Sunday, August 30, 2009

Mail Bag: Makeup

Not only do your clothes always look stunning, but you are always perfectly well groomed. Do you put as much thought into your make up as you do your clothes, or do you have a staple eyeshadow/lipstick or two that you always rely on? Like you, I love bright colours, non matchy-matchy mixes and funky shoes - but I always seem in two minds about whether I should keep my make up simple and neutral-ish, or if I should work that into my 'outfit' also, even if it is in subtle ways.

Any thoughts?

Sahar

I’m no makeup expert, but I’m happy to share my makeup techniques.

Basic Base
For the most part, my makeup* stays the same every day: concealer (liquid and powder), powder foundation, cream blush, beige eyeshadow, black mascara, brow shadow, and a finishing face powder. Sometimes, I wear eyeliner, bronzer, or highlighter. I do vary my lipcolor and accent eyeshadow.

Matching Makeup
Lips. I usually go for red or pink lips and, yes, I match them to my outfit.


If I'm not wearing red or pink clothing, then I choose a red lip for outfits with warm tones and a pink lip for cooler ensembles.

Eyes. I usually do a neutral eye in browns and blacks, but I sometimes add a little teal or green to match what I'm wearing. I apply color to my eyes with a light hand, though. Any color is just an accent at the outer corners of my lids. I don’t have any pictures that show the colored shadow, which brings me to…

Polished in Pictures
Unless I publish close-ups or wear really heavy makeup, most of the cosmetic subtleties are lost in my blog pictures. If I want my face to look finished in a full-body photo, I play up my lips and brows.

To illustrate how well strong lips and eyebrows photgraph, I’ve taken a series of pictures. The first is my nekkid face. The second is with all the makeup I usually wear, but no lipstick or brow shadow. I add those products in the final photo.



But it’s a little difficult to get the effect of increasing levels of makeup unless I back up a little. (Don’t judge the outfit…just be glad I’m not wearing my pajamas as this was right after a nap.)



Admittedly not everyone is a fan of the dark brow, but I’ve been a convert since I scored my first auburn eyepencil from Sephora almost three years ago. I later converted to a shadow/wax kit and now just use a brown eyeshadow I found at the drug store. On the weekends, I often skip the brows and lips, but I don’t feel like I’ve got my face completed without them.

I know that some of my readers and fellow bloggers are much more proficient at cosmetics than I am. Do you match your makeup to your outfits or wear one basic “face?” What cosmetic makes you feel like your look is finished?

*Due to a conflict of interest, I will not publish the cosmetics brands I use.

13 comments:

emily said...

i have a basic "face" but sometimes i do add red lipstick or colored liner depending on what i'm wearing.

Marie said...

Thanks for your constant willingness to help us on to fabulousness.

Alison said...

You are so cute. Thank you for the comparables. I have started to use lipstick much more because of you. I love how it looks and I find that pictures of me look so much nicer with a little color on my lips. I don't find that I match my colors to my outfit, but make sure that they go. And, like you I find that go a bit more coral with warms outfits and more of a pink with cooler ones.

Kari said...

Wow, your brows are impeccable. I had *no* idea they were filled in. And I'm amazed at how large and bright your eyes are pre-makeup!

If you don't mind sharing, what lipstick do you use when you want a true red-red? I love how the color you use looks with your complexion, and as a fellow pale-skinned gal, I'd love to find a similar shade that works on me when I want to play up my lips.

Zazzu said...

In most cases, it's extremely brave to show one's "nekkid face" on the internet. However, you look so great even without a lick of makeup that I can see why you didn't hesitate.

I've decided not to hate you for this, btw. ;)

You're right, eyebrows and lips make or break one's look. I never wear eyeshadow during the day, but I MUST color in my brows and lips.

Thanks for sharing this!

sabina said...

I had no idea you had freckles! They're gorgeous.

xo

Sabina

Sheila said...

All hail the nekkid face! You look great without any makeup at all, Kasmira.

I do a basic face (I also have freckles), then punch up my eyeliner, eyebrows and lips for special occasions.

Kim said...

Curious to know if it was a challenge or if it made any difference at all when you changed your hair color. Either way, you're the pro so I'm not surprised it works either way.

Kasmira said...

Kim - the only thing I've changed about my makeup with the new haircolor is the shade of my brow powder.

I also stopped using eyeliner regularly...but that had more to do with me tiring of the liner than it clashing with my hair.

Senegal Daily said...

Thanks for the tips. I'm slowly making the transition to a darker brow and your pictures are very inspiring.

Lisa said...

Thanks for sharing. I always wonder how much of an impact make up makes in pictures and overall appearance, and this totally answered my question.

Anonymous said...

You should try a bright coral lipstick with your new hair. That would look smashing!

anythingreen said...

Thanks for this! I agree, lipstick is the most important step. I never feel finished without it either. I try to coordinate my lips to my clothes too, but not too literally. Maybe that's why I have 40 lipsticks.... Yikes.