Lily Collins Makeup Golden Globes 2017

Did you just love Lily Collins' makeup at the Golden Globes this year???

It was probably my favorite look of them all. 

In fact there was plenty of makeup on the red carpet this year that I personally thought was ghastly.

What I loved about Lily's was that it looked fresh.

I always love a makeup that focuses on clean skin, accented brows (without them being Instagram brows!) softly rounded cheeks, and a bold lip. In this case a red/crimson bold lip.

I managed to get the scoop on Lily's lipstick. The shade is so sensational! Note how it compliments and works with the pinks in her eye shadow and dress. It is a perfect shade for spring/summer.

She was wearing Nars Audacious Lipstick in Shirley.

You can order it online at Nordstrom

Jessica Chastain's Incredible Lips In Miss Sloane

Jessica Chastain just made every lipstick you own irrelevant.

This weekend Chastain's new film, Miss Sloane, opens nationwide.
Her Oscar worthy performance will keep you on the edge of your seat as the movie twists and turns and ducks and feints. 
Miss Sloane is all intelligent dialogue, rich, delicious dialogue that happens at a wickedly fast clip, with Chastain delivering a verbal armageddon at a mile a minute.

When dialogue is so important to a film, the mouth delivering this dialogue is crucially important. Jessica Chastain's mouth in this film is mesmerizing. You can't take your eyes off it. 

Chastain' dialogue is delivered through a compelling, mesmerizing vermillion lip.

Elizabeth Sloane is a feminine, fashion forward D.C lobbyist who's power is locked up in a vermillion lip that reminds us at all times that she is in charge, at all times. It tells us that she will not be falling into any traditional traps, that she is a step ahead of the opposition. It tells us that she is not frivolous and she is not to be trifled with.

A true red would perhaps be an obvious choice for a woman in power, but true reds can add an element of sexuality to a woman, perhaps giving her an implied availablity to men. Perhaps a challenge to men, but ultimately a traditional red lip would let men sexualize her as opposed to fear her.

And this is where the genius lies. The vermillion lip combines power with blood sport. At first glance you know that she would tear an opponent to pieces and walk away with no remorse.

It's fantastic.

Miss Sloane is easily one of the best films of 2016.

Change your plans for this weekend and make sure you go see it.

Here are some great vermillion inspired lips to help you channel your inner Miss Sloane:

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Glastonberry

available online at CharlotteTilbury.com

Marc Jacobs Le Marc lipstick in Blow

available online at MarcJacobs.com

Tom Ford lipstick in Smoke Red or in Scarlet Rouge

available online at Bloomingdales.com

How To Choose The Perfect Blush For Your Skin Tone

Blush is such a gorgeous product. It breathes new life into your face and adds a little color to stop you from looking washed out.

image of Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach

Choosing the right blush can feel a bit overwhelming though, so let's look at the rules of blush, and how to choose the right blush for your skin tone.

The Rules

Blush should never be confused with contour. Contour products are made up of black and grey and are designed to absorb light and create the subtle illusion of a shadow falling under the cheekbone, making the cheekbone look higher and the cheek look thinner.

Blush and bronzer are not interchangeable! Bronzer's job is to make you look like you've been out in the sun, giving you a sun-kissed glow.

Don't choose a blush that is deeper than the color you would naturally flush to. It will make your complexion look muddy and heavy. Blush is supposed to give you a little lift!

Color

The most important criteria when choosing a blush color is knowing your skin's undertone. 

Are you a cool tone - ivory/beige/pink or are you a warm tone - olive/ bronze/ebony? 

Jessica Chastain is a cool toned girl

If you are a cool tone then cooler, more blue based blushes will look best on you. If you are a warm toned girl then you need a warm based blush.

Jennifer Lopez is a warm toned girl

That nutmeg spice colored blush that looks stunning on an olive girl can look like a heavy brown smudge on a cool toned girl. If you have a cool skin tone but want to wear a more neutral blush a softer, pinky-red based buff or gentle beige-brown color can look beautiful.

