red ideas for winter.

red lips don't have to look vixen: a natural shade of red lip color in a slightly sheer and glossy texture and minimal makeup elsewhere will make you look impossibly innocent and youthful. try a stain or a tinted lip balm instead of your classic red lipstick- you'll be amazed with the result.

red and leopard print, along with the subduilng effect of a ladylike camel coat, is suprisingly sweet. oh, do I need to mention how trendy it is?

complete a classic, muted ensemble with a dash of chunky, sporty red -such as red mittens- to make it joyous and fun.

photos: blanco winter 2010 campaign by hunter & gatti

scarlett in lavender

I'm not usually a fan (overrated? absolutely.) but I have to admit scarlett johansson looks undeniably lovely here in iron man photocall.  first of all; lavender looks great on blondes! this is the exact hair look I'm always aiming at. and I can't help adoring the her masterpiece makeup. naturally defined brows and slightly sunkissed, sweet cheeks and moist nude lips, that's very bobbi brown indeed.

well done.

berry-stained lips

I've always loved the idea of a berry-stained pout. strong color meets sheer texture for a flattering and natural look that's a bit innocent and childish -think popsicle pout- and thanks to its "just-bitten" appeal, definitely unusually sultry, in an appropriate way of course.

nowadays; deep cherry, mulberry or wine shades are growing on me. though it's usually more common on fall/winter fashion shows, I find it to be such a fresh look for the spring. especially paired with nude outfits, it's just irresistible.
 
since it's so striking on its own, you don't really need to put a lot of effort on the rest of your face- I complete the look with pale, natural-looking skin, subtly defined brows, a bit of barely-there highlighter and a dash of mascara.

to get this look; you can go for either a lipstain, sheer lipstick or gently pat a more opaque lippie and smudge it for a matte transparent finish. another technique is to put a thick swipe of deep lipstick on, leave it on for a couple minutes, then blot it off with a tissue- this really stains your lips.

I use a sheer berry lipstick that's slightly dewy in texture, but also willing to try a stain ASAP!

1. Laura Mercier lipstain in Mulberry
2. Nars lipstain gloss in Victoria
3. Smashbox photo finish lipstick in Ravishing
4. 3 Custom Color lip and cheek stain in Ski Bunny
5. Bobbi Brown pot rouge for lips & cheeks in Chocolate Cherry
6. CoverGirl outlast lipstain in Sassy Mauve
7. Urban Decay lip envy in Greedy
8. Givenchy printed lips lip stainer in Pink Impression

is there anything more french than a wine-stained pout? try this look with classic french chic items, believe me it works.

berry lips, popsiclepout tarafından Chanel bags ile yaratıldı

a berry lip is just delicious and pretty striking paired with gray.

berry lips, popsiclepout tarafından Donna Karan sweaters ile yaratıldı

this spring's boudoir-esque nudes get along pretty well with berry-stained lips.

berry lips, popsiclepout tarafından Mulberry bags ile yaratıldı

my would-be oscar gown.

is it just me, or do you do it aswell? through the years, I developed the strange habit of pulling together an imaginary look for the oscars. here's this year's look- and I bet that after this post, the academy will be really sorry for not having invited me.

this fairy-dusted, gorgeous nude valentino baby is the ultimate perfect oscar dress for me- I'd pick it up in a minute. in fact, I can hardly think of anything else nowadays

I'd go for a natural but striking makeup look: porcelain skin, berry-stained lips, a bit of ivory highlighter, defined brows and some mascara, kinda like oldschool liv tyler. and my signature loose, intentionally tousled waves of course. ok, this picture of liv tyler is misguiding, I know I wouldn't be exactly as breathtaking, but it's a good look for anyone, not just for elves.

for a little pop of color, I'd wear berry-colored pumps and take a tiffany blue clutch with me, and I'd be good to go. very good to go indeed.

what's your oscar look?

nude makeup at its best.

