Reader Request: The Extra Mile

After my last blog post, a reader requested that I give a  tutorial on how to create my signature cat-eyed, red-lipped look.  While makeup isn't my area of expertise, I consider cosmetics to be an extension of an outfit- the finishing touch that brings a look to the next level.  So if a tutorial is going to inspire someone to take their look up a notch, I'm happy to do it!  And without further ado, here it is:

 

What You'll Need:  concealer, liquid foundation, translucent powder, brozer, blush, neutral eyeshadow palette, black liquid liner, black mascara, brow kit, and red lipstick.

 

1. Start with a blank canvas.  Wash your face, moisturize, and apply SPF.  Dab some concealer onto red patches and dark spots, patting lightly with your fingertip until blended.  Use a concealer that's about half a shade lighter than your natural skin tone to brighten your complexion.

The blank canvas I started with!

 

2.  Get red of dark circles.  Apply 4 dots of concealer under each eye, from inner to outer corner.  Apply 1 dot of concealor directly under the arch of your eyebrow.  Pat and blend in the same way you did for dark spots until concealer is completely blended, getting rid of dark under-eye circles and highlighting your brow bone.

 

3.  Time to apply foundation.  Choose a shade that matches your natural skin tone (find this by testing foundations on the hollow of your cheeks).  Some say foundation should be applied before concealer, but I'm a big believer in concealer first!  Since concealer can sometimes lighten and brighten the skin, using foundation afterwards totally evens out your tone, leaving perfectly even color behind.

 

Squirt a dime-sized amount of foundation, tinted moisturizer, or BB cream onto your fingertips (pointer, middle, ring) and blend fingers of both hands together.  Then dab a dollop onto your cheeks, chin, and forehead and blend downward until the foundation is evenly distributed. 

 

Many people use a foundation sponge or brush to blend, but I think that the fingertips bring a lighter and more natural feel.

 

4.  Set the concealer and foundation by using a powder puff to lightly apply a layer of translucent powder over the face.  This will keep your liquid concealer and foundation from melting!

 

5.  Contouring is next!  With a flat brush, swipe a light layer of bronzer (about 2 shades darker than your skin) into the hollows of your cheeks (suck in your cheeks- bronzer should be applied in those dips).  Also dust it along your jawline and hairline.

 

6.  Next up is eye makeup.  I prefer powder eye shadows and use this huge shadow palette from ELF that has all the colors I could possibly need. 

 

 

 

Again, use your fingers to create the perfect natural/smoky eye.  Dip your ring finger (the muscles in this finger are the weakest, so the touch will be lighter and more natural) in nude shadow and dust it over the entire eyelid, from lashes to brows.  Next, dip your pinky in a cream or white shadow and dot it in the inner corner of your eyes- this brightens up your whole face!  A shimmery dark brown shadow is your next shade, and use your ring finger to dust this over your eyelid, from lash line to the crease.  Finally, swipe a gray or black shadow into the creases of the outer half of your eyelids. 

Eyes, post-eyeshadow and Step 1 of eyeliner

This sounds like a lot, but look at the result:  so natural!  The trick to keeping dark shadows from looking overdone is using your fingertips instead of brushes. 

7.  And now, the piece de resistance- winged eyeliner!  This step is a little tricky and it's very easy to over-do it.  To keep myself from going overboard with eyeliner, I first add a coat of black mascara to my lashes.  The boldness of the black lashes  gives you an idea of how dramatic your eye makeup will be, which in turn makes you realize that you don't need that much liner to make a statement!

  Take a felt-tipped black liquid liner, and run the tip along your lash line from the middle to the outer corner.  Do this on both eyes.   Next, run the tip of the eyeliner from the inner corner of your lash line to the middle- the new line should meet up with the first one you made.  Doing your eyeliner in 2 steps like this ensures a straighter, steadier line.

Now, the hard part: touch your pinky to your temple, and pull your skin up and out like this:

This looks very silly, but I guarantee you'll get the smoothest line!

Take your liquid liner and trace a line from the end of your lashes, up towards your pinky.  The skin around your eyes will crease and give you the perfect angle to follow with your liner.  Draw the wing out as long and thick as you'd like, following your skins natural pull.  Voila!

I keep plenty of moistened Q-tips on hand just in case I don't get this right the first time.  Keep trying, and you'll get it right eventually :)

8.  Add a few more coats of black mascara to your lashes.  I'm a Jersey girl, so I pile the stuff on...but 1 or 2 more coats should do for the rest of you :)

9.  Now, using the same technique that you used for contouring, apply your blush. This time when you suck in your cheeks, use your blush brush on the cheekbone that is sticking out, like this:

Another silly face.

10.  Finishing touches!  To complete my classic 50s face, I use a brow kit to fill in my patchy eyebrows so that they look full and bold. 

I love the mole on my right cheek, and layers of foundation sometimes cover it up.  To make sure my mole is still a part of my look (a la Marilyn Monroe), I darken it with a touch of liquid eyeliner.  Even if you don't have a mole, feel free to experiment and draw one on- I guarantee you'll feel glamorous!

Finally, I swipe on a matte red lipstick that will stay in place all day.  L'Oreal has amazing longwear lipsticks, but recently I've been using the Sephora brand and loving it! 

 

While this may seem like a lot, I do my makeup in 10 minutes flat.  Everyone has room in their morning routine for that!

Enhanced mole!

Bold brows!

 

 

New fave Sephora lipsick!

 

So there you have it!  Did you girls like this tutorial?  Let me know if you'd like a step-by-step guide to anything else-  the "no makeup" look, the 60s mod look, etc.

In the same way that makeup is an extension of your wardrobe, hair can make or break a look!  Me and almost everyone I know in LA (literally about 15 of my friends), all use the same AMAZING hair stylist: Matthew Kazarian at Vidal Sassoon Beverly Hills.  Here's how chic he will make you look:

 

 

                               

 

Call 310-274-8791 to make an appointment with him!

 

For my next post I'll be back to talking about clothes, but every once in a while it's good to remind yourself about the little extras that take your style to the next level.

 

BTW, I've been loving the reader requests coming my way--- please chime in with questions or suggestions in the "Comments" section!