Berenice Marlohe Copy-Cat

For the past week I have been trying out an interesting style of makeup. It's similar to my usual overdone-aunty style, just more exaggerated.

The basic pattern I follow is here, on this extraordinary blog, which is so interesting! She has an artist's eye for detail and luckily the writer's ability to explain it.
For instance, she explains contouring methods in depth. Honestly I didn't realize how versatile the taupe colour can be, till I came across her blog.

Today, inspired by this same actress (Berenice Marlohe from the James Bond film Skyfall)--she has a penchant for unique, beautiful eye makeup!--I decided to copy this 'statement liner' design.

Please excuse the terrible quality of these screenshots, this laptop is a doddering ole thing.

Gah, I hate my hyperpigmentation! Nothing covers it!
For skin, I tried out my sample of YSL Touche Eclat Foundation, which is too light, then Cover FX CC cream to try to darken it...and Lise watier concealer.
 And Maybelline Timeless Toffee long-lasting lipstick was blended on as a cream blush. And Rimmel cherry kiss lipliner softened with lip-balm.

Anyway for the eyes this is:
1. Too Faced Natural eyes palette (the topmost trio of colours) --> these are great but require a primer, which I left out today. --> used the same shades on the brows too.
2. Marcelle Kajal/Kohl in waterline (it has no irritating ingredients)
3. Guerlain liquid liner (very fine and precise and easy to clean up)
4. Fyrinnae Witchy Woodland Creatures (a sparkling cool-brown/taupe) along the bottom lashes after the Too Faced dark brown
5. Wet n Wild Panther (basic black) to try and darken it to the level she had...to no avail...

It was a different kind of makeup, kind of villainous and intense. It would make a good base for heavy or unique (like Shu-style) false lashes, I think. It'd JUST balance them out enough that they wouldn't be TOO comical.

The earrings I wore...it's a fabulous design

Yay! Back to makkup shakkup gupshup... tomorrow I'll write about some awesome books I've been reading and we shall dance, we shall dance, we shall dance. We meaning me and my band of imaginary readers...Father Dougal, Petunia Merryweather, Pompeii Reigns Supreme, and Aunt Jemima.

Safe Brands (Pt 2: Tentative - Mainstream Brands)

Part one here.

Mainstream/bigger brands are harder to figure out.

Obviously any company gobbled up by Lauder and L'Oreal, is now instantly out of the question.
NYX? Gross. MAC? I love you, but no. Stila? Cute but not worth it.
Clinique? Bai bai. Michael Kors? Nice 'fume but I can find a dupe.
The Body Shop? Turrah.  

Technically irrelevant; I thought this was funny. From here

(The more I read about Mr Lauder's double-edged political activism, the more my tube of GWP Sumptuous mascara begins to resemble a missile.)

 But for brands under LVMH? Well their associations are less clear. For instance, I have yet to read something as incriminating as this, about LVMH:
"L'Oreal has also awarded a $100,000 "lifetime achievement" award to a scientist at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science in July 2008. The Weizmann Institute has been a major centre for clandestine research and development of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons on behalf of Israel's military with which it has close ties."


After reading as much as I could find about Japanese/Korean brands owned by KAO/AmorePacific/etc, I figured they're all clean of blood and shoved 'em all onto the list.
This be unknown territory for many buut usually they come out with the purdiest packaging, and innovations (like tubing 'scaras) that the rest of the world takes a while to catch up on. Here is a good post detailing some good Asian brands and products.

I'd be grateful, if anyone would ascertain whether these brands are absolutely not associated with Zionist proponents. Or if something doth/dothn't belong here, please do leave a comment.
Really, the only method I employed to get this out was hours of internet research fueled by soy milk coffee (a foul concoction indeed).

Highlighted are those brands which don't engage in animal testing either.

