30-30: #18

18. What's your favorite night time look?


I don't have one night time look, the same way I don't have one daytime look. Actually I don't even make a difference between night time and daytime, what I sometimes wear for work would clearly be considered super dramatic night look for some.


The one thing I only do for a special night, though, is wearing false lashes (and possibly do crazy things with my hair). 

These lashes are Illamasqua, and if they're not very well attached anymore,
 it's because this is early morning after a long night of wearing them!

30-30: #17

17. Favourite makeup artist?


This is a tough questions. First of all because I don't know all the talented makeup artists on this world, I maybe know 0.001% of them.
Secondly because picking one is very difficult when they all have such different styles.


If I consider their very different work, I'd have to mention two very different makeup artists: Alex Box and Lisa Eldridge.


Lisa Eldridge has created so many beautiful looks for magazine cover, I do consider her a reference in the world of glamour and beauty makeup.

I think we are incredibly lucky that she's willing to share her experience and talent through her makeup tutorial videos, which not every artist is open to doing!


Alex Box is a totally different story. We're not in the field of the glamourous wearable makeup here, it's all about abstract art.

And when Alex Box creates a look that is more on the 'realistic' side, like she does for Illamasqua, then these are always looks that make a scene. Why be scared, since makeup washes off?

So yes, those two, for very different reasons.


Still, I feel the need to mention François Nars for his healthy and interesting vision about makeup and beauty.

Becca Lost Week-End palette review

Moleskin, Chino (matte) and Moiré (shimmery)

I received a message on a makeup forum from a fellow member who wanted to know my opinion on the Becca Lost Week-End palette, and so I realized I had not reviewed it yet.
I have worn these eyeshadows several times and I must say I really love them.

As for all the Becca palettes I have, the eyeshadow texture is a dream: easy to apply, easy to blend, stays on very well (but then I always wear primer). The pigmentation, as always, is also very good. Sometimes I find Becca eyeshadows don't show up as much as I'd like on me (like the ones in the Halcyon Days) but it's always because the shade is intended to be pale, not because the pigmentation is poor.
With this palette, I find Chino, the darkest shade, to be particularly intense and I absolutely love it.

Lost Week-End versus Enigma.

Pic from Modesty Brown.

If I was hesitant at first at getting Lost Week-End, it's because I felt it looked a lot like the Enigma palette from last year. And, let's be honest, the promo pictures weren't very helpful for me to compare both palettes.

Lost Week-End look

Fallen Angel (Enigma e/s palette) look

But as you can see, they are very different, in the sense that Lost Week-End is definitely warmer than Enigma.
For me, Enigma is almost too cool toned to be worn all year long, I keep it for the gloomiest days of the Winter. Lost Week-End, though, works perfectly in those last Summer days.

I would say that if you are cool toned, Enigma would probably be a better option for you, while Lost Week-End would be better for neutral and warm skintones.

More beautiful pictures and excellent swatches of Lost Week-End on Modesty Brown.

The palette is available from Becca or Zuneta for €40 - USD 49.

Beauty Blog Link Love

Spiced Beauty swatches the hottest colors for Fall from the Make Up For Ever Smoky Couleur Palette.


This peel is amazing and delivers real results. The fact that it has Kelly from Gouldylox Reviews shaving her face is just a strange coincidence. 


Couldn't make it to New York Fashion Week? No worries, because Krasey Beauty has the scoop!


Fleurissante brings you the swatches of the new Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet matte lipsticks. 


Check out Lauren's New York Makeup Haul. Daily Polish visits Four Salon in Mayfair for a complete hair colour makeover. 


Check out Erin's recreation series to get the looks from Fashion Week Spring '12! 


Has Nuance by Salma Hayek caught your attention at CVS yet? Read Beauty Info Zone to see about the verdict on the Neutral Eyeshadow Quad. 


Just how much sparkle can you load into one lipgloss? Find out about the new Urban Decay Stardust Sparkling Lipglosses over at Makeup Morsels. 


