see you rocking that — like a hip hop Stevie Nicks!
Joanna says
May 13th, 2009 at 7:12 amThe biggest risk I ever took with makeup would definitely be in my *very* attractive goth stage when I was about fourteen…completely white face, black lips and far too much black eyeliner! I’ve only just been able to bring myself to start re-using liquid eyeliner – I’ve been so scared of looking anything like I did during that stage of my life.
(Thankfully I didn’t allow many photos of me then, so there’s not much photographic evidence!)
Lately it would be wearing orange lipstick and green eyeshadow. Definitely not together, though!
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 7:49 amHi Joanna,
Ah, you’re lucky that there’s not too much photographic evidence. I have pictures of my bad 80s hair all throughout my parent’s house. It’s mortifying! 🙂
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:05 amthats right!
ahh to be young and daring these days the wildest i am is with my super blended bright eyeshadows!
lol
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:07 amHi Yadi,
I know, right?
BTW, are you liking your Get Baked Palette? Isn’t that teal shadow amazing?
lesley says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:32 amHi Karen,
I think the biggest risk I ever took makeup-wise would probably be back in my tween years when I thought I could pull of firey red-coral lips with dramatic eyes (either in gunmetal/black shades or some colour of the rainbow). There was just too much going on and since then I’ve learned to, well, not look too over the top. But I did also find my love for bright coral shades during that period. 🙂
Sometimes I wish I could be as daring as I was before to take risks or at least more open to them, but now I’m so apprehensive and the phrase “work appropriate” plagues my mind! LoL 😉
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:40 amHi Lesley,
Bright corals are always a “do” in my book. 🙂
Wouldn’t it be great if we could dress and wear makeup in the way we really wanted to at work? I’d be dressed like I was going to a costume party every day, ha ha ha! Of course, the makeup would have to be equally as crazy…
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:36 amgirl i love get baked !
i actually had flipside already as a single shadow but urban ammo palette has another wonderful blue called shattered you should check it out – that palette is also super awesome and in my opinion you totally have to get!!
i am so in love with urban decay these days cause you can go bold or natural with it though i am not loving their cream shadows
today i am rocking some kat von d – the ludwig palette i did a pretty neutral golden and brown eye with a cat eye black eyeliner – lol again taking the rock into hip hop lol !
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:42 amHi Yadi,
Eventually Ammo will come into my life! Maybe I’ll treat myself to it for my birthday 🙂 You know, I initially thought UD was waaaay too dramatic for me, but they have some stuff that’s great for every day essentials, too.
Your eye sounds super pretty! 🙂 What lips and cheeks did you do?
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 8:53 amwoo hoo
when exactly is your bday ! happy one to you incase it may have passed already
i have candy glow on lips and a little bronzer on the cheeks
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:03 amHi Yadi,
It’s not till June, so I have some time to figure out what I’m going to get myself. 🙂
Yay, you know I love Candy Glow! I am loving the entire look… now all you need is a white summer dress, gold jewelry, and to be on a beach with an umbrella and a Corona. 🙂
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:12 amgirl i wish i was on the beach lol
instead i will have to suffice for my desk at work and my 3 computer screens
hmm i will have to pass on the corona – i dont drink beer maybe i can adjust the picture with a glass of white wine in a stemless wineglass lol
yes i am not that occupied at work today lol
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:19 amHi Yadi,
Dude, THREE computer screens? I wouldn’t know where to look!
Okay, no beer for you! You can have the white wine… I’ll take a mojito. 🙂
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:34 amhave you ever had a blood orange mojito
they are to die for !
3 screens give me headaches a lot but with so many graphic programs i need the extra space for all my windows and files
i am able to hide behind my screens and do my makeup though !
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:12 amHi Yadi,
HA! I would hide, too, if I had that many screens! You know I’d be putting on a new shade of lipgloss every other hour. 🙂
I have never had a blood orange mojito. It sounds delicious, though! MMM… minty yumminess. If my stomach wasn’t so messed up I’d want one right now!
Vampy Varnish says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:42 amI am pretty risky I think in general with makeup, but I definitely have toned it down being that I’m in my 30’s now. In my mid 20’s I used to wear MAC Cyber lipstick which is an UBER dark vampy purple shade. I wore it with very little other makeup so it made a huge statement! It looked great, but not really for wearing to work during the day LOL!
