Date Nights and the Makeup that Goes With It

Welp, a month since my last post has dazzled by. I've been a software engineer (!) a little over three months now, and I'm happy to report that I no longer feel the crushing imposter syndrome and anxiety I felt when I first started. I'm grateful for the many women who've paved the way before me in this industry and having the chance to participate in clubs like Women in CS, because hearing their stories made me realize that my feelings were normal, even expected, and completely self-imposed. In an Instagram post written three months ago, I wrote: "posting this as a reminder to my future self that we all start somewhere and felt hopeless once upon a time, but it’ll get better." I'm glad even as I was in the throes of doubting myself, I knew I could wait it out.

I'm pleased to report that my absence from writing was due to an incredible month of catching up with dear friends (all of whom lament the lack of time time time) and meeting (hopefully) new ones. They say it's difficult to make new friends in your 30s, but that's also the age they say you stop changing, and I refuse any notion that limits me from living the life I want. As luck had it, sometime in the past month I found myself in a four hour conversation with a couple I just met, which only ended because a) the restaurant was closing and b) we all had to wake up at a reasonable hour for work the next day. It felt like a really good first date, a feeling that's elusive to find in couple friends — it always seems like you get along better with one person, not both equally — and you bet I'm going to hit them up for a next hangout.

Speaking of dates, here's a serious throwback in more ways than one: a look I wore to a date night a few weeks ago featuring mostly old school classics (permanent products! taupe!) and some strong deer in headlights cheekbone action. After all, some things do stay the same.



Products Used (clockwise):
Chanel Joues Contraste in Rose Initiale (I love that Chanel.com has free shipping for all orders)
Chanel Les Beiges Fresh Water Tint in Medium Light
Suqqu Retouch Pressed Powder in Porcelain
Burberry Eyeshadows in Trench, Rosewood and Midnight Brown
Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipstick in Perfume of His Gaze
Cle de Peau Luminizing Face Enhancer in Delicate Pink
Not pictured:
Guerlain Multi-Perfecting Concealer in Medium Cool
THREE Mesmerizing Performance Eyeliner Pencil 10
Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara



I'm possibly the last person to get to the Chanel Fresh Water Tints. The hype does not disappoint. I love that it feels like water and gives just a hint of coverage. It's enough if you have pretty good skin and all you want is a little rounding out, a tone down of the redness around the nose and cheeks. Spot conceal where needed — ever since I stopped using hormonal birth control I've started getting breakouts on my face again. /lament



Burberry Trench as base, Rosewood all over lids, Midnight Brown on outer edges and lower lash line. Nice thick eyeliner to give the appearance of ample eyelashes, swipe of mascara to create said eyelashes. I smudged the edges of the eyeliner just a smidge for a more natural look.



Blush above the hollow of cheekbones, highlight atop. Don't forget the middle of the nose, above the cupid's bow, inner corners of eyes. Lipstick and done!

Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow

When I went to Sephora to claim my birthday gift last week, I wandered over to the Guerlain counter to poke at the new spring offerings. Tracy posted a rave review about the Météorites Baby Glow that had me intrigued. Like her, I don't like the feeling of foundation on my skin anymore, and while I don't need anything on a day-to-day basis, I like pairing red lipstick with a porcelain complexion (clearly something I neglected to do in my last post).

Fortunately, I was sent a tube for review quite soon after my visit, because if you are looking for a virtually undetectable (in look and feel) light to medium coverage foundation, this is perhaps your new Holy Grail.

no makeup apart from shaded-in eyebrows

with Baby Glow applied. Ohmygod my winter lips x_x

In the picture above, I am wearing Clair 02, which is a tad too light for me. While I've been increasingly in favor of using my fingers to apply base products, for some reason Baby Glow looks better when I apply it with a sponge or buff it out with a brush. It contains the same technology as the mythical météorites pearls, which tackles discoloration and unevenness of skintone, and features the faint Guerlain-y scent that dissipates upon application. I can barely feel Baby Glow's presence on my skin, which is why it's hard to believe my eyes when I look in the mirror.

with full makeup

I'm glad that Guerlain included Baby Glow in its permanent collection, because I haven't encountered a similar product (basically, bb cream/tinted moisturizer) that works as well as it does. Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow retails for $54 and is available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Sephora (though oddly not online).

