Editorial: Copper+Blue

The title of this post could have been a lot of things. I briefly entertained:

How To Make Your Lips Look Three Times Larger Than Usual
I Didn't Know They Make Foundations Like This Now
The Tale of Two Clavicles
Erghfghgfgh Make Up!

But I suppose Copper+Blue will suffice. I have to thank Larie for assigning me homework yesterday and breaking me out of my makeup rut. I've been doing the simple brows/lashes/blush routine for the past two weeks and almost forgot what a good amount of color could do to my face.

Sung Hee in Elle Vietnam, September 2012 (source)

For the record, the above picture was the inspiration. Below is what I cobbled up.

I took one hour to recreate what seemed like a really simple look. There was a lot of prep and tweaking involved on my part. I wanted the lips to look like hers and I underestimated the amount of gloss needed. I also needed my skin to be absolutely smooth sans Photoshop. Those things take time, yo.

Anyway, first I applied a thin layer of Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation in 78 Beige all over my face, blending it into the neck (my lines are deep and permanent, can't mask that). I've only used this foundation twice and so far I'm still in shock. I didn't know foundation could do this to skin! When I first had it on I wasn't used to it because I looked airbrushed. Best of all, the texture is so liquid-y and lightweight that I can't even feel it on my skin. It covered redness and evened out my skintone. I only had to add a dab of RMS "Un" Cover-Up #22 around my under eye area for, dare I say, flawless skin.

To sculpt the cheeks, I swept on Chanel Brume d'Or in a sideways triangle.

After prepping the skin, I sketched in thick eyebrows with a pronounced arch with my Shu Uemura Eyebrow Pencil. I used Le Métier de Beauté Champagne Dualistic Eye Pencil as an eye base, then layered True Color Eyeshadow in Jojo, Spicy, and Tuscan Sunset respectively over it. To emulate the gleam on Sung Hee's lids, I applied Sugar to the center of my eyelid. I highlighted under my brows with Revive Eye Brightening and Setting Powder.

I didn't have that beautiful green in my arsenal (of course, now I have to find one just like it) so I substituted it with the blue in the Oscar de la Renta Kaleidoscope Eye Kit. I applied Noir Precision Liquid Liner closely on the lash line and waterline, and finished with a big swipe of Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara.

For lips, I swiped on Guerlain Rouge G Guerlinade and topped it with Le Métier de Beauté Vanilla Rose then a thick layer of Creme de la Creme applied with a lip brush. It doesn't look much in the close-ups (in fact, shudder at those lip lines!), but my lips looked three times plumper from afar.

I really should do this when I go out sometime. It's sort of a pity (and a waste of perfectly good makeup) that I wear almost nothing when I step out of my house.

At any rate, happy weekend to all!

Products Used:
Face -
Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation in 78 Beige
RMS "Un" Cover-Up #22
Chanel Brume d'Or

Eyes -
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brow Pencil in Seal Brown
Le Métier de Beauté Champagne Dualistic Eye Pencil
Le Métier de Beauté True Color Eyeshadow in Jojo, Spicy, Tuscan Sunset, and Sugar
Le Métier de Beauté Oscar de la Renta Kaleidoscope Eye Kit
Le Métier de Beauté Revive Eye Brightening and Setting Powder
Le Métier de Beauté Precision Liner in Noir
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara

Lips -
Guerlain Rouge G Guerlinade
Le Métier de Beauté Lip Crème in Vanilla Rose and Creme de la Creme

A Holiday Eye Tutorial: Silver Eyes And Red Lips

I unearthed my Guerlain Les Gris Eyeshadow Quad from a recent rummage through forgotten drawers and decided to put it to good use. I reimagined one of my all-time favorite pictures on Messy Wands, resulting in the makeup from the recent Dolce & Gabbana lipstick post. Below is the low-down on how to achieve the look.

I primed my eyelids using Le Métier de Beauté x Marchesa Sheer Illumination Brightener (at time of writing, still available at John Barrett Salon!), also applying some to the tops of my cheekbones. I applied the lightest shade from Guerlain Les Gris all over the lid, then patted on the shimmery light gray over three-fourths of the lid. I smoked out the corners with the dark blue-gray shade and added slight definition to the outer-v with the matte gray. I lined my eyes as close as possible to the upper lash line with a black liner and applied a smidgen of the shimmery gray on the lower lash line. Some mascara, and voila.

For cheeks, I contoured under the cheekbones with Chanel Notorious and lightly applied blush to the apples with Benefit Dandelion.

The lips, as mentioned, is Dolce & Gabbana Ultra, lined with Le Métier de Beauté Rose Dualistic Lip Pencil.

I do not actually think Chanel Dragon Vernis is the best polish to go with this lip color, but I just wanted to illustrate how blue D&G Ultra is as a red lipstick that it makes the very blue Dragon look warm.

