A little V-Day inspo. collage.
Some of my best Valentine’s Days were spent with my girlfriends. Although I have a gentleman caller these days, V-Day is a friend holiday for me as much as it is a romantic holiday. This classic look is for either occasion—look glam for drinks with the chicks—or look devastating for that special date 😉 The vintage Hollywood look is totally in right now (was it ever out?). With a little patience (give yourself about an hour for this one) you can own it, too.
Makeup:
Snow! I couldn’t resist.
1. Begin with a fresh, dewy completion. I used Vapour Organics Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation in “s115” under a layer of Alima Pure Satin Matte Mineral Foundation in “Olive 1”. The focus will be on your eyes and your lips, so keeps your cheeks fairly subdued. Next, I put a little bronzer on the apples of my cheeks. For bronzer, I used Alima Pure mineral powder in “Olive 4”—which is a few shades darker than my normal skin tone. I then applied a teeny tiny amount of Josie Maran’s Argan Illuminizer along my cheekbones (this stuff goes a loooong way).
Step One: Create a bright, glowing canvas.
2. Just like your cheeks, keep your eyelids neutral so they don’t compete with your eyeliner. Using a matte palette, apply shadow slightly lighter than your skin tone to your moving eyelid. Using a shadow two shadows darker than your skin tone, fill in your crease. I used Tarte NeutralEyes Eye Shadow Palette Volume II.
Step Two: Keep eyelids simple and neutral.
3. Now for some drama! I created a classic “cat eye” using Jane Iredale Liquid Liner in black. To keep a steady hand when applying liquid eyeliner, rest your elbow on the counter or even your jaw (this is what I do). There are many ways to go about creating a fairly decent cat eye. I usually begin by creating a dot where I want the “flick” to end. Next, draw a line along your lash line (as you normally do with liner). Make sure both lines are the same thickness and relatively even. Apply a second coat if necessary.
Finally, draw a triangle by extending two line lines from the dot—connect one line to the end of your lash line (imagine extending your lower lash line to the dot; connect the second line to a point a few millimeters closer to the center of your eye (the length will vary depending on how long/thin you’d like your flick. Fill in the triangle. Ta da!
Step Three: Don’t worry if you didn’t get your cat line perfect–clean up the edges with a q-tip dipped in eye makeup remover. I have to do this every time!
4. Curl your lashes, and apply two coats of your favorite mascara. I used Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara. Maximize the appearance of length and thickness by removing clumps from the ends of your lashes.
5. Finally, put on your best stained lip. I used Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain in “Quickstep.” For a little more softness, I topped it with GlamNatural Lip Cream in “Bride to Be.”
Hair:
1. Begin with freshly brushed hair. Spray the bottom half of your hair with a heat-protector. I like Jane Carter Solution Natural Hold Spray Gel. Pros: it’s free of silicone and alcohol (drying), it works, and it’s vegan & cruelty-free; cons: it contains synthetic fragrance.
2. Find your perfect side part. I place mine directly above the arch of my eyebrow. Section your hair into four sections. First, separate and pin back two, one-inch pieces on either side of your part. Next, roughly divide the remaining hair in half and bring each section in front of your shoulders. Sectioning your hair will keep you organized.
Step Two: Find your side part.
3. Beginning with one of the larger sections and working from back to front, curl one-inch pieces away from your face. After you finish each curl, hold it with a bobby pin until the hair cools (about 5 mins). Pinning your curls while they’re still warm will help them hold. Repeat on the other side.
Step Three: Curl the majority of your hair away from your face.
Pin individual curls until they cool.
You will look a little funky with all of your hair pinned.
4. Unpin the two pieces on either side of your part (from Step 2). To frame your face, curl the front pieces of your hair towards your face. Pin these curls until they cool.
5. Once all of your curls have cooled, carefully remove all the pins. This will sound counter-intuitive, but gently brush your curls. Brushing curls will create that soft, Hollywood-esque wave. If necessary, re-curl the two framing pieces.
6. Finally, hold your head back and spray your hairline. This will emphasize your hairline and create a little more lift.
Steps 5-6: Brush out curls to create soft, bouncy waves.
Play around with the placement of your hair. Create different effects by putting it all behind your shoulders, all in front of your shoulders, or all on one side of your face.
For a casual variation of this look, pull hair into a low, side pony.
More beauty tutorials: Festive Glittery Gold Eye Makeup
Elvin Beauty – Tauriel Hair and Makeup Tutorial
Photos: Mary Hood