The slightly blue based pink that is charming on a cool toned girl can sit up on top of an olive skin and look all wrong. If you have a warm skin tone but want a pink blush, choose a coral based pink instead of a blue based pink.

Tips

If you are using a blush with a shimmer or a sheen choose one with a gold based shimmer. 

Cream blushes help to keep your skin glowing.

Look for products that give sheer, buildable color.

Blushes I love:

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach 

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Cream Blush
No - it's not green blush! It adapts to your personal pH and gives you your perfect cheek.

Nars Orgasm. It's been around for ages, no doubt because it's so fabulous.

How To Choose Your Perfect Foundation In 3 Easy Steps

Do you ever get overwhelmed at the thought of choosing a new foundation? 
Have you found yourself standing  in front of a wall of foundation bottles, all different colors and formulations and not known where to start?

Have you ever had buyer's remorse when you get home and find the pricey new bottle of foundation that you just bought doesn't look right?

Well rest easy - your perfect foundation is only 3 steps away!

How To Choose Your Perfect Foundation In 3 Easy Steps

STEP ONE

Know your skin type.
In order to get a flawless complexion you need to match your foundation to your skin type. If you have dry or maturing skin you need to avoid a matte finish or oil free foundation because it will make your skin look dry and old. Instead choose something more emollient and glowing such as a silicone based foundation.
If you have oily skin a glowy foundation can leave you looking far too juicy, so you may be better suited to a matte finish foundation.

STEP TWO

Choose your coverage.

image via makeupandbeauty.com

A word to the wise. Contrary to everything you see on the IG and You Tube your foundation should not look like a thick mask. It should be as sheer and lightweight as possible - it's job is to even you out a little and look like fresh glowing skin. Coverage should be based on what actually needs to be covered. Full coverage foundation is for skin that has extreme discoloration, scarring, melasma, etc. If you have perfect skin you need to look at a sheer coverage base, and if you fall in the middle you need to find a coverage in the middle. The key is to not go too thick or too opaque, and to always remember the goal is to create what looks like gorgeous skin.

STEP THREE

Choose the right undertone.
Either you are a warm toned girl or you are a cool toned girl.
No matter what they tell you on Instagram, cool toned girls need cool undertoned foundation, warm toned girls need foundation with warm undertones.
There are no exceptions.

A yellow or warm based foundation looks wrong on a cool skin. It leaves the complexion looking anything from flat to jaundiced.
A pink or cool based foundation makes a warm skin look ashy, grey and cold.

Lets break this down further, because so many people get this so wrong. Warm toned girls look more golden. Their skin ranges from yellow toned to golden honey tones, olives and deep sand tones. Warm toned girls typically tan really easily.

Jessica Alba has warm toned skin

Cool toned girls have ivory, pink and beige undertones. 

Bombshell Christina Hendricks has a cool skin tone

Still not sure? Try Charlotte Tilbury's Foundation Finder, a super simple way to figure it out!


If you get the undertone of your foundation wrong, your makeup will never look right.

If you're not sure if a foundation is cool or warm, hold the bottle against something that you know is. If you hold something pink next to the foundation you should be able to see that they either talk to each other or clash with each other.

You can't always trust the judgement of the person selling you the makeup. I recently had someone adamantly trying to tell me that a very yellow Makeup Forever stick foundation was the perfect shade for my cool skin tone. Not only could she not see that it looked completely crazy, but she told me the yellow base would cancel out the pink in my skin. Not so. It looked ridiculous!

The Wonderfully Weird Makeup Trend Sweeping Korea

I'm absolutely obsessed with K-Beauty. 
I swear by Korean skin care. I can honestly say my skin has never ever looked better. It looks firm and smooth and it glows. 
In fact today a new order of skin care products arrived from Memebox. I order all my skin care products through them - they are so inexpensive especially when compared to Sephora's pricing, and because they ship out of San Francisco they get here in about 3 days.

