LOTD - 3/11/11

Happy Friday! I hope you all have fun and exciting plans this weekend!

So I am test driving Covergirl's Lip Perfection in Hot Passion #305. It goes on with lots of pigment - I applied this straight from the tube. For a color this intense maybe use a lip brush? Also, I notice very little slip - it's not a drying matte but I do like a bit more moisture after first application. There is a bit of a fragrance but it's a very light, skin care kind of scent - nothing too heavy or jarring. This is a neutral, blue red on me.

NC42 skintone

I also used MAC Redd Lip Pencil just around the edges after I applied the lipstick.

I noticed about three hours later there was slight migration above my lip line. This worries me. I then reapplied - so I guess we'll see how I feel after 5pm today before my final decision whether to return this lippie or not.

I applogize for crappy work lighting but this was taken in my new fancy and efficient cubicle.

I chose this color because it has been getting a lot of press lately. Pat McGrath has used this color on all the models at recent shows - Miu Miu, Prada, Gucci...etc. I figured if it was good enough for an Eastern European teen model then it should be good enough for me. Also this has been described as just Hot in editorials but when it came around to buying it is labeled as Hot Passion...I am pretty certain this is the same lipstick.

Well we shall see...

I purchased this at my local Walgreens from a Buy One get Second Covergirl item 50% off.

National Wear Red Day

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Here in the States it is National Wear Red Day to kick off American Heart awareness month. In America, **Heart disease is the number one killer in Women ages 20 and over, killing one woman every minute**

I'm very proud to work for a company that is supporting the Go Red for Women campaign by taking $5 donations from their employees to wear jeans today (yes, my company does not believe in denim Fridays) and in exchange the money is donated to the Go Red for Women campaign.

I even remembered to wear my favorite red striped top and red lipstick to really support the cause.

(Lipstick - Ultra/Dolce and Gabbana)

Sorry if I look a little jaundiced here - stupid fluorescent overhead lighting! It's a good thing I am wearing red lipstick.

I haven't taken my health seriously until I became a Mom. I try to remember to wear sunscreen beneath moisturizers with SPF, I (try to) eat better, I exercise more and I have been more responsible seeing my physician, ob-gyn, dermatologist, optician and yes, dentist on a regular basis. Tedious and sometimes painful but I am willing to do what it takes to make sure I am here for my family.

Because I don't want to even think about missing out on activities like this with my little cupcake:

For more information:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/

The cute little pin I received for donating.

Also, for all you Macy's shoppers - receive 20% off (including current sale items) from Feb 2-6. Macy's is a sponsor of AHA/Go Red For Women movement.

Day 5 - If I Could Escape....

Okay it can't be a red lip challenge without channeling this SoCal beauty as an inspiration. I'm not going to lie - I did not like Gwen when No Doubt first hit the scene in the early 90's. I was a punk about it - "who's the blonde chick wearing a bindi...she's so annoying..." well cut to the year 2000. No Doubt was performing live at the X Games here in SF (free event). She was probably the most energetic female performer I ever saw live. I appreciate that in a front woman/man of a band.  She entertained me like I paid to see her. I then saw her again live at the Oakland Oracle Arena about 3yrs ago - this time as a solo act and mother of two small children. She was just as entertaining and fun to watch. Oh Gwen, I'm a hater no more...in fact you are the mom (okay maybe also Angie J.) I secretly wish I could have play dates with - our children would get along so well. She also once mentined that she shopped at the retailer, Clothestime in high school and wear their clothes in her own way. I was an avid shopper at Clothestime as well in the 6th grade and middle school.

Gwen Stefani - still JUST A GIRL...

OKAY on to colors used of Day 5 of my Red lip challenge:




(L to R Arena, Amber Lights, Texture - MAC/NC 42 Skin)


















I took a relatively easy approach to my eyes today.
Amber Lights: Lid - Peach brown shimmer - Frost Finish
Texture - Crease - Reddish brown shimmer - Veluxe Finish - leans on the orange side on me.
Arena -  Highlight - Soft gold peach - Satin Finish. This is my ultimate favorite for a "my lid but better" look - as you can see it almost sinks into my skin.

I finished with a liquid eye liner - Milani Eye Tech - Black. I winged the edges just for that Rockabilly vibe that Gwen rocks so lovely.

