I’m very much a default-mode person when it comes to my everyday makeup: I go for the same brushes, the same shadow colors, the same liner, the same gloss. Just because…it’s easy, I suppose. I love playing with makeup, but I also usually have fifteen minutes to get out the door, so I generally just stick with what I know works.
A few days ago, though, I shot an extremely cool collaboration with a beauty brand I’ve been a major fan of for years (I’ll share as soon as I’m allowed; so excited), and the looks we put together (not pictured here) were very out-of-the-box for me. And taking a moment to play reminded me: oh. I like experimenting with makeup.
And so the next morning, rather than plucking the same old stuff from my bag, I opened up the drawer in my vanity that holds all the shadows and liners and brushes and glosses that rarely see the light of day, and decided to try to do something that would feel comfortable and workable for day to night, but still be a little different from my “fallback face.”
I wanted soft. But still (slightly) dramatic. And so I thought dove grey and pink might do the trick.
Brows: I still can’t be bothered to go near my brows with a tweezer (although I think I probably should; a Tweezerman is on my list of things-to-buy), but I’ve discovered that filling in my brows with shadow (I use Elizabeth Arden’s Brow Shaper) is essential for a finished-looking face. Defined brows are especially nice with this look, since it’s all soft, blended shades and pale colors; they add a needed amount of definition and impact.
Eyes: Rather than go for my usual medium-brown shadows, I layered a couple of different shades of matte grey onto my lids, with the darker shade in the crease, and then finished with a pop of bright plum blended into the center of my lid. Next step: lining both the upper and lower waterlines (inner lids) of my eyes with a black kohl pencil – sounds weird (and can be tricky until you get the hang of it), but looks great. Finishing touches: a thin swipe of liquid liner on the upper lid, and two different kinds of mascara.
Skin: I wanted my skin to look bright and a little glowy, so I skipped matte products in favor of ones with a little luminosity. I started with foundation, applied concealer on any spots (I have a few at the moment thanks to pregnancy hormones), and then dusted bronzer very lightly across my forehead, cheeks and chin. I finished with a little blush, and skipped the powder entirely.
Lips: My lips are chapped all the time these days, so I prepped them with Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (one of my all-time favorite products), then added pale gloss.
Pictured: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation; Laura Mercier Secret Concealer; Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Color; Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Bronzing Powder; Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Grey; Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Liner in Zero; Smashbox Eye Shadow in Amethyst; Maybelline Volum’ Express Colossal Mascara in Black; Dior Diorshow Mascara; NARS Turkish Delight Lip Gloss.
