- The blunt cut. I have one of these as of two weeks ago, and it's serving me well. [Into The Gloss]
- An interview with photographer Michael July whose 450-page book Afros: A Celebration of Natural Hair comes out later this month. [The Cut]
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- Five great blue eyeliners and how to wear them. Alexis recommended Mark's Color Me In Eye Crayon in Mint Candy. She had two cool ideas for this one, and I took both for a spin. [The Beauty Bean]
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- If you have a long car commute, set your hair in this curling headband, put stickers on your pimples, wear manicure gloves, and just generally get a lot of beauty work done. Don't worry--these are all products you put on before you start driving, and take off when you reach your destination. Stuff like this makes me want to move LA and have an awesome car with my perfect level of AC and the Nashville soundtrack blasting. Finally getting my driver's license would be a good start. [Glo]
- Prone to acne and going on a trip? The best carry-on acne products. [POPSUGAR Beauty]
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5 Pretty Things On The Internet: 2 Easy Ways To Try Bluish Eye Makeup
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Ruby Bridges: An Inner And Outer Beauty Icon
When the news broke about the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, I was struck into stunned, furious silence.
I was already heavily anticipating the ruling on Proposition 8 and DOMA when the VRA hit me like an unexpected left hook. I was left feeling so powerless, so voiceless, in ways that I had never personally experienced in my life in contemporary America.
Paging through images and articles about the Black Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and hoping to find resilience in the images of those proud, defiant black bodies weathering beatings and abuse for the rights that I held dear until that day--rights that had just been torn from my hands by a handful of robed court justices--I saw this familiar image.
My mother had this picture hanging up in the study at our house when I was growing up. She’d told me the story behind it whenever I asked as a child: Ruby Bridges was a little girl who went to school even though people hated her for being a black girl wanting to go to a white school. She told me that they treated her terribly and shouted terrible things at her, but that she was a very brave young girl and went to school despite that. She did it so that I could go to the school that I went to at the time.
Being that I was about four or five years old when she told me all of this, the gravity of Ruby’s bravery didn’t really sink in. At that age, I was still under the impression that the fire hoses unleashed on the Birmingham protesters were no more powerful than our garden hose. I was a little girl: a child who did not yet, and should never have, known that level of hate.
Naturally--sadly-–I learned that hatred, even in those young years. It has shaped my view of the world throughout my life. I learned that fire hoses are powerful enough to rend flesh from bone, and I learned what the threats hurled at little, six-year-old Ruby Bridges really meant.
I decided to draw from her as a style icon, not only to share all of this with you, but also to reconnect with my mother and other family members who were alive during that period in the American south, and hear from them what they felt.
I talked with my mom about this story and asked her what she would dress like back then. She gently reminded me for what was probably the thousandth time by that point that she was born in 1959, and wasn’t really engaged with the Civil Rights movement on account of her being an extremely small child at the time, but she offered me her memories of what she, my auntie, and little girls like Ruby would do as they got ready for school.
SKIN
Poorer black folks in the south tended not to put lotion on their children’s skin due to the expense, my mom said, and it was usually reserved for teenagers and adults. Girls Ruby’s age would moisturize with Vaseline. I remember hearing stories about how much girls hated to do that, especially in the dryer places in the south, because the wind would pick up dust that would stick to their legs.
I’m allergic to the petroleum in Vaseline, so I substituted it with Aquaphor. If you’d like to get the Black Southern Girl glow but are concerned about clogging pores, try mixing the Aquaphor with Cetaphil moisturizing cream or any other light, water-based moisturizer.
HAIR
Hair was (and is) a big, big deal to black southern girls, and black southern women in general. My mom would say that girls would get their hair pressed straight with a hot comb, and then it would be braided into either two pigtails, or one braid in the front with two in the back.
I distinctly remember having my hair done the same way when I was a girl, as well, and it’s for that reason that I strongly recommend against using hot combs for anything other than staring at in abject horror. They aren’t fun.
I took a vow to myself in high school to never straighten my hair again for any reason, so I recreated the look of the three braids with my natural hair texture.
FACE
It should go without saying that southern six-year-olds weren’t running around with faces full of makeup, but my mom said that girls did use Vaseline as lip gloss. They weren’t allowed to wear lipsticks or tints, because everything that wasn’t completely transparent was “grown folks color.”
Considering that I’ve been taken to task for daring to wear “grown folks color” lipstick within the last five years, and I’m pretty well-entrenched in my twenties, I’m not sure when a woman ever graduates to the status of “grown folk.”
My mom said that girls would sneak makeup to school and put it on there, though, so I’m going to be extra rebellious and use my Red Violet crayon tinted lip balm.
SOUL
This part is key.
If you’d like to really, truly embody Ruby Bridges, you have to have the heart and the guts to throw behind your Vaseline-shined skin, triceratops braids and Grown Folk’s Color™ lips. When you leave the house, your head must be held high, and your spine must be a solid steel rod. When you meet jeering crowds that hate your existence--be they throngs of violent racists or general everyday haters at your office--you look at them and imagine that they’re actually celebrating Mardi Gras, for you. When people treat you as though you don’t belong, burst into those places and fill them up entirely with the immensity that is your resplendent self. You must exist with a full heart and the courage of several lions, and exhibit it gracefully.
The next coming months and years will certainly be eventful and turbulent for minority voters, and this is a fact that cannot be ignored. If we can summon the strength of the Ruby Bridges of our past into our future, however, it may at least feel less hopeless.
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You Guys Asked, So Here Are My 6 Secrets For Amazing Hair
I haven’t made a scientific study of it, but I think that my shiny hair has replaced my long nails as the number-one thing people are most likely to compliment me on or ask about in the comments--which, thank you, guys. Both things are a labour of love, and knowing that the work I put into them is noticed and appreciated makes me feel like sunshine is coming out of my face.
But back to my hair. A lot of you guys have asked what I use to get it so shiny and healthy-looking, so I have put together a big ol’ compendium of products and secret tricks for you! Are you excited? You should be.
1. GENETICS
I’m fairly sure that 99% of my hair awesomeness is how it’s made. It’s really thick and wavy, and it’s pretty shiny no matter what I do to it. It’s also fairly coarse in texture; my dad calls my hair a horse’s mane, and that’s pretty dead-on. This also means it’s super-strong, rarely tangles, deals with bleach like a champ, and loves heat styling. It takes a lot to make my hair unhappy.
If left to its own devices, this is what it looks like:
I used to really hate on my hair a lot, but I've grown to like it now. It can't be tamed! Just like yours truly!
That said, I still envy my brother a little because his hair is perfect. Chestnut brown, smooth and shiny in that shampoo commercial way, always falls perfectly and curls under at the ends like he’s just had the world’s most expensive blowout. Sigh.
2. WASHING & CONDITIONING
I wash my hair only twice a week, because it doesn’t need it any more than that. In between, when I get sweaty from workouts, I just rinse it with cool water in the shower and everything’s fine.
If I use any one shampoo for a long time, my hair gets “used to" it and starts overproducing oil like crazy. To prevent this, I alternate between a couple of shampoos so that my head doesn’t get complacent. These are the two currently in rotation:
I bought the Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo because their leave-in treatment refreshed my hair AND my spirits after my last breakup, and this shampoo is equally fabulous. Really nice and moisturising. The smell is kind of thick, and I really can’t tell if I like it or not, but it doesn’t linger. I can deal with it.
The L’Oreal Everpure was last seen in my shampoo bleach article, and has been doing extra duty lately because I remembered how much I like it. It always leaves my hair feeling super clean but not dried-out. This is another one that I can’t decide if I like the smell of it or not, but it’s very “fresh” and not perfume-y so, again, I can deal with it.
The last shampoo I use, which is not pictured because I don’t have any at the moment, is good ol’ Head & Shoulders. I know, WHAT? But for real. I don’t have dandruff, but my scalp does get kind of dry in the extreme Chicago weather. A blob of this on my head followed by either of my other shampoos every other week, and that problem is taken care of. I buy the travel-size bottles, because I have limited space, and they don’t take up much room in my shower.
The conditioners I use are these dudes:
The Organix Keratin Oil Conditioner (in the red bottle) is my new favourite thing. I LOVE everything about it, including--and hold on to your butts when I say this--the way it smells. It’s the best conditioner I’ve used so far, and the fact that it doesn’t cost a zillion dollars is the greatest.
The Organix Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil 3 Minute Miraculous Recovery--aka the stuff in the tube--was a random purchase after I dropped my Ojon in the shower and the bottle spilt and everything got washed down the drain. MISS U, EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE BUT WORTH IT CONDITIONER. Anyway, this 3 Minute Miraculous Recovery is meant to be some mega-deep moisturising treatment, but I mix it in with normal conditioner, slop it on every time I wash my hair (leaving the roots alone--I always imagine holding my hair in a ponytail and the part in the pony is the only part I condition), throw it up into a shower cap and leave it to sit while I shave my legs or exfoliate or something. And now you know what I do while I deep condition. After about five minutes, I rinse it out.
I do this twice a week, every week. Even though my hair is never exactly “soft,” it does feel nicer with frequent deep-conditioning.
One last thing: before I get out of the shower, I turn the water as cool as I can stand it and rinse my hair one last time. This is meant to make your hair shinier, plus it feels really nice on hot days.
(Also, when my hair was purple, rinsing in cold water was the only thing that stopped it from transferring EVERYWHERE. Just something for all my unnaturally dyed ladies out there. It helps.)
3. POST-WASH PART I
I have sort of a dorky confession: I love those “As seen on TV” things, and so does my mum. This means we sometimes waste our dollars, but occasionally we stumble upon a really awesome product. And this is it.
Turbie Twists first came out when I was a teenager and had waist-length, sun-bleached hair. Up until that point, wet hair got wrapped up in a regular towel on top of my head, which was REALLY BLOODY HEAVY and uncomfortable. My mum saw these on TV and ordered them for me immediately. They came in a pack of three: pink, purple and white, and they changed my life. I had the purple one up until last year, when I realised they were still for sale online, so I bought some more.
