Breaking away from the amethysts from yesterday, I wanted to go for something a little different today. I do love all the GL colors from Aromaleigh.

Eyes all shadow AL Gothic Lolita which is 25% off this week.
Base: Lancome Cosmos cream shadow, a light pinky lilac; then a custom mix of sparkly beige powder
Crease: AL Verdant Wisp (green)
Outer corner: AL Elegant reverie (blue)
Dry lined top and bottom (outside the edge of the pencil liner) AL Aqua nightmare
Pencil bottom: MAC graphblack in waterline; MAC brownline outside that
Pencil top: Sephora Flashy Blue 08, bright aqua, just above the outer waterline
Mascara: Lancome Fatale in black
Brows: Chanel Blond-Taupe

Lips: NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil in 721 Soft Fuchsia, very pretty color!
Cheeks: no idea, will add later

Originally posted 2009-03-06 15:44:16.

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Updated to include Natural look.

The lighter of the two colors, with her Sheer gloss on top:
This is a beautiful rosy color, sort of a soft mid-red.

Full face:


The deeper of the two colors with gloss

Full face:
This was going dramatic in the look.

You can see other pictures of this set:
My Smokey Classics
My Smokey Classics -- Dramatic

Natural Look
Sheer gloss on bottom lip; lightest color on top; smooshed; rimmed and up the center with Beauté Allure, a technique that makes the lips look fuller

Full Face:

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

LAUREN LUKE - MY LUSCIOUS GREENS - PALETTE FOR EYES/CHEEK/LIPS - NEW BOXED

US $22.95

5d 5h 22m

Originally posted 2009-11-07 07:36:11.

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This is the 4th NYX trio from my amazingly cheap NYX haul.

It's very late here, and after a busy day, I'm just now able to post my FOTD, though the pix were taken this morning.

TS 26 Velvet blue, ocean frost, space Medium blue, white/blue, grayed blue
These blues were very pretty on. I will definitely reach for it again.

Base: Nude Frost
Lids: Meow Nicole S -- to make sure the blue wasn't too intense on me
Crease: Velvet blue and lightly over lids.
Lined up and down, plus outer corners: grayed blue, then pencil lined with Styli waterproof Sky pencil
White: under brow
Brows: La Prairie pencil
Mascara: Stiletto on top; Tarte on lower -- Stiletto has smudged on lower under eye, the Tarte is still perfect -- 15 hours later!

Lips:
Too Faced Trophy Wife + rimmed with NYX Silver

I really look bare faced here. Those of you who saw me in person today, did I look this bare faced to you?

No concealer, meant to, but I got sidetracked. I'm really liking the Dior Skinflash.
Primer: Laura Geller (used this sample from Sephora up -- yeah!) (This is the one that turned brown in the air/pot. If it is in a tube, not exposed to air, it might stay white.)
Foundation: Chanel
Rouge: Beauté liqui-gel Harlot
Powder: my sparkly mix, then BE mineral veil for bronzer
Benefit: Georgia Peach all over
Blush: MAC dolly mix
Highlight center of face and above cheekbones: MAC Mellow Mood + Benefit: That Gal

What do you think?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-04-25 00:10:32.

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Quick and simple works for most days, especially if I wanted to layer up to something more dramatic by the end of the day. It would be easy to do that with this, or even just to change the lipstick for more drama. The longest part of this was tweaking the foundation, trying to use an expensive foundation that isn't the right color, but it is the lightest that they have.

5 parts makeup again: face; cheek color; eyes; lips; brows.

Eyes: my usual base, including Queen Phyllis (BE); then 1 shade of Ulta shadow (a green) and a bit of Ulta shadow with more sparkle (a light silvery gray) because I needed the sparkle; Chanel greenblack pencil to line; Clinique mascara.

Concealer: I used Maybelline Matte Mousse foundation for concealer again (not the concealer.) I find it is a the perfect color, not too light, not too dark, and much simpler than using two products. Also the texture works well and it doesn't crease.

Brows: La Prairie pencil

Face:
Foundation: I have an expensive Guerlain foundation, but I think it is too dark/yellow so I don't reach for it very often. Today I thought I'd mix it with Chanel illuminator, but it still looked too yellow. It doesn't pick that up, though, once my makeup is complete. But it takes the fun out of using it. Additionally I used more of the illuminator to highlight the center of my face.

Cheeks: rouge under my sparkly mix and over the mix, both Lancome, different colors, but both in the pink and plummy range.