Learn how to layer your skin care Korean style 

Anyway when I opened the Vogue.com email in my inbox today there was a story about K-Beauty, which of course got my attention.

I can't say that I will actually try this technique. Apart from the fact that I'm sure it would go hilariously wrong for me, I'm into super glowy looking skin, rather than matte. But I can imagine it going crazy on Instagram :))

The Wonderfully Weird Makeup Trick That’s Sweeping Korea

by Monica Kim for Vogue.com

image via Vogue.com

“It’s the hot tip in K-beauty right now.” This, I’m told constantly, and always take with a fat grain of salt. But at dinner in Seoul last week with a particularly plugged-in friend, I heard that a rather unorthodox trick called jamsu makeup (roughly translated to “diving” or “submerging”) had swept the city this summer, producing a perfectly matte, melt-proof face with little more than a bottle of baby powder and a basin of water. Given the thick humidity enveloping both the U.S. and Korea of late, I was at least intrigued by the wholly whimsical proposition.

It was purportedly a Japanese beauty blogger who sparked the trend on YouTube, though it quickly became a Korean sensation. The novel technique bears some similarity to “baking”—setting your makeup with powder and body heat—but feels rather next-level. First, cleanse and moisturize, then swipe on primer, foundation, and concealer, per usual. Then, shake heavy handfuls of Johnson’s Baby Powder onto your palms (though any loose powder will do) and pat it on freely, releasing clouds of it into the air until a pale kabuki-style base appears. Filling a sink with cool water, plunge your powdered complexion into the bath and hold it there for no more than 30 seconds. Finally, pat your face dry, and finish the rest of your look with a lasting, pitch-perfect canvas.

“If you have dry skin, don’t push your face in the water too long,” my friend says, adding that one might take a facial mist and spray liberally, instead. A bit reluctantly, I dunk my Ringu-esque head in the sink for some 15 seconds, feeling (frankly) ridiculous. But, I quickly find, the results are beyond. Yes, my skin is intensely matte, but also incredibly smooth and even-toned. Better yet, when shading in my arches and applying liner, there is no oil-induced glide, allowing me to craft fine, pencil-thin strokes that are the best brow-work I’ve done in ages—all thanks to a $4 tin of drugstore powder. It lasts remarkably well with no under-eye smudging and, I’m frequently told, my face looks softer and even younger—appropriately enough, like the skin on a baby’s bottom.

 Learn more about Korean skin care here and here  and here

The Best Selling Lipstick Shades

Do you follow Rachel Zoe and The Zoe Report?

For the most part she is my favorite reason to open my inbox each day. 

The Zoe Report is always filled with fantastic info, from wardrobe styling to beauty to travel.

 And don't even get me started on the Rachel Zoe Box Of Style - I always get sooooo excited for it to arrive. 




So far each time the Box of Style has come out I have been overseas and I have to wait to get home and open it, but I get so geeked out over it that I have made it into an event. Because let's face it, if you are an average girl like me, how often do you get to open a luxe box of individually wrapped presents, super chic statements for the new season ahead? ( try 4 times per year!)
You can subscribe to the Box of Style here

Anyway, The Zoe Report posted this cool story for National Lipstick Day. They polled the biggest beauty brands from MAC to Charlotte Tilbury to find out their best selling lipstick shades.
It's time to stock up on your lipsticks ladies, and here are the best sellers to choose from:

From MAC 

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo $17
MAC Lipstick in Velvet Teddy $17
MAC Lipstick in Diva $17
MAC Lipstick in Whirl $17
Available online at Nordstrom.com

From Nars

Audacious Lipstick in Dominique $32
Semi Matte Lipstick in VIP Red $28
Sheer Lipstick in Dolce Vita $28
Satin Lipstick in Rosecliff $28
Available at Nordstrom.com