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brow Pencil
Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow in Clair 02
Clé de Peau Concealer in Ocher
Chantecaille Iridescent Eye Shade in Rose Gold
Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting Eye Shadow in Eclipse Eagle
Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara
Three Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 08
Guerlain Météorites Perles De Blush
Ellis Faas Glow Up
Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipstick in Murmurings

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample product(s) sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

A Re-Introduction

HELLO. This post is less informative and more celebratory – I finally managed to find a limited window of time where enough sunlight filters into my apartment and allows me to take photos worthy of the blog. I haven't been in front of the camera in such a long time, so I've forgotten many of its caveats (foundation, or at least a dusting of Guerlain météorites, is a must for better-looking skin).

That said, we've never shied away from the ugly here at Messy Wands. Try though I might – exfoliating, then layering face mist, serum, oil and cream – I haven't been able to fully rectify my dry skin woes and parts of my face remain scaly. The only respite I've had was when I used the Tatcha Deep Hydration Lifting Mask (review here), but the beauty and curse of a mask is that it's super effective only for a day.

Perhaps because of all that, I've been favoring the neutral, contoured look. It has just enough color so I'll look polished but not so much that I'll draw attention to problem areas. Here, I'm glad I'm finally able to show you a clearer picture of the recently reviewed Guerlain Météorites Perles De Blush and Ellis Faas Glow Up in action.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brow Pencil
Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow Refill M 864
Clé de Peau Concealer in Ocher
Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara
Three Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 07
Guerlain Météorites Perles De Blush
Ellis Faas Glow Up
Shiseido Lacquer Gloss in VI708 Phantom

On The Subject Of Glowing

Much hullabaloo has been made of the limited edition Guerlain Météorites Perles De Blush from the Spring 2015 collection, and why not? For those of us who are familiar with the magic of Guerlain's ethereal météorites powder (more affectionately termed, ballz), a pigmented version would only make the most ardent of blush collectors weep with joy. Which happened all over the Internet when these appeared early online and at counters.

For full transparency, I bought this because I am a longtime fan of Guerlain powders and view this as a collector's item. I think it's ridiculous that it's $53 (!!!) for a measly 0.45 oz / 12g of product, even though yes, it's super pigmented and you really don't need much at all. The fact that it's in a flimsy-ish cardboard box doesn't bother me so much because it was probably an aesthetic choice, but I agree with Liz from Beauty Reductionista that they should have added a handle to the puff to help us get it out of the way. After all, they've done it before.

All in all, I'm saying this is not a product with good value. It's not even that easy to use or travel-friendly. It's a sit at your vanity and protect from everything (liquids, drops, less gentle hands) kind of item. The blush is super pigmented, so the perfect brush to use would be something like the Suqqu Cheek Brush, since it would allow you to diffuse the color and layer as needed rather than start out as a clown. With enough swirling on the cheeks, it gives you a nice blush-from-within glow.

I am so sad that I am no longer able to recreate my old lighting setup :(

Aside: I am currently testing a new skincare regimen from L'Occitane and it has completely exceeded my expectations. In the pictures above, I only needed minimal concealer under my eyes and around my nose and mouth to even out my complexion (eyebrows are drawn in, of course). It is so good – I can't wait to share it with you when it launches officially.

I also had a little help from the new Ellis Faas Glow Up highlighter. I suspect the shade I received for review (Porcelain Glow) is a tad bit too light for me, because on perusing the site I found that Satin Glow would work better for my skin tone. Nevertheless, this highlighter is a fine piece of work. Most of the highlighters I own impart glow through noticeable shimmer, whereas Glow Up is so finely milled that I can't detect any, but retain the luminous effect when I apply it to my skin. It's perfect for those who are hesitant to pick up luminizers from the likes of Bobbi Brown and Cle de Peau for fear of it being too "glittery." In the pictures above, I applied Glow Up to the high planes of my face (along the bridge of the nose, above the cheekbones, on the brow bone, cupid's bow and chin).

