Channeling my inner burlesque dancer.

Some phone pictures of an attempt at Dita Von Teese's signature look. I'll redo this with better pictures at some point. Out of good lighting for the moment. :(

Now it's time to try to drag the boyfriend out of bed so we can go somewhere (AND EAT) while I look like a boss. 

I am happy to report that the lipstick, a Bite high pigment pencil in Pomegranate, has some sick lasting power. There's a Milani Brilliant Shine lip gloss in Red My Lips over it, and while I can't vouch for staying power just yet, so far I'm impressed. This gloss smells like awesome and has really good pigment, plus the applicator is a flat doe-foot style, which makes application a lot more precise. I think I paid a little under $7 usd for it, too. 

While the pictures aren't great, I feel pretty good about the likeness here, and I'm finding that I really enjoy doing little "look-alike" makeup looks. Who should I do next?

Now for something slightly different.

I spent a good bit of today trying to make my first video. Got through it only to realize that I probably can't use it... so there's that. Live and learn, eh? It's progress, at least, and I'm feeling a lot more confident about eventually posting tutorial videos.

So as not to waste my work, and as not to waste the light outside aaand because I'm trying to be good about posting weekly... Here's the look I did for it. Jaclyn Hill's natural makeup tutorial was lot of the inspiration for this, so if you want to know how I did it, she does have a very good video on a look very similar to this.

The idea was to have a very natural, almost "glowing" look. Not necessarily a quick look to do, but one that ideally will have people saying "Wow, you look so good without makeup!" 

Though my seemingly-bright lipstick doesn't really help with that. Regardless, I'm likin' how this foundation applies and photographs... Kinda glad I impulse bought it after all. I've done two more dramatic looks so far, but generally I either wear no makeup or something more like this in daily life. It's kind of because I'm stuck in the retail doldrums, but also because I went through a period where I felt weird wearing any makeup at all - and I'm still trying to break out of that.

By the way... it's no-buy July for me. No new makeup products unless I use up something.

As usual, products:

Face:

-Same old Smashbox primer sample

-NARS Crystallized powder

-Naked Skin foundation in shade 2.0

-Tarte Park Avenue Princess bronzer

-Nyx blush in Peach

-Maybelline Dream Lumi 

Eyes:
-Urban Decay Eye Primer
-Urban Decay Naked Palette
-Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette
-Nyx Dewy Finish setting spray
-Anastasia Dipbrow in Chocolate
-Covergirl clump crusher mascara... which is not as cool as everyone said it was.

Brows:
-Dipbrow in Chocolate. Come on. I'm predictable.

Lips:
-Bite Beauty in Rhubarb

STAY TUNED FOLKS. Videos are comin'. 

Every day is Halloween.

I had a goth phase when I was younger.

Truth is, I can't say that phase ever really went away. I still love my black lipstick and spooky eyeliner.

What can I say? It makes me happy.

Eyes are BH 1st edition 120 palette + Urban Decay's Crave from the Naked Basics palette, with UD Primer Potion and Nyx jumbo eye pencil in Milk. Eyeliner is Maybelline gel something or other in blackest black + a bit of UD Ink for Eyes in Perversion. Some Maybelline mascara, a pair of Ardell's "Edgy" line of lashes (that I can't decide if I like or not) for the rest.

Face is Smashbox photo finish primer, Makeup Forever Mat Velvet+ foundation in 20, some random Maybelline FIT blush in Light Rose. Brows are the ever-trusty Anastasia Dipbrow in Chocolate, and the lipstick is a combination of a Nyx lipliner in Black Berry, Nyx's Mega Shine lipgloss in clear, and Melt Cosmetics in Bane. 

Of the two that I have, Melt's lipsticks tend to be very matte, and also really dry. The lip gloss gives it that nice shiny look that I love so much in a black lipstick, as well as making the lipstick a bit more workable and a bit more comfortable. Also, I want to let the world know how excited I was when I found that black lipliner. Because. Come on. BLACK LIPLINER. I found this particular one at a little mom n pop beauty store near me, and figured that it was discontinued and something I'd likely never see again. However, a quick check of Nyx's website shows that it's still available. This pleases me greatly.

Green & Blue

Some days I get bored and decide that I need a good bit of color. This was one of those days.

Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Cosmetics Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
MAC Overgrown (inner corner)
Urban Decay Shattered (Ammo Palette; lid, applied wet w/ NYX Cosmetics dewy finish setting spray)
Urban Decay Creep (Naked 1 Palette; outer corner)
Urban Decay Walk of Shame (Naked Basics Palette; browbone)
MAC Forgery (Brow highlight, inner corner)
Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Perversion
Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black
Maybelline The Colossal Cat Eyes Volum' Express Waterproof in Glam Black
Ardell Eye Lashes in 105
Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude (waterline)

Brows: 
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow in Chocolate

Face: 
CeraVe moisturizer
Makeup Forever Mat Velvet+ in #20
Revlon Colorstay Concealer in 01 Fair 
Tarte Park Avenue Princess Bronzer 
Maybelline FIT Me blush in Light Rose 

Lips:
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Tokyo

I've had requests to do a tutorial on this from some folks on the facebook. I haven't forgotten, guys! I'm still just trying to figure out the mechanics of it, such as how to not sound like a fool and how to make my camera not act like poop.