Obsession with cosmetics aside, my vanity drawer looks like a wasteland. Granted, compared to most of my friends, I have lots of makeup, but for a cosmetics-obsessed gal like me, I'm excessively spartan. I don't own 20 Stila eyeshadows, or 50 lipsticks (heck, I don't even own 20 or even 15), nor do I have a variety of foundation "duds"—stuff that's just a little wrong for me. Not only that, I'm scrupulously minimal. I'm referred to as a girl "who doesn't wear makeup". Of course, I do, but nonetheless, most are suprised to learn I'm totally obsessed with cosmetics. Some women that I know get up an extra hour-and-a-half early, to blowdry their hair, apply a full face of makeup (foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, teezing brows, lipstick, lipliner, the works) and walk out perfect, polished and stylish with nary a chip in their manicure. Those women are dedicated souls. The vast majority of us are not. They put on some foundation, maybe mascara and lipstick, perhaps a little eyeshadow and blush if they're motivated.
I read an article recently in a magazine called Real Simple, and they had a lovely little artical on five minute makeup. It was a little stripped down and bare, but I found myself fascinated. Here is my spin.
Even Out Your Skin: The most important thing, of course, is to know what you need.
Are you just a little blotchy? Then a tinted moisturizer or a sheer foundation (same thing, really) is probably all you need. If you're oily, then a light dusting of tinted loose powder, instead. You might even be able to get away with a skin illuminating moisturizer, like Prescriptives Vibrant.
Suppose you had the opposite problem, with basically clear skin, but with a few trouble spots? A concealer will do wonders, just remember to set the concealer with translucent powder to ensure longevity.
But for most of us, a stick foundation is optimal for simple, quick makeup, not to mention its versatility. A stick foundation can be blended out into a sheer foundation, or dabbed on for concealer-like coverage. The key is to find a product that blends well, blends quickly. For oily skin, L'Oreal QuickStick is light, and non-greasy. For any other skin type, Estee Lauder's Minute Makeup is truly top of the line.
Define Your Eyes: The trick is to go with one option, instead of piling everything together.
To start off, curl your eyelashes and add a coat of mascara. It opens up your eyes, and it might just be the only thing you do to them, if you felt like it. A volumizing mascara in an exciting color, like L'Oreal Voluminous in Black Cherry, is subtle, yet daring, completely capable of holdings its own. From mascara-ed lashes, you can go one of three ways.
A wash. It's all a matter of personal style, whether you go natural with champagne, sophisticated with taupe or grey, feminine with lavender or rose, or daring with lime or cerulean. Cream shadows are preferable, as they are much quicker in application. Benfit, Stila, and MAC all make excellent cream shadows. To check out: Benefit Have Her Home By Creaseless Cream Shadow (a surprisingly flattering green shimmer), MAC Yogurt Eyeshadow (milky pink-white with touch of beige), Stila Kitten Eyeshadow (pink-peach champagne frost), MAC Shale Eyeshadow (lavender-grey shimmer), and Nars Ashes to Ashes Eyeshadow (luminescent brown).
Or, add some depth to the eye with a crease. Nothing else, just mascara and crease. Putting in a crease color in a complicated eyeshadow structure is reminiscent of the 80s' era of massive eye makeup, but crease color alone, is almost... clean.
Or, just smudge some eyeliner between your lashes. It adds definition, emphasizes eye shape. Choose a pencil that goes on easily, like MAC Eye Kohls.
The Lips and Cheeks: The final touch...
If your eyes are quiet, you can pile on some intense blush, like MAC Revenge. Or, go chic but simple with red lipstick.
But if your eyes are vivid, go with subtle gloss like Nars Sweet Dreams Lip Gloss, and a soft, inconspicuous, glowing color like MAC Angel.
And yet another option, is bronzer. Dusted all over—cheekbones, forehead, the bridge of your nose. Just to liven up washed out skin.
But you can't go wrong with no-fail naturals, like Cargo Topeka Blush and Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick. They'll match everything. Friday, September 14, 2001 »0 comments