It's funny how the shorter my hair is, the more makeup I can wear without looking like a total clown. In case the amount of color on your face bothers you though, you could always throw on a pair of glasses. (Feeble hurrah) as this is the only time we of the bespectacled bunch has the upper hand.

Products Used:
Face -
Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation in Camomile
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Chanel Notorious Sculpting Veil for Eyes and Cheeks
Benefit Dandelion

Eyes -
Le Métier de Beauté x Marchesa Sheer Illumination Brightener ($48, contact Dustin at 212.872.2714)
Guerlain 'Ecrin 4 Couleurs' Les Gris Eyeshadow Palette
THREE Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil in Eye on 08
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown

Lips -
Le Métier de Beauté Dualistic Lip Pencil in Rose
Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Ultra #190

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Ultra #190

Fingerprints. This is why I hate gold packaging

It seems like it's been awhile since our last red-red feature, so I pulled out all the stops for today. I've been saving Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Ultra #190 for when I really need drama, because it's just so unabashedly loud. Why do I think so? Is it the blueness? Or that tinge of berry? For some reason, this lipstick screams "I'm red! I'm red!" at you (I don't know if I make sense here. Undoubtedly all red lipsticks are striking, but some are more so than others, you know?). The only equivalent I could think of is Guerlain Rouge G Garconne, which leans warm when compared to Ultra.

L-R: D&G Ultra, Le Métier de Beauté Dualistic Lip Pencil in Rose

By the way, I had my first post-chop trim today. I showed my hair stylist a photo of Faye Wong circa Chungking Express and I promise you, he was beside himself with glee. Even with what little hair left on my head the floor around me looked like a fuzzy carpet. My hair – it is so so so short now, but I love it. Do you see how much makeup I can put on and still look underdone?

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Ultra #190 retails for $30 and is exclusively available at Saks Fifth Avenue.

My Stash of Red

This post is a strict reminder to myself that I'm not allowed to buy red-reds anymore. ANYMORE, I say. 

L-R: Guerlain Rouge G Garconne (worn here), Dior Ara Red #999 (worn here), Burberry Military Red No. 310 (worn here), Dolce & Gabbana Iconic (worn here), Rouge d'Armani #400 (worn here), Rouge Bunny Rouge Raw Silence (worn here), Bite Pomegranate (worn here), Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Dragon (worn here), Ellis Faas L201 (worn here)

I can't believe I've previously shown every single one on the blog. Also, Military Red reflects less light compared to the other shades. Is that why it appears matte on our lips?

Tutorial: Red Lip

I'm aware this might be off season (though isn't a red lip supposed to be timeless and classic?), but I was inspired by Lara Pulver as Irene Adler in Sherlock (not attaching photo for NSFW reasons), and decided it was high time we had a red lip tutorial here at Messy Wands. 

As we all know, red is the queen of all lip colors, and there's nothing like one to turn heads your way. Unfortunately, red can also be a pain-in-the-butt high maintenance diva. Here are some tricks I picked up over the years reading blogs, watching tutorials, and just applying it on myself that hopefully will lessen your headache over wearing red, or inspire you to start doing so yourself!

Dolce and Gabbana Lipstick in Iconic

1. Prep. I put on a huge dose of balm 15 minutes before I start applying my lipstick. This is because I want to make sure the balm dries down before I begin application (very important to prevent feathering). Prep work is essential because chances are you wouldn't be able to reapply lip balm throughout the day and you want to be sure your lips are well moisturized. A cracked red lip look is not an attractive one.

2. Conceal the surrounding lip area. In my book, this step is the most important of all. Concealing eliminates any redness and accentuates the shape and color of your lips. I usually drag some of the concealer onto the lips to avoid harsh lines after lipstick application. It also locks in the balm applied in Step 1.  

I used Le Metiér 'Dualistic' Lip Pencil in Rose

3. Line your lips with a lipliner. Another feathering prevention measure. I prefer using creamier formulas so the skin around my lips will not dry out. Note: Remember to line the entire lip line! Many women forget the sides of the mouth, which looks rather odd when they speak.

4. Fill in the color. I do it with my mouth barely open so I know I have my whole (exposed) lip covered. This way I also make sure the red will not stain my teeth.

And done! If you have a really steady hand you can consider going over the surrounding areas with concealer again, just to make the line super crisp. Another trick I've tried that really prolongs my lip color is to blot the first layer with a tissue, put a fine layer of powder over it, and then apply the lipstick again. That way it couldn't budge even if it tried.

With red lips, remember to always bring your lipstick and liner with you for touch ups, especially after meals. A travel mirror is essential for teeth inspections (trust me, you can't always wait till there is a washroom handy). As an aside, I heard applying a thin layer of Vaseline on your teeth will prevent accidental staining, but I cannot say if it actually works since I've never tried it. The idea of eating Vaseline is somewhat unappealing to me.

I hope this tutorial is of some help to you. Do you like wearing red? If you have other useful tips and tricks, please do share them with the rest of us!