Ellis Faas Glow Up is sold as a refill ($31.50) and the accompanying holder is available at an admittedly hefty $35. The holder is sturdy, houses a mirror under the cover, and is certainly necessary if you intend to include this in your travel makeup bag, but if you own Z Palettes it might make more financial sense to only purchase the refill.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Color in 325 Rouge Kiss

My dear friend and beauty editor extraordinaire Phillip Picardi (and literally the prettiest man I know) hosted a Guerlain event at Bergdorf Goodman yesterday, which was a perfect excuse for me to pop by and play with the new Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colors.

Featured here is 325 Rouge Kiss, a coral red that surprisingly works on me (they usually pull too warm). The formula is slightly heavier and more emollient than the Rouge Automatique, and is definitely a lipstick you can "feel." It can be applied as a light stain or layered on for a full-coverage finish, as shown above. I've only had this for a day, but it's making a fantastic first impression.

While getting rid of stuff for my impending move (50% of my nail collection, tragically given away!), I stumbled across the dusky blue Rescue Beauty Lounge Forgotten Road and rushed to put it on. Have I told you how much I love in-between colors? My favorite ones make you just a little unsure what tone it is. Forgotten Road straddles blue and gray and looks like either depending on the light. How exciting!

Also, I have three new additions to my dainty ring collection! Accompanying the Catbird stalwarts are an Erica Weiner Infinity Ring and two pieces by Guenevere Rodriguez, all Brooklyn-based jewelers. If you are fortunate enough to live in Manhattan, Guenevere has a stall on weekends on Prince St between Mott & Mulberry. Prices at that location are significantly less than on the website.

Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colors retail for $37 and are currently only available online at saks.com. I received mine as an event gift at Bergdorf Goodman.

Guerlain Spring 2013: Météorites Perles du Paradis

Guerlain Météorites Perles du Paradis ($70) are – how shall I put this delicately? – giant balls of lightly colored pearls meant for highlighting the face. If you've been reading Messy Wands for some time, you'll know that pink is not my favorite color. Pink doesn't propel me into throes of I need them all like, say, dark blues sometimes do. But apparently there is a dainty little girl that isn't all that dormant inside of me, because I was enamored by the cotton candy pink box (never mind that it's made of cardboard instead of a sturdier material) and positively squealed when I realized it included an actual fluffy puff instead of the regular sponge.

Was it functional? Maybe. I didn't wait to find out before I bought it.

Perles du Paradis contains silver, light pink, dark pink, and lilac pearls. While Guerlain's météorites products are meant for color correcting and highlighting, I believe this particular iteration serves another purpose. Because the pearls are so large (twice the size of regular météorites), it is simple for me to use a dense blush brush to pick up certain pigments (darker pink and lilac). The result is a light lilac pink on my cheeks. For highlighting, I use an extremely fluffy brush (like the Suqqu Powder brush) and gently sweep it around the box, careful to target the lighter shades, then apply it all over.

Like all other météorites, Perles du Paradis casts a veil of glow over your face. It's a finishing powder that just makes you look better even though you can't pinpoint exactly why. Larie, my fellow bandit and shopping Jiminy Cricket, asked me if I thought it was too pink, but you can see from the shot above that it just adds radiance to the skin.

I will be the first to admit I didn't need this. After all, I already have Teint Beige, Perles de Nuit, and Perles d'Azur, and while the imparted effect is different, it's not so different to the naked eye that would justify the purchase. But there's just something about these boxes of pearls that's hard to resist, especially when it comes with a giant puff. I mean, there's no harm in collecting pretty things... right?

