The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty Blog: June 2005

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The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty Blog: June 2005
Makeup for photographs Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Tuesday, June 28, 2005 8:30 PM (Eastern) I had to get my picture taken today. Not that big a deal...I've long gotten over "picture taking stress." It's not that I'm photogenic; it's been a matter of experience, of having to get it done over and over again, for this, that or the other reason. This was a document photograph so, I felt it should look reasonably good. Those pictures never seem to die; my mug on my drivers license, with its over-abundant application of red lipstick, back in my neophyte makeup-junkie days (it was L'Oreal Colour Riche "Sheer Juniper," that'll date the pic to other makeup junkies as the Sheers have long been discontinued), is one mug that I've had to bring out and look at for years. I often advise to wear something pink or red near your face when getting a pic taken. It's not necessary but sometimes the warm color livens up your face, so I put on a vintage glass choker with pinky-orange and smoked glass beads. As far as foundation, I ususally rec to apply slightly more than you normally would. Not lots and lots more, just a slight bit more, and take the time to dab extra foundation or concealer (I say the former since I don't use the latter) over blemishes. Finish with MAC Blot pressed powder, the queen of anti-shine (looks natural not caked), and bring some unpowdered blotting tissues such as Clean 'n' Clear if it's hot or humid out. As far as eyes, I don't do an elaborate eye for pics. What's key imo is the liner. Always wear enough dark liner. Here I decided on Milani "Golden Bronze" eyeshadow on lids, with a little MAC Trax eyeshadow in the crease (easy to do with the expensive yet worthy MAC #224 brush). The liner is MAC Permaplum Powerpoint. As far as blush, do wear some. I don't, normally. For pics it's well to put on a liiiiittle bit more than you normally wear. Here I have on MAC Blushbaby blush. Lipstick is the thing! My advice is to wear something with a definitely color. i.e. no nudes, beiges, browns...go for roses, reds, berries, or the like. One of my best pictures ever was taken with Revlon's "Dune Rose" Super Lustrous lipstick. Here I tried out my new Neutrogena MoistureShine tinted lip balm in "Warm" but rejected it in favor of MAC Sophisto Lustre lipstick. The "Warm" would have done but somehow I felt more comfortable in the Sophisto, and comfort is key also. No, I don't turn my head that way on purpose. One of my eyes is weak so I favor the other eye. But I do tend to not smile too widely--this looks better on other people imo. And I will often tilt my head slightly downwards and look up slightly, because my jaw is too square. (If your forehead is wide, you might try the opposite trick!) If you have a digicam, you can always snap a few pics at home beforehand to see if your makeup is too much or anything else is wrong. Above all...do not expect to look in your picture the way that models do, unless you are a model. That is, in a word, silly. Models get paid big bucks to look the way that they do. If I looked that way, you'd best believe I'd turn it into a paying job. But hey, no one's paying me, so I generally feel quite relaxed! I don't really bother making everything perfect. 0 Comment(s) Email this post The Look-alike Concept Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Sunday, June 26, 2005 3:34 PM (Eastern) A few places still list cosmetic copycats. Beauty Buzz still has a section to the best of my knowledge, and we have a section here, replacing my old page here. I'm very slow to add in a look-alike, because to me it has to be similar enough to make it almost interchangeable. The quality has to be comparable. Slight differences are okay, and to be expected, but there has to be a strong, inescapable similarity...that feeling of "I just bought something that I already own." A recent example for me would be Neutrogena MoistureShine tinted lip balm in "Sunny." I did not discover the Neutrogena tinted lip balms; Carol and Madjenny reviewed this product, that is how I came to look at them and buy a couple. Wearing "Sunny" a few times, I started to get that nagging look-alike feeling that I was wearing something remarkably similar to a lipstick I had already owned. This would be MAC "Jubilee" Lustre lipstick; I'd used it up and was holding it for a future Back to MAC. Digging Jubilee out--by "used up" I mean I'd worn it down to the metal, not dug it out with a lip brush, so there was a little bit left--I put some on my upper lip and put some Sunny on my lower lip to make the comparison. Very, very similar. Not the same by any means. Sunny has a bit of shimmer, and Jubilee is not shimmery. Sunny is slightly deeper in tone. But, having owned both, to me they are virtually the same lipstick. If you own Sunny, there would be no need to own Jubilee, and vice versa. MAC Jubilee Lustre lipstick 0 Comment(s) Email this post A great new site... Posted by Dain, Thursday, June 23, 2005 5:16 PM (Eastern) If you've ever spare time on your hands, check out Dr. Luca Turin's blog, of The Emperor of Scent fame. Wonderfully written, it will change how you see perfume. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Caron Parfum Sacré Posted by Dain, 4:33 PM (Eastern) I have only tried the EDP. I have heard the parfum is much more exquisite (as it usually is), and is going to be discontinued. Get it now, if you love this! (The EDP can be found at very reasonable prices at parfum1.com.) This is surprisingly modern in origin, designed by Jean-Pierre Béthouard in 1990 (source: basenotes.net), because it is an old-fashioned composition that we rarely see these days. Aldehydes, heady florals, spices, incense. But such facile descriptions are useless, because this has got to be one of the most complex and well-balanced perfumes I have ever encountered, and the dry-down is the most glorious, mysterious thing. This is a perfume that must be tried on the skin, as it does not evolve properly on paper, and sparingly. It smells delicious when I spray it a good two feet away, and nasty and cloying if I try an inch. This is an important discovery (and recent), because this perfume has two very different characters, and I do not like the first. It starts off very strong, a sharp blast of spice and floral. Neroli, very aldehydic, accented with plenty of pepper and mace and clove and a twist of lemon. It almost smells like carnation, though in fact it is a noisy trio of neroli, jasmine, and rose. It smells like potpourri. Patience, however, yields something truly magical (you don't need to wait long, if you apply sparingly). It clings marvelously to the skin—unlike the aggressive spice-laden aldehyde floral of a few minutes past, this is incredibly elusive and warm. A dark, nigh leathery rose, something faded and forgotten, rich with incense (to replace the spice) and vanilla and musk. In my mind, I see an antique body powder, almost like a skin scent (or maybe, perfumed soap), something gloriously Victorian, and very French. I can't imagine a fragrance more quietly elegant. And it is quiet. It's lush and slow-moving, and comfortable. It's like the ghost of a scent more than anything else. Like the scent of nostalgia. Or things long lost. Wear it on a cool, crisp day, when you are disgruntled with the state of things, and you will be transported to a higher plane of sophistication, where flippancy is unknown. 0 Comment(s) Email this post More ramblings... Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:07 PM (Eastern) The white tea seems to be working quite well. I've settled on two cups per day as the ideal amount. I don't actually drink two cups every day. It's a balance (as most adult acne things end up being). If I want better skin, I'll make a point to brew and drink. If my skin is okay by my own standards, I'll let it slide a day or so. Overall though my skin has improved. When you have adult acne, you notice every little thing, whether it is better or worse. I've yet to dig into the possibility of white tea extract capsules or pills. Hmmm...something tells me that it's cheaper drinking the tea. Besides that, supplements tend to offer only mega-amounts, which might be unnecessary...more is not always better. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Blow Out Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 1:52 PM (Eastern) I had to stay home yesterday, waiting for the repair guy to show up. Ugh... But I happened to catch that show Blow Out on Bravo. And, I like it. I don't watch any reality shows. I can't think of a single one I've watched from beginning to end, starting with that one on MTV and ending with whatever, the x number of new reality shows they keep cranking out. But Blow Out is good. Maybe because it's not contrived. It's a real business. Blow Out follows the owner and the employees of Jonathan salons (one in West Hollywood, one in Beverly Hills). You get to see the odd actress showing up for a cut, color and style, but it's not a forced thing. It's not really glamorous. It's very real, which, ironically enough, seems to run contrary to the reality show concept. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Peaceful moment... Posted by Dain, 2:23 AM (Eastern) The other day, I was headache-y (sinus). It was during one of my insomniac fits, I hadn't slept for days. Plus, I was pms-ing. A charming combination. I reached over towards a tub of LUSH Whipstick, which I had poo-poo-ed earlier for smelling like orange-tainted cocoa puffs. And you know what? It made me feel better. Happier. Funny, isn't it? I don't even like chocolate, but sometimes... chocolate makes the world a better place. Alternatively, I was contemplating my tub of Nuxe Rêve de Miel last night. It's a cult product. Why? It feels good. It's a concentrated, grapefruit-scented, matte-textured balm—and it feels expensive, as luxe in texture as a Lancôme face cream. And what a great name! "Dream of Honey". The frosted jar is heavy. As is the price: $21. Is it really so great? I think... not. But it really seems magical, and I can't dissociate myself from the image. Were it Neutrogena, though, I wouldn't have looked twice at it. We're all swayed, even the most cynical of consumers, by appearances. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Givenchy Organza Indécence Posted by Dain, Tuesday, June 21, 2005 5:44 PM (Eastern) If ever there was a holy grail among perfumes for me, it is Givenchy Organza Indécence. Unfortunately, it has been recently discontinued, which has triggered this entire perfume odyssey (as you see it). But since it's good to know where I'm starting from, so begins a description of my long affair with Indécence. This is mostly from my review, but why mess with a good description? Edited, of course, because I'm not interested in detailing the progression of notes (read my review, if you're interested). "It is not merely how it smells—creamy, mellow vanilla, with the added decadence of honeyed amber, and a bit of devilish spice—but like all perfumes worthy of Holy-Grail status, it simply becomes one with my chemistry, instead of clashing or reaching an agreement with it. It is me, rather than with me, if you catch my meaning. I shan't have you believe that I naturally smell of vanilla ice cream—it's more that there is no degree of separation between myself and the perfume... It's not, 'a smell I like', sitting on top of my skin, but rather me and Indécence rendered indistinguishable. Maybe in a previous decade this would have been fallen under the category of 'signature scent'. Well, this is mine. I wear it indiscriminantly, though most would consider this a winter/evening scent." I like both amber and vanilla, there's something about that combination that's magical with my chemistry, and this amber-vanilla in fairly pure form. Don't get me wrong, this isn't your Comptoir Sud Pacifique (a bestselling idea that has gone too far) or your Dessert Beauty (I don't care, I refuse to even smell it). Vanilla easily wanders into sugar territory, and amber can be rancid and harsh. I prefer something as warm as sunlight in a gothic library. Jo Malone has said that she would never do vanilla, for reasons plain and boring (vanilla, not Jo Malone... though I admit I harbor my criticisms when it comes to her scents). Fair enough. Vanilla is common. But it can avoid vulgarity, when done right. The addition of spices adds a bit of a darker edge, perhaps even a little mystery. It's your plain Jane dressed up in some fabulous Rochas gown. You know it's her, but you hardly recognize her. Something so everyday you've ceased to notice it, but in a moment of such festive excitement, you fall in love all over again. Pure splendour, without a single floral note (its claim to fame). Image courtesy http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/. 0 Comment(s) Email this post UEU and UEO Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 2:56 PM (Eastern) What really are UEU and UEO? To the very best of my knowledge, both concepts originated from LP--the Lipstick Page forums. A poster called Duchess came up with UEU (Use Everything Up). UEO (Use Everything Once) appeared on LP shortly thereafter, and this acronym was coined by a poster called Audrey_H. Earlier, LP had CT, which stands for cold turkey. I still recall the first LP cold turkey; it was years ago. Everyone participating in the CT vowed not to buy new makeup for a set period of time. CT became replaced by UEO, an exercise where you use each product in your stash exactly once. You are to go through the entire stash this way. At the end of the UEO, you are to weed out everything that wasn't all that and swap it or toss it. The thing is this. It takes half an hour to buy a lipstick. It takes anywhere from three to four months of using only one lipstick, to UEU that lipstick. Owning more than one lipstick at a time, means it can take what feels like years to UEU one or the other of them. Is it important to UEU? Well, sometimes it is, sometime it isn't. I have yet to UEU a single eyeshadow--ever. I didn't use eyeshadow much before I discovered the beauty boards. And now I own too many, and use too many, to easily UEU any individual one. But lipstick--I like UEU'ing lipstick. Not sure why. I just do. In the pic, MAC Jubilee Lustre lipstick (right) represents the first lipstick I UEU'd since discovering "the boards" (before that, I owned only one lipstick at a time, so UEU'ing was hardly an issue). MAC Viva Glam V Lustre (center) represents a half-UEU'd lippy. It's the one I'm currently working on, and I'm debating, idly enough, whether to repurchase it once it's been UEU'd. MAC Sophisto Lustre (left) represents the newest addition to my two-lippy stash. I've worn it a few times, it's really nice, but I'm using the VGV more because, ah, I want to UEU it. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Favorite Makeup Looks from Fall 2005 RTW shows... Posted by Dain, 1:57 PM (Eastern) As always, variance is the common mode in the fashion world, so the looks I have selected bear a resemblance because I've picked them out. Chanel featured cartoonishly drawn eyelashes, Viktor & Rolf had red eyeshadow dusted precariously around the eye, with crimped hair spread across pillows (I kid you not), and every Galliano show tests the limits of makeup—though not always to good effect. We're real women, however, Rated R aside, and real-world makeup is the better choice for analysis here. A good handful of shows featured a very pretty face: clean, polished skin, like velvet, minimal blush (the "Fade" look, I always think to myself... Stila Fade, that is), and, as style.com phrased it, "peony lips". Mot juste, I would say. It's makeup-y, but very restrained—none of the elements are pushed to the limits. The skin looks made-up, but not pancaked, the blush is subtle, the eyes minimal (very matte browns and mascara sort of thing), and the lip is not quite a stain but not quite a full application, either. Anyway, without much further ado, the looks! Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche (my favorite amongst them, though impractical hair) Proenza Schouler (a little variation on the eye, with a teal liner running along the bottom lashline and a bit of a peachy wash to balance the liner) Roland Mouret (love the sideswept locks) Donna Karan (same model, I think, as for the Roland Mouret picture... a low bun is lovely) Carolina Herrera (another bun) Wonderful. It just highlights how young and pretty these girls are, you know? And sometimes that just hits the right note. And before you mutter, "I don't look anything like these women..." (who does, love?), it's not really so far-fetched from what many women wear on a daily basis, and if not, it's not a difficult or tedious look to pull off. One word of caution: lightly defined, groomed brows frame every single one of these faces. It's not something you'd think of, but they're key to this look. And just lovely on the last vestiges of a summer tan, too. So pull out the powder compacts (I want the Estée Lauder rhinestone-embellished peace one!), the pinky-plum stains, the Fade blush (and a palette of matte browns/beiges/maybe-a-pink), and some tweezers, and you're ready to roll. It's still June, I realize, but there's no reason not to know what's coming. All pictures from style.com. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Sally Hansen Cuticle Massage Cream with Apricot Extract Posted by Dain, Monday, June 20, 2005 2:32 PM (Eastern) I've bought this before, and I imagine it's modeled after Dior's Crème Abricot, which has haunted the beauty industry, like some phantasm from the 70s (really, most cosmetics don't last that long, though I'm not sure when it was first made). The Dior version is $21, and since my nails are crap anyway, I prefer the $3 knockoff. When I think of cuticle cream, I either think of Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, which is fresh and lemon-y (surprise!) and quite a good product, or some sort of rough-cuticle-removing thing. (I'm not much of one for manicures, in case you can't tell). But I like this one. Citrus always smells a little invasive, to me, so I prefer the sweet and charming (and rather synthetic) peachy scent of the Sally Hansen. It's got a matte finish, too, so that you don't look like you've smeared grease all over your hands. It's waxy, so it provides a protective layer, which doesn't rub off for a while, unless you scrub or use harsh detergent. This is great, as far as I'm concerned, because it works brilliantly as a barrier 'tween air and cuticle, and your cuticles remain supple and moisturized, not dry and cracked. I don't really like hand cream (I like my hands to feel clean), so this is a workable compromise. It's fun to massage a little on, while you're at the computer, waiting for your flight at a bus terminal, etc., filling up tedious moments for a marvelous two minutes of waxy, apricot indulgence (a small indulgence, to be sure). 0 Comment(s) Email this post Insomniacal... Posted by Dain, Sunday, June 19, 2005 9:29 PM (Eastern) I wonder if that's a word? Instinct says nay, dictionary.com says nay. Well, it's fun to say (kinda reminiscent of "maniacal", which is a bit like), so it shall remain. The name is apt; I haven't slept in quite a while. If you need to be reacquainted with my intentions regarding perfume, do read my blog of April 25, 2005, Introduction/Abstract/Beginnings. I am not setting to do any comprehensive guide, as I'm no expert (for that, check out Victoria's excellent blog, as well as Robin's). But I've been a single-scent gal for years, and wanted to expand my horizons. I'm the painstakingly tedious type, so quick 'n' easy gratification wasn't enough. No, I wanted to visit the masterpieces, discover the rare gems. But again, before I wander into overmeticulous territory, I want to give the Odyssey flexibility, so my posts will be rather "loose"; even when it's about a single perfume, we'll focus on "impression" and "evocation", rather than a business-like description of notes. I'll try to avoid describing duds, too, unless they're worthy of note—simply for that reason, only the truly gorgeous lift our spirits, right? A well-designed perfume is a work of art, and is quite unlike any other cosmetic in that respect. The only exception I can think of is lipstick, because lipstick also has the capacity to infuse the owner with character-defining (as I wear lipstick, since I'm doggedly faithful—unconsciously, it seems—to a sole color) or itinerant (if you like to switch often) qualities. A woman who wears Christian Dior's Brun Lunaire (at least I think that's the name), a whispery peachy beige of satiny hue, is a very different woman from she who wears Urban Decay Big Bang Lip Gunk, a watery cinnamon-laced magenta gloss with blue glitter. Perfume is even better at evoking different reactions, different auras... But the similarity is not unfounded, I think. The lips, and scent are key sexual "markers", according to certain theories. That is to say, the painting of the lips is supposed to mimic blood rushing to the vulva, and that scent triggers (including those that cannot be smelled, pheromones) are key to chemistry. How much of that is creditable? I couldn't tell you, except that it's an interesting idea. My trajectory is rather without aim. If I hit on a scent I like, I'll know. I'm using a fairly nebulous "glamour" quotient as a guide. I'm not a perfume fanatic, and there aren't any "goals", per se; it's more about the journey. I do have a weakness for anything created with passion and artistry, but I don't mind a rote industry formulation if it really, really suits me (which, I think, is rare—something about appealing to as many people as possible tends to reduce the probability of its suiting you to perfection). I prefer Eau de Parfum concentrations, though if it the Eau de Toilette is good, I don't mind. Parfum is too much for me—sure I can appreciate a cup of Mariage Frères Tea ($72 a pound), but I'd be perfectly happy with Twinings. I haven't the developed nose for it, the cash flow for it, and I prefer a spray, anyway. First up: the signature, Givenchy Organza Indécence (which I've already posted on... but I'll revisit, in a fresh style). 0 Comment(s) Email this post Obsessions redcurrant... Posted by Dain, 6:00 PM (Eastern) Or, "Why the hell do I keep on buying the same lipstick over and over again?" "Obsessions redcurrant"? More like, "Obsessions redundant". Poor joke, but then, tisn't much of a joke, when you've a dozen variations on the same shade. I may have a problem. 