Ways to Wear Series: Bronze

Another week, another way to wear series. Since last week was all about color - hello pink!! - this week is more of a neutral. Bronze by MAC is hardly a sheer scaredy cat. Think more rich, luscious, silky pigmentation. Deliciousness in a shadow pan.

Base: Elf Shadow Primer
Inner Lid: Goldmine
Middle Lid: Style Snob
Outer Lid: Bronze
Crease: Bronze and Smut
Lower Line: Feline
Lower Line: Goldmine
Highlight: Shroom

All products MAC

Ways To Wear Series: Da Bling

Over the last couple of weeks I've been putting together a little series for the blog. Sometimes I look at my eye palettes, and I always end up picking the same combination of colors, or only using one shade with one other. I wanted to challenge myself to get more use out of the current colors I have, and think of new ways to wear them, and I'd like to share that with you all.

The first shade I've picked out to work with is Da Bling. Da Bling is one of my favorite permanent MAC shades, and probably one of the first that I picked out for myself. It's a mid-toned pink with gold shimmer. Pink is a color a lot of people avoid, but Da Bling is a great one to start out with if you are scared, because it really does play well with others.

For the first in my Way To Wear Series, I picked one of my all time favorite color combinations: Gold and Pink. For this look, I've used another classic MAC color (I'm trying to only use permanent colors in this series so that anyone can try out these combinations), Goldmine. This look can be softly worn during the day, and then by adding black liquid liner on top and on the lower inner rim, it really takes it up a notch for the night.

 

All colors MAC unless otherwise stated:
Base: ELF Shadow Primer
Inner Lid: Goldmine
Outer Lid and crease: Da Bling
Highlight: Shroom
Mascara: Maybelline Falsies

Summer Sunsets FOTD

This is my favorite look that I've done all summer I think. There's something about the golden eyes mimicking the gorgeous summer sun colors. I haven't used my Elf Candid Coral blush that often since I got it, and looking at these pictures, I really regret it. It's moving to the top of my blush pile rapidly!

Eyes
Goldmine all over
Cranberry inner crease
Amber Lights outer lid
Twinks outer crease

Face
Elf Candid Coral blush

Lips
MAC Ever Hip

Urban Decay Smoky Eye Look

I recently dismantled my Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland palette so that all my shadows are in palettes and easy to find. I am sure that some beauty bloggers would have literally cried as I shamelessly tore apart the gorgeous packaging. Honestly though, it was a shame that those colors were not getting the true love that they deserved.

When Urban Decay shadows are good, they are very, very good. And when they are bad they are glittery. This look had a bit of both. The Alice in Wonderland palette has a surprising array of neutral colors, and I wanted to put something together that would be great for summer time glam. You know - late nights, cocktails on the roof deck, golden smoky. One of the shadows I was most excited about was Maui Wowie (Wonderland in Alice), which is a dirty gold. It looked so pretty and versatile in the pan, but ended up being a horrible glittery, fall-out mess. Honestly, I did clean up before I took these pictures, but even then there was still glitter everywhere. Such a shame. The rest of the shadows were beautiful to use - soft, rich, easy to blend. Mushroom is a particular favorite, although I already have it from the Book of Shadows Vol II. It's the perfect transition shade between brown and gray. I probably could have defined the crease more and gone a bit more over the top.

All products Urban Decay unless otherwise stated.

Base: MAC Paint in Bare Canvas
Inner Lid: Maui Wowie
Middle and Outer Lid: Mushroom
Outer Lid and Crease: Baked
Crease: Oil Slick
Highlight: Vanilla
Waterline: El Dorado
Lower Line: Stash
Mascara: Maybelline Full and Soft

Gold Eyes and Peachy Cheeks FOTD

This was just a nice weekend day time look I put together this weekend. I was wearing the most amazing leopard print romper, so I wanted something gold to play off that.

I love how the light is getting brighter and it makes me want to skip out on smoky eyes - can you imagine!?!? Love it.