They. Are. AMAZING.
All I do is get out of the shower, flip my head upside down, put the Turbie Twist on my head, then twist it around and pop the end through the elastic. Done, I go about my business, no matter how much hair I have piled up in there.
I swear these things help dry my hair faster, as well as giving me freedom to move around without straining my giraffe-like neck. So easy! So awesome! I’d be lost without them.
4. POST-WASH PART II
This is where people go “Man, this is a lot of stuff to put in your hair.” And it is, I suppose, but I find that if you do a bunch of things right when you wash your hair--so, twice a week--then you don’t have to do a whole tonne of little fiddly things on the daily. I salute you ladies who wash, dry and curl your hair every day. I’d have to wake up at 4am to get up on your level.
So when my hair is out of the Turbie, it’s still pretty wet. Before I comb it, I spray a leave-in conditioner throughout to get rid of any tangles. Even though my hair is strong, it’s still been bleached, and bleached hair + wet + knots = BREAKAGE. I’m using this Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner right now. It’s cheap as chips, you can get it almost anywhere, and it works just as well as some of the very expensive stuff I’ve used.
I also use this when I’ve teased my hair. Seriously. No matter how huge I’ve ratted my horse’s mane, a couple sprays of this stuff and it brushes right out. No damage.
After I’ve combed out my hair, I mix a quarter-sized blob of Fekkai Glossing Cream with two squirts of Paul Mitchell Gloss Drops in the palm of my hand, rub my hands together and then rub it through my hair.
One hand’s worth of product does one side of my hair, and then whatever is left over goes on my bangs. I’m not sure if either of these things really make my hair shinier, but they do take it from “corona of crazy waves, can support a beach umbrella” to “relatively soft, smooth and able to be styled.”
If I’m straightening my hair, I use a squirt of Bed Head Control Freak. A control freak who loves Control Freak--who knew?!
This stuff is a bit like a gel in consistency, and it looks sparkly in your hand, but it’s not sparkly in your hair. I’m a little upset about that sometimes. Anyway, this helps keep my hair Cher-straight and remarkably unfrizzy.
Right before I blow dry, I put some heat protecting stuff in it. This Silk Elements Heat Protection Spray came free with some stuff I bought at Sally Beauty, and it is by far the BEST that I’ve ever used.
Highly, highly recommended.
5. TOOLS
My blow-dry secret is that I suck at drying my hair. For real. My hairdryer is around seven years old, and I bought it from Target. When I dry my hair, I split it into two sections like I’m going to do a braid crown, then split each of those sections into two sections, and dry it a quarter at a time. There’s too much of it to do anything else.
I angle my blowdryer so it’s pointing down, not across, and then use my fingers as a comb to tousle and dry my hair. Sometimes I use a natural bristle round brush to do this when my hair is really long, but usually I don’t bother.
I dry my bangs with a one-inch round brush. I use the old-school kind, with the little knobby-tipped plastic bristles. I don’t use that brush for anything else, though, because once it got stuck in the back of my hair and I’ve never gotten over it.
When my hair is about 3/4 dry, I put my dryer away and let it air-dry. I just don’t have the patience to dry ALL my hair, ALL the way. My arms aren’t that strong, you know? If my hair bugs me, I twist it into a low bun and then don’t have to deal with it getting all up in my face.
As far as other tools go: My straightener is by T3 and I love it; I can do my entire head in ten minutes, and it lasts until I next wash my hair. My curling iron is your standard Hot Tools model with a two-inch barrel. It works well, but I hate the clip and I’m going to figure out how to take it off or die trying.
6. DIET
Like Faz, my shiny-haired sister, I think that what you put into your body shows on the outside. My diet is very healthy, by choice and also by necessity--I have a minor health issue that is kept in check with diet and exercise, and I am VERY INVESTED in not taking medication until I really need it.
This means lots of fruits, veggies and proteins, NO fried or super-processed things, and “good” fats from things like dairy (although my dairy intake is limited), olive oil, lean meats, poultry and fish. I don’t eat much meat or chicken, but that’s not on purpose; it just sort of happens.
Having a restricted diet doesn’t bother me because I can eat almost all the stuff I like anyway, and I’m not exactly weeping over having to skip mega jumbo french fries and soda, you know? Plus, I feel like my skin is nicer since I’ve started eating more “healthy” fats.
Of course, if you’re planning to make a big diet change, talk to your doctor or a dietician or an RN first. They can make sure you’re on the right track.
I also drink HEAPS of water. Like, ridiculous amounts of it. I hear that this also makes your hair healthier, but I never plan to dehydrate myself to find out if that’s true.
A lot of people also recommend biotin for healthy hair and nails. I tried it, and it didn’t do anything for my nails or noticeably change my hair. I know plenty of people who swear by it, so it might work for you. Everyone's body is different.
And that’s it: all my haircare secrets! I hope this was helpful. Next time, I’m going to show you how I straighten, curl and tease my hair...because you asked for it, and I live to help you guys.
Oh, and here’s a picture of my dog. You asked for that, too.
And now I turn it over to you: Did I answer your questions? What are your shiny hair secrets? Have you ever bought something from an informercial and it changed your life? Do you guys think I should be eating kale? A friend told me it made her hair super-nice, but I’m suspicious.
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Ugh, I Keep Falling Asleep With My Makeup On (And Other Beauty Sins)
I'm such an effing mess lately! I've been crazy-exhausted because I'm currently doing a play here in Toronto, which I love, but theatre really takes the life out of you, especially if you're wearing an 18th-century-era, long-sleeved, hoop-skirted, polyester dress on a stage with bright lights and a broken air conditioning system. In the middle of a heat wave. NBD.
Plus I have my writing to do on top of that, and I'm also consistently stressing about how broke I am. I don't even know when I have to start paying the government back for my student loans. I think I still have a few months left? Ugh, life is hard, you guys.
But ew, I'm not going to SERIOUSLY complain because as I was saying to my mom the other night, I have my family, I have a roof over my head, and I have a job (that I love). That's all I really need. Everything else is just frosting.
Anyway, I have a completely wonky sleep schedule (as per usual) that has been causing me to pass out at random in various sections of my apartment, frequently, while still wearing my dayclothes. And with that also comes a face full of makeup. Although, I did get home at 4am the other night and managed to cleanse, tone and moisturize. What the heck is wrong with me? Who even knows.
But back to the times I forgot to wash my face, or fully intended to but fell asleep on the couch with my iPhone in hand, Candy Crush Saga blaring through my eyelids as I slowly zzzzz-ed off to dreamland. It's happened two, maybe three times in the past two weeks, and I am horrified to admit it.
Washing my face before bed is an extremely important beauty routine to me. It usually involves many, many steps and a rotating regimen of tried and trusted products. I enjoy the process, it's soothing and makes me feel like I'm doing something positive for myself. But lately, I've just been so damn tired.
Usually on the nights I forget to wash my face, I will wake up with a painful bump under the surface, a blaring punishment for forgetting to cleanse my precious skin. I've been lucky recently in that nothing too awful has happened aside from a weird rash on my right cheek that I viciously scratched in my sleep, leaving me with two zit-like red sores. My skin is such a vindictive bitch.
There are fixes for this damage, though, and ways to make amends with my furious face.
One of the first products I reach for when my skin has developed a sudden itchy anger is Mario Badescu Calma Mask. This stuff is meant for any skin type, so long as it's pissed off. Acne-prone, dry, sensitive - you name it. If you have skin that needs soothing, this mask is for you. I've even slathered it on my legs after a particularly painful waxing session.
Sometimes when I get to poking and prodding my skin and I'm left with a bumpy, red "canvas," I turn to Calma Mask, and after 10 minutes, I rinse off and my skin is audibly heard whispering "thank you, mama." It's kind of creepy?
My other tool for repairing damage is SERUMS. I'm a serum freak, because they offer super-concentrated ingredients that encourage cell turnover and repairing and moisturization, and they're just generally amazing and make your skin feel silky and look glowy.
In the mornings I use my love, Clarins Double Serum, before sunscreen and to prep my skin for everything else, and then at night after cleansing and toning, I massage in Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, a classic, and for good reason.
I seriously love this stuff, so much so that I buy it with my own money, which says a lot for a beauty writer who usually gets things for free. It's just so good. If I find myself with dark spots or zits that won't heal, I notice a difference when using ANR within a night or two. It's a bestseller for a reason.
My final piece of advice for those of you who have fallen asleep with makeup on? Wash your pillowcases when you wake up. Falling asleep on dirtied linens the next night, even if you've properly cleansed your skin this time, will just invite grease, dirt and bacteria back onto your pretty face. So do a load of laundry and rest assured that you'll be beautiful when the sun rises (or sets ... maybe your sleep schedule is as weird as mine [it's 3:53 am, I'm awake, just drank a tiny cup of sake and I'm about to watch Atonement because life choices], or you're a vampire).
Now tell me: what beauty rules have you broken recently? I forgot to wear SPF the other day and wanted to cry during the 10-ish minutes I was out in the sun. Never again!
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Can You Answer A Few Questions For Us?
You guys know that our number one priority at xoVain is to give you a totally honest and personal take on all things beauty. Part of this is to recommend products we love, and which hope you will love, too. We also tell you when we don't love stuff.
But one little thing we've noticed is that the product pages (where we actually feature the shiny, pretty products) have not been super-popular in terms of you clicking on them.
So we are thinking of ways we can make it easier for you to buy the products you're interested in and wanted to ask if you would kindly answer our 10-question survey here to help us figure it out. You'll get a better site experience (how technical) and we can make money off the product sales (yay, capitalism).
We really thank you so much in advance for doing this and will reward you with a great selection of products at great prices--and also our undying affection, if that counts for anything.
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How To Wear Makeup To Yoga Class Without Looking High-Maintenance
I recently started doing yoga after my sisters gave me a yoga mat for Christmas. As someone who rejects all team sports, refuses to go running if it’s too hot or cold outside, and spends most of the time reading in bed, I desperately needed some form of exercise in my life.
