As per a few requests from sweet readers. I’m a beauty junkie with an au naturel sort of philosophy ironically enough; ask me the latest and how-to’s and I’ll be more than happy to take you for a guided tour around Sephora, where you’ll notice under their bright (!) lighting that all I’m wearing is a few lashings of mascara. Less is more, so goes the cliche, but really. Less is more. Especially come summertime, when natural lighting is both incredibly beautiful and not-so-forgiving on a made-up face, and when heat and humidity lead to inevitable sweating. Not to mention, makeup is meant to enhance natural beauty. It’s supposed to be fun! When it comes to the point where makeup revolves around this hunt for the best concealer to become this ideal of perfection, makeup becomes a mask (literally and figuratively speaking). We both project and displace our confidence to this material thing. We sacrifice extra hours of sleep, of morning reading, of cuddling, of just being in the morning.
I also believe that girls look at their best with little to no makeup. I’ll say it one more time. Less is more.
I am notoriously frugal. It seems counterintuitive, then, that I would be more than happy to spend more on a purchase to ensure I get the best quality purchase. This is your you we’re talking about it: you’re worth the investment. Good products do make all the difference and have this ability to make even the most minimalist of morning routines seem every bit luxurious; it’s but a matter of knowing where to spend and where to save.
The Look
+ Diorskin Bronzer. Nothing like a good, matte bronzer to sweep across the face and under the cheekbones. For two years I loved the Korres Monoi Oil bronzing powder in their darkest shade; it’s unfortunate the product has been discontinued. It gave the skin hint of shimmer for a natural bronzed look, and of course, smelled deliciously of monoi oil.
+ Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow ’15 Navajo.’ Love BB eyeshadows; her matte formulas are divine. 15 Navajo is the perfect inner corner and browbone highlight shade; it’s a pale cream infused with gold shimmer that wears beautifully throughout the day as it melds with your skin.
+ NARS Madly blush. If there is one product to invest in, it’s a high-quality blush. NARS makes the best powder blushes, hands down: the color pigmentation, product longevity, and texture are incredible. Madly is my Orgasm – it’s a tawny, seashell pink that gives a bit of flush and sun-kissed glow, all in one, for a Victoria’s Secret Angel complexion.
+ Mario Badescu Summer Shine Body Lotion. I have two bottles of this stuff, and carry a little sample sized bottle in my handbag at all times. It’s the perfect intersection of skincare and beauty, in my opinion. It hydrates pretty well, and lends this skin a beautiful shimmer. I pat it along the collarbones, the tops of my shoulders and front of my legs for this incredible glowing effect.
+ L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof mascara. It made my “Things I Love” list—no further explanation necessary.
+ Organix Moroccan Argan Oil. Another favorite from that TILT list. I’m an oily type of gal. With a predisposition for anything smelling of Moroccan Argan or Monoi Oil.
+ YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick no. 6. I’m usually without lip product save my beloved Badger Organics Cocoa Butter lip balms since (1) I can’t be bothered and (2) lipsticks and glosses aren’t particularly favorable towards kisses, but YSL’s Rouge Pur Couture line is the exception. I plan on stocking up on favorites before the entire beauty line packaging is changed for Hedi Slimane’s new “Saint Laurent” madness. Is that crazy? We all have our quirks…
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Dior really do know how to package their products, still I’m always a little disappointed with the product itself. Sad times.
THANK YOU! I totally agree. I do like their face products, but I find Dior makeup to be incredibly overrated – especially their eyeshadows (specifically the quint palettes). Everyone raves on and on about their quality, but the only thing I find good about them is their packaging & color arrangements. Several brands make much better quality eye shadow in terms of texture, pigmentation, etc. like Nars, Urban Decay, etc.
I don’t think I’ve ever owned a Dior shadow in my life but I was once asked to use a quad on a client. The colours were beautiful but did not translate well on the lid. Ended up using about 3 bases to get it to work and stay- I’ve actually seen better results from Ebay palettes!!
L’Oreal has a horrible reputation for animal-testing and it owns many other make-up lines, and the Body Shop. In contrast, Mario Badescu does NO animal testing and has no animal products in its line of skin products. I believe Urban Decay is animal-friendly. I don’t want animals to die for makeup. Mario Badescu products are superb. If companies can make quality product without testing / killing animals, I stick with those companies.
I love that you have such a strong and steadfast opinion on the products you use!
I love Mario (and by no means is it only because I’ve been working for them for over a year now). Everything is produced right behind our offices – I love that.
You’re so painfully chic at such a young age. To be so elegant and wise at 20? A rarity.
I really enjoy your blog. I wish you’d do more day in the life/outfit of the day posts, I’m site I’m not alone in this 😉
Your comments have me blushing from behind the computer screen.
I’m too lazy/embarrassed to! And on the contrary, my style, while I personally like it (haha… if not, this would be a problem, no?), isn’t at all fashionable. It’s stylish, I suppose, in that I stay quite true to a certain taste, but it’s booooring to say the least! (;