For those who aren't aware, one of my favorite sites (And favorite way to save money) is HauteLook. HauteLook is a members-only site that sells designer clothes/jewelry/makeup/other things for steeply reduced prices, but only with a limited quantity and only for a day or two. They frequently have brands like Juicy Couture, American Apparel, BCBGMAXARIA, Romeo & Juliet Couture, Urban Decay, Stila, LORAC, etc. I have bought so much stuff there it's insane, I love it. It even tells you how much you are saving off of retail so you can feel extra special. And you can get $10 in "credits" when a friend you refer makes a purchase.
So this week is Beauty Week on HauteLook! I am psyched. Stila on Monday, LORAC and GoSmile on Tuesday, NYX and Rapidlash Wednsday, Jessica Simpson hair extensions in Thursday, and those are only the ones I already know I'm going to shop! I can't wait to check out the skincare and other stuff too. I'm going to stock up! I didn't buy enough at the last LORAC sale and I love LORAC after trying them out on HauteLook.
Anyway, invite time! (You'll need an invite to sign up.)
One style that I've noticed trending this season is what I call "Antique Romance." The colors are nude, sand, cream, shell-pink, late afternoon sun, straw, peach, taupe, pearl. The hand is gauzy-soft, impossibly delicate, with practically unfinished, ruffled edges and lace detail. This is what romantic-era farmer's daughters wore around their moderately wealthy family estates: soft, flowing chemises; ruffled peasant tops and blouses; simple, frothy dresses.
Where can you find this look without breaking the bank? Here are a few places (excluding the items shown in my Polyvore trend board - click here to view them). You can find another awesome post about this trend at Cupcakes and Cashmere.
To complete the look, style your hair and makeup subtley: peachy eyeshadow, a nude pink lip, and whispy, whimsical hair. Try this look, from the Alexander Wang s/s 2010 show:
Blow dry hair upside down for extra body and volume - you can also use a volumizing mouse like root pump volumizing spray mouse from Big Sexy hair. Then sweep or flip all of your hair over to one side. Seperate the chunk closest to your face and create a cowlick with either a round brush and a blowdrier, or a curling iron (tousle afterwards for a more natural look if you iron). Leaving the cowlicked section hanging free (or if your hair is all one length, very loose), braid the rest of your hair loosely in front of your shoulder, starting just below your ear. Braid all the way to the end, stopping roughly an inch from the ends of your hair. Secure with an elastic. Starting with the hair just above the elastic, use your fingers to pinch a section of braid and pull it out slightly, loosening the braid. Continue pulling sections outward gently (Don't pull them all the way free from the braid) until your braid is the same thickness all the way from top to bottom (you will need to pull more at the bottom unless you have very thick hair!) Finally, pull some whispy pieces of hair from the unbraided side for a tousled, relaxed look. (Does this make sense? If not, I can make a video tutorial.)
So, although I made a tutorial for flawless looking skin last year sometime (no link, it sucks) I much prefer watching other people's. My favorite ever is this:
I've been doing it for about a week now and have it all down to under 15 minutes, tops. Here's what I look like with it all on: What do I look like without makeup? Well, the pictures from when I was in the hospital are a good demonstration of the subpar quality of my skin, or you I can demonstrate it for you symbolically. Like that. Anyway I am really happy about this tutorial and some people asked me if I had all of the products that Kandy used, and what I used. While I had all of the products she used (Except a face highlighter), I did not use the same brands.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED: -2 foundations, whatever brand you like, one your natural shade and one that's 1 shade darker than what you usually use (it's useful to have a darker shade on hand for when you get tan anyway) -a powder to go on top of the liquid foundation and set it. I use a powder foundation and a translucent powder, but that's because I truly have awful skin and need that much crap to make it look smooth haha. -a concealer, i like yellow-toned because I have purple undereye circles, but if you mainly have redness you may want a greenish-toned one. -a bronzer -a blush -a highlight or whitish/cream eyeshadow -a neutral eyeshadow, but this is optional if you just want to leave them bare with some bronzer in the crease. -mascara -shadow or a pencil to fill in your eyebrows and of course brushes to apply them. I recommend picking up the $10 travel kit from CVS brand Essence of Beauty which covers the basics. Or there is a little zip-up case from the same brand which fits into a makeup bag and has even more good brush basics! optional: eyeliner, lipstick, primer
What I did/used: 1. Primer(optional, in my opinion, depending on how late you'll be out that day) I use a little free sample of sephora brand primer, OR monistat chafing gel (weird i know but look it up - same thing as primer :P) 2. almay skin healing foundation in 1 shade darker than my usual color for the outside of my face 3. revlon colorstay foundation in my usual color for the inner 0 of my face 4. clinique concealer (in a tube with a wand) in a yellowish color close to my natural color for my undereye circles, that triangle next to my nose, and all of my reddish acne spots 5. I wipe the sponge i use to apply these on my eyelids to get them covered as well, as she does in the video (I never use fingers though, ew) 6. after I apply all of that I add bare escentuals foundation to anywhere that is still red looking through the foundation using a concealer brush, and then just a light layer all over with a kabuki brush 7. bare escentuals mineral veil with a kabuki brush all over to set my foundation 8. NARS powder bronzer in my cheekbones and close to my forehead - then I used a little brush to apply those lines and the little V on my nose! Then I use the same brush/bronzer applied to the crease of my eyelid. 9. NARS blush in ORGASM on the apples of my cheeks, lightly 10. a yellow-white eyeshadow (smashbox brand in a brown pallette) right under the arch of my brow and in the inner corners of my eye, for highlight. (the only product i'm lacking is a highlight for my face, boo) 11. I fill in my eyebrows either with an eyebrow brush and a dark brown shadow , or a pencil 12. Apply Bare Escentuals flawless mascara 13. Cover lid up to brow with bare escentuals eyeshadow in glimpse - finesse; OR LORAC eyeshadow in Harmony, both very natural, neutral colors that almost match my skin but are shimmery and pretty! 14. if I'm going out I'll add liquid eyeliner, or sometimes waterline my top lids with black liner, and a neutral lipstick.
I know it sounds like a lot but it actually takes me like 15 minutes tops to apply all of this. Post pics if you try this look!
This past weekend I had my first paid job as a stylist! Granted, I was paid very little and will mainly be using the finished photos on my stylist website (work in progress) and in my portfolio. We had very little budget, so I chose clothes for the models out of their closets and coordinated outfits that way, and then did all of the hair/makeup myself using my own personal stash. It went really well and I can't wait to get the finished shots back! Here are a few behind the scenes pics:
it was fun but a LOTTTT of work, I was completely exhausted both days!
In other news, omglia.com has closed until further notice. I just don't have the time :(
Secondly, I bought this item last week from Lancome.com: It's called "La Rose Liberte", all french and sexy. It has a gorgeous rose in the center of the compact. It's $40, and I love Lancome lipsticks so I figured I'd give it a try. Well, it sucks. The compact, while beautifully pressed, is actually just full of shimmery, sparkly gold powder. It does nothing for my complexion besides making me look shimmery and shiny, which translates into oily. I looked like I got in a fight with my Urban Decay Baked eyeshadow, which is a much more attractive gold shimmer powder. It did not bronze me, and frankly it did not seem to make any sense- the only time I wore gold powder on my face was for a Jungle Themed party. The second I tried it I knew I was going to have to return it. Yuck! I think the product is discontinued. Next time I'll only be buying lipstick from Lancome :( what a dissapointment.