• Addiction link
• Annabelle link
• Barry M link
• Bare Escentuals link
• Boots No 7 link
• Cargo Cosmetics link
• Cover FX link
• Elizabeth Arden link
• Etude link
• GOSH Cosmetics link
• Guerlain link
• Givenchy
• Hakansson link (for US) link (for Canada)
• Inglot link
• Jemma Kidd link
• Julie Hewett link
• Kanebo link
• Kryolan link  link
• Laneige link
• Laura Mercier link
• Lavshuca link 
• Lipstick Queen link
• Lise Watier link
• Lunasol link
• LUSH link
• Make Up For Ever link
• Makeup Revolution link
• Marcelle link
• NARS link
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics link
• Paula’s Choice link
• PUPA Milano link
• purMinerals link
• RMK Beauty link
• Rouge Bunny Rouge link
• Shiseido link
• Sleek Makeup link
• SUQQU link
• Tarina Tarantino link
• Tarte Cosmetics link
• theBalm link
• THREE link
• Too Faced link
• Vasanti link

--
News: The missiles Israel is launching (link about how they just hit a hospital), apparently contain radioactive uranium (illegal) - confirmed by Palestinian Interior Ministry - the air gets polluted with it, and the survivors breathe it in -- so indirectly, they die still, just years later, from cancer. Bravo. Are they going to deny it as they did the phosphorus bombs? You betcha.
--
Ground invasion of Gaza has begun. Soldiers in tanks, against civilians. This is how war is conducted now. 

Guerlain Liquid Eyeliner

I love this! It does not irritate my sensitive eyes, a first for any liquid liner, and is intensely, glossy black. The Kryolan cake/aquacolour is the other one that I love. Five star to both, but the Kryolan is a mellow black, this one is rich and deep.

The packaging is so beautiful to have.

N'est-ce pas?

 If a particular item of makeup is crucial for you, as eyeliner is for me, why not have it in beautiful packaging? Guerlain never spares on packaging, even if it cuts back on efficiency in some cases (e.g. Meteorites). I love it because it makes applying makeup a pleasant, elegant ritual.


The brush, c'est magnifique. Makes it easy to get precise, detailed pointed eyeliner looks. It's flexible so it won't poke and scratch your lids as others may.

I learned a good trick from watching the makeup artist Ahmad Koubeissy on youtube; he always uses this liquid liner at the edge (outer v) or in the outer edge where lower and upper lashline connect by making many mini strokes. 

He then blends these strokes out with a precise brush, and so, it creates a smokey haze exactly where you want it, along with the defined line. You get more control this way, for a tidy result. 

He also does another thing which is SO SO GENIUS. He takes two cotton buds, and moves them quickly, rotating them, scraping off any liquid liner that may have blobbed onto your lashes. Even experts make mistakes, after all. 

One thing I don't like: it is very washable. This is good, in case you make a mistake and want a quick clean-up, or in case it touches false lashes. On the other hand, I have to be very careful with facial mists and such, by shielding the eye area. Otherwise I will get a little splatter mark where this liner dissolved. 

Disconcerting, and means mirror check-ups are a necessity. A bit of a committment, much like red lipstick. 
So keep that in mind before purchasing. 

BUT WAIT! ZERE'S MORE! Mais oui!
Une vidéo CHARMANTE!

A fool-proof look that can work in any setting.

A Realistic Tan (aka how to piss off South Asian Aunties)

Perhaps you are South Asian. Perhaps not.

(Then again, perhaps you are naught but shadows and dust in the cobwebs of my mind. But let's not go there eh.)

As a South Asian (or possibly Asian in general?), you may well be aware of the vehement furor and snobbish disdain that a tan ensures in our lovely community.

Said tan may be quite, quite natural.

In fact, like my baby son, your tan may be part of your genetic makeup. THIS DOES NOT LET YOU OFF THE HOOK. YOU HAVE COMMITTED THE CRIME OF ALL CRIMES AND YOU SHALL PAY! Let's see how thick your skin really is, eh?

A tan is a revelation. It shows JUST HOW STRONGLY one's social standing relies on looks.

Not with everyone, of course, but definitely among some foul-hearted beeshes prominent in our community. Vile comments abound!

I mean, hello! How could anyone tolerate skin so glowing as to make supermodels jealous? Cover that horrifically healthy colour up! Use bleach, Fair & Lovely, baby powder! Hurry, chop chop! My eyes are burning!