Vampy Varnish´s last blog post..Duri Nail Polish
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:08 amHi Vampy Varnish,
I can totally see you in that shade! 🙂 I bet it looked super dramatic against your skin.
TaLaisa says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:55 amI would have to say my biggest make up risk was when I wore MAC Media lipstick on my wedding day. I applied it with a brush and blotted it so it was a little less vampy and a little more of a stain but I heard talk about my bold lips all day long.
TaLaisa´s last blog post..Happy Valentines
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:07 amHi TaLaisa,
What did you end up pairing with the lips? I love weddings and am always interested in different looks/hairstyles/dresses etc. 🙂
Vanessa H says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:08 amThe biggest risk I ever took was red lipstick last year…I was so scared of it, but ended up loving how it looked!
The slot machine you used in the blog reminded me that I’m going to Vegas in 43 days!
Speaking of Vegas, I was wondering if you could recommend a long lasting/sweat proof/resistant foundation for the trip. Everyone tells me that the weather will be hot and humid, and I would rather not have the melty face look. Let me know, thanks Karen!
YadiQ says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:14 amlol the mint might just help !!!
i am a trouble maker right !
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:15 amHi Yadi,
Funny, but yah, that’s totally true! It’s supposed to settle the stomach.
What’s messed up is I’m REALLY hungry right now for pizza. I don’t think I could handle it though… but daymn a slice of thin crust cheese pizza sounds hella good right now.
What’s for lunch?
Heidi says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:16 amI wore my MAC Russian Red one day and felt VERY conspicuous. No one said anything good or bad; they were just shocked to see me and that bright, red blob on my face. lol. I feel that my lips are too puffy for strong colors. boo!
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:45 pmHi Heidi,
I bet you looked fabulous! There’s always an adjustment period when you’re trying out a new look, ya know?
Oh — one thing you might want to try is to wear it as a stain. Just dot the lipstick lightly onto your lips and then blot it with a tissue to get just a hint of color.
Vampy Varnish says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:22 amYeah it did, sigh. Hahaha!
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:42 pmHi Vampy Varnish,
LOL! Was this during the 90s? Remember when dark lips were IT? My friends and I would line and fill in our lips with black eyeliner and then pop dark matte or burgundy lipstick on top. It was 100% NOT CUTE, but we thought we where the shizz, LOL!
Kayla says
May 13th, 2009 at 11:02 amBiggest rist was mos def bright blue (and I mean…electric robin’s egg) nail polish. The friend I was with when I got it made a “!!?!?” face when I picked it, and it got a lot of attention from my co-workers, but I was in the mood! Also, its one week of my life, not a permanent change!
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:41 pmHi Kayla,
How fun! I bet that color would look great on toes!
Michele says
May 13th, 2009 at 11:09 amFalse eyelashes! I am an expert now!
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:41 pmHi Michele,
Oh, I love the look of false lashes. I’ve still yet to perfect the art!
ines says
May 13th, 2009 at 11:22 ambright lipsticks when i was 17. i have not looked back since and red and fuchsia lipstick with eyeliner has been a staple of my evening makeup arsenal.
i have since used about 5 or 6 tubes EACH of NARS jungle red and funny face (a full red and blue-fuchsia respectively)!
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:40 pmHi Ines,
Bold lips are always a “yes” in my book, too! You look awesome in reds. 🙂
TaLaisa says
May 13th, 2009 at 11:24 amKaren,
I didn’t know the names of the eyeshadows the MUA used, because I didn’t need to buy my own for touch ups. I did need(want) my own lipstick and liner. But from the pictures it looks like a shimmery champagne color all over the lid and some matte darker brown in the crease. I don’t remember the blush but I do know that I used some clinique almost lipstick in black honey for the touch ups on my cheeks, it was a pretty good match.
It was very striking on my NC20 skin and dark dark brown hair and hazel/brown eyes. Not exactly subtle bridal make up. But it was perfect for me.
TaLaisa´s last blog post..Happy Valentines
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:39 pmHi TaLaisa,
I like the idea of non-traditional bridal makeup. If you feel comfortable in it and you can rock it then why not, you know? 🙂
Clinique Black Honey is one of those holy grail items that seems to work on *everyone*. I’ve been wearing it since 1994, when my roommate introduced me to it.