At Musing on Beauty, Mariella shows how she made the very bright Nars Outremer eyeshadow work appropriate. 


Tracy at Beauty Reflections fights frizz with the new Moroccanoil Frizz Control! 


Claire shows a sneak preview of Orly's Christmas 2011 Nail Polish Collection, 'Holiday Soiree' over at The Beauty Scoop!

--- Miss Beauty Nerd is giving away two long-wearing, super pigmented eyeshadows from L'Oreal's new La Couleur Infallible collection! 

Are you feeling lucky? Want to win a MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick of your choice? Be sure to enter Makeup, Beauty and More's giveaway here. 

Ladies with Sensitive Skin: Be sure to enter Pammy Blogs Beauty's Lara Beauty: Skincare for Sensitive Skin giveaway!

Yes, bright blue smokeys can be work appropriate (Nars Outremer FOTD inside)

Yes, some more Nars again today!
The minute I saw this promo picture for the Nars Fall 2011 collection, I knew I would need this gorgeous eyeshadow - it's a single called Outremer.


Although the promo look might not be the most wearable for daytime, I thought the color itself should be usable and that, combined with black, it could work even for a work day. So here's what I did:

On the eyes: Nars eyeshadow primer, Nars Outremer and UD 24/7 Zero pencil to line. No other base than the primer was used under the eyeshadow.

For the record, other products used are Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua B10, Illamasqua Lover blush combined with Givenchy Prisme glow blush in Lune Rosee, and Mac Ravishing on the lips.

I absolutely adore the look, and I got tons of compliments on it. However, like any matte shadow, and particularly any matte Nars eyeshadow, Outremer isn't the easiest to work with. Here comes a close-up for educational purposes :

The eyeshadow is relatively easy to pack on with a flat shader blush, and is well blendable. BUT... it's hard to get an evenly pigmented layer of color (my eyes being slightly hooded, when they're open, there's some rubbing going on I guess), and it's not easy to blend without having the color disappearing almost completely.
Now I wouldn't say this is mission impossible, I wouldn't say it's as hard to work with as Daphne from last year is (that one wouldn't apply evenly no matter what). But it's a bit of work and even though this look was ok for me to wear at work, it's definitely not the kind of thing you can easily slap on in 3 minutes on a busy morning.


It is, however, a gorgeous color. And if you want to see it in action in a different, more dramatic way (closer to the promotional pic, actually), go check out my friend Jen over at My Funny Valentin - she's rocking Outremer. 

Favorite face charts from S-S Fashion Week

They're all Nars (so far), and there are five of them!




 
I'm loving this "sun burnt"look. I know it won't be classified as wearable outside of the catwalk but it's just my favorite of the bunch. I might wear it, I think.


Nars for Timo Weiland.

Number 2 in my top features Monsieur François Nars himself, creating this all-about-the-lashes look for Marc Jacobs.

There's nothing else on the eyes than a million layers of Larger Than Life mascara - no falsies, nothing. I love its simplicity and the femininity brought by the lashes.

 
The look created for Honor was all about the lashes as well, but in a more extreme way. More doll like maybe, minus a blush that would have made the skin and the girl look like China.

Then a much more classical look, greyish smokey eyes and slightly red lips - this one was for Naeem Khan.

Very pretty in my opinion, but not very original.

Makeup artist James Boehmer for Naeem Khan

Any look from the catwalk that caught your attention?

Know Your Priorities

My new makeup bag.

For size comparison purposes, my iPad 2 is underneath.

You can get it from the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art - here. 
Note to non-US shoppers: international shipping costs 5 times the price of the bag, find yourself a US buddy or mailbox on this one.

30-30: #16

16. Do you copy celebrity make up looks?


Yes, and no. I rarely do an exact copy of a celebrity look. I can copy a general style idea, though - I do that all the time with the Mad Men ladies for example.

