Like many people, I think, I’ve been wearing less makeup during the pandemic. For me, that’s mostly been a product of the pandemic coinciding with my field season; I’ve never bothered to put on makeup for my annual tradition of 10-hour days of sweating in the middle of nowhere. When I’m not in the field, though, I’ve relished the opportunity to feel a little bit put-together amid a world of chaos. This look came together on one of those rare makeup days, and though I’d never thought to combine these two particular shades (peach and chartreuse) on my eyelids, I’m really pleased with the results. (My winged eyeliner skills could use some work, but that’s nothing new.)
Products Used
Face
Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define (shades 6.5 and 7)
For the past several days, I’ve been jamming to Lady Gaga’s new song (ft. Ariana Grande), “Rain On Me,” pretty much nonstop. The song is amazing, and the music video is equally fabulous. This music release feels like it’s from another world—and certainly, the video must have been shot before the current global pandemic situation. If you somehow haven’t yet seen/head this masterpiece, here you go:
Gaga and Ari’s makeup/entire look in this video inspired me to glam up my own face a bit this Memorial Day. I just washed all my makeup brushes (long overdue—if you’re reading this, you probably should, too. Just sayin’) and they’re currently drying, so I only used sponges and fingers (mostly fingers) for this look, a fun challenge. I usually am a major brush lover, so it was refreshing to get out of my comfort zone application-wise.
Color-wise, though, this look was right in my comfort zone, which is to say, PURPLE. Whenever I’m wearing a non-neutral makeup look, chances are that it’s mostly purple. It’s my second-favorite color (yellow, unfortunately, is not quite as flattering on my face), and it makes brown eyes pop! I’m just obsessed. I used a combination of new and well-loved products to create this look and I’m loving the subtly space-glam vibe. Plus, no fussy application techniques, since again, I didn’t have any brushes to use. Read on to learn what products I used to create this look!
“I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive”
Yes, my eyebrows are fully two different shapes/sizes…one of the many struggles of quarantine. They say “your eyebrows should be sisters, not twins” but right now, mine look more like second cousins. Which one do you like better?! I can’t decide!
Hello, friends! Long time, no blog. It’s been a busy month
so far—I was traveling for a week, and then I jumped right back into classes,
work, and NaNoWriMo(!). Balancing all of these commitments has been no easy
feat, but this weekend I have a bit more time to relax and decided to get a
blog post up.
I’ve bought some new things recently, as I am wont to do, and
have been getting a lot of use and enjoyment out of them, both out of town and
in. But I didn’t want to do a post dedicated solely to new stuff, so I am
mixing them in with three “old” belongings that I’ve been using and enjoying
just as much. I’ve had each of the “old” things for at least a year, and bought
each of the “new” things within the past month or so. Without further ado,
let’s get started!
I’ve always loved the look of classic Doc Martens patent
boots, but I don’t love the leather they are traditionally made of. Luckily,
Dr. M has us vegans covered with a whole range of animal-free boots and
accessories. I bought this classic style, the 1460, in black vegan leather over
2 years ago and they show no signs of wear so far. I wear these boots at least
a few times a week through the fall and winter, and I look forward to keeping
them for many more years.
Over the years, I’ve collected a number of water bottles
(and lost a fair amount of them). But somehow, I found myself at the beginning
of this school year with several bottles, but none that didn’t leak in my
backpack. I put off getting a new bottle because I already had a few, but the
leaking was getting to me. Then I stumbled upon this beautiful bottle in
Birdfolk Collective, a delightful gift shop near me that I will definitely be
returning to for my holiday card purchases. The bottle is by Corkcicle, and
it’s designed by Rifle Paper Co, a company that can take my money all day, every
day with everything they make. (What can I say, I love well-designed, whimsical
floral prints!!!) I have had a bit of an aversion to the color pink for most of
my life (internalized misogyny, anyone?), but I liked this bottle so much that
I decided to go for it. And I love it! It’s so pretty, the shape is easy to
hold, and it DOES. NOT. LEAK. If you’re in the market for a new water bottle
that’s a bit more elegant than the tried and true Hydro Flask or Nalgene (no
shade—I still love those brands, too), check out this collection!
Old: My makeup bags
The first makeup bag I ever used was a gift-with-purchase one from the Clinique counter at Boscov’s when I first started wearing makeup. It was a loud pink-and-orange floral print, and not exactly my style. It served me well for years, but I’ve since acquired a few makeup bags that are much more personal and that I love to use. One is from a gift shop in St. Louis (it’s on the Delmar Loop, but I don’t remember the name!), and it is made of a fabric with animals and cacti all over it. Delightful! (Upon recent, closer examination, the brand seems to be called Danica Studios.) The other was a Christmas gift from a friend while she was in the UK, and it features…wait for it…the periodic table of elements. It’s an unexpected combination, and it tickles me every time I use it! This bigger bag is primarily for toiletries, and I use the smaller, printed fabric one for makeup. They’re the best travel companions.