Lips: Sephora 10, a sort of grape color (and tastes grape) with quite a bit of micro glitter in it. I generally don't wear it alone, but I really liked how it looked today. I've reapplied it several times, staying with the same color. I just didn't feel like changing it.

What are you doing with your makeup lately? Is the heat getting to you?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2010-08-10 15:35:50.

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You can see more about these Too Faced glosses here. I updated it with a picture now of this color combination.

And here is where I talk about the technique in detail.

Mermaid using Pink Bling on rim
I love, love, love this technique. I used Guerlain Lip Lift to block out any stain on my lips so this would be a fairly true picture.

Here's another view:

This shows the degree of sparkle:

Have you tried this technique yet? I love it!
Honestly, my lips look like I've had something done to them.

Here's what I like about the technique
It's easy, and it works. It camouflages my lipline in a soft, natural, updated way. It works better than a pencil for doing that.

It used to be that I would do my lipstick on the bottom inside the outer ridge. (Book Girl has this ridge too.) But in later years, it didn't look as good doing it that way, and thanks to my dad for both my lips and the lines around them, I still miss him! -- this works much better and looks the way I prefer to look.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-26 08:41:26.

No related posts.

I always like a good beauty quote, and Andrea Claire had a few good ones in her interview with Makeup Junkie. You can read the full interview and learn more about Claire's makeup, hair and style career here at MJ's blog. You can also see some of Claire's print work. I'm glad MJ is back online posting again.

Here are some highlights:

Fall 2009 Beauty Trends
Claire feels smokey eyes, matte red lips, and 80s revival will be the top trends this fall. This was confirmed in the MAC videos I posted earlier.

Advice to women of a certain age
Avoid trends such as 80s revival, if you already lived it once. Makes sense to me.

...if you had been there done that and bought the lime green shadow you cannot do that again! Besides, it is very much a 'must have young skin' to pull it off. Bold colour blocking with eye shadows can age you and have you looking like you are stuck in a time warp. This look is only carried off if you are an adolescent so if you are 21 and under I say rock it, over 21 opt for another trend of the season.

Claire gives the following makeup tricks:
Smokey Eyes

*layer carbon/charcoal shadows with metallic colour. [You notice that I have done this, as it works better for my eyes.]
*If you find shadows are difficult to blend with your dark base then layer MAC's Smolder pencil with a Lise Watier's Metallic Eye shine pencil, smudge together with a Q-Tip. [Or use the MAC smudger brush as I have done. And use a lighter base. MAC's Smolder moved on me and made a mess. Blackgraph stays put. They are two different formulas. Smolder would likely smudge better.]

Matte Red lips

*apply the lip liner after the lipstick so it doesn't appear to[o] geometric.
*dot a smidge of vitamin e on top - not to add gloss but just a little moisture -- if matte is too drying for you.

What I really loved is her beauty mantra:

Be realistic. Be real... Beauty is not serious - beauty is a moment in your day that can convey confidence, flirtiness, calm. What I mean is, all women 'take 5' in their day by touching up here and there ... Beauty is a moment in time that is forever changing. Embrace those little moments but don't be those moments just live in them.... HA! Life is short - enjoy it - have fun with it. That's what beauty and fashion is all about; ... A form of expression that can change day to day, season to season - enjoy the trends but remember to enjoy life too. Andrea Claire at Makeup Junkie

Be sure to look at Makeup Junkie's blog.

Karin --I do wear the lime shadow, just judiciously.
www.savvythinker.com
don't steal my posts -- you know who you are!

Originally posted 2009-08-27 19:21:47.

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I felt like bright turquoise today, and that made me think immediately of the colors that Aromaleigh has.

Eyes: all Aromaleigh, except where noted:
Crease: caribe, pure hue
Outer corners: aqua nightmare, gothic lolita
Inner corners: endless sea, rocks! sonic eyes
Drylined upper and lower: moonagedaydream, rocks! sonic eyes
Tight Lined upper and wet lined lower: Jordana Sterling Blue
Brows: Clinique soft blonde pencil
Mascara: Guerlain Le2 (double sided with small brush for lower lashes)

Foundation: Lancome minerals -- still trying to figure out how -- and how much -- to use; see how funky my nose looks here? I saw it in sunlight and took care of it. Generally I leave everything off my nose for this reason.
Powder: Lancome minerals
Highlight: AL magnolia blossom
Blush: AL english rose (a powder, not a blush, that didn't show up, so used it across my face, lightly)
Blush: Meow Masterpiece Water Lilies

Lips:
NYX Lips Hebe -- this one doesn't migrate. It's got a lovely sheen to it, doesn't feel slippery -- and it doesn't move into liplines around the mouth.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-05-02 16:27:29.