P.S. Shout out to my lovely friend Angela who made me this amazing slouchy mustard beanie to keep my ears warm! I look at her handiwork and wonder why I even bother with store bought knits. I should just pay her to make them for me.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
Clinique Chubby Stick for Eyes in Whopping Willow (out February!)
Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Waterproof Eye Pencil in Black #1
Eyeko Black Magic Mascara
Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Light
Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm
Guerlain Météorites Perles du Paradis
Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Graped Up

New Year Sparkle: Ushering In 2013 With Style

Today's post will be a little unorthodox. It was supposed to be a post featuring the de facto New Year's Eve look (metallic lids and vamp lips) in collaboration with a few of my blogger friends. I did the look, but instead of taking my usual slew of deer in headlights close-ups, I invited my housemate for a fun photo shoot instead. We've been living together for three months and have since became best friends, but we didn't even have a blurry iPhone of each other. It was time.

An embarrassing amount of pictures were just of us howling in laughter, but for the sake of relevance I picked the few that most clearly showed my makeup.

She insisted a family picture includes our large soft toys

And we needed props for uh, festive points

For the look, I used Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense #19 on my eyelid and smoked out the crease with Addiction Midnight Oasis. I tightlined with a black eye pencil and layered on the mascara. Lips are Chanel Rouge Allure Rouge Noir #109 layered with Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Black-Tie Plum #982 (as seen in this post) and Burberry Lip Velvet in No. 310 Military Red layered with Guerlain Rouge G Garconne. There was no particular reason for using two red lipsticks. I just wanted a sheen instead of a matte but didn't want to go through the hassle of removing the Burberry, which I was already wearing.

Do remember to see how my other friends are ushering in the new year:
A Little Bit Of Everything
Beaute Fabuleuse
BellaChique
Bronzer Bunny
ChloeAsh‎
Eye Heart It
Joey’space
Messy Wands
Mostly Sunny
Musing On Beauty

3 Looks, 1 Palette: Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre

I knew I wanted the Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre ($59) ever since I saw promo pictures, if only because they threw that curveball of a coral in there. It didn't matter that it wasn't the most practical of colors to include in what is essentially a green palette, it's interesting.

The palette consists of shimmers - a coral, a seafoam green, an olive, and a steel gray. Out of all four, only the gray gave me problems. I had to pack on the pigment to get that swatch. I'm assuming it's because it's meant to be a liner and liner shades usually have that issue. That's disappointing for such an expensive quad, but at least it's workable.

Look 1

This look was an attempt to use all four colors at once. I asked the SA how she would use the quad and she said she would apply the seafoam green on the first half of the lid, apply the olive on the second half, then pat on the coral in the center. Use the gray as a liner shade (do note that I tightlined in all the pictures).

Look 2

I guess that's fine, but using the coral that way feels a bit like we're at a playground and we just want to make all the colors feel included. I also think if you weren't careful, it would make the eyelids look muddy. For my second look, I patted the olive shade on the center of my lids, then placed the seafoam green in the inner and outer corners, blending the edges together. I lightly lined both my top and bottom lash line with the steel gray shade.

On a whim, I used the coral shade on my cheeks. Look how pretty that turned out! If you're planning to do this, a light hand is crucial since eyeshadows are usually more pigmented.

Look 3

This was my favorite look. I was so excited to find that the coral was so easy to wear on the eyes! As for the look breakdown, I placed a swath of the coral on my lids, dotted the light green in the inner corners as highlight, and heavily applied the steel gray shade on my bottom lash line.

All in all, a fantastic eyeshadow quad to play with. I always thought I couldn't pull off green and Coup de Foudre convinced me otherwise.

Products Used:
Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation in Wheat Cream
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Eye Brightening and Setting Powder in Revive
Guerlain Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brown Pencil in Seal Brown
Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre
THREE Flash Performance Pencil Eyeliner in 08 Eye On
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Burberry Lip Mist No.212 Nude Peach
(For Look 1 product breakdown, click here)

Full disclosure: This entry contains a sample product sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Spring 2013 Swatches: Guerlain and Dior

My guerilla swatches hopefully require no more introduction.