I kept cheeks simple with Edward Bess bronzer - Daydream to contour
NARS cream blush - Lokoum - Rose coral - my skin definitely picks up the gold in this color.

Lips:
I know Gwen uses Ruby Woo or Russian Red. But as you know, my lips do not like MAC lipstick unfortunately. So I went with Dolce and Gabbana's Magnifica, a lovely warm red in their Shine formula. It has just a bit more moisture than their Classic lipstick line but just as much pigment.

Final result:

Ha - this is exact my makeup look when I was 16!





This was a great challenge that forced me to wear color on my lips again. Seriously, you are reading about a girl that loved nothing more than a good glossy nude lip. I could whip out a gloss wand or nude lipstick and apply with pure abandon and without a mirror. I had to face the fact - the holidays are approaching and a nude lip wasn't just going to cut it.

I think I had to add an extra five minutes to my makeup routine just for my red lipstick application. There's no rushing that process, well unless you're Courtney Love. Ha - LOVE YA COURTNEY! The irony is that when I was a young teenager I would love nothing more on my face that blood red lips - I guess it must have been all that Sex Pistols, The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees I was listening to. I have embraced the bold color red once again, yet I am still getting use to the attention it brings. Also, it doesn't have to be a bold bright red, you can go with a coral red, tomato, wine or brown based maroon (for that 90's look) if that makes you comfortable. Don't forget cherry lip glosses are great to slowly ease you back to wearing color if you are not ready for the full commitment.

Day 4 - NARS revisited

You another great thing about this challenge? Revisiting products I haven't used in ages. I'm sure my husband will be proud that I'm recycling! So I dug up a NARS red in my stash - Afghan Red. I find it to be the color of a deep red wine...burgandy...merlot? Another good lesson for me is to build up my color vocabulary...okay keeping with the topic. I am a fan of the NARS satin finish lipsticks. I get good wear time with them - about 3 hours before I feel the need to reapply. But if it's one of those days where you're drinking coffee every two hours you may need to reapply sooner. I use Kiehl's lip balm (coconut scented) underneath, blot excess then I line my lips. I layer my lipstick on top. Blot to create my stain and then apply another light layer on top of that. I know there's the general complaint of the lack of smell or plastic like smell but honestly it doesn't bother me. What matters is that there's a good amount of slip and it doesn't make my lips raw and itchy the next day. NARS satin finish is a win for me!

I'm not a fan of matte or frost finishes so I can't comment on the NARS matte and frost finish lipsticks. Matte is to drying and frosts can highlight the flakiness of my lips if they are peeling that day....NOT CUTE!

I wanted to do a variation of the smoky eye for work so I pulled out my NARS Modern Love palette. It was an exclusive NARS for Nordstrom palette bought about 2yrs ago?






Jezebel - shimmering red-brown/copper (lid)

India Song - shimmering walnut (according to NARS site in the crease and bottom lashline)

Alhambra - shimmering champagne (highlight under brow)

Dolce & Gabbana - #10 dark brown espresso liner - top lash line and 3/4 bottom lash line

**other products used - Two Faced Shadow Insurance primer

MAC Haute and Naughy mascara - black**

Keeping with the NARS theme:

Irresistiblement bronzer - golden terracotta - used lightly as a blush

Lips:

MAC Half Red lip liner

NARS Afghan Red - satin finish/garnet.

Finished face:



Day 3 - oh la la

Bonjour, mes amis...sorry my high school French is limited. However, I can place an order in a Patisserie (albeit in broken French), translate a few things in a French Vogue and I know what Cochon means. If you ask my husband, he will roll his eyes and tell you how much I am obsessed with Paris and then make fun of the French. I have been to Paris once and I'm making it my goal to go back as many times they'll allow me. I always end up choosing a French restaurant when my husband wants to take me out for my birthday. If ever in SF and you want to drop serious money for a romantic and fabulous dinner please go here. As a former film student, I appreciate a good vintage foreign film. So you know I love me some Truffaut, Renoir, Godard (just please don't make me watch Weekend (1967) again!) etc. However, what really gets me going is the French idea of beauty and fashion. I am completely enamored with it. I fell in love with all the women, children and men while in Paris. I just felt like a slob while I was there, no matter how hard I tried.

