Not my usual make up look...!

Today is, as they say in the publishing world, a slow news day. Feeling a bit sorry for my jobless self so i had a look through some old pictures to cheer me up and came across a picture of questionable make up that i thought I'd share with you. Not my regular Saturday night party look but interesting none the less!

This was for a fancy dress party that i went to a wee while ago where the theme was 'alphabet dress up' and you had to come dressed as something beginning with the first letter of your name. Im standing next to lovely housemate 'Aslan' in the second photo

Black outfit, cape and some scary make up and i was...Skeletor! What would you go as and what would your outfit have consisted of?

Mizz Worthy's Illamasqua Contest!

"Illamasqua is the product of a heady mix of influences. Its roots stem from the dark and illicit 1920s club scene and combines a rich heritage in the manufacture of make-up for film and theatre. It also takes inspiration from members of the ‘alternative scenes’ for whom self-expression is paramount. Alternative cultures have always dared to be dramatic. They have an emotional attachment to making up. It’s an expression of their darker side, a release for their alter ego.

Illamasqua is for the bolder person hiding inside all of us. It is an act and an attitude. A symbol of tolerance. A celebration of idiosyncracies. A confident statement of self-ownership."

- http://www.illamasqua.com/

I personally love what the Illamasqua brand stands for. Evidentally so does Mizz Worthy as she is holding a completely awesome competition in which, as the brands tag line suggests, you create and your alter ego. SWEET!

My inspiraition was, funnily enough, a pair of black dangly earrings that have been lying in a drawer for AGES. I was thinking about the fact that they are quite gothic with a glamourous edge...which i guess if you look at my pale skin and black hair, is a natural progression for me. I wanted to actually use the earring in my 'look' but didnt want to just wear them so i started thinking about indian culture and how they use jewellry as facial adornment. By hooking one of the earrings into my hairline it hung perfectly in the middle of my forehead and i had the stimulous for my alter ego: gothic bollywood.

In contrast to the stunning jewellry, Indian make up seems to be incredibly chic and understated...I guess with adornments so elabourate there is little need for dramatic make up. Even wedding make up wasnt as dramatic as i had expected...the only drama tends to be focused across the top of the brows...and on the hands. Bingo.

So this is what i came up with:

I dusted some white eye shadow all over my face to pale me out...doesnt take much trying to be honest. I decided that in reference to the dramatic brow art that is commonplace in indian wedding make up, id bring the drama in a different way:by thinkening and darkening my brows. Then I just did a black smokey eye and blunted off the edges my using masking tape to create a definite edge. Traditional henna paisley designs inspired the pattern under the eye using liquid eye liner while nude lips made sure the focus was on the eyes.Im not entirely happy with this. The black liquid liner that i used for the bulk of the design doesnt look quite as even as it does in the flesh and i definitely think i can create something better for the contest...but this is my starting point.

Heres what i used.

FACE

Lily Lolo foundation in Porcelain + Bourjois eye shadow in 90 Blanc Diaphane

EYES

MAC Silver ring all over the eye lid

MAC carbon in crease and outer V and in eyebrows

Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Liner (also used to create paisley design below eye)

Boirjois Blanc Diaphane under the brow arch

Barry M Kohl Pencil in 30 White as a brow arch definer

LIPS

Loreal Infallible Concealer in 01 Vanilla

My Beauty Icons

Im the first to admit that I, like thousands of other girls on the planet, am affected. There is always someone I see, be it on the street, the red carpet, a magazine...whatever, that i look at and admire and think 'wow'. These women are my beauty icons, the ones who make me re evaluate myself and my look and tweek it, even if just very slightly.

Oh and these are not in order of Icon-ness!

1) Kat Von D. She has a style that is her own and i love that she doesnt conform to looking 'pretty'. Her tattoos are sick and her hair and make up is always high impact and creative. ICON ALERT!

2 + 3) Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry...Wow, i didnt realise how similar they were looking these days till i found this picture. Both of these ladies always look great and both have my colouring (pale skin and dark hair)so all the better!


4) Bettie Page. Just a few steps away for Marilyn Monroe, Bettie flew the flag for a different kind of glamour.

5) Dita Von Tease.No explanation needed. But look what make up and hair can do for a person! She's almost unrecognisable!6 + 7)And a million miles away, i love how Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby always seem to glow! And i love the way that Holly flatters her curves! STYLE ICON!

And Finally 8) Not the coolest of choices but I think Ashlee Simpson looks AMAZIO!! from the glow to the hair (beautiful colour here!i want red hair!!) to the laid back style, she is gorgeous!
Who are your icons??

Queen of Hearts look

If there was ever an excuse to go a bit mad with make up, I never needed it. So Valentines day...its a day that (depending on your situation of course) you want to rock one of three looks:

1) Absolutely no make up while you hibernate under the duvet with a solo bottle of Voddy. No mascara needed. Boom.

2) The 'Im having a night out with the girls and i damn well dont need/want a man' look. This calls for all the things that girls love but men hate - ie glitter and loads of it... + the classic single girl stone cold defiance. Note: or independant coupled girl...dont let me descriminate! :0) . Why is it that women and men have different make up ideals? How come guys think that the natural = coy and innocent = sexy?? To be discussed later!

And 3) The Valentines Special. Girls everywhere will be doing either the sexy red lip or the classic smokey eye. Why? Cos both looks are a winner every time...but thats tried and tested.

How abour a 4th look,just for fun.

In the spirit of Valentines here is a 'Queen of Hearts' look. I took inspiration from this awesome graphic -

And Terry Hatcher's Halloween 2008 look -

And came with this. I used only red (lip pencil actually!) and black and came up with something thats a little scarier than the graphic...but it was fun!And yes, i definitely have a top on! get your minds outta the gutters people!