Guerlain Spring 2013

On the far left: Meteorites Pearls du Paradis swatched individually

Ecrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre

Top: Shine Automatique 600, 601; Rouge Automatique 762 Rendez-vous, 761 Flirt

Bottom: KissKiss Gloss 870 Cherry Pink, 849 Fizzy Mango; Ecrin 4 Couleurs 501 Attrape Couer

The only thing I sprang for was the Ecrin 4 Couleurs Coup de Foudre because look at that coral! And the nuances on those greens! I tried it on at the counter and was surprised to find that it looked beautiful on my skin tone, so into the shopping bag it went.

Dior Spring 2013

5-Couleurs Eyeshadow in Rose Charmeuse #854

What caught my eye about Rose Charmeuse was the really dark black, which reminded me of LMdB Nouvelle Vague (swatches here, look here). I can't be certain, but I believe it is as pigmented.

Dior 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow in Rose Ballerine #724

Clockwise: Nail Lacquer in Gris Trianon, Rosy Bow; 'Cherie Bow' Twin Set Eyeshadows

Dior released a couple of duo cream/powder shadow sticks for spring as well, which I swatched above - cream on top, shadow on the bottom. It's... better than what I expected from shadow sticks, but the product itself doesn't appeal to me personally.

I think Dior released some beautiful pinks, but pinks are not my strong suit and not something I would wear much, so I didn't pick anything up from Dior. I am quite tempted by the two nail lacquers, but decided to mull over them for a couple of weeks before purchasing.

I swatched these in Saks Fifth Avenue New York, but both collections are already up online at Nordstrom!

Skincare of the Moment

Now that I've reached the end of my Tatcha skincare (sob), I've had to dig around my stash to find replacements. A few products that are in my current rotation:

Natura Bisse Tolerance Toner – Smells wonderful. I don't actually know if it is "skin fortifying" because my skin doesn't really have that concern yet, but I love the extra burst of moisture it delivers anyway. When this runs out I may try another NB toner.

Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist – Sometimes I use this in lieu of the toner. For my original review, see here.

Guerlain Super Aqua-Serum – I've had this bottle for so long. If you look now, the company has actually reformulated and repackaged this line. The serum is pretty awesome. I apply this religiously over my face, concentrating on my nose so as to avoid dry, peeling skin. It's worked!

Paul & Joe Moisture Lotion N – I used to believe having sufficient moisture requires thick creams and this little lightweight lotion has proven me wrong. A little goes a long way since it's so watery, but I love how it feels on the skin afterward.

Diorsnow White Reveal Moisturizing UV Protection – (imagine Chandler from Friends) Can these product names BE any longer? This is my staple, though I may switch it when I run out because I realized this contains Octinoxate and I would like a 100% mineral sunscreen. I don't know if it matters, but this contains 19% Zinc Oxide. The ones I usually find are usually 5-10%. Does this mean it's more effective? I would love to hear opinions on this!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate – I apply this on my neck, but on lazy nights/days I want a simpler routine I just use this as an all over face oil. Love the lavender scent.

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment – Very emollient lip balm. I don't know if it helps with lip lines, but my lips definitely feel very soft the day after. Unfortunately, I do find Fresh lip balms can get a little too soft. One of my tubes broke from the base mid-use, but I managed to put it back in and resume usage.

Haus of Gloi Aether Pumpkin Butter – I have to thank Kate for introducing this in one of her skincare posts. It's a pleasure to find new gems and this pot is basically a diamond mine of the best skin ever. My legs are so smooth I can't stop touching it. I'm going to order this in bulk when this pot is done, skincare ban be damned.

Ambre Extra Nourishing Body Moisturiser – I'm starting to realize I should go full indie on body care products because this little bottle of oil does wonders for dry, cracked skin. I could use it all over, but I usually apply this to my poor feet and it soothes cracks, dried cuticles, and turns something that resembles chicken feet into well, a human's.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

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