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OK, seriously, Lauren Luke's palettes are terrific. I had worked with this palette before, decided to do it again, then didn't have time to post it and thought, gee, I've already done this, but looking at it today, I think it is quite spectacular.

You can buy this set at Sephora for $37.

Here is Lauren Luke applying My Fierce Violets:

The kit includes:

- 2 blendable primers - Nude Slip Dark & Nude Slip Light [the same shades in each kit]
- 3 flattering eye colors - Crushed Lilac, Turkish Night & Porcelain Dust
- 1 defining eyeliner - Raven Black [the same in each kit]
- 1 contouring blush - Sepia Rose
- 2 luscious lip shades - Sheer Berry & Cherry Whip
- 1 My Glossy Lips lip gloss in Sheer [the same with each kit -- I like it a lot; one is now in my purse.]

This was my look Sunday November 8, 2009:

Full Face:

Lips:
The lighter of the two shades, rimmed and up the center with Beauté Allure gloss. Topped with the gloss from the palette.

The only problem I have
Sometimes I get some creasing of the shadows by day's end. It is worth working with the palette until I figure out the right combo for my lids because the colors are so beautiful.

Do you have this set?
Do you have a favorite of her sets?

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

You can see my earlier posts:
My Smokey Classics
LOTD My Smokey Classics
My Smokey Classics -- Dramatic Look
My Smokey Classics -- Natural Look
My Sultry Blues Look 1
Look 2
Look 3
LOTD
My Fierce Violets
General information about her palettes can be found here.

LAUREN LUKE - MY LUSCIOUS GREENS - PALETTE FOR EYES/CHEEK/LIPS - NEW BOXED

US $22.95

5d 5h 22m

Originally posted 2009-11-11 18:23:59.

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Sorry that I'm late getting this posted! Yesterday was a busy day!

Eyes: Fyrinnae Fujiro in crease; Optimism on lid Gorgeous colors!
I wanted to try Fyrinnae again before I forgot how to apply it (pat, not swipe.) (Make sure brush has no black left in it, which I remembered to check.) (I have brushes dedicated to light or dark colors, so I don't have to worry about getting a dark shade mixed in with a light one.) You can see they are not exact matches. It drives me nuts trying to get them even. I finally gave up. I figured, no one looks at my eyes that closely, as I am blinking vs. letting someone really look at them. LOL!

Lined top and lower: Jordana waterproof Luna Lavender
Mascara: EL MagnaScopic Blue on top; Tarte on lower lashes (black)
Brows: La Prairie pencil
Concealer: Dior Skinflash

Foundation: Chanel, discontinued
Rouge, under powder: NARS Riviera stick
Powder: my sparkly mix, topped with BE Mineral Veil as bronzer
Blush: MAC Dollymix
Lips: MAC Funtabulous, rimmed with Milani Crystal gloss

What do you think?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-04-29 11:23:36.

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I've had a couple of palettes hanging around that I basically never used. It helps sometimes to analyze why something isn't working. I bought this one (Crystal Ball Color Kit) because it has a really cool sparkly gloss in it (Starshine.) I figured I could use the other colors. Shadows: Pink Charm -- light pink; Illusion -- light brown, Shadow -- charcoal-black. Powder/Blush: Fairy Dust (peachy -- not quite enough for blush, a little too dark for me for powder or highlighting.) Lippies: Dream (peachy), Flirt (medium pink), Max (deeper red/burgundy.)

Eyes:
Lids: pink; Crease: brown, then the charcoal; Outer corners: brown.

Basically the reason the shadows don't work really well for me is that they are too light or too dark. The pink hardly shows up against my skin. The brown isn't dramatic enough, and the black is too harsh with these colors.

I got the idea to add
Drylined top and lower: AL heartofglass -- great color that pops it
Tightlined top, wetlined bottom with Venomous gel liner -- the one that BookGirl likes so well on me -- and I do too, now that I know to apply it with the back end of the liner brush! Who knew...but it makes it more smudgy and covers the waterline well.

Then my eyes were OK.

Powder: my sparkly, then from the palette. As I said, the color isn't strong enough for blush or is too much for highlighting. I added too much fooling with it.
Blush: MAC Dollymix

Lips Loved the lips today! It helps to know how to rim.
Flirt on one lip; Starshine on the other; smooshed; rimmed with MAC Dazzlepuss and a little up the middle.

All the rest is the same as yesterday.

What do you think?
Karin

Originally posted 2009-05-23 09:43:39.

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