I guess the key to great nude makeup is being a good observer- you should look for what's naturally striking in people's faces.
some people have lovely naturally pigmented lips, some have lush lashes and brows. some have great color combinations on their faces. I have a friend whose cheeks are always naturally flushed in a beautiful dusty rose shade- she's my major inspiration in cheek-accented makeup. another friend has a gorgeous ivory complexion that's somehow naturally glowy, and she's what I mostly think of when highlighting my cheeks. children always have great coloring because they are so fresh, they always inspire me.

here are some looks that I feel like embody this approach to nude makeup.

a juicy, sheer bitten rosewood lip shade and minimal makeup elsewhere- quite remarkable.

how I love childlike, youthful cheeks!

I'm a huge fan of this popsicle pout look. a lipstain or sheer lipgloss in a cranberry shade will do. it just turns the heads- I find well done nude makeup much more exciting and interesting than bright, theatrical looks. 

all you need is not love but lush brows.

warm, bronze-y pink cheeks and a cool-toned mauve lip- how lovely, I must admit I could never ever come up with this idea by myself.

it's all about the skin here- I adore this dewy candlelight glow.

my trick for natural-looking lush lashes is to line the upper lashline with a dark brown/cocoa colored pencil (black won't give the desired effect) and gently smudge it with the tip of my finger, then apply mascara. it truly looks like you have a full, fluffy fan of lashes. gazelle eyes au naturel- it's a very Audrey look! it looks most striking when completed with full brows

here are my favorite products for nude makeup- I'm in a constant hunt for them.


MAC blush in fleur power:
it's a bright and pigmented matte pink-coral powder blush. looks scary in the pan, but the effect on cheeks is gorgeous and surprisingly natural- I guess it's the closest color to how most women have their cheeks naturally flush into. it's such a universally flattering shade, I've heard women of pretty much every kind of coloring to rave about this blush.


Bobbi Brown pot rouge in pink raspberry:
my absolute staple; this gorgeous raspberry pink cream blush doubles as lipcolor aswell. the color is just lovely, it's so striking and natural at the same time. I love the slightly dewy finish it has. a bit expensive but I'm convinced it's worth every penny.

MAC select tint spf 15 tinted moisturizer:
MAC, you should have really hated me to have discontinued this, what am I gonna do once I run out of this bottle full of magic? it's oil-free, it doesn't make my skin oilier, decently hides pores and minor imperfections while letting my skin show up, has a lovely dewy finish, has spf and never ever breaks me out- I'm pretty sure it's not worse for my skin than a plain moisturizer.

MAC cream color base in pearl:
lovely cream highlighter- MAC describes it as "Soft pale gold with icy shimmer" I'd say ivory with a slight champagne hue. ideal for naturally highlighting & emphasizing. I use it everywhere- brow bone, cheeks, bridge of nose, inner corners of eyes.it's very convenient, I usually put it on with fingers straight from the pan.

NYX round lipstick in b52:
I'd describe this shade as wine-stained dusty rose. romantic, natural and very flattering; it's ideal for the days you want to put the emphasis on your lips without being overly dramatic. rather than applying straight from the tube and putting it on thick, I smudge it on my lips with fingers.

NYX round lipstick in circe:
A beige/milky nude shade. I don't really like putting a full swipe of this- I just gently pat it on my lips to tone down the color naturally. it has a nice matte, even slightly powdery finish that's not drying at all.

Max Factor false lash effect mascara:
I don't even remember how many tubes of this mascara I've gone through. it might be the only field of my life in which I've been consistent. its brush legendary- gives amazing lenght and gorgeous natural-looking volume while perfectly separating each lash. even my dad has complemented on how great my lashes look, and believe me, that doesn't happen a lot!

Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm:
besides being a  fantastic, lightweight, eco-friendly lip balm, this one also seems to increase the blood circulation on my lips and give them a naturally rosy look, thanks to the peppermint in it. I don't know if it does that to everyone, but the effect is obvious on my lips. I always put on a swipe of this before going to bed at night and before applying lipstick in the morning, and some days I just don't feel like putting on anything else because it looks good enough to be worn alone!