Kate & Zena says
May 13th, 2009 at 12:12 pmUh, let’s see. The biggest risk I’ve taken is navy blue eyeshadow or I have this totally 50’s bright candy pink lipstick that I’ve worn a few times. I always feel it’s so bright I can’t pull it off with my porcelain skin so I wipe it off. I haven’t managed to go outside with it yet. I’m still doing a lot of experimenting with eyeshadows and lipsticks as I’m 20 and feel like taking more risks now that my self-esteem is better than it was when I was 16.
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:37 pmHi Kate & Zena,
Oh, bright candy pink lipstick calls to me. How about wearing it as a light stain? That way you could ease yourself into the color…
Tess says
May 13th, 2009 at 12:47 pmMakeup risk or makeup mistake? You be the judge.
Just for some background : I’ve been wearing makeup since the 1970’s when I was a teenager, so I’ve seen A LOT of styles and trends come and go. Also, I’m very fair skinned with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Here goes. Enjoy!
Navy blue eyeshadow.
Full eye and lip makeup but no blush.
Pearl powder all over my face.
Any attempt at contouring whatsoever. (Younger readers may not even know what that makeup technique is.)
Black eyeliner pencil along the lower lash line.
Chocolate brown or rust or burgundy lipliner, lipstick and lipgloss. Sometimes all three products on my lips at the same time.
Nail polish in the same colors above, but on really long fingernails.
Any take on “Punk.”
Red eyeshadow.
Despite the above scary admissions, I have to say that for the most part, for over more than 30 years of wearing makeup, my makeup has looked REALLY good.
How about a post on the best makeup looks we’ve ever had?
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:35 pmHi Tess,
Wow — awesome list. Did you ever do the 80s-style blush on the cheeks (it kinda looked like stripes)? All of the girls in the Duran Duran videos rocked that look, and my eight-year-old self wished I could look like that someday, LOL!
Oh, and that’s a great idea for a post!
Karen B says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:16 pmBold red lipstick and thick black liner. It really was a gamble, and it really paid off: it’s my favourite going-out look now. I also wear it at daytime, but never together, or a bit more subdued.
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:34 pmHi Karen B.,
I can totally see you rocking that. Have you ever considered adding false lashes up into the mix? I bet that would take that look to full on glam in a hot second.
Heather says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:18 pmOh my gosh Karen! I want orange lipstick! But a nice tangeriney one not like neon. Can you recommend any? I have medium slightly light skin. I am also Chinese..
Karen says
May 13th, 2009 at 1:33 pmHi Heather,
Check out MAC Lust is Lush, MAC Saplicious and Shu Uemura Gloss Unlimited 528s Orange. 🙂
Redhead says
May 13th, 2009 at 2:19 pmHmm.. It’s a toss-up between wearing a silvery pale blue and black smokey eye with THICK liquid liner on the top lashline *and* 1950’s-eqsue matte royal blue kohl on the lower lashline, and wearing glittery coral cheeks. Today I took a bit of a risk, wearing The Body Shop’s Sparkle and Shimmer Powder Puff in Sunset Peach on my lids – it’s a bright coralish pinky orange with orange-gold glitter and pale lime shimmer. I had Sable on my outer lid dragged into crease, Embark and Swiss Chocolate in the crease, and a bit of Nylon on the inner lid and brow. To make it even more bold, I dusted the Sunset Peach on the apples of cheeks and highlighted the center of my cheeks with the frosty pale pink from Almay’s Intensify Eye Color Trio for Hazels. The lips were bright, warm pinky coral with Lychee Luxe lipglass and Pink Nouveau lipstick. KA-POW!
Kate & Zena says
May 13th, 2009 at 2:19 pmKaren,
I’ll have to try that. It’s like really, really pink. It’s Max Factor’s Vivid Impact Lip Color in “Sweet Tart.” If you remember the crazy 60s shirt Christina Aguilera wore to that one awards ceremony (I think it may have bee the Teen Choice Awards) and the candy pink lipstick she was wearing–that’s the shade I’m talking about only more pastel. It’s the darndest thing to describe. Where’s a bright pastel pink color when I need it? :hunts for image:
Ah HA!!! I’ve found it. It’s this color in lipstick form-> http://images.quickblogcast.com/3/9/0/5/3/144289-135093/Orly_Polo_Princess_copy.jpg It’s from VampyVarnish’s blog, obviously.
alexiss says
May 13th, 2009 at 3:32 pmI actually did a cat look put extemly dark eyeshadow on the put silver eyeliner on ( it was a mess) then i put thi silver/grey blush on and got eyeliner and put wiskers on my cheeks, then I went outside in front of everyone with it on! (it was because I had it on) then my neighbor was like Alexis whats up with that? I was thinking in my head wat the oh yeah!! so I told myself I would never put makeup on like that again.
