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The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog

Posted by Dain, Wednesday, September 19, 2007 9:53 AM (Eastern)

One of the reasons why I can rationalize my lack of sunscreen usage is because I see so little sun. Bronze is not one of the looks I favor, but it has been very popular of late, approximately parallel to the rise of Gisele Bündchen who perhaps best epitomizes the modern bronzed beauty: beachy glamourous, wind tossed hair, toasty, dewy skin. I have chosen this next because it is somewhat of a variation on au naturel, albeit seasonal. Undereye concealer and defined brows, as ever, are a prerequisite.

THE BASICS

the tan: A natural tan is by far the best, imparting a glow to the skin that cannot be mimicked by tanning salons and the million variants on fake bakes that flood the market. I speak only of optimum aesthetics, without concerns for health hazards, which everyone has heard already. Too dark a tan is an obscenity, you should look healthily sunkissed, no more. Recommended products: I have minimal experience with self-tanners, so I can only point to the industry classics by Clarins or Jergen's.

mascara: Because a tan adds color to the face, the bronzed look requires less makeup overall. Just a touch of mascara will do, one that won't smear or budge in the humidity. Recommended product: Kiss Me Mascara.

OPTION 1
If your tan is perfect and requires no enhancement, the most longlasting, fuss-free option is a multipurpose stain like Becca Beach Tint or Stila Rose Convertible Color.

OPTION 2
For an extra touch of sun, a good bronzer like Guerlain Terracotta, no shimmer, no orange, should be applied with a big, dense, flat-top brush to the parts of the face that sunlight will hit: the forehead, the tip of the nose, the chin, and the cheeks. For lips, a natural tawny is a subtle complement, but why not take the opportunity to wear bright, juicy lipgloss, such as coral or watermelon, so fresh in summertime? Recommended products: Revlon Raisin Glaze SuperLustrous Lipgloss (a sheer rose-tawny), Fresh Desire Gloss Absolute (cherry popsicle).

ADDITIONS
A bit of gold highlight can look absolutely delicious on bronzed skin, especially on the eyes. Summer is not kind to makeup, so less is better and less is required, but if you cannot bear such nakedness before the world, a slick of black liner is a simple but flattering touch. Tans will let you get away with brighter colors, so this is one of the few times that blue or mint eyeshadow or any chalky pastel will look more appropriate than bold.

Images courtesy barbaralaurie.com, photo by Ken Browar (top) and jedroot.com, makeup by Pacos Blancas for Neiman Marcus and Nina Havercamp for French Elle (bottom).

Labels: becca, clarins, fresh, guerlain, kiss me, lookbook, revlon, stila

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Posted by Dain, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:12 AM (Eastern)

Above: A clip from Heathers (1988)... Lo, she's scribbling in her diary with a monocle and a bottle of vodka at her side. It's very clever how they bounce back and forth between extreme childishness and very adult themes.

Everyone has an opinion on how to spend the golden coin of youth, the most liquid of all assets. Everyone, that is, except the young themselves. It's all very confusing and infinitely self-absorbed, but I suppose when you are trying to find yourself you've gotta be that way, though it doesn't always show people at their best. Teen angst in a nutshell. Is this why we desire youth so much? That feeling of urgency that comes from hinging your existence on concerns so immediate and unmeasured? What is it that Stephen Dedalus' mother tells him to find when he offs to Paris at the end of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man? Here, I found it: "She prays now, she says, that I may learn in my own life and away from home and friends what the heart is and what it feels. Amen. So be it. Welcome, O life, I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race." Yes, that is the secret desire of adolescence, Joyce said it best. And once you fail to find it? The return home*. Where the heart is.

There is fashion targeted at youth, which is surprisingly limited. Then, there is fashion targeted at adults, which worships youth. High fashion isn't really for teenagers, and had I the opportunity to dress for high school again, I'd favor brands like A.P.C. (expensive, but my current obsession), Lucky Brand, American Apparel (for no-nonsense basics), and the occasional treat from Anthropologie—cool, comfortable, with a certain je ne sais quoi. When it comes to accessories: jewelry should be quiet, an understated schoolgirlish bag instead of a backpack (I cheated here and used Miu Miu, as it's a good example), and flat or low-heeled shoes of good quality (Repetto Faust is demure yet still full of personality; they have a silver that's very appealing). Casuals should be stylish and well made, appropriate for a young girl but no less useful as she grows older. Even on the young, I dislike throwaway clothes. Clothing may be consumable, but style is an evolution throughout life, and there's no reason why your wardrobe can't reflect that.

Makeup should be fresh and simple. Concealer for acne and undereye circles (Almay Amazing Lasting is excellent, if they still make it), pretty, pretty blush (Becca Beach Tint is easy to use, flattering on a range of skintones, and can be used on lips, too), mascara (such as Maybelline Full & Soft), subtle lipcolor (Kiehl's Golden Berry Lipgloss is lovely on just about everyone). Sheer shimmers for eyes add something special to the everyday look. A slick of liner (I've chosen a flattering dark brown here) adds instant maturity to a babyface, but not in a vulgar way (as sometimes smoky eyes are). The worst thing is to be complicated about it; might as well take advantage of youth while you have it.

I think BVLGARI makes excellently understated perfumes. They're not the "same ole thing" that everyone else is wearing, but easy to appreciate (without mustiness or overwhelming complexity that's lost on untrained noses). Blv Notte (a crystalline musk brought about to rich perfection through ginger, iris, and bitter chocolate) is one my favorites, Bvlgari Black (soft spices and black tea), Eau Parfumée Thé Vert (crisp green tea with substance), and Pour Femme (soft sweet white florals).

Above all, youth is a time to acquire good habits. Skincare basics, in particular (the basics: cleanser from Cetaphil, scrub from Clean & Clear, and sunscreen from Olay). I recommend Clarins Lotus Oil as moisturizer to balance (flakes and shine both) the skin in a healthy way, and Kiehl's Blue Herbal line is excellent for acne. It is also a time of experimentation, to find what suits, to hone the ability to recognize what is good, what is not, though honestly, one's 20s may be better for that. When you are young, dress simply and well, your greatest ornament is the bloom of youth.

*Ulysses. What a clever man he is. I hate him!

Cosmetics images courtesy (at least, the cosmetics) from instyle.com.

Labels: almay, APC, beauty notes, becca, bobbi brown, bvlgari, cetaphil, clarins, clean and clear, film, kiehl's, lucky brand, max factor, maybelline, miu miu, olay, repetto

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