 Yes, even if the offensive tan belongs to a pure, innocent little baby boy with eyes like melting chocolate kisses. (Is my bitterness showing?)

Just recently I was at a Shiseido counter getting colour matched, for their glorious Perfect Refining Foundation. Lady matches me to 020. Then she eyes me up and down, noting my desi-ness. "Of course," she says crisply, "You'd prefer a few shades lighter, right?"

Only desis are so accommodating as to be racist against themselves.

Anyway, having witnessed many variations of the above, enduring ridiculous conversations about--what else--skin colour....I decided enough was enough. I wanted to piss off those superficial, pathetic aunty figures, and really rub it in.

So I went the self-tanner route. It was a necessity before big parties.

That became too hard to maintain, although it was worth it to see certain aunties flinch at my tan. After that, I went for liquid bronzers, gels and creams.

I also kind of like seeing myself 'tan' when I stay indoors most days. Psychological gratification, and all that. So after loads of bronzing gels and the like, I have finally found my HOLY GRAIL of realistic bronzer.... The Guerlain Terracotta Tinted Moisturizer! *cue trumpets*

The quick rundown: it's long lasting, looks dewy-fresh, not greasy--important!--the colour (brunettes) is perfect for mixing a drop into foundation to darken it, matches my natural tan perfectly--works very well as a gel bronzer (applied with fingers or brush)...ensures compliments on my "gorgeous skin" from strangers! C'est vraiment MAGNIFIQUE!

Here is a pic with me wearing it (center of face has vichy dermablend mixed with a drop of the guerlain tm).

(eyes: Fyrinnae Immortality, the lightest shade of Annabelle Java quad)

   It looks so natural!! It blends effortlessly, smells beautiful, and no breakouts in over a week of using it. Perfect product and will definitely ensure a few nasty glances from certain...aunties. What more could you ask for?

Lipstick Palette and brief how-to

 Carting around a load of lipsticks, glosses seems like a frivolity. It is actually quite essential to running my daily errands. A comfort blanket sort of thing. One to refresh the favoured lip of the day, another dozen 'just in case'--to stave off boredom I suppose. Of course, one or two more, bought during the day's course, to come join the happy family.

 I tried to keep it up, I really did. Despite the already cumbersome 'diaper bag' (what an ugly term),  crowded with cosmetics, a couple of books, tissues, keys, coins, wallet, bottles of formula, and, yes-diapers... I persisted with my 10+ unnecessary lipsticks. 

But then I went and did this...

Ugly old eyeshadow palette full of chalky colours. In this pic the useless eyeshadows have been scraped out, palette washed and disinfected..

To snazzy lip palette painted prettily for kicks... 

There are plenty of depotting tutorials on the internet, for lipsticks. The gist is: behead the luckless lippie. Put it in spoon, hold spoon above candle (NOT TOO CLOSE!). 

Whistle the classic tune relied upon by generations of lumberjacks and gold prospectors, it's raining men.

 There will be fumes. They are not to be inhaled (nausea! headache!). 

Once the lipstick seems to have completely liquified, delicately pour it into the pan without burning yourself. Leave to set. You can mix lipsticks (eg a sliver of a brown lipstick, a sliver of a pink) to make different shades. Experimenting is fun! My favourite shade here is the mix of Vasanti's Spain and Estee Lauder's Bois de Rose.

Here we have an array of well-melted and not-so-well-melted lipsticks (where I got impatient, and didn't wait for it to fully melt, are the blotchy bits). Yes, it's been used and loved. Just this and a lip brush is all I need.

Right to left

 Estee Lauder Tiramisu
Revlon lip butter Creme brulee
Estee Lauder Tiger eye

Rimmel paradise
Rimmel Kate Moss 14
Estee Lauder Rose tea

Revlon Copperglow berry + tiramisu
Revlon Copperglow berry
Bois de rose

Estee Lauder Tiramisu (again)
Rimmel amethyst shimmer
Rimmel amethyst shimmer (twice because I have several tubes of this)

Vasanti spain
Vasanti spain + EL bois de rose
boots sheer temptation delight

Guerlain Gigi
Revlon fuchsia fusion
Revlon love that pink