From Charlotte Tilbury

Hot Lips in Secret Salma $32
Hot Lips in Kim K.W. $32
Matte Revolution in Bond Girl $32
Matte Revolution in Walk Of Shame $32
Available online at CharlotteTilbury.com

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Liquid Lipstick in Vamp $20
Liquid Lipstick in Vintage $20
Liquid Lipstick in American Doll $20
Liquid Lipstick in Pure Hollywood $20
Available at AnastasiaBeverlyHills.com

Marc Jacobs Beauty

Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in J'Adore $30
Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in Slow Burn $30
Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in Infamous $30
Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang $30
Available online at MarcJacobsBeauty.com

From Tarte

Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Mauve $20
Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Namaste Nude $20
Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Frenemy Burgundy $20
Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Bae Red $20
Available online at TarteCosmetics.com

The Zoe Report has some other brands on their list too. Check them out here

I'm Crazy About These New Highlighters

So this was my Sunday morning. Finally a break from working incessantly, finally a Sunday off. 

An espresso, some pink roses, finally getting a chance to look through W magazine, and playing with these 2 new makeup products I got from Memebox with my most recent order.

As much as I obsess over their Korean skin care products I have never ventured into the other side of K-Beauty, the makeup products.

If I was to be completely honest I would tell you that I bought the panda bear thing as a gift for my friend's daughter.

Because let's face it, it looks like something a super young teen would like, right? And it cost $10.
It's called the Panda's Dream Brightening Eye Base.

So I decided to open it, then intrigued at the white, glowing product inside, I decided to try it because once again, let's face it, how could a white, glowy product do anything functional on the face?

But guess what? It's brilliant. As in seriously brilliant. Not "pretty good for $10"  kind of brilliant, but "are you kidding me???" kind of brilliant.

It is an under eye product designed to pop a fresh light out from the under eye area. It softens fine lines and wrinkles, depuffs and soothes the under eye area, somehow diminishes dark circles and bags under the eyes - it's pretty amazing! I totally don't get it - it is packaged for 12 year olds, costs nothing, and delivers a multi layered, hard core punch like you cannot even imagine! 
This is a product for women of all ages.

I have worn it every day this week in lieu of concealer. I could still do with a little color corrector if I felt so inclined, but realistically the way it lightens, brightens and awakens the under eye I just think why bother?

On a shoot I would lay a color corrector above or below it, but for everyday (and night) it is just fantastic! Touche Eclat style fantastic.

I have also been looking for a highlighting product that isn't too shimmery or glittery. Most highlighters have particles that are too big and cause a mad flickering or shimmering on the skin that makes it look like you've highlighted and don't have a clue what you're doing.

I seem to universally hate 95% of them, especially the ones touted by Instagram stars.

Side Note

I teach a pro makeup artistry program and constantly get into battle with students who think that because a "makeup enthusiast" on IG has 2 million followers and endorses a highlighter or bronzer, they must be right.  No, they quite possibly know that product is junk, but they make huge dollars from affiliate marketing with that brand, so they will say whatever it takes to sell the products and make the commissions. That's how they make money.

I have affiliate marketing on this blog, but only talk about products I actually use, which is why you see the same products talked about over and over. 
I talk about what I use. And Memebox has never sent me free product or tried to have me shill products for them.

Anyway, I decided to try the I'm Multi Stick ST01 Luster Light highlighter out - it's only $15 so no big deal if I didn't like it. And again this product too is fabulous!

It gives you a very controllable highlight that glows from within rather than sparkles from the surface. In fact it has no sparkles at all. With this product you don't look like you've been at Sephora trying on highlighters, you just look like your skin glows, picks up the light and looks absolutely radiant. Even older skin. Again they are probably only marketing this to 20 somethings and younger, but this is fabulous for all skins, even mature skin.