So far, yoga has been surprisingly enjoyable for such a non-flexible person.
Usually, I spread my yoga mat out in my tiny bedroom and follow along with yoga videos on YouTube. I like doing it this way; there’s no need for shame, unless someone walks into my room without knocking and catches me doing a really bad attempt at a downward dog split in, um... minimal clothing. (That has happened, and there was, indeed, a lot of shame involved.) But USUALLY I can just sweat it all out and get red in the face and then accidentally fall asleep on the mat afterwards in corpse pose.
However, I recently decided to take a class at my local university. This led to me finally buying some actual workout clothes, which was fun, but also caused some stress over how much makeup to wear to the class. The obvious answer is: none. Most of the time, I went bare-faced because nobody there really cared. In fact, I personally spent most of my time training my gaze away from my classmates because the alternative was intently eyeing their butts.
But... What if you have a really hot yoga instructor? Like, what if Tara Stiles is your yoga instructor? (Yeah, I use her videos and might have a bit of a crush.) Or what if you have a date right after yoga, and you’re not going to have time to go sit in your car after class and apply a full face of makeup? The latter actually happened to me a few times, so I figured out an effective way to deal.
No one wants to show up to a date sweaty, smelly, and red-faced, but no one wants to be that person who shows up to yoga class with caked on foundation and a thick cloud of perfume either. Here’s how I found a happy medium.
First, I started with a mostly fresh face. I had already lined in my brows a little bit that morning and slathered on my daily moisturizer with SPF. I put on BB cream next, and although you technically don’t need moisturizer when using a BB cream, I always do anyway because my skin is so dry.
I’m a little obsessed with BB creams and have tried a bunch, including the Garnier (which makes my face a bit too orange and greasy) and the Maybelline (which I liked but wish came in a bigger bottle). I was going to try the Revlon Photoready BB Cream next, until the slightly pricier but SPARKLY bottle of Physicians Formula BB cream caught my eye. (Next time, Revlon.)
I like how the Physicians Formula BB cream is fragrance-free (ahem, Garnier) and has SPF 30 mineral sunscreen, making it great for people with sensitive skin like me. It also provides just enough of a dewy, even finish so that my face looks clear and glowy but not ridiculously overdone. If you’re afraid of getting too glowy during your poses, a little powder helps.
For a few pesky zits and dark spots that the BB cream didn’t cover, I used my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. Obviously we’re going to skip blush entirely; I don’t know about you, but I get enough of a flush from the exercise. I’m vain (shocker) so I didn’t include the picture of me upside down with a beet-red face.
Then I used my eyelash curler (I totally forget where I got this from but I do remember buying it because it was pink) and waterproof CoverGirl Lashblast Volume mascara for super long, non-clumpy eyelashes that opened up my eyes. That’s it for the eye makeup; I have no desire to have eyeliner or eyeshadow smudged all over my yoga mat.
The last thing I do on my face is use some tinted lip balm; I particularly like any kind from Burt’s Bees. The Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm is very light and does not stay on long, so you’ll have to reapply; the Rhubarb Lip Shimmer has a darker color that lasts longer, but also smudges more noticeably.
If you want something with a bit more impact to distract from your flushed cheeks, I definitely recommend Wet ‘n’ Wild’s Stoplight Red (or 911D), which I just tried after Kara mentioned it in her article about blue-based red lipsticks. I owe her big-time, because this stuff stayed on after swimming for two hours in a lake.
Finally, there’s the issue of a post-workout smell. I switch between Kiehl’s Superbly Efficient Anti-Perspirant and Deodorant Cream and Tom’s of Maine Long Lasting Wild Lavender Deodorant because the Kiehl’s is expensive and has aluminum in it, which I like to keep to a minimum. Sometimes I combine them if I’m worried about getting really stinky. I like how the Kiehl’s is scentless, and the Tom’s lavender scent is very mild and inoffensive. (I stopped wearing perfume-y deodorant to yoga after the strong scent, combined with my own sweat, threatened to make me pass out on my mat.)
I also pack some wipes in my bag; I use Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes for removing makeup at night but also for wiping myself down quickly after a workout. Plain baby wipes work great too. For when you want to get that shine off your face but not the makeup, e.l.f. blotting sheets are very cheap and effective.
While we’re on the topic of sweat, I’ve found that it also helps to bring either baby powder or dry shampoo to quickly freshen up your hair before your date.
Oh, and don’t forget to use some sunscreen if you’re doing yoga outside. I recently started using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen and am very pleased with it. It has a fresh, non-overpowering scent, won’t break you out or make you look shiny, and is water (and sweat!) resistant.
Now you have an easy way to look effortlessly pretty and fresh after spending an hour suppressing curses while wobbling on one foot. You’re welcome. In return, tell me what tricks you use to seduce your hot yoga instructor, or exactly how I’m doing all of these poses wrong and what pose I should ruin next. I just managed to do crow pose for three seconds before face-planting--a new record!
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I Stepped Out of My Beauty Comfort Zone And Onto Shu Uemura's Facebook Page
Pia here. One of the perks of being a beauty writer is getting to try all these cool new products pretty much whenever I want. One of the coolest perks is getting your hair and makeup done for free by awesome stylists and being asked to do cool things like participate in social media campaigns with your face all over one of your favorite makeup brands' Facebook page… OMG I TOTALLY DID THAT!
It was so exciting, but a little unnerving because, well, I had to challenge myself by straying from my usual beauty look. I put my face and hair in the hands of others when I’m normally such a control freak when it comes to how my makeup and hair is styled. I had to take a deep breath and say to myself, “These people are professionals and definitely know what they’re doing better than I do.”
So basically, Shu Uemura asked dear sister and I to participate in a photo shoot to be part of a social media campaign featuring beauty influencers (WE WERE TOTALLY PSYCHED TO BE CALLED “INFLUENCERS”) after trying out some of their new glossy-themed products. We haven’t done stuff like this in a while--not since our magazine days--so we were stoked.
THE HAIR
When we got to the salon atop the fancy-shmancy Bergdorf Goodman building, where I had no idea a salon even existed, we were shown sample hairstyles that they were going to try on us. Little shivers went down my spine when I saw that my style was basically a half-updo. I ALWAYS wear my hair down because I think I have big ears that stick out, and I don’t want everyone calling me Dumbo.
As embarrassing as this fear was, I knew I had to say something or I’d be stuck with photos that made me cringe. I sheepishly told the awesome stylist that while I loved the style, I was really self-conscious about how I look with my hair up. He was more than willing to alter the style to make me feel more comfortable and look better.
I’m so glad I was honest about how I felt. So many times, I've just let people do what they want because I don’t want to inconvenience anyone. But it really is OK to speak up when people are playing with your hair; after all it is on YOUR head.
The result of this? A completely awesome half-updo, loose around the ears with a super-sleek and edgy twist that I never ever thought I could pull off.
I even let him put product in my hair, which I never do because I have the urge to dunk my head in a vat of soapy water at the first spritz of anything but hairspray. To my surprise, the Shu Uemura Touch of Gloss Brilliant Melt-In Balm he used wasn’t actually waxy at all. It held my style and gave it a mirror shine without sticking. Vat of soapy water not needed.
I should note: I felt like so edgy, Runa had to ask me to tone down my new badass-chic personality several times on the way home.
THE MAKEUP
My makeup look was subtle and pretty, and I was so excited because I have been on the hunt for a good non-sticky gloss ever since I parted ways with my last tube of Too Faced Barely Legal, and I found it in Shu Uemura’s Gloss Unlimited in Orange. I know--orange? Me? Rarely. But it really brightened up my complexion and went so well with my strategically planned orange blouse and blue skirt with orange zipper lining.
I don’t usually go for glossy, and when they told me that was my shade I thought, “There’s a chance I might not like this,” but I guess the whole point of this was to experiment and bring myself out of my comfort zone, so I went with it, and now me and this little tube of magic are biffles.
THE PHOTO SHOOT
Boy, was this an experience. Ladies, I know we all like to think models have easy jobs but after this, even if I were a towering 5’10" with a bangin’ body, I would reconsider the career.
I was standing in front of the Dior flagship on Fifth Avenue during rush hour trying to take a picture of me casually walking down the block. After stepping back and forth like a glitchy robot 30 or 40 times, we got the shot, my feet and neck hurt, and I’m pretty sure I’m on about a hundred Asian tourist Instagram accounts. People thought we were shooting some sort of ad or reality show or something, and the stares were terrifying until I was able to tune it out.
Now I’m a master at the casual side–glance-while-walking stance and less afraid of people staring at me. Oh--and I’m also not afraid of wearing my hair up…a little. The pics came out hawt!
You can check me out on the Shu Uemura Art of Hair website to find out how to get my hairstyle; and on the Shu Uemura Facebook page, they even have a sweepstakes that you can enter to try and win my lip shade!
Runa's will go up in a few weeks. She got to wear her hair down. Lucky duck.
So here's what I learned, guys: It’s important to try things that you wouldn’t normally do--I’m talking beauty, that is. Always be honest with your stylist and don’t be afraid to tell them what you’re comfortable with. They’ll tailor a look to make you look and feel your best.
What do you think of the look? Are you going to enter the sweeps? (Sorry, I can't help you win, but I'll send good vibes.)
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Quick Question: What's The Longest Your Hair Has Ever Been?
Yesterday, on my way to work, I saw not one but two women with remarkably long hair. Like, past-their-butts long. They weren't together--one was on the R train, the other in the lobby--but the rarity of seeing of two adult women with Crystal-Gayle-esque hair within about 20 minutes united them in my mind foreverrrrrr.
As I've mentioned, I wore my hair super-long until fifth grade. What I didn't mention is that I grew it back out to my waist when I was a freshman in high school.
Although I've gone back and forth between short and long hair since then, my hair's never been THAT long again. It's not that I think I'm too old for super-long hair or that I can't get it to that length again--I actually can. But my hair just doesn't look and feel the way it did back when I wore ridiculous casual attire.