BeYu soft liner for eyes & more no: 674
it's a lovely soft, longlasting liner (it sets and goes waterproof in 30 seconds) I use for lining my upper lashline. it has a really dark cocoa color, which is dark enough to create drama but still looks wonderfully natural.

H&M bronzing powder
I love my light complexion, but I often feel like I look too pale, so a slight dust of bronzer has become a staple, and I recently fell in love with this H&M beauty. I love its caramel-brown tone because nobody bronzes red except oompa loompas, that's something a lot of makeup brands don't understand. looks like it has some slight shimmer in it on the pan, but shimmer doesn't really show up on your face- just helps to hide imperfections and give that healthy, naturally glowy complexion look. I think I got it for about four pounds- steal alert!

what are your favorite products for a natural, fresh look?


much love.

beauty inspiration: spring 2010 fashion shows

while taking a look at spring 2010 fashion shows, some beauty looks grabbed my attention. I often take inspiration from runway makeup. since they are usually a bit more dramatic than real-life looks, they let you to see what works with what more clearly. so I thought it might be helpful. here are some that seem worth sharing:

kooky lolitas in marc by marc jacobs wore bright fuschia pouts with their huge, striking headbands. so alice in wonderland! a bright lip color is the easiest, fastest and probably most effective way of looking pulled together.

side-swept pigtails and a bright tomato lip in prada is simply genius. isn't it different than anyting we've seen in a while?

I love the tough look in alexander wang, consisting of strong, defined brows and a messy sideswept braid. oh, that legendary braid that started the whole trend!

the lovely bouffant updo in giorgio armani that's reminiscent of audrey hepburn is extremely chic but casual enough for day wear. since I spent my late teens shamelessly mimicking audrey hepburn's style, it's particularly striking to me. I find these hairstyles go the best with boyish or slouchy clothes. definitely a winner!

one of my favorites is the doll-like look in karl lagerfeld: a strawberry-stained pout, highlighted youthful eyes and tons of mascara on both lower and upper lashes. messy updo keeps it down-to-earth.

dsquared² runway look with candlelight glowy skin and warm eyes, lips and cheeks reminds me of MAC's warm & cozy collection. the look was completed with a tousled side braid and nerd glasses, which makes it even cooler.

cat eyes and milkmaid braids work perfectly well together, and the idea of adding a piece of colorful fabric/ribbon/whatever works is pure genius. love you, oscar de la renta.

I adore the tousled waves and the very nude face in chloé. it's so refreshing... sometimes all you need is this much.

true, strong eyes and lips don't work together in real life, but I still find this christian dior look amazing. though the colors used on eyes are bright, they are still light and gentle enough to balance the strong cherry red lip color and complement it, instead of working against. it's such an original interpretation of the classic screen siren look.

one of those "less is more" looks. gentle peachy pink lips & cheeks, paired with lightly defined eyes and straight hair in anna sui is the perfect complementary for the collection's late 60's/early 70's appeal. it also looks like a good choice to balance bold patterns & colors in the collection, without looking washed out.

in versace, I see a a modern & spring-y brigitte bardot look: eyes accentuated with a fresh, bright lavander shadow and striking lashes, completed with lush waves.

seemingly conservative look in zac posen with nude mauve lips, gentle pink cheeks and shimmery nude lids becomes more interesting when you take a look at the back: a twisted braid/ponytail with neon clip-ons. it reminds me of the time I had those turquoise clip-on extensions that came with the mermaid barbie.

this dramatic porcelain doll/ballerina look in marc jacobs can be adapted to real life easily. matte, porcelain skin, winged top liner on the eyes and a wine-tinted nude lipcolor such as nyx's b52 round lipstick. impossibly elegant & gorgeous.

inspired enough?

love.