I am ordering another for my pro kit as well as another of the panda bears (before they run out). I'm also going to try the I'm Multi Stick ST20 Luster Bronzer  with my next order too. 
Because it only costs $15 so there's not exactly a lot to lose! And if it's as good as everything else I've tried from Memebox its going to be another winner.

I'm obsessed with cream blushes, and I read recently on another blog that I'm Cream Blush is really good so I'm going to add that in as well.

If you want to try any of these products you can find the here on Memebox.com

Memebox offers free shipping over $35, so if you need to add a couple of dollars to your order to reach $35, try adding in a sheet mask or two. Just look up your skin concern - acne, blackheads, too much oil, dry skin - whatever it is, and find the mask they have for that concern. They are only ever a couple of dollars, are brilliant, and can put you into free shipping!

5 Travel Makeup Tips

Are you getting ready to go on a big trip? 
I hope it's a vacation for you, but maybe it's business travel or maybe there is some other reason that you are boarding that flight. Regardless of why you are traveling you need to have a plan with your makeup. What to bring, what to leave behind, and how to transport it so that it arrives undamaged.
Today I'm going to tell you how I do it, with 5 Travel Makeup Tips, and 2 bonus travel beauty tips at the end.

1. Keep It Small Enough To Take Onboard  With You

Although (touch wood) my bag has never gone missing, I pack my carry on bag assuming my suitcase and I are parting ways for a few days. If I arrived at my destination with no clothes and no makeup for the first three days it would seriously ruin my trip. Last year a friend of mine was not reunited with her suitcase until 3 weeks into her 3 1/2 week trip!

With that in mind your carry on bag has to be artfully packed with just enough to get you through and not enough to weigh you down, which means your makeup bag needs to be scaled down. It's actually quite refreshing to have just the basics with you, transferred into travel sized containers and packed into a see through makeup bag.

I buy my travel makeup and toiletry containers from The Container Store, and for years now I have traveled with my Stephanie Johnson Miami Blue medium zip cosmetic bag.

Stephanie Johnson Miami Blue collection

2. Take A Bright Pop Of Lip

You need two lip games when you travel. One is a softer, juicier gloss. Choose a color base that works with your skin tone and the wardrobe you are bringing, for example a pinky based nude, or a soft praline nude.

Your other lip game when you travel needs to be a bright pop of color. Maybe you're a red girl, maybe you are a fuchsia (my favorite), maybe you rock a coral like no other - whatever looks the most gorgeous on you (and makes you feel like a million dollars), that's the one you want.

A bright lip infuses your complexion with luscious life, it sets your eyes alight, and it makes you look vibrant. And let's face it a vibrant, vivacious you is perfect for travel!
Try Nars lipstick in Schiap

3. Keep Your Story Simple  

Rather than traveling with several different makeup looks, choose one. Use a pretty base, love up your cheeks with one blush, take a brow product and one eye shadow story. You can change your look by changing your eyeliner, and you can modify everything by adding a bright lip or opting for a soft gloss.

Chanel eye shadow quad in Tisse Vendome

4. Keep Your Foundation Sheer. 

Thick foundation looks awful anytime, but worse when you're traveling. Invest in a lightweight foundation or a BB Cream, that mimic fresh, beautiful skin and leave the heavy stuff behind.

Stila BB Cream

5. Waterproof Mascara Needs Waterproof Eye-Makeup Remover

Waterproof mascara is great for travelling, especially when you are going somewhere wet or where you will have beach/pool/water time.
The problem with waterproof mascara is that it is murder to get off. Rather than rubbing and scrubbing at your eyes, damaging the skin around them and breaking off your lashes, travel with a waterproof eye makeup remover that will dissolve and clean away the most stubborn waterproof mascara.