Liner and red lips <3

What can happen, however, is that I follow a video tutorial for a celebrity's look, not because I noticed the celebrity, but because I loved the look in the tutorial.

30-30 : #15

15. Do you wear blush?


When I was a teenager, I read an article in a young girl's magazine that said "Blush: even if you don't wear makeup, you should wear some, that will make you look fresh, awake and alive".
Lesson learned! Of course I do wear blush, I LOVE blush! Peach ones, particularly.

Peach blush gallore! I have more...

Me, wearing not much more than foundation, mascara and... blush!

And I still believe that blush is the one thing that makes your face alive, if there's one thing I don't skip, it's blush!

Skin Situation Update

So I told you a week ago that I was going back to basics in terms of skincare routine to fight the dull skin I was getting in these gloomy early Fall days. That implied mostly going back to OCM (Oil Cleansing Method) and using a few staples.


Three days into that routine, I went through major purging. For those who don't know, purging can happen when you use skincare products or routines meant to unclog pore. This is not an allergic reaction nor a real breakout - purging is about already clogged pores turning into little white heads zits.
Well on day 3, I had about 20 of these little zits all over my t-zone (where I typically have clogged pores). I don't remember having had so many of these at the same time, it was a bit stressing but I knew it was a sign that the routine was working and it wouldn't last long. Purging lasts 7-10 days, if the situation persists any longer then you're not purging, your breaking out and something in your routine is not working for you.


I used Avene Diacneal (Glycolic Acid 6% and Retinaldheids - now discontinued and replaced by Tri-Acneal) on these little zits and that helped a lot, they would typically be gone in 2-3 days thanks to it. I do believe that the Vitamin C serum has helped clearing the skin as well.


I also got one cystic pimple, which I never ever get, on my browbone and it was very painful. It was gone in 5 days with the same Diacneal.


So here we are after 9 days: I have new clear baby skin again!


Here's me on Friday, wearing foundation (Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua):

In case you wonder: lipstick is Mac Girl About Town

And this is me yesterday, with just a bit of Origin Vita Zings and Double Wear Concealer under the eyes.

Sorry for the hair in the lashes! Lipstick is Beauté Masochist
Residual white head under the left eye but that's no big deal :)

So yes, good skin is back and this is a relief! I am going to keep up with this routine, of course, especially making sure that I keep using OCM with castor oil 3 times a week at least, and it looks like my skin is always better when I use some kind of Vitamin C serum, so we're going to have to incorporate that permanently!


Do you have any good skin secret to share?

War paint

I haven't been around these days because work was just crazy and stressfull and I didn't have one minute to blog.
I did, however, wear makeup! And what's to do when you know the day is going to be tough? You put your war paint on: for me that's winged liner and red lipstick.

I'm wearing:
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B10
Bobbi Brown concealer in Ivory
Eyes: Mac Brule, Mac Wedge and Bobbi Brown Chocolate Shimmer Ink gel liner
Nars Exhibit A blush
Illamasqua Maneater lipstick


The scarf, that I adore, was bought at Marks&Spencer while I was in London.


What's your war paint for tough days?

And all that Smog (a.k.a.: the one eyeshadow look)

I have been inspired by the beautiful and lovely Ruth aka A Model Recommends, who is wearing this kind of look a lot lately - that is a single eyeshadow up to the browbone, leaving just enough space for the higlighter.
I have tried this with UD Smog, which I love, but given my eyes are a bit hooded and I need to give them some depth one way or another, I used a darker liner along the lashline, under the eyeshadow (it's a bronze Mac Greasepaint). No neat application, no blending: apply, put eyeshadow on top, blend edges, mascara and you're done. Here's a close-up for you:

Although you don't see it too much in those pics, my skin is freaking out at the moment and totally purging since I've been back to Oil Cleansing Method. I expected it, kind of, but it's being more intense than I expected! Apologies if you see any pimples!