I’ve been eyeing this Ilia palette for months and months,
and I finally ordered it a few weeks ago. It’s a wonderfully compact range of
shades that I will actually use, and the cool tones are perfect for winter (and
for making brown eyes pop!). I appreciate Ilia’s commitment to ethical,
cruelty-free beauty, and I am really loving this palette so far. It’s perfect
for travel and everyday use. And if warm shades are more your speed, they have
a “Warm Nudes” palette, too.
Girlfriend makes amazing activewear out of recycled plastic
water bottles. How neat is that?! Not only is it a great, sustainable concept,
the pieces are wonderful (and come in a size-inclusive size range, too). I’ve
acquired three pairs of girlfriend leggings in the past several years—the first
I tore a hole in during an overly enthusiastic game of volleyball at the Y, so
I bought an identical pair of the standard black leggings to replace them. (I
still have that first pair with a hole in them, but I might be sending them in
soon to take advantage of the reGirlfriend program. This company puts their money
where their mouth is when it comes to sustainability. Oh, and speaking of sustainability,
I got both of those leggings gently used on thredUp for a fraction of the
retail cost. Score!) The classic black leggings are probably my most-worn
bottoms; I wear them at least a couple times a week and they are durable, stretchy,
comfy, flattering…truly, what more can you ask for in a legging?
Like the Cool Nudes palette, I’ve been eyeing these jeans for months. For the past year or so I’ve only had a pair of dark-wash skinnies and a stained, distressed pair of boyfriend jeans in the denim department, and I’ve been craving a middle ground—something that’s not skinny, but still fitted and flattering, but also comfy. These Cheeky Straight jeans from Everlane fit the bill perfectly, and I loved my first pair so much that I got them in another color, too (Washed Black and Sky Blue). I was compulsively checking PoshMark multiple times a day to see if a pair had popped up in my size and preferred color, and luckily, they did! These jeans are versatile; I wear them from the office to the field to a night out with friends, and they handle it all with style and ease.
I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my “old and new” favorite
things! What have you been loving lately, whether it’s a new find, a
rediscovered treasure, or a tried-and-true standby? Let me know!
Normally, I’m an eye makeup fiend. Shadow, liner, you name it—the more, the better! Lately, though, I’ve been drawn to this simple look that’s easy on the eyes (literally!), focusing instead on flushed cheeks and a bold lip. Keep reading to hear about the six products I used to get the look.
BareMinerals Original Foundation in Fairly Light: An oldie but a goodie! BareMinerals is still an excellent powder foundation, and one I’ve been reaching for more often lately in the morning rush. It’s pretty foolproof —no dreaded foundation lines—and gives better coverage than you might expect. I also find that it’s more forgiving of the flaky skin patches I have been getting from both acne and drying skincare products. It does a nice job of evening out my skin tone; my spots aren’t completely covered with this product, but that’s quite alright with me.
Pure Anada Pressed Cheek Colour in Sweet Pea: This lovely mauve is my go-to everyday cheek color. I applied it a bit more heavy-handedly than I might if I was wearing eye makeup. Plus, I love a flushed cheek in the fall and winter. Pure Anada is a really awesome, cruelty-free, affordable brand, and they have a great sample program if you want to try out any of their products.
Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana: This shade has been my go-to subtle highlighting powder for years, and I’m so bummed that Wet n Wild is no longer cruelty-free. 😦 Still, I’ll use this up while I have it! I applied this highlighter along the tops of my cheekbones, under my eyes, and along the bridge of my nose for a subtle warm glow.
Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara: Being blessed/cursed with dark, bushy eyebrows, I rarely use more than a clear gel to tame and shape them. Essence’s offering is a relatively new one for me, but it’s quickly become a staple! I have used the e.l.f. Clear Brow & Lash Mascara for years, but a new tube would always give my brows an over-gelled, crunchy look. Definitely not ideal. Essence’s clear gel is a bit of a softer hold, so it avoids the crunchiness. It’s a dollar more, but the tube seems to be lasting me longer than e.l.f.’s usually did, so I’ll take it!
SheaMoisture 100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil: I combed this castor oil through my lashes to give them a bit of shine and nourish them, too. Normally, I wouldn’t apply this heavy oil during the daytime because it could interfere with the rest of my eye makeup, opting instead to use it as a nighttime treatment. But today, I don’t have on any other eye makeup, so my lashes get a treat! It’s quite nice not to worry about mascara flaking or smudging throughout the day.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Budapest: Another tried-and-true classic product! I’ve been switching up my lip color the past few days, but today I spotted this one in my drawer and felt drawn to it. It’s a great fall color—a rich, warm berry that’s still appropriate for pretty much any occasion. Unfortunately, this product isn’t vegan because it contains beeswax. Otherwise, though, I love it.
That’s it for my simple fall makeup look! Six products is wayyyy fewer than what I usually use, and it feels nice to do this look in just 5 minutes during a busy month. Clean, groomed brows and lashes, flushed cheeks, and a dark lip make for a great combo. What colors or products are you loving this season? Would you like to see more makeup looks? Let me know in the comments! 🙂
Hanusia's Blog 