Maybe that's the trade off. Maybe I have to dress like a '90s nightmare to get my hair so healthy-looking again. (Probably not.)
ANYWAY, today's Quick Question: What's the longest your hair has ever been? How old were you?
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My 4 Favorite Scented Candles OR An Excuse To Show You How I Make The Cutest Little Bedazzled Matchboxes
Scented candles are one of the most luxuriant joys in my life. I also really love buying them for other people, because I feel like they are one of those things that can feel frivolous to buy yourself but you (I) always really want.
However, there is nothing that says: "I had no idea what to get you or who you are" more than buying someone a gift that has no connection to who they are as a person, so I always like to craft things to accompany store-bought presents. You know what's quick and easy and fun to craft and accompanies candles perfectly? MATCHBOXES.
If you follow me on Instagram (which you all do, I’m sure, because the view from my bed is visually fascinating), you’ll appreciate how much I love crafting things with gems and glitter on them. And there is nothing better than handmade gifts, amirite? So, I’m going to give you insight into my favourite candles at the moment AND a quick crafty matchbox tutorial. Don’t say I’m not a giver.
So, you need some basic crafting equipment: some acrylic paint, some stickers or little printout images, some gems or sequins, glitter and, of course, UHU and PVA, the cornerstones of my crafting world.
Firstly, paint the matchbox a solid colour. I’ve gone for white here, and am demonstrating what a painted matchbox looks like in case you have a pitifully bad imagination. Leave the sides bare or nobody will actually be able to light a match with it and then the gift doesn’t seem as cohesive with the candles.
Next, apply a sticker or something to the centre and glitter around it. Sometimes I use glitter glue, but sometimes I go crazy and just UHU a border, tip a load of glitter onto the glue, and then shake it off. Wild. It’s just like the old days, except I end up covered in sparkles rather than cocaine, which we all know is infinitely wilder and cooler (no sarcasm here).
The rest is self-explanatory. Just stick stuff on top. More is more. Gems, sequins, whatever you can cram on. But remember that if you put gems on both sides of the box, it is actually kind of annoying to rest on a table so you’re better off writing a little message or something on the bottom side to keep it vaguely practical.
Giving someone a matchbox as a birthday present feels a bit ungenerous, so here are some of my recommendations for the complementary candle.
Jo Malone Orange Blossom Scented Candle
I love Jo Malone fragrances. They are quintessentially British and light and delicious. This Orange Blossom candle is lightly scented (in that, you can definitely smell it but it just makes the room smell better, rather than like an overpowering flower factory or something) and burns for around 40 hours of fabulousness.
Plus, it comes with a little metal lid so your candle doesn’t get dusty when it’s not burning. Fancy.
Bella Freud Incense Wood & Oud Scented Candle
Bella Freud is a British designer who started out working with Vivienne Westwood and ended up designing and making the most beautiful knitwear (alongside other loveliness). We just interviewed her at the magazine I edit, and I loved her so much that I investigated her further.
She also makes divine candles, of which this one is my favourite at the moment; it is warm and deep and a little heavy and makes me think of sitting around a fire in the countryside, in a very fancy way. Plus: trezzz chic.
NEOM Luxury Organics Enchantment Home Candle
I’ve spoken about NEOM candles before; they’re a really adorable British brand, and they do these great candles with three wicks, which last forever (translation: up to 50 hours). The Enchantment candle is scented with bluebell and rose, so it is like being in a meadow; and for every candle you buy, £1 (about $1.50) goes to the British Woodland Trust to preserve our beautiful English countryside. And it has a little wooden lid. Lovely.
Arran Aromatics Cedarwood & Citrus Parfumeur Candle
This is amazingly delicious, smelling of cedarwood with lemony, orangey undertones. It is warm and woody and burns for up to 35 hours. It also comes with a lid. I feel so grown-up having lids for my candles--is that weird?
If anyone were ever to bring me one of these candles with a handmade matchbox, they would immediately have to become my best friend. That is quite a responsibility, so be careful who you give them to. But do it. Make people happy. And then do it for yourself, too. WE ALL DESERVE CANDLES.
Do you like making presents for people? What are the best gifts you give? Do you also love candles? Also: crafting tips and suggestions, please.
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Why Is Permanent Makeup More Acceptable In The Workplace Than Artistic Tattoos?
I celebrated my 18th birthday in a tattoo parlor and knew full well what I was getting into. I had imagined the bold piece on my arm at least a thousand times before actually booking my appointment. I had dreamt up shades of gold playing off of deep purples and hues of aquas and greens appearing as feathers cascading down my arm.
When I had endured the hours of needlework, I had seen that my reality was far superior to my imagination. I was the proud new owner of a beautiful piece of permanent artwork embellished on my skin. What came next was realizing that not everyone viewed my artwork the way I did.
Instead, I found myself disillusioned time after time by the rigidity of certain adults. Always adults.
Growing up, my attempts at rebellion always seemed to transfer by way of inexpensive hair dye and regrettable facial piercings--never quite keeping me in the good graces of my teachers and peers. Still, several years, zero facial piercings and one totally normal hair color later, I’ve come to find that I cannot shake my aggravation towards the perpetual naysayers.
Now, as a warning, it's not that I've ever truly advanced to the popularity of the “in-crowd.” Standing at a collasal six feet tall, it’s not that I was invisible, or easy to ignore. I just never aced the confidence bit back in grade school, or high school, or the majority of my college years. In fact, most of the time, wherever I went, I stood out like a sore thumb.
I took a class this past semester called Body Art & Modification that absolutely changed my stance on just about every beauty standard I’ve ever passed off as trivial. It inspired me to go on strike against my razor blade for a week and then reconsider the decision, stop wearing heels entirely and resort to no shoes at all, and adjoin all of my (and my roommate’s) bras together as an homage to the brassiere-burning babes of the '60s, hanging them high from our dorm-room walls. I’d say this was all just a phase, but I haven’t grown out of it, nor do I plan to.
In this class we spoke at length about tattoos in the workplace, to which I had quite a mouthful to contribute.
Last summer, I landed a copywriting position for a fine jewelry company, and that’s when I decided I wasn’t going to settle for second-best in the job market ever again. I worked damn hard to accomplish noteworthy feats in my college career, and I wasn't about to let some beauty-stomping boss threaten that. I realized my potential and wrote at the best of my ability, despite having to cover up in heavy sweaters in mid-August heat. Mind you, with no working air conditioner. My wardrobe was reduced to modest yet acceptable shrugs and cardigans while my coworkers were given free reign in the fashion world.
My boss informed me I would make the religious clientele uncomfortable, and they always seemed to show up unannounced--better safe than sorry. Additionally, he told me it would be best to avoid potential distraction among my coworkers. He said I should make sure to be respectful by keeping my coworkers’ best interests and level of comfort in mind. I was given a strict code of conduct that incidentally only applied to me; the only female in the office. This infuriated me.
Now, I fully comprehend the gravity of my commitment to body art, but there’s just one double standard that I cannot seem to grasp, try as I may. And that’s the acceptability of cosmetic tattoos.
Here’s why. My mother was born with a cleft lip, so when she found out about lip-lining tattoos, naturally, she was all over it like white on rice. While she was at it, she got her top and bottom eyelids tattooed, as well as thin white lines above her top eyelids for a permanent brightener.
“How could you endure that kind of pain?” I asked her the first time she came home with the dramatic change.
Earlier this week, she went in for round two. Except this time, when she came home, she had a question for me. And this time, for the first time, even I couldn't answer it.
“Why is it that cosmetic tattoos are perfectly acceptable in the workplace but artistic tattoos like yours, aren’t?” Mom, you're a genius.
I racked my brain for a sensible answer, and you know what? I couldn’t find one. Not because I didn’t know it off the top of my head, but because there isn't one. Cosmetic tattoos, body art, permanent makeup--call it what you want, but it’s all the same. What’s a needle to the skin but a body modification? I can wager that my boss over at the jewelry company wouldn’t have had much of an issue with a face full of permanent makeup.
Mamabear went on,“ All these women I see getting their faces tattooed wouldn’t dare approve of their own kids getting beautiful tattoos like yours. What hypocrites!” You go, girl.
My mom got her tattoos to improve her self-esteem and so did I. She got her tattoos because she felt incomplete without them and knew that she deserved to feel beautiful. So did I. And so I ask you, what’s the difference? We've endured the same beauty modification. And in both of our cases, gone back for seconds (or sevenths, but who's counting?).
If you couldn't infer by now, let me assure you, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
I rebelled my last week at the jewelry company by wearing a strapless dress and “forgetting” my sweater back at home. Their clever rebuttal was hiring a scantily clad sweetheart in my place, with, get this, a rose tattoo on her ankle. I’ve since “forgotten” my sweater for two job interviews and proudly landed them both. The ladies here at xoVain even referred to me as a hot bitch mid-interview. Score!
Despite these outstandingly liberal companies I've been lucky enough to work for, the looming fear of exposing my arms to the wrong people while everyone else seems to be running around in tank tops hasn’t diminished yet. And truth be told, I fear it never will.
Tattoos aren’t a lapse in judgment. And they most certainly do not defy or demarcate an individual's worth. “Dealing with the consequences” is something you must face when you’re caught drinking underage, not adorned in tattoos.
I wear my artistic skin with pride and have no intention of cloaking myself ever again. I am not a distraction, and I will not be treated as such. I have nothing to cover up. No one does.
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SUPER DANGEROUS Sharpie Eyeliner Just Like Taylor Swift
This is SUCH old news, but last week the Internet sparked my memory that Taylor Swift once used Sharpie as eyeliner. Apparently she was on a plane and just COULDN'T be seen without makeup, so lined her eyes with Sharpie.
I get it. I always look busted after long flights, and as a fellow super-famous celebrity, the thought of being recognized looking like a 13-year-old boy experiencing puberty is sucky. Although, I'm sure that makeup-less Taylor Swift looks like a supermodel's "early morning workout ;)" Instagram selfie crossed with a lanky adorable baby giraffe angel and not a teenage boy.
