Make up Monday – “Dark Times Lie Ahead” – The Kiss of Death

Last year’s A/W 08 catwalks were full of this: 

So now we are hurtling full force into A/W 09, we should be thinking about wearing/working the looks that they provided us with, but even with a year’s advanced warning are we ready to paint our lips black?

I think the image above is absolutely stunning, I love the bold simplicity of it and how the black lips brings a uniformity. I do however remain unconvinced as to whether I or anyone else I know could pull it off without taking part in a full on grunge-fest!

I found this fabulous M.A.C. Colourview video that provides inspiration for looks to try this season. It is clear that soft, dewy, natural looks have been replaced by bright, bold, sculpted colour continuing the 80s fashion trend. With make-up however, I am always a little wary of trends. I’d rather look to the catwalks for inspiration for new techniques to try, rather than painting my face a certain way just because the industry dictates that it should be so. I also think there is a massive void between what works both on the catwalk and photographically as opposed to in everyday life.

I love the use of black on the eyes both matt and glitter based, I have also mentioned in previous posts how I love red lips, although I’m yet to find a shade I can pull off myself! These images below are from M.A.C’s new limited edition ‘Style Black’ collection coming out in the UK in October. I am particularly excited about the black grease paintsticks  and will definitely be purchasing one or two.

 

But back to the question of black lips; all that’s left for me to say is could you, would you?

V

Makeup “essentials”

The other day, inspired by V’s excellent makeup posts, A and I decided to play a game. A not-very-fun game entitled “if you were sent to a desert island, what five bits of makeup would you take with you?” Under what distressing circumstances would this happen? This was very difficult for me. For a start, being stranded on a desert island is a totally different situation from any other I am likely to find myself in, so if the point of the game is to establish what my five most important items of makeup are, then it will fail in its purpose.

After some minutes of this sort of discussion, we both chose our necessary items:

I went for Lancome foundation, which is genius, Lancome Hypnose mascara (I only own samples of mascara!), Touche Eclat and a blusher and eyebrow defining kit, both by Benefit. I consider these to be essential items because in my white-person-centric mind, darkening your eyelashes is the number one thing would do if you weren’t allowed to do anything else to your face, presumably because the person who stranded you on the island is threatening you with a sharpened bit of coconut shell.

I am a bit sensitive about my skin and so my makeup routine for a day when I am wearing makeup, which I don’t always, would go:

• moisturiser
• sunscreen (Clinique City Block factor 40)
• tinted moisturiser all over
• touch up with foundation
• concealer under the eyes. I’ve started doing triangle shapes instead of half-moons after reading about shading in this month’s Elle
• pencil in my eyebrows, a relatively recent addition to the process
• blusher
• Benefit concealer under the eyes, right up to the lashes
• powder liner applied with a brush from the Benefit eye-defining kit
• mascara
• Sometimes a bit of neutral-coloured lipstick, but I don’t usually bother with my lips.

I can’t believe how much makeup that is but it’s very quick to do. For an event I’d do black eyeliner on the inside of my eyelashes as well but there isn’t that much difference between the amount of effort. It distresses me how little A needs:

A, with her thick modelly eyebrows and black eyelashes, has the luxury of including makeup brushes. All she needs to look that gorgeous is apparently some concealer, blusher and sometimes a stroke of eyeliner. When I learned this I slightly wanted to kill her.

We did have concealer and blusher in common, which united shortly after to bring peace to the warring factions of our make-up, i.e. Mac vs. the Lancome/Benefit alliance.

I must say it was surprisingly eye-opening finding out what someone else would rescue if their makeup bag was set on fire by that horrid coconut-shell toting person. If I was allowed twenty things, most of them would probably go on my skin, while A has the chance to see beyond this and into the world of actual colours.

S

My fabulous lifestyle

Well, you know, this blog isn’t all about A and I wishing we had stuff we can’t afford and photos of us in pumpkins. It’s also about our amazingly stylish and trendy lifestyles that you only wish you could emulate.

So, here are my tips for living up to my fabulousness:

• Get sacked. Seriously, it’s the new having a job.
• Spend three hours of your day in the jobcentre because, in the words of the kindly manager at Wandsworth “Jobcentre Plus”, where you went wrong was not giving your form to Susan. You know Susan! She’s the one you give your form to. Sorry, you’ve now been deleted from our system.
• Get toothache, go home and have a sad.
• Remember you now have a cat living with you and feel weird that it can see you sitting on the sofa with no trousers on.