90% of the time, I wear MAC Red Haute Lustre lipstick, and the other 8% is invested in NARS Flair, YSL Rouge Pure Shine No. 3, Revlon Raisin Glaze (barely a redcurrant), Guerlain Terre Indienne, Biotherm Glossy Shine #155, Trish Celebrate Lip Gloss—all colors which, however disparate in the tube/pot/wand, look pretty much the same on: redcurrant. It's the bane of my existence. Other women wears roses, nudes, plums, reds, what have you... I persist in wearing this. Actually I'm whinging for nothing, because I don't really feel inclined to stray. But is this instinct (aesthetic assertion by my subconscious, which knows better)? Or am I merely stuck in a rut? Just so we're on the same page: "redcurrant" is a term I use, to describe a sort of soft, semi-sheer red cut with lots of rose/pink (depending on the brightness of the particular color), or a brightish cool dark pink (depending on how you see it). It can be bright and flat, like a Benetint rose-petal stain, or it can hover around a purplely-juicy tinge, like YSL Rouge Pure Shine No. 8, or it can be a juicy raspberry, like Guerlain Terre Indienne, or it can have complex shimmer, like my beloved Red Haute, or it can even be watered down (as if the red were blanched out), like Revlon Raisin Glaze. It's an obvious choice for someone as pale, as dark-haired, and as young, as I am. I've cut down down, some. I used up NARS Eros (or lost it, anyway) and Delux Norris. But some serious reckoning must be done. First, because my staple is discontinued. And secondly, just to explore what's out there. If I don't like the offerings, then I will return to the honest redcurrants that have never yet led me astray. But change isn't always something to be feared... I'll keep you updated as to any new developments. 0 Comment(s) Email this post UPDATE on minimalistic trend Posted by Dain, 4:16 AM (Eastern) I'm a cyclical creature. I have bouts of extreme consumerism (a month ago I bought two Trish shadows, two NARS duos, and three Dior quints, three months ago I bought four—albeit deeply discounted—perfumes), alternating with extreme minimalism, during which I return/swap/give away/pare down as much as I am able. Right now, of course, I'm in the midst of the latter. Don't you worry, the acquisitive Daïn will invariably return (with feverish blogs, I'm sure). She always does. I've reduced my eyeshadow stash even further. What use have I for green eyeshadow? I wear it very well, since my coloring is warm and my eyes are brown. But do I ever wear it? Not really. Might have to get MAC Sweet Sage (which is gorgeous, like crushed leaves and gold dust), anyway, but I'm not rushing out to buy. Anyway, all I really need is Cleo (NARS) and Mauve Chic (Dior), and Rated R isn't really an everyday eyeshadow but something I just pull out now and again for oomph—much like red lipstick. Those three aren't going anywhere. Permanent citizens of the stash, if you will. What is up for grabs is that fabled green (UD Urb is lovely, but as I've explained, I want the added versatility of a liner), and some peach-pink-gold-champagne shimmer for crazy simple lids. Not sure where to go with that one. Face basics? Hmm... I'll do a comparison of NARS Desire and Mata Hari soon. Desire is on its way out (I mean, I've nearly used it up), but it's served me very well. Stephane Marais is soon to yanked into oblivion, so YSL Touche Eclat still remains in its smelly, but undeniably holy-grail slot. I think I need to purchase full-size versions of Dr. Hauschka, to give it a longer and more consistent trail, and I'd like to include some ampules into the picture. Hair—I'm still perfectly satisfied with Nature's Gate. As for lips, I'm not particularly inclined to downsize. I mean, I wear the same color 95% of the time (and it's discontinued, drat them). It's just this fuzzy, ill-defined area for me. We'll see how things go, and hopefully I'll use up some of the crap that's lying around. Perfume is the one area where I refuse to minimalize. I've been a one-scent gal for a very long time now. I own others, but I wear Givenchy Indécence. I'm branching out, and will publish details of my exploits soon. (Next on the list: classic Guerlain.) 0 Comment(s) Email this post Lemmings Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Saturday, June 18, 2005 12:51 PM (Eastern) What are lemmings? Besides being a furry rodent that jumps off cliffs, lemming has a very specific meaning on beauty boards. There is such thing as a board lemming. I realized yesterday when I started blogging about the FOTD threads, that I was describing several Lipstick Page board lemmings such as MAC Blot pressed powder and clear pink blushes such as Benefit Dandelion and MAC Angel. More LP board lemmings include MAC Heirloom Eye Kohl, MAC Sophisto Lustre lipstick, MAC Vapour eyeshadow (at least MAC is a widely-available brand; LP is a mainly international forum...and it's affordable). Nars eyeshadow duos were another board lemming. Many of us lemming'd these, including Ireland, Island Fever, Cleo, etc. A lemming can be a brand--such as Milani, MAC or Nars. And it can be a general product such as MAC Lustre lipsticks or Nars blushes. Oftentimes though, it is a specific shade: Maybelline Wet Shine Drippin' Honey lipstick; MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl; MAC Permaplum Powerpoint eyepencil. It is not easy to start a lemming on LP, which, imo, is one of the best aspects of belonging on a smaller board. On a larger board, at least in theory, it would be possible for cosmetic companies to plant lemmings. How would you know? On smaller boards, you need to develop your reputation before you can genuinely start a lemming. So...a lemming is what you currently desire. You may lemming your lemming by purchasing it. You may be lemming, oh, that Balenciaga Cristobal fragrance I keep hearing about. You may even ask someone to kill your lemming...although that is something of an extreme measure. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Ramblings Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 1:53 AM (Eastern) I was reading the Face Of The Day thread for today...who came up with the idea of having a FOTD thread? When I read my first one (circa 1998), I was, simply, astounded. It had never occurred to me to post the makeup you have on your face for the day. And for a long time...years...I did not post my FOTD much; certainly not every day. Partly I suppose, I was still tinkering with what to do with makeup in the first place. Now it all feels so natural. My FOTD's are not particularly creative...and some are truly artistic, like a painting...but, it is what I'm wearing. Today I noticed that many of the FOTD's consisted of a lightish green eyeshadow of some sort, paired with pink or purple. (Granted, the FOTD'ees today tended to have green or hazel eyes.) This has become a rather quintessential Lipstick Page eye, I think. It's more universal than either the orange and purple eye, or the orange and green eye (which hinge on one's ability to wear orange eyeshadow in the first place); purple and green, or pink and green, can be worn by pretty much anyone. My eye today had one of my favorite eyeshadows, Milani Golden Bronze. This is slightly greenish gold. I pretty much always wear this shade with purple of some sort. Today it was MAC Permaplum Powerpoint eyepencil (deep, smoky, blue-based purple). Other times I'll wear it with MAC Trax eyeshadow (this is purple with almost an equal amount of gold, with a strong rose tone). Golden Bronze is good with MAC Bordeauxline Powerpoint (deep neutral purple with a reddish cast). Another favorite of the Lipstick Page FOTD is clear pink blush. I'll guess most of us on the board own one and wear it fairly often--from Benefit Dandelion to MAC Angel to Cargo Catalina (that's mine) to Nars Desire...some form of clear pink sans brown, peach, wine, etc. Many of us own MAC Blot pressed powder. I would never have tried this on my own (I don't recall so much as reading about it outside the boards), but it's marvellous. Next to transparent, yet blots oil and shine all day, most days, for my super oily skin. Well worth stepping out of the drugstore (before Blot, I'd tried Cornsilk, Almay, Maybelline, etc.). Hm. We are a small board, but, over the years, I like it that way. I've read so many FOTD posts...there is truth in reading what people wear, day after day, year after year. After a while you sort of absorb it. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Blog search function Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, June 15, 2005 1:07 PM (Eastern) I've just added this; a few notes: In order to make the Blogger search navbar work, I had to move the Fashion and New Releases blogs. Currently, you may search the cached versions of both using the Beauty Blog navbar. When the new locations of the Fashion and New Releases blogs get crawled, you should be able to search each from its respective navbar. 0 Comment(s) Email this post White tea seems to be helping my acne Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Monday, June 13, 2005 12:56 PM (Eastern) Well, if anyone can do it, you can do it. I can't. I'm next to smell-blind, in the same way that I'm not artistic, generally speaking. Now about the white tea. This is coincidence, but I bought some Celestial Seasonings White Tea (here is the tea page at the Celestial Seasonings site...no affiliation) at a health food store, drank a cup of it a few nights straight, and my (adult acne) skin seemed noticeably better. I thought, bleh, whatever...because with adult acne, it's usually difficult to pinpoint one factor that makes your skin better or worse. But I did have the thought to drink more of this stuff during my placebo week of Yasmin. Why not? It couldn't hurt. My skin really was better, this placebo week. In fact toward the end, when typically my skin would really start to feel the placebo week, I forgot I was on placebo week. It was that good. I have both the Peach and the Pear versions of this (naturally, one works as well as the other). And they're both delicious, considering I'm a coffee drinker not a tea drinker. (Note: white tea contains caffeine.) Now, I am a little excited, of course (adult acne sufferers know this feeling). But I DON'T want to present this as a cure for acne. It isn't. And I doubt drinking tons of this stuff will "cure" your acne either. (Adult acne sufferers have a tendency to seek miracle cures.) This is one small thing that I've tried that shows results. It's coming after I overhauled my diet and changed my birth control. I've tried green tea btw; I didn't notice a difference in my skin (probably there was one, but not as dramatic). Anyhow I'll post this on the board and in my adult acne blog... 0 Comment(s) Email this post Colleen's post has got me thinking... Posted by Dain, Sunday, June 12, 2005 4:43 AM (Eastern) I've never tried the infamous SPAM, what if I were to? Hmm... my beloved Givenchy Organza Indecence has been axed (of course, I can find it all over the internet still, but in a few years? what then?), so why not take matters into my own hands? The original recipe, is as follows: S 1 part sandalwood P 1 part patchouli A ½ part amber M ½ part musk (dark) Of course, there is a variation with vanilla substituted with patchouli, which is probably what I will probably be doing (patchouli isn't my thing). And why not? Body Time (www.bodytime.com), Bigelow (www.bigelowchemists.com), and Essense Oils (www.essenseoils.com) sell perfume oils that you can mix to your heart's content. Body Time even makes bottles (with or without atomizer) and a perfume/cologne base. And why stop with SPAM? There's a lavender and myrrh mix I want to explore (maybe with a little vanilla)—an herbal earth-goddess scent, and I'd like a violet/iris perfume (sort of clean musk and purple floral thing) that actually suits me, and a crisp green citrus that has some warmth and depth to it, a really creamy warm gardenia (true florals smell very fake with my chemistry). Hmm... a whole new world to explore. It'll take some thinking, and some tinkering. I'll get back to you on this project! 0 Comment(s) Email this post Old School Beauty Forums #3: Mad Science Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Saturday, June 11, 2005 12:44 PM (Eastern) The era of mad science is long gone. I still have some vestiges of it on my old site, Josephine's Fans of the Beauty Boards Page, circa 2000; it was already in full swing around then. What is mad science? Its origin is credited to a poster named carole, who invented, among other things, SPAM (Sandalwood, Patchouli, Amber, Musk). Mad science can be defined as creating your own cosmetics, either from raw ingredients or from existing cosmetics. I still franken (not Al) one thing in my stash: my tinted frankensunscreen. Purists will balk but I tint my sunscreen very lightly with liquid foundation. It's already the perfect match; already has SPF. Quick and easy and cheap. But the days when I lopped off lipsticks and melted them together in the microwave, well...let us say those days are gone. A good part of it is that cosmetics manufacturers have been so responsive to whatever I was trying to franken in the first place, that frankening is no longer necessary. A few quick examples...Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks (no longer perfumed, hence no more need to melt them down with a stub of strong mint-flavored lip balm); the overall superior lasting quality of lipsticks (melting a short-lived lippy down with a piece of food-grade beeswax used to do the trick). Hm. Aside from frankening my sunscreen, I do still mix my haircolor. I use the Feria color components at Sallys Beauty Supply; still cheaper than the kits. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Old School Beauty Forums #2 Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, June 08, 2005 6:56 PM (Eastern) I remember the first time I posted on a beauty board. That was in 1998, September or October-ish. I was in grad school and pregnant with my second child. I was taking Perl. We were to set up our own website and configure and install a Perl program on it. lol! I had no idea how to set up a website. I'd never done it before. As is typical of a programming class, no one tells you how to do anything. You just have to figure out how to do it and get it done. So...that was my first venture on the Web. I'm not sure exactly how I discovered LP (the original Lipstick Page site). I was searching...probably not Google, back then...for lipstick. At the time, there was no objective information about cosmetics, anywhere...I can admit I was fascinated at the possibility that there could be consumer-to-consumer information and advice along those lines. I found the Lipstick Library and that's where I visited LP, for a long time. I didn't know they had a forum for a very long time. Once I discovered the forum, I think I lurked for one day before posting. I found out much later on that most people don't do that. They lurk forever before posting. That thought never crossed my mind. Keep in mind that I was studying computer information systems (programming); if you don't step up and ask your question, you'll never ever know...so I just started posting, as if it were a tech support forum--because, for me, that is what it was. A beauty tech support forum. It took quite a while for me to fit in...I knew nothing about makeup. Nothing at all. No one in my family even wore it. It was always an interest of mine...I loved girly-girl magazines such as Seventeen; I was always fascinated by makeup. I've recently reflected a lot about the status of Internet beauty forums. Most of them got...smaller...at one point. They went from being "small big cities," to being, well, small towns, where everyone knows each other, where you are, I suppose, expected to all know each other.... But I never agreed with that. To me personally that doesn't quite make sense. I understand about unmoderated forums...those inevitably crap out; they become dominated by the pushiest element of the forum. You need people who have a stake in the board to moderate the board. But the notion of having to fit into an established social group in order to ask beauty-related questions and get intelligent answers...no, I am definitely from the old school. I still see it as a beauty tech support forum. 