Would I ever grab a Sharpie and stab it around my meibomian glands? Probably not. (I'm lying, I'm about to do this.) Concealer's what I'd need and plan B is pretending I'm super-moody and just brushing all of my hair into my face. And sunglasses. Duh.
Yesterday I had a 4.5-hour flight back to New York from Seattle and figured I'd give the Swift method a shot. The irony of it is that a beauty editor is way more likely to be surrounded by more than one eyeliner option while on a plane than a singular Sharpie. Airport newsstands don't sell Sharpies! And I guess I accidentally left my last one with one of the countless fans that descended upon me through a swarm of paparazzi as I arrived at the airport that morning. Seriously, you guys are such an inspiration.
So I found a couple of Sharpies upon returning home: your standard fine-point permanent marker option and also an ultra-fine point. Then, you know, I tried it out...
The thicker of the two markers gave off some pretty strong fumes that my eyes were clearly very sensitive to. It also wasn't great for making a clean cat-eye flick, so I switched to the skinnier option. It didn't irritate my eyes as much and was easier to use, which you should never do anyway.
SERIOUSLY, NEVER LINE YOUR EYES WITH SHARPIE. IT'S DUMB! AND JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT BLIND RIGHT NOW DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU WON'T END UP THAT WAY. **Shout-out to da legal team!**
Sure, it looked like many other black liners. Although a bit purple. I'm sure we've all drawn on other parts of our bodies with Sharpies before; that's pretty much what you'd get on your eyelids. There's no benefit using Sharpies over actual makeup; I'd gladly rather be mobbed by adoring fans with no eyeliner.
My biggest concern was that the ink would stain my lids for days, but it melted off INSTANTLY with Shu Uemura's Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil. Seriously, it washed off quicker than most actual makeup I wear. OCC's Lip Tar stayed on my eyelids for THREE DAYS.
Still, that DOESN'T mean that it's okay to use Sharpies as eyeliners. BAD BAD BAD.
What's the most dangerous and stupid beauty thing you've ever done? This TOTALLY isn't mine.
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Classic Country Beauty Crush: June Carter Cash
This photo of June Carter and Johnny Cash has been set as my iPhone's wallpaper for a very long time because I adore and am obsessed with them.
It’s hard to see anything but love when you look at these two. He loved her so very much for so very long, and she loved him, too, though their respective marriages and life circumstance would keep them apart for years. Once they finally got together, though, they were inseparable.
June Carter Cash is one of my favorite women, ever. A classic Appalachian country beauty, she was as funny as she was feminine, and as tough as she was saccharine.
June was born into The Carter Family, a family of traditional country musicians that she began performing with as a child. Her two sisters Helen and Anita were said to be better singers than she was, but June was a born performer: charming, talented and hilarious. A gifted songwriter, dancer, comedienne and actress, June even studied under Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner.
She was also pretty badass.
Although June seemed gentle as a lamb, she could hold her own with any musician, throw down with comedians, and be one of the boys while on the road with the likes of Johnny Cash (long before they were together), Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, to whom she is distantly related.
She guest starred on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman in the '90s with Johnny. Are you judging me for watching that show? Whatever. June was great on it even though she played a bit of a crazy Christian who was at odds with Dr. Quinn and her modern-medicine-loving ways. In real life, June was wholesome without being naïve, and very religious, but unlike her Dr. Quinn character, she seemed to be an embodiment of the best of uncorrupted Christian values.
I love June because she loved making people smile and laugh. I love her because, despite her modesty, she was a fine musician and songwriter who wrote "Ring Of Fire," one of her husband's best songs. I love her because she was a kind and generous humanitarian.
I also love her because of how much she loved Johnny Cash.
She was a stand-by-your-man kind of woman, and although I once tried to do that with the wrong guy and it all went to hell, I'm forever moved to see it done right. She was not only a great friend to him long before they got together, but she also helped get him through some of his darkest days when he was battling drug addiction. She wasn't as famous as Cash, but she was never a wallflower, and they remained equals in their marriage until the end.
Of her career and marriage, she said: "I was never looking back in regret. I never thought, 'Oh, why didn't I become an actress?' or 'Why did I just go paddling along after John?' I've always walked along right by his side, and he's always supported everything I do."
Looking at their pictures together, you can feel their bond. They were never shy about it, and I don't think they could hide it if they wanted to. They just plainly loved each other. Until the end, and even after. In 2003, June died at age 73 of heart surgery complications, and Johnny, heartbroken, followed her four months later.
Watch June perform "Jackson" with Johnny, and tell me you don’t want to have lemonade with that woman on her front porch on a warm summer day. She made Johnny, and many others, happy. Her very presence elevated people.
Although June had amazing hair, cheekbones, teeth and eyes, her true beauty was of that rare inner quality. You almost don't see her when you see her because she's so ethereal.
Obviously, this seemed like a pretty easy thing for me to recreate with a dress and some makeup (sarcasm).
Doing myself up June Carter Cash style was the most fun I've had in a long time. I totally recommend it. I listened to the sweet sounds of her unsullied, honest music as I made my hair big, loaded on the mascara and dressed. What I ended up loving the most about the whole process, though, was the smiling.
I mean, I smile pretty often, but probably not as much as I should, and not enough in my xoVain photos. But for June, smiling is as much a part of her beauty as her killer cheekbones that no amount of blush contouring could ever help me replicate.
So I smiled like a teenager who had eaten one too many special brownies. I smiled until my cheeks hurt. I smiled so much I started to feel lighter, more empyreal, more like June.
June's eyes were gorgeous, a watery, soulful blue--and Junie loved her mascara and false eyelashes. After applying MAC’s Brule, a light beige eyeshadow, as a base on my eyelids, I used my finger to blend Sumptuous Olive, a shimmery olive green, into the crease. The eyeshadow is meant to be light and barely noticeable.
In place of falsies, I applied three coats Benefit's They’re Real! mascara, waiting about 30 seconds in between coats, to get her heavy-lashed look. I also put a little bit on my bottom lashes for extra drama.
June had lovely, thick eyebrows that weren’t overly-groomed or tamed so I didn't worry about making mine perfectly arched or shaped when I filled them in using an angle brush and Leather, a medium-brown long-wear eyeshadow by Mattese Elite. I actually forgot to pack my clear eyebrow mascara, which I wear every day, so after filling them in, I kept my brows in place by putting a touch, like barely half a squirt, of extra-hold hairspray on my fingers and gently patting it on my brows.
To get June’s light pinky peach grin, I used MAC's Shy Girl lipstick. Kind of ironic because June was anything but shy on stage, but her playful smile does have a stunningly shy quality to it in photographs.
I finished my face by sweeping MAC Powder Blush in Tenderling, another light peachy pink, on my cheeks; then I dotted Benefit High Beam above my cheekbones for some glow.
Try as I might, I knew that I could never completely capture the essence of June Carter Cash. Glance at a photo of her and you'll see it: pure grace. A true and sweet soul. It’s untouchable, and not easily portrayed.
I don’t mean to Cheese Wheeze all over this beauty party, but if you can't get sappy when talking about one of country music's sweetest stars, when can you?
Although we all might not have pure, radiant souls, at the very least we can achieve June's hair if we own a small comb and some extra hold hairspray.
June's hair was thick, long and lovely. Mine’s just kind of long, and although there’s a lot of it, it’s not thick. I sprayed Bumble and bumble's Thickening Hairspray on my roots before drying them to give my hair volume, but I left the ends damp so they would get little wavy, and even a little frizzy, because June rocked her frizz like it was a fuzzy hair halo.
Then it was time to get some '60s volume. There’s really nothing as gratifying as backcombing your hair and watching it grow. Big hair is addictive!
I started at the front, holding up a small section of hair and pushing down about four inches of it at a time with a fine-tooth comb until it was a complete rat's nest. When I "got it up" high enough, I sprayed my hair with some extra-hold hairspray, combed it every so lightly, and clipped it half-back loosely with a couple of bobby pins before spraying it again.
It was windy when my friend Cassandra and I went out to take my June pictures, but you’d never know it by looking at them because my hair DID NOT MOVE.
June and Johnny’s love story is portrayed magnificently in Walk The Line, which is why I watch that movie at least once a year. Hollywood love stories are irresistible to a sucker like me, but June and Johnny’s was especially so because it was true.
They really loved each other that much. They struggled for each other. They hurt each other. And when they were finally able to be together, they never left each other's sides.
As much as I may front as a cold-hearted woman, I’m actually a squishy, soft baby duck when it comes to romance. I'm just... not so good at it.
The other day, this guy I was sort of dating and I watched a pretty bad movie based on the Jack and the Beanstalk story (and why were you in that movie, beautiful Ewan McGregor?). We joked around about the fact that it wasn't a great flick, and the next day, I texted him: "How's your beanstalk?" Aaaaand... nothing. Not even a "Ha." Maybe he didn't find it funny? Whatever. June would have.
June had two failed marriages before falling into that burning ring of fire with Johnny Cash. This gives me hope. No matter how icy my heart has gotten thanks to the protective layer of frost that forms after heartbreak, I still believe that love, the good kind, has the power to melt it away.
Beauty muses are as much about emulating a mood or essence as they are about getting the hair and makeup right, which is why you gotta pick 'em carefully. Like Johnny, I picked darn well with June Carter Cash. It was a blast doing myself up like that kind, happy, country smokeshow, and I think she'd be smiling to hear it.
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Beauty Rebellion: Use Eye-Color-Specific Eyeshadow Palettes That Aren't Made For Your Eye Color!
It happens to all of us. I lost my favorite eyeshadow one day. It was a shimmery shade of bronze, a slightly apricot color that perfectly complimented my blue eyes. Before I lost it, it was one of my staples. It basically made my whole makeup look for years 2008-2011. For whatever reason, I lived without this eye shadow for quite a while, but I never quite forgot about it.
Recently, as I was browsing makeup at the local drugstore as I always do, an Almay eyeshadow palette caught my eye. It was that color I was looking for! Upon further inspection, I saw the palette was specifically designed for hazel eyes, which I don't have. I didn’t care--I had to get it. Using things as directed is annoying!