Many moments are spent cojuring up mental images of French beauties that I have seen on screen or in print while putting my makup on in the morning...Sophisticated and regal like Catherine Deneuve or Carole Bouquet? Do I want a sex kitten smoky eye while on vacation look - Brigitte Bardot? Or do I want a modern glamourous bohemian look - Vanessa Paradis...French bad ass - Marion Cotillard...even fashion designer Catherine Malandrino rocks a fierce smoky eye!

Since it's a work day, I tried to combine two elements that come to mind when you think Classic French themed makeup:

The smoky charcoal eye and the red lip.


Catherine Deneuve



Vanessa Paradis French Vogue 2008

I normally like a clean, almost sparse eye look when wearing a bold red. But this time I wanted to try a smoky grey eye with pink red lipstick. Products used today:
NARS
MAC
Dolce and Gabbana.

(L to R - NARS Tokyo fr. Modern Love palette, Paris duo)

Eyes:
Light shimmer grey (middle shade) on my lid and crease
Dark grey (shade closest to my wrist) on my outer V and slightly blended into my crease. Also, I took a MAC #219 pencil brush and lined my bottom lash line slightly with this same shade
Tokyo - (first shade - ivory shimmer) highlight under my brows
 MAC Technakohl eyeliner in Graphblack - to line and tightline my top lashline.
MAC Haute and Naughty Mascara - Black

Face:
Chanel Teint Innocence Compact - Pecan/Walnut
Boi-ing Concealer #3
NARS Laguna bronzer (contour)
Bobbi Brown blush - Peony (bright warm pink)

Lips:
Dolce and Gabbana Ultra - pink red/satin finish
Dahlia lip liner

To complete my French vibe - I topped off with Love and Tears fragrance By Kilian.

End result:


All I need is an Hermes scarf - a girl can dream, right?






















SIDE NOTE - when visiting Paris, please leave the beret at home!

PS. As expected, yesterday's lip look involving MAC products left my lips raw and itchy today. I am hoping I don't further the damage with my D&G lipstick/liner.

Multi-tasking - Day 2 of the Red Lip Challenge and Shoe of the Day

In a fantasy world, I would open my closet, throw on a dress, pin my hair back, apply a fabulous lipstick and look like this:

Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway in AMC's Mad Men

But I would be a brown version of Ms. Holloway and I'd look like I was trying way too hard. So my 2010 version of this look involves a cap sleeved gray leopard print top tucked into a belted pencil skirt these shoes:

pump by Bruno Magli



along with thick black, gel eyeliner and red lipstick of course!

Aside from using my Chanel Teinte Innocence Compact in Walnut-Pecan and Benefit's Boiing Concealer in #3 it was a MAC themed day. For my eyes, I used a palette I created myself at a MAC boutique (you can also customize a 4 pan palette at your local MAC counter). Another option is to depot your existing MAC shadows and pop them into a palette. There are a wealth of how-to videos on Youtube so I suggest you search for them there - it's where I learned how to do this among many other things haha.

From left to right (on my arm - NC42):

Orb (highlight under brow)

All Races  L.E.(lid)

Coquette (crease)

Showstopper (outer V definition)

The end result was a pretty matte eye (almost shimmer free) which is what I was going for to keep the focus on my lips.

Eyeliner - Fluidline - Blacktrack with the Sonia Kashuk bent eye liner brush (it works wonders) and my morning cup of coffee. I can't apply makeup without it! Mascara - Haute and Naughty - Black. As for blush I went with a coral pink (frost finish):

 Hipness (L.E. - Fafi collection)

and of course Red lip of the day - took a more light coral, red approach

Half Red lip pencil - soft burgundy

Viva Glam Cyndi - light coral red

Double Dare Cremesheen gloss - coral red

As you know, my lips have a love/hate relationship with MAC so I'll have to comment tomorrow on the aftermath this left on my lips. I will say the Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick is a very high lustre finish (lots of slip and moisturizing on my lips). The cremesheen gloss is also thinner (non-sticky) in comparison to the Lipglass gloss, which I cannot wear because it is way too thick for my comfort level. I will say I'm very curious what this would look like if I went with a more traditional red pencil like Redd, Cherry or even Beet instead of Half Red (it's what I had in my stash).

I'll be working on Joan Holloway strut this afternoon.

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.