My very first challenge...

This first challenge I dedicate to one of my dearest friends that has known me since I was in the third grade and she was in the 6th grade, Kris. We met on the playground (she tells the story much better than I do) and we bonded over our love of Duran Duran - she saw my pin on my jacket (a Member's Only knock off). It's a friendship that has lasted many, many years. Okay fast forward now to the early 90's. In high school, Kris and I had this obsession with 3 things: baggy jeans, shiny, black shoes (had to have a stacked heel and either be a lace up oxford or an ankle boot) and RED LIPSTICK. In fact, that was the pre-requisite of many of our looks. You could tell we were listening to lots of Sade, Soul II Soul, Lisa Stansfield and A Tribe Called Quest. If you know these references and was around in the early 90's then you can visualize the look I'm talking about and yes, crushed velvet bodysuits were also involved (Lenny Kravitz Let Love Rule album). Now fast forward fifteen years later. Not only did life change but so did our styles. I nearly don't put in as much effort in my clothes like I did then and I stopped wearing red lipstick for quite sometime. I adopted a more muted, nude lip and well that became comfort for me. I didn't want to place any emphasis on my lips. In fact, the only time I would wear red if I was on stage (rare theater performances...more on that later). But lately I made peace with red and I'm slowly embracing the scarlet lip once again. Not Kris...she refuses. Actually to be blunt she feels that when she tries on red lipstick now it makes her look like an Asian street walker - I am paraphrasing what she said so I don't offend anyone. Like me she's a new Mom and for her lipstick is probably the last thing on her mind. But sometimes the old scarlet lip girl fights loudly to come out and shake things up.

So for her and all my other new Moms (or color avoiding ladies): 5 days of RED LIPS.

Day 1

Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Fatale. This is like a hybrid of lipstick/gloss. It's also a much glossier and moisturizing version of the Chanel Rouge Allure Laque. If you can get over the strange applicator - a pointed wedge like tip vs. the traditional doe foot (which I prefer but I'm sure I'll get use to this new wand). Please see Amy's review since I do not own the Rouge Allure Laque (drying on my lips) for a formula comparison and she's also writes awesome reviews! So because of my bad experience with the Rouge Allure Laque I was a bit hesitant trying this gloss but I figured I give it another go and if it dried me out like the lip laquer then I would take it back to Nordstrom. Luckily, It's a WIN and pure love! It's a deep red color that takes on a more brown appearance due to the natural brown pigmentation of my lips. It's very comfortable on my lips - it feels light. You know how a MAC lipglass can feel really thick and gloppy on your lips? Well this gloss is the opposite of that! It also has a very light scent - a bit fruity. It has a good amount of pigment on it's own. This is how it looks on my lips without a liner. It's a very safe and comfortable look if you are slowly transitioning back to red or if you don't like wearing a statement red lip at the office. I also like this gloss for the weekends when you really don't want to wear makeup but it looks like you made somewhat of an effort!



And this is what it looks like when paired with Dolce and Gabbana's Dahlia lipliner:



Still a work friendly red lip just turned up a notch.

I prefer to wear a clean eye look when wearing red lips so here's my eye look for the day:

From left to right:
Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow/liner - Birthday Suit
Bobbi Brown Chrome eyeshadow - Pewter
UD 24/7 liner in Boubon

I take a MAC #252 (large shader brush) and pat the cream shadow shade on my lid as a shadow base. I take my ring finger and blend the edges to the crease of my eyes. I take the Pewter shadow and apply with the #239 brush (or any small dense packed brush) and pat over the cream shadow - lid and crease area. I take a blending brush (fluffy Stila #9) and blend any harsh edges. I take what color I have in my crease and in a window washing motion just work up to under my brows. This gives me a super light sparkly wash. Then I take the UD 24/7 liner and line my bottom lash from outer corner but stop right at the middle of your Iris and then I take a pencil type brush (MAC #219) and smudge that line from outer corner to inner corner. This makes the line softly fade from outer to inner corner. Since I don't line the top lashes I apply many coats of MAC's Haute and Naughty mascara in Black.

As for blush - I usually pair a neutral blush when wearing red lips. I went with MAC's Prim and Proper from the Liberty London collection. You want your cheekbones defined but not compete with your lips. And here's my final result - I lined my lips with the Dahlia liner so my lips looks a bit darker.

I am hoping this will encourage Red phobes like Kris, that there are many ways to wear this statement making color.