Various cosmetics companies have been selling eyeshadow palettes designed for specific eye colors for years. But actually buying a palette meant for “hazel eyes” and loving the look made me wonder: Can more of these palettes work beautifully if used on the "wrong" color eyes? So I got a couple more palettes for some experimenting.
The goods:
- Almay intense i-color bold nudes 413 trio for hazels (apricot, navy, yellowish white)
- Almay intense i-color 414 bold nudes trio for greens ( grayish purple, army green, light green shimmer highlighter)
- Almay intense i-color 411 bold nudes trio for browns (medium purple, dark purple, white shimmer)
The control: Almay intense i-color smoky i-kit 402 trio for blues. (slate blue, taupe shimmer, silvery white)
I decided to go with all Almay trios because I already knew I liked the trio for hazels, and because my mom likes that brand because it’s hypoallergenic and used to be the only mascara brand she’d buy. So, admittedly, the decision-making was a little arbitrary.
I treated this like a little social experiment and tried each of the eyeshadow sets out on different days to see how I felt and if anyone said anything. I made a rule to myself to use them in the prescribed areas, with the proper lid, crease, and browbone colors.
THE RESULTS
1. Almay intense i-color bold nudes 413 trio for hazels
This was the first set I purchased and I really like it with my blue eyes. Normally, I don’t use the crease color or highlighter, but using the crease color takes the look from day to night. I would imagine. I don’t really go out much.
I really have no feelings about the yellowish-white highlighter. I personally don’t use it, and I don’t think it’s always necessary to use a highlighter on your browbone with eyeshadow. It just looks extra-dated when you do this all the time, in my opinion. So I like this palette, but only for the lid color.
2. Almay intense i-color 414 bold nudes trio for greens
I didn’t think green eyeshadow would work on me at all, but I was pleasantly surprised with this set. It didn’t look like a bruise, like I thought, and the purplish-grey base color is a good neutral that I imagine would be suitable for any eye color.
I could do without the shimmery light green highlighter, but after all, it came out looking fine.
3. Almay intense i-color 411 bold nudes trio for browns
This was basically your run-of-the-mill purple eyeshadow pallete. It looked fine, and kind of always looks good on blue eyes. Does purple eyeshadow look bad on anyone, actually?
I think purple is one of those eyeshadow colors that can be for anyone if you have the right shade. Kind of like red lipstick. Everyone has their purple.
4. The control: Almay intense i-color smoky i-kit 402 trio for blues
I am confused as to why the color designated for the lid is navy blue, because about a million times I’ve heard blue eyeshadow doesn't work with blue eyes--or maybe I just imagined that.
At work, I got a compliment on my eyes by 10 am. I went to the bathroom for another look, because I'm a total narcissist.
In my opinion, this look is definitely passable, but the dark lids are going to take some getting used to for me. If I used the colors in a different order than as directed on the package, I think it would probably look better.
I think the taupe should have been for the lid. I’m still stuck thinking blue eyeshadow and blue eyes should never mix.
Which do you think worked the best? Has anyone else tried the “wrong” eyeshadow and liked it?
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Summer In A Box: The Frickin' Cute Kit That Brings The Beach To Your Bathroom
There are few things in the beauty world that I enjoy more than a well-curated kit. Frequently, they're composed of a brand's bestsellers, or, if the people behind the brand are wonderful little smartypants, they create kits and gift sets with perfectly executed themes that beckon to people like myself, who want to live streamlined and beautiful lives that aren't defined by months or seasons but rather "vibes" and "moods," man.
The Lush Beach Box is a combination of the former and the latter, a mix of the brand's top products with a wonderfully beachy feel.
Housed in an adorable beach-cabana-esque box, it contains five products meant for your hair and your skin, all with the intention of making you feel like a fresh, zesty, sexy little mermaid. Rather than rely on the summertime trope of piña colada-esque and sickly sweet scents that might attract horseflies and mosquitoes, the products are all super citrus-y, with hints of light summer florals and crisp sea salt.
For the skin, you receive a generous slab of their Sea Vegetable Soap, which is an ocean-y delight of lime juice, lavender, seaweed and sea salt. It gets you nice and clean with just the gentlest bit of scrubbiness from the last two ingredients. For extra-exfoliation, a sweet little pot of Ocean Salt Cleanser is included; it's a sea salt cleanser with avocado and coconut mixed in so that it's gentle enough to scrub even your face skin with.
While you're in the shower, lather up with the Seanik Solid Shampoo Bar, which transports nicely in a beach bag for the weekend. (No spilling! Just throw it in a travel soap tray or one of Lush's Shampoo Bar Tins.) It may seem little, but the shampoo bars pack a seriously awesome cleansing punch, and I've never been disappointed with any of the ones I've tried. This one in particular has various seaweeds to soften, and sea salt, which is proven to volumize limp-noodle hair.
After you've gotten nice and clean, hop out and slather on some of the included Dream Cream, a super-popular and super-soothing lotion that has proven helpful for people with skin issues such as eczema or extreme sensitivity.
The final product is my favourite: the Sea Spray Hair Mist. I love a good salt spray, and this one smells heavenly, thanks to the combination of neroli and orange flower oils thrown into the mix. As a matter of fact, the scent reminds me a lot of the Demeter Suntan Lotion spray that I wrote about in my Summer of Beach Beauty article.
The best part about this kit is that it's only $29.95. Oh, and the product portions are generous. And everything smells nice. And it's all perfect for throwing in your bag if you're going away for a few days. And basically, you'll be beautiful and clean and smell good, and isn't that all anyone really wants in life?
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True Blue: A Classic Madonna Look That's Still Really Hot
What do Ursula, 1986 Madonna, and myself all have in common? SO MANY THINGS.
Let’s see: We all have white-blonde pixie cuts, an affinity for red lips and nails, and a killer singing voice.
OK, my pixie isn’t exactly platinum, and OK, my singing voice sounds like the seagull’s in The Little Mermaid (just tying together all my references here). But I do own too many red lipsticks and nail polishes so that is why I am following my Ursula tutorial with a Madonna one.
Fine, you got me again. That’s not really why.
The actual motivation behind this post is you guys. I love it when the xoVain commenters know more about something than I do--really, I’m learning so much--or see things that I don’t. In the comments section of my Ursula post, a few people pointed out a resemblance to Madonna in her “True Blue” video. Naturally, a tutorial had to be done.
Personally, I’d rather do Madonna in her “Cherish” music video because then all I’d have to do is roll around in the ocean waves and get my hair wet. Sadly, that wouldn’t make for much of a makeup tutorial (or WOULD IT?), and like I said, I already have all this red nail polish sitting around. So “True Blue” Madonna it is!
This is a super-easy look, with the exception of the hair which I will save for last. In fact, this is basically my typical Friday-night-out look. In unrelated news, I just decided to look for a new go-to makeup routine. Let me know if you have any tips that aren’t from the '80s.
Let’s break this down into four easy parts, and for brevity’s sake, let’s agree that we’re starting with a base of either foundation or naturally perfect skin and move on. I’ll let you guess which one I went with.
EYES & BROWS
I lined just the upper part of my eyes from one end to the other, making it thicker from the center outward. I recently picked up NYC liquid eyeliner, which I am liking immensely so far. It’s super-easy to apply and dries quickly.
Then I applied a slightly snipped pair of Sonia Kashuk Full Drama Eyelashes (same ones from my Yzma tutorial; I don’t throw false eyelashes out) closer to the outer edge of my eyes. I always use Ardell Lashgrip Adhesive for falsies. A little bit of my CoverGirl LashBlast mascara goes on next.
After that, I used my pinkie finger to add some subtle blue eyeshadow from my Wet ‘n’ Wild Color Icon Trio “I’m Feelin’ Retro”, which ended up being particularly subtle on me because of my hooded eyes.
Remember, Madonna had some serious eyebrows going on in the '80s. I love the contrast with her hair and how they frame her face. I thought I had strong brows... until today. To get mine on her level, I filled them in and elongated them with little strokes of a brown NYC brow/eyeliner pencil. Then I took it a step further with some light brown eyeshadow to make them look even thicker.
LIPS
I recreated her bright red lips with my Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick in Top Tomato, which stays on forever. It’s my go-to red lip stain, which you may have noticed by now.
Then I used my eyeliner again to dab a little mole above my top lip. This is my third tutorial in which I had to add a little black mole--what’s up with that?
I already have a small gap between my teeth so I didn’t have to resort to any drastic measures like Annie did that one time.
NAILS
Also red, like the lips. Alle inspired me to try to grow my nails out. It’s been helpful for really making me feel like a diva during tutorials like this.
Also helpful: before painting them with NYC’s Red Velvet Rope, I filed them into satisfyingly pointy ends.
HAIR
It’s not that the hairstyle is terribly complicated; it’s just annoying and painful. And hot and sweaty. Curling a pixie cut is never a fun endeavor, and certainly not in a hot bathroom in July, but having a mini-straightener definitely helps.
I usually wear my hair brushed forward, so for this I had to first brush all my hair back, away from my face. Then I took my mini-straightener and wrapped thick pieces of my hair around it (focusing on the top of my head because the sides are too short) and curled them away from my face.
Once I had some nice volume, I blasted my head with hairspray to hold it. Despite all the hairspray, the curls started to wilt within 10 minutes, but that’s OK. Her hair in the “True Blue” video is more feathered than curled anyway. It’s up to you if you want super tight curls or if you want to brush them out a little for more of a feathered look.
I don’t own anything resembling her insane plaid dress--well, not since I was eight--so I borrowed the sexy brassiere idea from the “Open Your Heart” music video, which this look also works for, by the way.
Then I added the jean jacket because it seemed like something Madonna would’ve worn then. (Update: Aha! I was right.)
My only disappointment is that my hair should be whiter. I’ve been thinking about trying Manic Panic’s Virgin Snow to make my hair as light as it can be. I know it’s too late now to perfectly recreate Madonna’s “True Blue” look, but I’m sure I could do lots of other fun things with it.