0 Comment(s) Email this post The 50s... Posted by Dain, 4:08 AM (Eastern) I just watched Mona Lisa Smile, pulling a big list of heavyweight stars—Julia Roberts (of course), Kirsten Dunst (whom I think has zero talent, but she's rather good here, very convincing... as a rigid, cat-eyed bitch, no less!), Maggie Gyllenhaal (absolutely adore her... I can never take my eyes of her), Julia Stiles ("You look like Julia Stiles" whispered a friend of mine in math class one day. "Don't be ridiculous," I scoffed, "I'm not white. Or blond." "You do," she insisted. Actually, I can kind of see it... and I couldn't tell you why), Marcia Gay Harden (lovely heartbreakingly brittle). Actually, it's kind of a stupid movie. Lots of fuzzy warmth, classic chick flick—i.e. "women who rock and hold sway for no man" kind of thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but... I don't know. I guess it strikes me that people should worry about being decent people first, before one starts worrying about being a woman. But then, I've never been subjected to gender-related suppression, so what do I know? In any case, I like the movie, moreso than similar movies like Bend It Like Beckham, which is great, but since I'm more of a nerd than a jock... like likes like, as they say (though the "lessons" in this movie are rather stupid, as lessons go). They're always making movies about great teachers at uptight boys' schools reinventing minds, etc., so it's just nice to see it on the other side of the gender line. Funny how preoccupied the girls'-school version is with men, though—irony, sage perspicuity of the completeness of duality, or plain ole liberal hypocrisy? Ehh... you decide. The movie is single-mindedly liberal, almost to the point of close-mindedness, but I suppose there are worse crimes these days (though that depends on whom you ask). My friend C., who goes to Wellesley, hates this movie. Which makes sense to me; it's probably not a fair portrayal of the school (I hate Gilmore Girls for a similar reason). Wellesley is certainly not the least bit like this now, though I've been told, that for some girls it still remains so. Perhaps I had been putting on airs and this was a set-down (perhaps not), but I was dining at Fig's (at Wellesley, I was visiting) with C. and her friend, A., who fixed me with a mild remonstration: "Yes, some girls do intend to get married as their final goal... some, not many. They expect to find a Harvard, Princeton, or Yale man. Wellesley is an excellent school, but it's not threatening to a man, the way a Yale degree would be." Ouch. Fair enough. (Though, I've got to say... who'd want such a man, intimidated by his wife's alma mater?) Anyway... I love the clothes. Nary a miniskirt in sight. And they look fantastically tailored, albeit boxy. Though drab. Nothing's overtly sexy, not even the quirky wardrobe of Maggie Gyllenhaal's character. But even more... the makeup. Remember when red lipstick used to be part of the female zeitgeist? Odd how it's changed. Cold cream, face powder, hair rollers, perfume (and it was just "one", perfume, not a dozen), and red lipstick was the arsenal of the polished woman. And I thought I was making progress by having reduced my collection to six (or so... it depends how you count it) eyeshadows! Would the woman of the fifties have envisioned electric blue eyeshadow as "essential"? Ahh... not. Thank god for the sixties and seventies (freedom from all the confines of feminine stereotypes), and the eighties (freedom from all the confines of good taste). I can wear blue eyeshadow without impunity, and red lipstick too, if I so wish. The availability of choice, and the proliferation of accepted means of expression, is a good thing, even if it means that most of us will unavoidably fall into pitfalls of taste and... But no matter. I'd rather see an industry of rote, soulless fragrances intended only to rake in the money, rather than a whole glut of soulful masterpieces of artistes, if it means that everyone is at least wearing something that she really likes, instead of walking into a room and realizing that every woman is wearing Chanel No. 5, without variation (though I like Chanel No. 5, just far away, on other women). And before you ask, my signature perfume is Givenchy Organza Indécence, which no one I know wears, and thereby satisfies any fear of ubiquity. More importantly, though, it suits me—to a tee. And my favorite period to mimic, in fact, is not the fifties, nor the eighties (Rated R or no), but the classic "English rose" look: flawless, porcelain skin, rose-tinted cheeks and lips, very minimal decoration on eyes (which I can't legitimately do, given my eyes). This is hardly a conscious aesthetic, but I prefer—not exactly a "natural" look—a heightened naturalness, that emphasizes the fineness of what has been inherited and maintained, perhaps, rather than altered (it's similar in theory to a very close "beauty shot", but in black and white). Art mimicking life, if you will. If I may get a bit frou frou with you... it's a look that begs the question: is art illusion, or truth? You tell me. So, we have run full circle back to Mona Lisa Smile, which is, among other things, about art. (And don't tell me that makeup isn't art!) 0 Comment(s) Email this post Odd ramblings... Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Tuesday, June 07, 2005 3:39 PM (Eastern) Mmmm...an entirely different approach from mine. I always think of price first. i.e. I'm cheap. I will always try the cheapest option first. If it works, I stop. That's it. If it doesn't, I go up the next level in cost. If that works, that's it. And so on. I seldom crave the spendier levels of the same product, as long as what I have works. Then again, it's a balance. You can spend much less time if you start at the top. Time is money. So, I've had some extra time. I prefer not to spend the money. It's partly that...and partly that I'm not artistic, at all. I think almost purely in terms of performance. The product has to feel good going on, it has to last (I refuse to touch up, save lipstick), it has to do something for me, it has to be quick and easy to put on...or else I won't wear it. Hence: MAC lipsticks. They're not the pinnacle of lipstick perfection, by any means, but for me they are perfect. The tube...has been engineered. Someone actually put the tube inside a lipstick holder and took it out again. You can practically do the entire operation with one hand. There is nothing extra about the tube, but for me there should be nothing extra. It's like a keyboard. Your fingers know where everything should be. MAC was kind enough to flavor these lipsticks faintly with vanilla. Great; goes with everything. I've used up exactly one lipstick since discovering the beauty boards--it was MAC. ("Jubilee," Lustre formula.) And I'm half-way through another--MAC Viva Glam V. So here I am with my $14 lipstick. I own two lipsticks now, the aforementioned VGV and MAC Sophisto. This is someone who used to own more than 60 lipsticks. I've tried various ones. For me, MAC works (the Lustre formula). Then there are eyepencils...I gravitate toward MAC Powerpoints. Yes, the Eye Kohls have better colors, but I don't gravitate. The