The only good thing about today is that Igot to carry my new Marimekko bag around with me. Had you forgotten this is a fashion blog? Here it is in all its mustardy glory. Luckily, despite having no job, I have a lovely Finnish grandma who gives me Euroz and I spent them all in the Marimekko shop (not pictured: new additions to my napkin collection) (oh my god, I really do have one).

I think a whole other post should be dedicated to my learning to buy and apply makeup as I am not really that skilled at it. Magazines have never addressed how to make up a face whose most important feature is the cheeks.

S

Maquillage

I have a nice little spot in front of the window in my wardrobe where I do my makeup, with a lovely padded floor cushion and good light. But I don’t have a suitably tidy approach to my makeup. I have four different bags in different states of tattiness. Less-loved items get relegated to more stained cases, while the favourites get to live in an oilcloth Cath Kidston purse with stars on it that my ex-flatmate gave me. It’s ideal in size and waterproofness when it comes to carrying a few bits to work and back, but isn’t fulfilling my needs at home.

I saw this case from Etsy today via an article at Tfs about how to store makeup. It would cost $100 or more with postage (not feasible with the exchange rate as it is) but I love the idea and it suddenly occurred to me my makeup isn’t being treated with enough respect and probably isn’t all that hygienic. I have a lot of nice makeup from when I used to have money and I much prefer posh brands like YSL and Benefit. Sorry budget makeup lovers, but I just prefer it. I’m not saying I look any better but frankly I probably take more work in facial upholstering terms than you do. I have complimented you into submission.

S

Wistful listful

Now that I have a job I can once again start my favourite hobby of daydreaming about stuff I want to buy. Ranging from the expensive dreambuy, through to the little treats, this is my list.

£££

• Ferragamo Varina flat pumps (£225!)
• A brown leather Miu Miu bag. Even if I could afford this ever, they don’t seem to have any pleasing dark brown leather ones at the moment.
• New GHDs.

££

• Lancome Adaptive foundation.
• Clinique facewash.
• Shu Uemura eyelash curlers.
• A haircut that will make me look exactly like last season’s Balmain catwalk models.

£

• Organic semi-skimmed milk. The drink of the gods.

Hair

Karl Lagerfeld Sping 2009

I’m irritated as today I dropped a second expensive mascara down the back of a radiator and now whenever I do my makeup I can see a designer makeup graveyard down there, winking at me gleefully (gold YSL packaging) while melting all over the pipes. I do love doing my makeup but I’m a bit clumsy at it.

My friend Karla says that you are either a hair, makeup or clothes person at heart, although I’d add that one can be a shoe or a bag afficionado as well, and I’d say I’m definitely a clothes person. However, since my taste in clothes has started leaning towards the more restrained end of things, I’ve become more interested in grooming. It’s a lot more time-consuming than putting together outfits, which is instinctive – it comes from the heart! With hair, you have to spend quite a lot of time for what seems a very subtle result. But when you see someone with that pefect hair it brings a whole outfit together, it makes casual clothes look beautiful. You know that perfect hair, just matte enough but smooth and shiny, falling just the right way? I’d like that but I’ve never had the time or inclination and I might start a New Year’s resolution to do that – it’s free!

S

P&J Disney update

It has been noted that the Paul & Joe Disney makeup has only been available in Japan up til now but I have checked and it is indeed available in the UK – I suggest calling the local P&J stockist (Selfirdges, Covent Garden, Notting Hill etc for London types) to check that they have it. I know at least one person who wants the lot for Christmas!

S

Schmaltz

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat

I can’t believe what a sucker I am for this makeup set. Disney character print is just a shade off Snoopy pyjamas, which jumped the shark about 10,000 pairs of H&M vest/knickers sets ago. But somehow this set, from Paul & Joe (one of my favourite unadventurous designers) just appeals. It’s so neat and cutesome. It would hide in your makeup bag and only you would get to see it, and you wouldn’t have to field any queries about whether you are actually five years old. It has a powder puff! Awesome!

S