For some reason, I’m more nervous to go white-blonde than I was to bleach my hair blonde in the first place. Anyone ever tried Virgin Snow before? Should I go white blonde to reach true heights of Madonna greatness? Let me know your thoughts, as always, because I love hearing them.
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Your Nude Isn't My Nude: A Brown Girl's Top Picks For Nude Lipsticks
I am out of secrets. After having written 44 beauty articles over the course of xoVain’s short existence so far, I really do think that my dirty laundry is all out on the internet for everyone to see.
Here’s one more from my last few slithers of secrets I have in my back pocket: I love being nude. Considering the fact that I come from a family that has instilled the idea that human bodies are meant to be kept under wraps, I enjoy being free of clothing too much. Not in an exhibitionist sorta way, more of like "Let me be free of this fabric prison I envelope myself in" when I’m in the cozy solitude comforts of my own home.
When I’m not naked, and when my fabric prison is a myriad of colors, I like to avoid a potential rainbow catastrophe with nudes. The problem is not everybody gets a brown girl’s nude shades right; I can’t count how many times I’ve been given a Chinese girl’s nude instead instead of my nude when I ask for it at the nail salon. It would probably be easier to sew my own pair of shoes than to find a pair nude heels in my shade of brown.
There are three go-to nude lipsticks that I’ve worshipped in the past few years--I have tried a ton, as I’m sure many of you have in search of the perfect nude--and here they are.
#1: MAC Cosmo
This lipstick is a medium pink with hints of brown, and it's the hints of brown that make it more of a nude shade for me. Had it been just all pink, I'd look like I just stole someone else's makeup bag and rubbed her lipstick all over my lips. Which would be weird, and gross. But such is not the case.
I like Cosmo because it still gives me a teensy bit of color without blending entirely into my skin.
#2 Revlon Matte Cocoa Craving
This matte lipstick is brown with orange undertones, and for a matte lipstick, it isn't drying at all. It's great when I need a canvas to pile on another lip color too.
#3 MAC Touch
Touch is the slam dunk nude for women my color. I have about seven half-used tubes because I went through a phase of wearing only nude lipsticks and I would buy a new one when I forgot it.
It's my perfect shade of nude: the exact color of my lips. The powers at MAC: I would be devastated if you ever decide to discontinue this shade. Please don't. I will name my firstborn Touch if I have to.
Other honorable mentions include Bobbi Brown Brownie Brown and Revlon Lip Butter in Fig Jam, which really isn't a lipstick but awesome nonetheless.
What shades are truly nude on you?
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A Pastel And Neon Interview With The Fabulous Audrey Kitching
Welcome to the world of Audrey Kitching. A world where cotton candy hair reigns supreme, Lisa Frank is unapologetically worshipped and unicorns are the only mode of transportation. A world where glitter is forever falling and twinkling in the moonlight and Harajuku isn't just a place in Tokyo, but a way of life.
As a lifestyle blogger, style editor, model and clothing/shoe/jewelry designer, this chick is basically a modern-day renaissance woman with pink hair. I could go on and on about her accomplishments (face of PETA, model for Vera Wang, LiveJournal superstar, wearer-of-glorious-lipstick…), but I'll cut straight to the chase.
I've been a fan of Audrey's for some time now, so when the opportunity arose to interview the woman Cosmo called "a fashion forward female" and "fashion disaster" in one breath, I was pretty stoked.
Because this website is all about beauty, I naturally honed in on Audrey's favorite beauty and skincare products. But because xoVain is specifically a beauty site with no secrets, I took it upon myself to go beyond the surface.
WENDY: Let's get started! Tell me: What are the three or four beauty essentials you absolutely must carry with you at all times?
AUDREY: I'm really big on removing makeup, so a great face scrub, a natural rose water toner, concealer and mascara! I think these four things can make you look fresh-faced even at your worst.
We always see you in super-glamorous makeup, but I want a rundown of your go-to, everyday makeup routine.
My makeup every day is so simple! I don't wear foundation ever unless I'm working and a makeup artist uses it on me. I start with a lotion or a tinted moisturizer, use concealer where it's needed, pat on some light setting powder, and then add bronzer and shimmer to my cheek bones and under my jaw.
As far as lips go, I will either use tinted Chapstick or a matte lip liner and color in my lips to use it as a lipstick. It's much longer-lasting and I hate shiny, glossy lipstick for everyday life. It's just not practical!
I then use a blonde brow gel, add mascara, and possibly a brown gloss to my eye lids or a light cat eye with liquid liner.
Your lips are always done up so perfectly. What are some of your favorite lip products?
Burt's Bees tinted lip balms, Rosebud Salve, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul, Illamasqua in Fable, and Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip in 17c.
While we're on the topic of perfection, your skin is essentially flawless. Which skincare products do you swear by?
I use Origins Modern Friction Gentle Dermabrasion Wash, Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner, and Lavanila Vanilla Lavender Organic Deodorant.
So, you're a vegan. As an eight-year pescetarian who still dreams of bacon, I've got to give you props on your commitment to a vegan lifestyle, especially since it often spills into to your beauty routine. Why is it important to you to be selective about the ingredients in products?
If you don't want to spray your food with Windex or drink poison, you shouldn't want to put it on your skin either. Everything you put on it effects your health for better or worse and soaks into your body.
It's obviously impossible to not use any chemical-laden products, and we can see from your ever-changing hair that you do use dyes that likely have non-natural ingredients. Thoughts?
I would be lying if I said I never use toxic products. I bleach my hair and get gel nails done. Those are my two vices in life! But I don't drink, smoke, take medicine or eat processed foods.
When you're hitting the town and want to pull out all the stops, what are a few tricks you employ to make sure you look damn good?
I'm so comfy casual, so I have to feel good in what I'm wearing. If it's too tight, too fancy and not like myself, I don't feel confident. I think confidence is more important than any accessory, brand name or trend! And the plus side is it's free and will never go out of style.
Wise words. Speaking of which, what is the best bit of beauty advice you've ever received?
The best advice I ever got was definitely to dress for yourself. When we dress to fit in or be accepted, we are acting. People can see right through that. You don't want to attract other phonies in your life. Be confident and manifest other leaders into your existence, not other insecure people trying to prove or cover something.
On that same topic, we all have insecurities. Is there any part of your physical appearance that you are--or were--embarrassed about?
I use to hate my freckles growing up. They were different; they set me apart from everyone else. Today, those are the reasons why I love them. I think you get to a point in life where you realize these are the cards you were dealt. You can only do so much. You can exercise, eat healthy, do beauty treatments, dye your hair, pick your clothing, get braces, but you can't change your skin or bone structure. These are things we must learn to love and accept!
What about fashion or beauty faux pas you've made in the past? Looking back, do you have any fashion/beauty moments that make you cringe today?
Honestly, everything up until the past six months! I guess that's part of growing up, though.
While we're on the topic of beauty/fashion blunders, what do you consider the absolute worst beauty trend of the moment?
Satanic crap and the '90s on acid overload.
And the best?
Pastels, neons, and rainbow reflective glasses.
You're such a creative person by nature. From where do you draw inspiration? Is it a decade? A city?
It's so cliché, but honestly, everywhere. I can walk into a store, open a magazine, watch a movie, look on Tumblr... I get inspired by everything I see. I always try to take the beauty and see that side of things. Most people spend too much time focusing on what's not right rather than what is.
Let's close this interview with a fun scenario question. You have $50 and nothing with you aside from a fabulous outfit and tickets to the hottest event in town. What do you buy?
Concealer, mascara, tinted Chapstick, bronzer and a bottle of coconut water!
Check out more from Audrey by following her on Twitter: @AudreyKitching
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Disguise An Irritated Allergy Face With Metallic Makeup
Remember when I wrote about my allergy face, and you were all SO helpful in the comments? That was awesome. Thanks again, guys. I took all of your advice.
I started eating and using raw honey. I tried to cut down on my dairy consumption. (I sort of failed at this one--sorry. I love cheese!) I doubled my Neti pot use, which really helped. Seriously, allergy sufferers: Neti pots save sinuses. I also started popping Zyrtec, which quells allergy symptoms and actually doesn’t make me feel like a discombobulated alien drifting around the Earth all woozy-like and weird.
For my face, I started washing with olive oil. I also used grapeseed oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. I tried the lotion layering. I was trying to take EVERYONE’S advice. I was trying too hard. I ended up overwhelming my sensitive skin, and my face was like EFF YOU, and I totally broke out.
On the plus side, my allergies have calmed a bit, and my face isn’t as irritated. Except around my nose. Can’t get completely rid of the bumps. New York, I love you, but you’re ruining my olfactory beauty!
Anyway, like any good criminal will tell you, when you can't get rid of something, you should cover it up, which exactly what I’ve been doing.
This was my thinking when I did my makeup last weekend to go out. I normally don't wear too much makeup when I go out, ESPECIALLY because of allergy face and not wanting to irritate the little itchy beasts that lay in wait just below my skin’s surface. (Ew.)
On this night though, I had plans. Not huge plans--just dinner and drinks with a friend--but there’s no better excuse to try a new makeup look than a night out on the town, even if you’re going to a pub down the street.
One of you lovely commenters told me that metallic makeup combats the look of allergy face, and she was sooooo right. I was so excited to try a metallic look out because I love shiny things. They distract and enchanted me. I'm basically Dory from Finding Nemo.
Shiny metallics were MEANT to distract, at least when it comes to diverting attention away from irritated, patchy skin and watery eyes. If I shimmer enough, you won’t notice I’m actually a sniffling mess!
Allergy sufferers should get to look pretty, too, dammit.
I used Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream on my face to start. I like it because it’s SPF 30, oil-free and goes on super-sheer. My go-to concealer has always been MAC’s Studio Finish Concealer, so I dotted that under my eyes, and on the spots around my nose. Since some of my skin was dry, I mixed a bit of argan oil with the concealer to hydrate.
Then it was time to shimmer, dolls!