Powerpoints last better. Much better. I've been wearing the same base face since forever. It's sunscreen, TerraSport SPF 45+, mixed with a little foundation--Zia liquid in "Mica." It's perfect. You get sunscreen, you get foundation... And MAC Blot pressed powder, the queen of oily-skin powders. Blush...not a big blush person. I don't actually need blush. I have a couple on hand for when I want to look better, occasions, etc. These have to be good; again with the performance (most drugstore blushes in my experience fade too quickly so I don't bother). I have MAC Blushbaby blush and Cargo Catalina that I got in a swap with Arabella. They're both fantastic. The most difficult place to narrow down, for me, was eyeshadow. I decided early this year to pinpoint the right colors for my green/hazel eyes...and get rid of whatever didn't wow me. So...there is a range of colors that work for green eyes (albeit a much smaller range than for brown or hazel). You just need to veer toward the warm end of the range if your coloring is warm; toward the cool end if your coloring is cool (see earlier posts). So...I have 8 shadows in the cheap-to-less-cheap range...4 Milani's, 1 Annabelle, 1 Sonia Kashuk duo, and 2 MAC's. Then there's 1 UD shadow, a black\|Up quad, and 3 Nars duos... Eh, I don't need shadows. I'm not buying any new ones until at least one of them I currently own bites the dust. Hence I don't really need to look at shadows for a while. I have a few in mind, but...shrugs The thing is, I like what I have. It's good stuff. I look forward to putting it on, when I have time to put it on. I'm never stuck without the "right" makeup, and I don't have to keep checking on my makeup. If I look like crap, there's always the blush, etc., etc. 0 Comment(s) Email this post A return to minimalism: Conclusion Posted by Dain, Sunday, June 05, 2005 12:42 AM (Eastern) The Final Tally! Nature's Gate Herbal Hair Shampoo and Conditioner Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream and Facial Toner (we'll see) Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer (is Decléor Baume Essential a must?) shower gel Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion (fragrance-free) L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara YSL Touche Eclat NARS Mata Hari blush MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl Maybelline Twin Brow Pencil (grey) NARS Rated R NARS Cleo MAC Sweet Sage Dior Mauve Chic NARS Bombshell NARS Cyprus MAC Red Haute Revlon Raisin Glaze Lipgloss Trish McEvoy Celebrate? Dior Addict Plastic Shine Fearless Fuschia? NARS Dolce Vita // YSL Rouge Pure Shine No°8 Plum Fusion Guerlain Terre des Sables // Hermès Rouge Hermès I've left out a couple of things, but these are things you can pretty much assume. Razor (I get my underarms waxed), lip balm (I'm not loyal to any particular and I'm not particularly inclined to be), perfumes (I'm still look for perfumes, much less in a position to minimalize). 0 Comment(s) Email this post A return to minimalism: Part 4 Posted by Dain, Saturday, June 04, 2005 12:43 PM (Eastern) And to top it off... the Lips! This is easier than anything else, in a way. I'm not much of one for variance when it comes to lipcolor, as 95% I wear the same sort of sheer cool dark pink, a sort of Benetint rose-petal color, or as I term it, "redcurrant" (so coined because the rose-stain effect of such products as Clinique Black Honey, Maybelline Drippin' Honey, and L'Occitane Mûum;re Sauvage, is very similar... in the tube, the colors look like a "blackcurrant", so logically, it only made sense to extend the metaphor to the ones that looked red in the tube, hence "redcurrant"). "Redcurrant" brings to my mind a soft red cut with a lot of pink, which is exactly what my favorite among these, MAC Red Haute, is, but sheer, they're all that brightish cool dark pink on me, one and all. I don't venture much out of this category. I'm much more likely to buy the same color, slightly different each time, over and over again. So in the interest of minimalism, let's cut that stash down to what I need and what I need alone. I've chosen two very different, not-at-all-pink "extremes", and two neutral shades that are more polished and "lipstick-y" than my usual "English rose" sheer (a look I sport most usually, as I've got the same sort of pale porcelain skin and delicate features... suits me, why quibble with a working formula?). And MAC O, which defies any such categorization. But overall, my list is pretty simple, and not really that adventurous. REDCURRANTS/COOL PINKS (in varying intensities): (a) the staple: MAC Red Haute, hands down my favorite lipcolor, gloss or lipstick, sheer or full-coverage, shimmery or matte, PERIOD. The fantastic Lustre formula, of course, complex hues but effortlessly flattering, etc, etc. It's perfection. For me, at least (those differently complected will see it otherwise, of course). And it's limited edition. Tragedy on a Sophoclean scale, really. There's nothing like it, and believe me, I'm very familiar with all the other redcurrant shades the market has to offer. (b) toned-down: Revlon Raisin Glaze SuperLustrous Lip Gloss... quite a lot more neutral than Red Haute, less red, more rose, less pigment, more gloss. A color that only barely clocks in as a redcurrant—but is great for just a pretty slick of nonchalant gloss when I want a more subdued lip, and still can be layered over any lipstick I own with great success. (c) turned-up: I'm thinking, either a berry tone that I can wear as a stain, like Trish McEvoy Celebrate Lipgloss, or a out-and-out magenta, like Biotherm Glossy Shine #155 or Dior Addict Plastic Shine in Fearless—or perhaps Fierce—Fuchsia. In the end, they're both bright pink. The question is, do I want more of a stain, or a gloss? Undecided. Both are fabulous. SOPHISTICATED NEUTRALS: A raisin-y shade, and a rosewood color. There are a few pairing I could consider: NARS Dolce Vita and Tobago, YSL Rouge Pure Shine No°8 Plum Fusion and the rosewood color (I don't know its name or number), MAC Lustres in Viva Glam V and Sophisto, Bobbi Brown Raisin and Dior Brun Lunaire. Many options, but I'm not particularly... well, this is not my territory, lipstick-wise, so it'll probably be NARS Dolce Vita and YSL Rouge Pure Shine No°8 Plum Fusion, which I have both tried and loved. TWO EXTREMES: Which is to say, nude and red. Both looks usually reserved for a look that has a "statement" in mind, though at opposite ends of the spectrum. For my red, since I only rarely wear red lipstick (though I like the look a lot), why not go highest of the high end, the enviable Hermès Rouge Hermès (even has a little pink in it, so I should be able to wear it very well)? As for my nude, I can name it with even greater alacrity: Guerlain Terracotta Gloss & Shine in Terre des Sables, a gorgeous, complex shade with pink, gold, rose, mauve, peach, silver, lilac, etc., so that it never falls flat. One red, the other nude, one creamy and matte, the other shimmery and glossy, one rose-scented, the other fruit-scented. MAC O: MAC O is just... MAC O. It is what it is. Is it rose, plum, red, bronze, gold, pink, peach, mauve, berry? It looks different on everyone. For me, it's a rose-berry-mauve with bronze. 