All products MAC unless otherwise stated:

Base: Paint in Bare Canvas
Inner lid: Nanogold
Middle and outer lid: Goldmine
Crease: Amber Lights
Crease: Bronze
Browbone: Ricepaper
Waterline: Blackline liner
Lower Lid: Urban Decay El Dorado
Mascara: Maybelline Full N Soft

Face:
Primer: Tarte
Base: Tinted moisturizer using Kiehls Ultra Facial Moisturizer and MAC Studio Scult in NW25
Concealer: MAC Moisture Select in NW20
Highlight: NARS Orgasm Illuminator
Powder: ELF HD Powder
Blush: MAC Ripe Peach (Peach side)

Lips:
MAC Perennially High Style Lipglass

EOTD: Golden Smokiness

Another very quick EOTD today folks! This is a look I use a lot when I'm rushing for a going out look and need to do something fast as it's very quick and easy. (I must come across as the laziest person ever on this blog!). The only issue with it is that because I'm using a mineralize eyeshadow, there is definite cleaning up to do after you finish, so I always do it before doing my base.

All products MAC unless specified.

Base: Paint in Bare Canvas
Lid: Amber Lights
Outer Lid and Crease: Gilt By Association
Highlight: Manila
Upper Liner: MAC Penultimate
Lower Liner: Feline and UD El Dorado

Roman Goddess EOTD Using MAC Devil May Care Palette

I was thinking Roman Goddess when I put together this look, and really wanted to bring out a rich, opulent, luxury feeling. I deliberately didn’t line the upper lid to really bring out the golds and bronzes, as I love how gorgeous they look shimmering together. I also extended the shadow to almost touching my eyebrows to really bring out that imposing, gorgeous feeling. A little bit over the top maybe, but the colors are so beautiful that I felt they deserved it. I used the MAC Devil May Care Palette from Holiday 09, but the colors are not so original that duping isn’t possible.

I haven’t got full face pictures, but I’d recommend a gold or bronzey tinged lip gloss - Liberated from MAC Style Warriors is my first choice, though anything with a hint of gold shimmer will work nicely, as long as the color is kept warm. Again, warm toned blush and a touch of bronzer will really work the glamazon opulence going here.

Base: Paint in Bare Canvas and NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
Inner Lid: Antique  Gold
Outer Lid: Bronze
Crease brushed out to wing: Burgundy
Lower Waterline: Urban Decay Zero
Lower Lashline: Bronze shadow
Browbone: Light gold
Mascara: Maybelline XXL Colossal

Looking at the palette, the burgundy color could be duped with MAC A Little Folie, the gold color maybe Gorgeous Gold, the bronze by Bronze. Suggestions welcome for the rest of them.

Neutral EOTD Using MAC Devil May Care Palette

As you may know, I recently went back to the UK for a week. For eye colors, I decided to only take my MAC holiday palettes and see if they would work for a week of experimenting, seeing friends, shopping, and the like.

The first thing I should fess up to is that I actually ended up not wearing make up most days. There’s really not much need for it when my main activity is stomping across the country-side with my dog wearing wellies (rain boots). I find that on vacation I do tend to skip out on getting myself made up. As I’ve said before, I do not treat make up as a mask or a thing I need to do before I face the world. I can easily go out completely bare-faced, and not just hiking across fields, but shopping and meeting friends as well. For me, make up is something that is a fun accessory, like the rest of my unashamed fan. It’s a way for me to be creative and have fun.

I did wear it a couple of days though. This was my day time look for heading into a full day of hard shopping.

I used the MAC Devil May Care Palette palette from Holiday 09. This is a truly gorgeous and really versatile palette. I use it reasonably often for both day and night looks.

 

  

As this was meant to be a soft day time look, I decided against using any eyeliner at all, and just let the prettiness of the soft pinks and golds shine through. This could easily work in any office environment, and then be taken to a night-time look by adding a line of black liquid liner.


I’m thinking of doing a line of work-safe pretty neutral looks - what does anyone think? A good idea, or a little bit boring?