I applied Neutrogena Crease Proof Eye Shadow in Forever Platinum on my eyelids. It’s quite silky and nice to apply, and doesn't overpower, so I just swept an even coat over both lids.
Benefit Watt’s Up highlighter is like Tinkerbell in a tube because it leaves behind a trail of shimmery fairy dust wherever you apply it. I put it on my cheekbones, under my nose where the redness was, and on my eyebrow arch at the arch. It gives a soft shimmer that reflects light and makes you pretty.
MAC Forgery Lustre Eye Shadow is my go-to super-sparkle product. It's a frosty, white metallic, and I put it right in that little spot between my nose and my tear duct, and also dotted some near my eyelashes for added shimmer.
For mascara, I used Dolce Gabbana's Intenseyes Black Intensity Mascara because I wanted a bolder lash with my metal-eyes. On my lips, I opted for a neutral, since I sometimes look like a prostitot when I wear too much makeup.
My makeup and clothing rules are (shockingly) the same: If you’re wearing a really strong eye, do a softer lip, and if you’re wearing a micro mini skirt, maybe don't wear a tube top? Am I boring? I won’t judge if you do differently, but I’ve made these arbitrary rules for myself after a lifetime of trial and error and sometimes looking like a lady of the night. Although, that can be fun, too.
I finished by applying Maybelline’s Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm in Peach to my lips, a sheer bronzy peach, and I was left with a face I could take out on the town!
Which I did!
I went out, you guys. Only it was SO cold here that night that we didn’t get far. Still, by the end of the night, my makeup had held up and I felt like a real, and really sparkly, lady.
Are you guys into metallic makeup? I'm totally sold. It’s so '90s! And its allergy-face-camouflaging properties make it pretty rad.
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Nostalgic Beauty Ritual: My Mom French Braided My Hair
I went to Maryland over the weekend to attend my sister's wedding reception, fully expecting to make an article out of how her makeup artist did up her face. Unfortunately, the morning of the reception, I was informed that there wasn't enough room in the car for a journalist.
I resigned myself to the fact that I would have no material to write about for xoVain during my brief trip. But then, the morning after the wedding, as I was packing to train it back to New York (shout out to my girl Acela), my mom said, "Why don't I French braid your hair?"
I could not think of a reason why she shouldn't.
My parents, who'd driven up from Florida, and I were staying in a guest suite in the apartment building where my sister's ex-husband (and all-around great dude), David, lives (and where my niece and nephew live part-time). In the short time I'd been there, I had already regressed into several childhood behaviors, like relying on my mom to wake me up and rolling my eyes at my dad when he insisted Celine Dion is the greatest singer in the history of the world. It was only natural that I'd let my mom do my hair as she had so many times when I was a kid.
Also, I can't French braid my own hair. SORRY, ANNIE, WE'RE NOT ALL BRAID GENIUSES.
So, yeah, even though I had puffy morning-after-a-party eyes--and by "eyes" I mean face--I asked my dad to take pictures of my mom braiding my hair. All of the pictures were blurry, but not blurry enough to hide that I should've still been sleeping.
Even though my mother doesn't braid her own hair, she hadn't forgotten how to braid mine. It's like riding a hairy bicycle.
It was a bit sloppy, but we decided it was messy on purpose.
And here it is from the side.
And from the back.
The braid was totally fine for train travel, but the caption-aforementioned insecurities started bothering me and took it down.
So as much as I loved the bonding time with Mom, I was reminded that I look better with my hair down at parties than I do with it braided the morning after.
Oh, by the way: My dad wants you to know that you should buy Curel Itch Defense. "I hate lotion, but I love this stuff."
When's the last time your mom braided your hair? Are you a self-sufficient French-braider? What's your dad's favorite lotion?
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Revisiting The Teen Beauty Book That Didn't Get Me Any Dates
When Marci asked everyone what our favorite beauty books were, I responded in the comments that I was OBSESSED with Bobbi Brown Teenage Beauty: Everything You Need to Look Pretty, Natural, Sexy & Awesome. And then many of you were like “OMG ME TOO.”
I’ve always been crazy about beauty, and when my mom bought me this book when I was about 13, it was all. I. read. When I was a teen and had no friends and didn’t get invited to parties, I would stay in on Fridays and Saturdays and practice makeup, using much of what I learned in this book. I thought it was so cool that a makeup artist was giving me insider secrets about how to look hot, and that if I followed her guidelines, maybe one day I would have a date to prom (I went solo both years).
This book gave me a great foundation of makeup knowledge when I was starting to experiment, and when I learned it did the same for you guys, I decided to re-buy it (I lost my copy years ago) to see if the advice still held up. And guess what! Some of the stuff I STILL do today, and some of the tips made me literally LOL.
But before we get to those, let’s see if the makeup looks Bobbi teaches us still hold up, because that’s why we all bought the book in the first place.
The book gives teens an eight-step makeup routine to follow each morning that is supposed to enhance their natural beauty instead of hide them behind makeup. It’s a really simple makeup routine, but also very basic if you’re an adult and know how to work your way around an eyeshadow palette.
The first steps are to cover your under-eye circles with concealer, and then cover any zits or blemishes with foundation. I used Benefit Boi-ing as my concealer and just a tiny bit of Urban Decay Naked foundation to cover my pimples.
In this chapter and in many others, Bobbi says to “seal” your concealer with powder so I dusted my face with some MAC Studio Fix before working on my eyes. Dust your brows with matching shadow.
Step 5 is to “shimmerize your lids.” I hated this part.
It says to dust your lids with one eyeshadow, and Bobbi recommends a shimmery purple because it flatters everyone. I used the lighter shade in Clinque Color Surge Eyeshadow Duo in Blackberry Frost and THAT’S IT.
The next step is to put on mascara, but not eyeliner or a darker shade in the crease or ANYTHING. I never wear a shimmer shade without adding some depth, but I guess that’s a perk of being an adult? But I still had some eyeliner on my bottom lids from the day before, which might be cheating.
After mascara, I used cream blush, The Body Shop’s Lip and Cheek Dome in Pinch Me Pink, on the apples of my cheeks and blended toward my temples.
The last steps are to fill in your entire lip with a creamy lip pencil. I like MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Shore Leave because it has a really soft, cream texture and just glides on.
I followed Bobbi’s final step and topped that with some lip gloss, Smashbox’s O-Gloss, and then looked to see if I was transformed into a teenage beauty.
I think the look is quite pretty, but also bland. As I was doing this, I remembered that when I was reading this as a teen, I always tried to add my own spin on the "natural look" tips because I wanted more pizzazz. As much as I tried to be natural and cute, I always found myself gravitating toward spackling my lids with glitter or highly pigmented shadows, which is why the experimentation chapter in this book was always my favorite.
The best look in that part is definitely this one:
I had to try it out, obviously, so I just grabbed Urban Decay’s Haight Shadow and a small angle brush and drew the shape around my eye and then filled it in once I had a shape I liked.
Annie did a great tutorial about making cat eye shapes, and I think the only way to get good at this is to practice a lot.
That’s more my style, but that’s probably why people were weirded out by my makeup looks in high school. BUT LOOK AT ME NOW, BITCHES. I’M WRITING FOR A BEAUTY SITE. Muahahaha.
Now on to the part that really dates this book.
It came out in 2000, and some of the tips did not stand the test of time. These are some of the best, worst, and weirdest tips I found while rereading my old bible.
THE BEST
- If your lipstick color is too intense, put some beige lip color on to mute it. I’ve honestly never thought to do this. If my lipstick is too intense, I just wear it anyway knowing it will fade, but maybe I’ll start beigein’ it up.
- The best way to hide zits is to put some foundation on them, not white/light concealer because it will just draw more attention to them. You guys, I always do this. I always feel like putting a light concealer on my WHITEheads only makes them look whiter and like that are filled with even more pus. Sexual.
- Don’t blowdry your hair! Just put in some leave-in and let it dry naturally. I bet your air-dried hair is mad pretty. I only heat style on the weekend, and it’s definitely helped my hair bounce back from being bleached three times in one month (worst choice ever). I just hop out of the shower and spay in Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner (stupid name, I know) and love how it dries.
- Break the rules: put lipstick on your cheeks or bronzer on your lips. YES YES YES this is my favorite beauty “rule.” It’s just makeup.
THE WORST
- In the Q&A chapter, some girl told Bobbi that she didn’t like her big nose, and Bobbi told her that she should learn to love it OR “If, however, your nose is truly out of proportion with you face (and you're at least 16), talk to your parents about consulting with a plastic surgeon.” Umm WTF? If I would have asked my parents for plastic surgery at 16 they would have laughed in my face and asked me to empty the dishwasher.
- I know we are not a very accepting society when it comes to all shapes and sizes of bodies (which needs to change), but it was obvi WAY worse when this book came out. Bobbi tells "big" girls that their only celeb role models are Emme, Camryn Manheim, Rosie O’Donnell and FEMALE HOCKEY PLAYERS. She also says “Remember, some girls were not meant to be thin.” Ah, the magic words every teen wants to hear.
- Also in the section where she tells girls how to dress for their body, she gives the “big” girls a “treats” section (which no other body type has on their page) and tells them to make sure they treat themselves to professional pedicures and keep their hair and makeup nice, which makes it seem like girls need that to distract from their bodies. Ugh. I’m surprised I didn’t jump out my window after reading this as a teen when I was the most self-conscious I’ve ever been.
THE WEIRDEST
- The book informed me that when asked, most teen girls said the celeb whose beauty cabinet they would most like to raid is Gwyneth Paltrow’s.
- Apparently, a good rinse is just as important as a good shampoo, and the book advises that you rinse your shampoo out for a good FOUR MINUTES. Is it weird that I HATE showering and don’t want to be in there any longer than I have to?
- Also, just FYI single ladies, you’re probably single because you wear lip gloss and boys hate lip gloss because “It makes a girl look like she just ate goo.” And they don’t mean the good kind.
Do you guys remember this book? Are there any beauty tips from it you still follow today?
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