0 Comment(s) Email this post Wishlist! (6.4.2005) Posted by Dain, 12:49 AM (Eastern) Hermès Un Jardin sur La Nil (though I need to test it first): a departure from my usual fare... very fresh, citrus and greens. Grapefruit, green mango, lotus flower (hm, fortunately I know what that smells like), and a sort of dry, woody, white musky dry down. a Latin copy of Ovid's Metamorphoses—summer project. MAC Sweet Sage Fluidline, YSL Rouge Pure Shine No°8 Plum Fusion, Stila Kitten, full-size NARS Dolce Vita: For reasons noted below. : ) For that matter, I really should get hoppin' on getting NARS Cyprus. I've been meaning to get it for AGES. I need to find a shower gel I really like. A DVD of Bridget Jones' Diary, The Edge of Reason. Dr. Hauschka skincare: I have some already, of course, but specifically I mean the Cleansing Cream (in the summer months, I find it more convenient to go without moisturizer, and I rather like this Cleansing Cream and Facial Toner combination). I'd also like to try the ampoules, probably the sensitive skin (since I uhh... have sensitive skin). Where would I be without epicurious.com? I want the wines listed here (as it's semi-pertinent, though I'm not due to graduate yet): Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz Australia 2001 ($25), Chalk Hill Chardonnay Sonoma 2001 ($38), Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spatlese Germany 2002 ($22). a pair of Habitual jeans, in a dark vintage-y wash, and a pair of Salt Works jeans, in a lighter wash a typewriter and a writing desk: A computer is great, but since you can edit so easily... one becomes careless. I want something that'll force deliberation upon me (as if I'm not deliberate enough! Well...). And I write too slowly by hand. And I really could use a real writing desk; there's not enough room on a computer desk. 0 Comment(s) Email this post A return to minimalism: Part 3 Posted by Dain, Friday, June 03, 2005 12:03 PM (Eastern) The Eyes Have It It's been a while, hasn't it? I had to think about this one quite a bit. I wasn't sure how to even approach it. Eye makeup is great fun, but it is also complicated. For most women, the greatest breadth of color range is in their eye makeup, and I am no different. The color of my lippies tends not to vary, and certainly my concealer or mascara or blush do not vary, but I enjoy a good, fun, complex eye now and again. This has proven troublesome, because in truth, I don't employ all that much variation in practice (usually, a liner, carefully chosen, smudged over Powersurge, and then a wash to soften the effect). I also have very exacting standards when it comes to eyeshadows—very finely-milled (fine, rather than coarse pigment particles), tightly pressed (so that the brush picks up just the right amount, and they don't crumble easily), smooth and silky (so that application and blending is a breeze), and nothing but the most brilliant of colors—so I'm not content with mere drugstore, but prefer instead NARS, Dior, Giorgio Armani, and Trish McEvoy (with occasional forays into Urban Decay, Stila, MAC, and Smashbox). Eyeshadows, therefore, have become an expensive habit. But eyeshadow isn't something you can scrimp on. There are amazing formulations of everything else to be had on the cheap, but superior eyeshadow makes a huge difference. As it is, I don't even know where to begin. With my pale skin, dark, dark brown, almond-shaped eyes (no crease), and dark hair, I can really wear anything, as far as color is concerned. Greens and violets look good, of course, and I can wear blues probably better than most can (though it's still rather vivid, so only with some restraint). As for neutrals, greys and browns, I have to be careful—they easily look muddy. Given the shape of my eyes, it is eyeliner that is crucial, and the "wash" (as the name implies, shadow brushed lightly all over the eyelid) is relegated to providing contrast/context/softening. It's rare that I wear a wash alone. So my eye looks consist of some fabulous eyeliner, around which all the variation of my entire look revolves (since I tend to wear the same sort of products otherwise), and usually some sort of subtle, sheer wash so that the liner isn't "stranded". The way I line is without variation: MAC Powersurge, then a powder shadow over it, drawn smudgily. This, I find, is the most flattering to my almond-shaped Asian eyes, and has the added bonuses of longevity (cream + powder lasts longer than either alone) as well as adding definition to my sparse lashes. In any case, there are four different categories of eyeshadows that I use, and I will enumerate them here. BOLD (what I call, "watercolors", because they are, in the purest sense, like painting): NARS Rated R, a vivid but sheerer-than-you'd-think combination of lime and blue. The lime acidic, with gold sparkles, and the blue electric, pure but cool, with lighter blue as shimmer. I prefer to use the lime as liner (over an olive pencil, rather than the usual Powersurge), and the blue as wash, though logic might dictate otherwise. In consideration: Dior Seascape, "watercolors" but pretty pastels, rather than electric tones. SOFT MAUVES/VIOLETS, for a neutral, sophisticated eye: Dior Mauve Chic. Never was eyeshadow so aptly named. A very wearable and infinitely variable quint, from lightest to darkest: a lovely lilac-grey-pink pearl, or perhaps a "pastel mauve", a soft, greyed, "chic" mauve shimmer, a very soft, sheer orchid shimmer, a matte chestnut (or perhaps of good hot cocoa powder) with slight plum undertone, a pigment-rich purple with slight pink shimmer. The colors can be worn in any combination with each other (though I'm not much for the brown), and are neutral enough to wear with other shadows (they play well with others). What I love most, though, is how it adds instant polish without the least bit of effort. Elegance—easy, done. BLUES: Blues never really look natural, though they can be very flattering. Navy, for example, can be worn without concern for wandering into "disco" flamboyance. Be that as it may, I'm content with just one set of blues, NARS Cleo, a duo with a watercolor-sheer aqua shimmer, and a teal-flecked charcoal that I layer over Powersurge as a liner, a color gorgeous beyond belief, and unlike any other color on the market. For a little alternation, I like to wear the grey of NARS Dream Lover (Bombshell is a similar color, but a single), or a gilt champagne. (Peach would work equally well, but I don't own one.) GREENS: Ah, I'm rather at a fix here. I'm not sure which greens to pick, because I don't see myself picking anything cohesive that meshes with the rest of my picks. Perhaps just MAC Sweet Sage, those fluidlines are creamy enough to use as shadow. But is it dark enough (to wear with Rated R)? Is it "green" enough, rather than straight olive, so that it won't bore? What about the MAC Tarnish Eye Kohl? Or a celadon shimmer for a wash? Tricky. Very tricky. "NEUTRAL" WASHES: It's funny how it's worked out, but the two I've chosen are, in a way, renditions of the boldest shimmers out there, silver and gold. As it is, too much of "shadow" looks a bit odd on me, so these are very soft, muted, sheer, etc., incarnations—a sweetly soft dove grey with a pink sheen, NARS Bombshell, and a gilt champagne, NARS Cyprus. I'm as yet undecided as to whether Stila Kitten might be a good addition—it's got a LOT more shimmer than anything else I've chosen, which may be good for a sparkly night-out look, and the pinky-peach is a fine complement to NARS Cleo, MAC Sweet Sage, Dior Mauve Chic, i.e. the liner colors I've chosen. So, here is the minimalized list, potentially: NARS Rated R NARS Cleo MAC Sweet Sage Dior Mauve Chic NARS Bombshell, NARS Cyprus Stila Kitten? That, my friends, is a very marked improvement on my current collection of... cough eight or so NARS (mostly duos, much less), three Dior, two Trish, etc, etc. I've left out MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl, because never at any point do I foresee not using Powersurge, much in the same manner as, "never at any point do I foresee not using blush". 0 Comment(s) Email this post	Rants, raves, and musings on all things cosmetic. 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