Solé says
May 13th, 2009 at 4:44 pmAs of last spring it was bright red lipstick, but strangely enough, just today I picked up a hot pink lipstick (Show Orchid) and a bright orange one (Morange) at MAC. Last spring I bought a Buxom Lips set with four sheer bright colors – Margarita (sheer berry), Melonie (sheer hot pink), Cherry (sheer red-orange), and Coco (sheer bright yellow). They look pretty on their own but pretty tame. I’m going to use Cherry over Morange, and Margarita over Show Orchid. I am still on the search for the perfect bright pink to wear with Melonie.
Since I’ve always been super daring with eye makeup and nail polish, I am pushing myself to try wild lip colors. I bought a pale foundation (about the lightest color I could realistically wear) and bright pink blush so I can do the porcelain doll face with the bright lips. Now I can’t wait until I have some evening plans so I can sport the provocative pout. 🙂
Laura says
May 13th, 2009 at 4:50 pmIn 7th grade I wore this blurple eyeshadow with black liner. I remember getting compliments on it but it was probably a little much considering I was only twelve. These days I try to take risks a much as possible but finding it hard to pull off shimmery/glittery shadows (crepey lids), which btw, let me know if any of you have any good eye cream recs to get rid of them, lol!
Oh, and thanks Karen, for the slot machine. I really want to go to a casino now!
Nat says
May 13th, 2009 at 9:07 pmHo geez,
I love wearing super over the top shadows >=) Luckily I have a job where wearing super over the top makeup is standard (dancing, not that kind of dancing but for a children’s theatre show) The boldests looks I’ve worn out was a super bright red and metallic gold eye and a bright pink orange and yellow sunset eye.
Bright lips I leave for the stage =)
lyndsey says
May 13th, 2009 at 10:28 pmi kinda went through a black eyeshawdow faze. didnt last long,
lyndsey´s last blog post..how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
Karen B says
May 14th, 2009 at 12:21 amI’m a tad scared of false lashes… My mum is already not a fan of the looks I go out in now, but we’re getting there. I’m wearing more and more red lipstick at home so she is getting used to it. Give me another year or so 😉
Bellalina says
May 14th, 2009 at 7:33 pmI’ve taken a few big risks and I weigh them pretty equally. One of them was a Cleopatra-inspired look (and it wasn’t done just on Halloween either). Another risk was my punk rock stage with the heavy dark black, sometimes dark purple eyeshadow (with nude lips of course LOL). The last risk was the pin-up look with the full on liquid liner and red glossy lip. I’m still rocking the heavy eye makeup, but with more neutral tones (golden browns and olives as opposed to those bruise-like blacks, blues, and purples).
Makeupaholic says
May 16th, 2009 at 12:48 amOkay,I just want to say, that I’ve been browsing your blog now about 20 minutes, and I’m hooked…lol.
Alrighty, my biggest risk was wearing really intense eyeshadows. I usually keep my makeup natural, like with just gloss and powder as well as some mascara, but I’m trying to do this whole organic thing and a couple of weeks ago I bought a couple of eyeshadow collections (as well as three glosses) from Mineral Indulgence. I just wanted a change you know? PLus the product line is natural/organic and made for black women…I’m biracial and have an odd skin tone (dark skinned with a yellowish orangish undertone) so I just wanted to try it out. Sooo glad I did…:). The eyeshadows were intense and lasted on my eyes ALL DAY. Yayyyy..lol. I’m slowly but surely branching out and becoming a makeup product junkie and expirementing with more colors since my success with the Mineral Indulgence products.
BTW: Keep up the good work, in case I didn’t tell you..I looooovee your blog.
Alexandra says
May 20th, 2009 at 4:20 pmI remember when i was a kid having a boots 17 lipstick,and it was a lilac colour, i thought i looked great in it lol.