{Beauty Tuesday} Birds of a Feather

In lieu of a regular Beauty Tuesday, I thought it would be appropriate to detail the inner workings of my fancy schmancy Halloween costume (that's why this post is a little late). Several weeks ago I gaped at a pair of feathered eyelashes on display at work, quipped to a manager about how ridiculous they were and how impossible they would be to wear, walked by them often, allowed them to grow on me, aaand bought them a week later. Yes, I am easily swayed in some walks of life. Apart from my inner impulse-buyer instincts, I wanted to take on the challenge and make something great. Thus, I give you my rendition of a bird.

Start with an even, pale complexion. I mixed white cream eyeshadow in with my concealer and foundation to get as pale as possible while leaving out the potential for being mistaken as a ghost.

Dust turquoise blue shadow in the inner corners and halfway across the lid, extending the color through eyebrows and blending onto the forehead.

Cover the rest of the eyelid in lavender shadow.

Fill in the crease with a deep violet shade and wing out past the eyebrows.  Make sure to blend it a little so the line isn't too harsh.

Dip an eyeliner brush into darker hues of blue, indigo, and purple and draw lines directed outward from the center of the eyelid. Extend the lines through and past the eyebrow.

Take a slightly lighter shade of turquoise than the first you used and blend it down the sides of the nose to shape the bridge. Make subtle "nostrils" with a deeper blue shadow.

Use an angled face brush to apply a deep purple-brown blush just below the cheekbones and along the jawline.

Apply false eyelashes.
*Tip: Use a decent amount of eyelash adhesive and let it sit for about a minute before tacking with your finger and pressing onto the lash line. Use tweezers to make sure you get it in the right place.

Happy wingin' it!

{Beauty Tuesday} Make It Last and Make It Count

Once upon a time I discussed the merits of wearing lipstick and all kinds of it. Just as vital to the wearer as shade and formula is the preparation and application thereof! We've all seen - or, at least, heard of - the smeared coffee mugs and sacrament cups, stained men's dress shirts (that's always a fun trip to the dry cleaner), and messy napkins. And let's not forget the dreaded ring of nakedness in the center of the lips after a particularly fulfilling meal! Here's how to eliminate flakes and make your color last:

Use a small amount of lip scrub (try C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Buffer) and rub it in well to create a smooth, even base. Remove any remaining product with a tissue.

Apply a thin layer of Vaseline or clear lip gloss (I love Hollister Lip Gloss in Ocean Berry; it tastes sensational) to moisturize lips. Allow ten minutes for it to sink in; otherwise, it won't penetrate the surface and will just mix in with your lipstick. Which doesn't work very well...

Use either a nude lip liner or the edge of the lipstick you're going to wear to create a thin line around the edge of the lips. Focus color on the cupid's bow and the very center of the bottom lip.

Fill in entire lip surface with lipstick straight from the tube.

Separate the top and bottom layers of a tissue, and use one layer to lightly blot lipstick. Reapply straight from the tube, blot again, then dab on one final coat of color.

Find something to be unfathomably happy about.

Happy sticking around!

{Beauty Tuesday} Boring Short Hair and Other Myths

       I can't even tell you the number of people who've asked me how in the world I'm able to work with my lobbed-off locks. Even with less than three inches of length on top (and less than three centimeters in the back), I still mustered the ability to do it differently each day. A lot of girls will confide that they would love to try short hair, but "I just can't pull it off!" Of course, for some people, it's unfortunately the truth. But I have found that for the vast majority, all it takes is a risky attitude and a spark of confidence - not to mention a small amount of creativity - to make it happen.

      As for myself, I generally find my features to be far better complemented with short strands. I've worn every length, and my long hair often makes everything about me look wider. Less length is unexpectedly more elongating, and if kept out of your face it helps pronounce the features you wish to accentuate. The tricky part is that, unless you have absolutely magical hair that dries perfectly after each shower and stays that way all through the day, you will need to style it correctly. I often curl my normally straight hair to keep it from falling flat (a disaster for round faces) and looking oily by the end of the day.

{HERE'S THE SCOOP}

Start with towel-dried hair.

 I use a lotion spray to care for my colored hair. Squirt on and run through all your locks, focusing on ends.

 Volumizer is a miracle for fine hair. Use a golf ball-sized amount and work it into your roots.

 Blow dry hair, curling small sections around a big vented round brush. This lifts hair at the roots and makes it full. Everybody will be jealous of your body. Wink wink.

Spritz a heat protectant all over, making sure you run it through all your hair, not just the top layer.

Gather all but the bottom layer of your hair into a ponytail and begin curling your hair in layers. Mist each layer with a tiny bit of hairspray before moving on.

Curl one- to two-inch sections of hair at a time. This will create a tighter curl that holds its shape better. After each small section has been curled, use your fingers to set it in place so the hair stays in a ring (this will also help to set the shape).

Always curl hair toward the back of your head, even if you intend for some of it to be in your face. More often than not, hair curled in toward your face makes  you look like you're being encroached upon.

I like to work from the nape of my neck upward and forward. It's best not to interrupt me during this process, or else I walk around looking like this.

Once you've finished curling every piece of hair on your head into little ringlets, it should look a little something like this. Mist all over with hairspray once more, and then leave it untouched to set. Go do something else for awhile. Some examples...

 Find something colorful to wear.

 Drink a tall glass of ice water.

 Eat a scrumptious granola bar.

 Carefully re-curl any pieces you may have missed (or that have fallen out of shape already).

 Brush your teeth.

Extremely well.

 Like this! All clean!

 Make faces at yourself in the mirror. Will you believe me, please, when I confess how often and enthusiastically I do this? Here's my most attractive of the morning.

Alright, now you've given your hair some time to get used to being curly. Flip your head upside down... 

...and give it its final dose of hairspray. 

 Now flip back up...

...and brush it all out lightly with a natural-fiber brush. This makes it soft, shiny, and natural-looking. I like to stick a giant ribbon bow on top, but you're welcome to leave yours how it is.

Happy curling!