Other products used:
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua B10

Bobbi Brown corrector in Light Bisque and concealer in Warm Ivory

Illamasqua Lover Blush

Dior Addict lipstick #322

Skincare Routine update: back to serious stuff.

So I have been a bit lazy lately with my skincare. Don't freak out, I haven't been going to bed without removing my makeup. But I have not been good at doing everything that works for me, out of pure laziness. 
My skin is complaining: congested pores and blackheads are back, dry patches make their way back as the weather is getting cooler, and I just don't like the general appearance of my skin much these days. The season change is probably not helping either.
That's why I need to go back to my basics and do what I know works for me. Since this week-end I have been using this routine.


Morning.

Cleanse the night away with Bioderma Crealine H2O.

Rinse off with warm water and a Konjac sponge.

Prime skin with serum, either my Oskia Get Up And Glow (for dull days where I need instant radiance)  or my Red Radiance Perfecting Serum (review coming later).

Evening

Oil Cleansing method with my own blend of Almond oil and Castor oil.
Rinse off with hot water and moslin cloth.

For nights where I'm really tired and late, or if my skin gets dry because of the Castor oil,
 Shu Uemura cleansing oil for dry skin.

For the next 21 days,  Aqualia Antiox 10% vit C serum.

Moisturize with either DayWear Plus cream for combination skin,
every 3 days I replace it by Avene Cleanance K that contains AHA-BHA.

I'll be sure to keep you udpdated on how fast and how well this "new" regime works!

Beauty Blog Link Love

Check out FabDiva20's Gold Stroke Recreation Look inspired by Fullybeatable!


Read all about Krasey Beauty's purple hair transformation!


Musicalhouses shows you the Sleek Au Naturel Palette swatches from the Nude Collection, the first neutral and permanent collection to be launched by Sleek Makeup!


At Musing on Beauty, Mariella can't help but go back for more Chanel Fall!


Jen from A Beauty Junkie in London is currently loving Carmex Moisture Plus!


Whitney's World of Beauty swatches, reviews and shares her FOTD with newer products from Physicians Formula!


$115 foundation!? Fleurissante checks if Sisley Phyto Teint Eclat is really worth it.


Back to school this week (or not), be sure to check out Shivani of Adorable On Your Vanity's top 5 natural glosses.


At Beauty Reflections, see how the new Sephora Smoky Kohl Eyeliner performs!


Do you suffer from dark circles or puffiness? Sherrie from Mirror, Mirror On The Wall is on the quest to find the best products for dark circles. Check out her RAVE review of Estee Lauders Cooling Eye Illuminator.


Is it that time of year already? Anita at Pleasureflush looks at Guerlain's Holiday 2011 collection: Belle de Nuit.


L from Beautifully Addicted To runs you through her must have Autumn and Winter nails.


Ready for fun new Fall makeup? Pammy Blogs Beauty scopes out the new Pixi Fall 2011 offerings and Pixi creator Petra's new blog.


Polish Insomniac has started cataloging her entire collection for insurance purposes - should you?


LaaLaa Monroe at Dolce Vanity is being enticed by the feathers of the peacock, and turns this desire into a nail art design.



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Do you have an awesome make up setup? If so, check out Spiced Beauty's new contest to win a OttLite Natural Makeup mirror.


Beauty Info Zone did a little shopping at MAC, found someMAC Me Over favorites, and chose some for a giveaway.

This ain't gonna be a Lost Week-End

Yes, cheesy title to introduce you to Becca's new collection for Fall-Winter. But what can I say, it's Friday, I'm exhausted after a hell of a week, and the idea that a week-end would be lost in any way is unbearable.
That almost put me off buying this beautiful eyeshadow palette.

I said almost - Zuneta tempted me with a gift with purchase, and the colors were too pretty to resist anyway!


So here's a quick look I did with it, and I'll be reviewing the products more in depth next week!

I'm very much afraid that this kind of looks on a Friday make working girls look more tired than sexy, but whatever - I find it very pretty and it was super easy to do.


Happy Friday!