2 Bonus Tips

6. Pack A Facial SPF

Always travel with a free standing facial SPF. The SPF that is in your moisturizer or your foundation doesn't actually give you much protection at all, so not only can those pesky UVB rays burn you but you can guarantee that the UVA (aging) rays are busily breaking down your skin's elastin and collagen and fast tracking the aging process.
The SPF you use on your body is too heavy for your face and will give you breakouts.
For years now I have sworn by Neutrogena Dry Touch with Helioplex. I get the highest SPF on the shelf be it SPF 70, 85 or 100

7. Add an oil.

Airplane air, a change of climate, different water, changes in your sleep pattern and a change in your environment can all contribute to dried out, dull looking skin. Breathe some life back into your skin and give it a gorgeous, healthy glow by adding a skin oil to your skin care regimen.
My secret potion? I use Tatcha Camellia Oil when I travel. (You can even buy it in a travel size). It nourishes and hydrates my skin, but magically also has a dry finish, so it doesn't matter if I am somewhere humid - my skin doesn't look dehydrated. A dry oil is also fantastic because makeup goes on over it perfectly and because of the dry finish it doesn't slip away.

Japanese luxury skin care line Tatcha is my go-to brand for travel.
I always think your skin needs extra loving when you are on the move, and for several years now Tatcha has been giving my skin the boost it needs when I'm away. (I've blogged about it a million times, so you probably already know this!)
Tatcha totally gets it, so they have made a huge line of 
travel sized products. Also keep an eye out for their Mother's Day gift sets - I buy them to travel with too!

The Best Bronzer, The Perfect Eyeshadow Palette, New Liquid Lips and W Magazine ~ Happy Sunday

 So this was my morning.

W magazine, an espresso, and a quick look at some new makeup that arrived last week.

I love W Magazine. They get so out of the box with their editorials, it's endlessly inspiring.

There were some teens on the cover, who I have exactly zero interest in, but the first thing I do anyway when I open W is go to Gio's Journal. Fashion editor Giovanna Battaglia is one of my favorite people. 

Her life looks so glamorous, and to me she represents the epitome of confidence in a woman.

Check out these gorgeous pictures of Gio and a post on how to look and feel confident

One of my friends was showing me the "best bronzer ever!!" the other day. I actually really loved the color and the texture, and needed a new bonzer so I was all ready to hit the mall or Sephora or wherever and grab one. Then she told me it was 
Miami Glow Bronzer from Motives.

I generally run a mile when I hear anything is from a multi level marketing company. Not because the product isn't any good, but because the distributors hound you to death to buy more things or sign up under them when all you want is one product. It drives me half out of my mind! 
I don't know much about Motives, but from what I understand they don't manufacture their own makeup products, instead pull from private labels and other manufacturers. You can find a distributor anywhere, but if you are like me and hate it when people try to recruit you, you can use this affiliate link to get the Miami Glow Bronzer.

While getting the bronzer I was shown (of course) some eye shadow palettes. I bought this one primarily for travel but I think I will end up using it daily because the color selection is so good. It has 5 matte neutral shades along the top and 5 neutral shimmer shades along the bottom. 

This palette (the Demure palette) is like the little black dress or the killer black pants of your makeup wardrobe. These are the essentials that are the backbone of your wardrobe, or in this case your makeup case. Most eye shadow palettes give you a few good shades and pad it out with others you will never use, but the colors and textures in this palette are awesome. If you don't want to buy from a distributor here is an affilate link for the Demure Palette

Disclaimer: I am not a Motives distributor and have no intention of ever becoming one. These links are via blogger affiliate marketing. Please do not try and recruit me to this or any other MLM

I'm also excited about right now about these Phyto Pigment Liquid Lips from Juice Beauty. You may have heard about the Juice Beauty - Gwyneth Paltrow connection. She is the Creative Director of their makeup line. (You can read about it here.)
The Liquid Lip colors are all named after Gwyneth's peeps, fro her mother Blythe, to her friends such as Reese and Cameron to her daughter Apple.

Juice Beauty makeup skin care and hair care products are all organic and start from a base of organic botanical juice.




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