holiday beauty: Mary Kay Silver Screen Siren Look

each holiday season gives us the opportunity to spend extra time and give gifts to those we love, as well as the chance for us beauty-loving gals to glam it up and even step out of our makeup comfort zone to try new looks!

Condé Nast reached out to offer me, on behalf of Mary Kay, the chance to create a vintage-inspired beauty look to share with you, so you can only imagine my excitement!

though i don't have any fancy soirées to attend this year, of course, this was a no-brainer…

yes, please!

you may have seen blogger Lindsey Calla's ad feature in the pages of your Allure, Glamour or Self mags this month; she's made up in beauty looks {created by makeup artist Mariela Bagnato} and stylish ensembles {put together by Lindsey herself} that are seasonally on-trend and perfect for events and get-togethers you may be attending soon...

 those included Flapper Chic {smokey eye/neutral lip}, White Hot Suit {winged liner/red lip} and the look selected for me to interpret, Silver Screen Siren {plum lip/shimmery eye}.

i was sent all the products i'd need to create this look {with the exception of foundation and concealer}.

the Silver Screen Siren is a look i definitely had fun with. a deep plum lip isn't one i wear often. when i was a teenager, i loved a deep-colored lip and my go-to shades were always in the plum/burgundy family. now, of course, i'm all about the pinks, peaches and nude/neutral lips.

but i digress…

so, before i created my full Silver Screen Siren look, i tried out the shades and created a look for day that would easily transition to night by adding the key element of the deep plum lip...

if you follow me on instagram, you saw this day-friendly look...

 and here's the full look on me, complete with the deep plum lip...


i think if an invitation for a night out comes up, i'll definitely be ready to rock this look...what do you think? :)

every product provided is simply beautiful. i've been using Mary Kay makeup for years, and the products are only getting better. the pigment and application of the eye shadows is gorgeous; i especially love the cheek colors, and Lash Love mascara is fabulous, though i will admit the brand's Ultimate Mascara is still my all-time fave.

products* sent to me to create this look:
Mary Kay® Facial Highlighting Pen, Mary Kay® Eye Primer, Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist, Mary Kay At Play™ Baked Eye Trio in On the Horizon, Mary Kay® Eye Line in Deep Brown; Mary Kay® Lip Primer, Mary Kay® Lip Liner in Plum, Mary Kay® True Dimensions™ Lipstick in Mystic Plum. Mary Kay® Mineral Cheek Color in Sparkling Cider and Shy; Mary Kay® Lash Primer, Mary Kay® Lash Love Mascara in I heart Black; Mary Kay® Translucent Loose Powder, and Mary Kay® Makeup Finishing Spray by Skindinävia; beauty tools, including a full brush set were sent for application.

all of these products are available at marykay.com.

to see other holiday-inspired beauty looks, be sure to follow them on Twitter {@marykay} and look for the hashtags #MKtrend and #MKholidaylook to see how other fabulous holiday beauty looks are being created; visit and follow them on Facebook and Pinterest stay up-to-date on all the latest from this gorgeous brand.

*this post was sponsored by Mary Kay through Conde Nast; all products provided by Mary Kay; opinions are my own and i was not paid to post this. 

give your classic look an update with Mary Kay Beauty

the little black dress; black pumps; a camel trench coat; the bold, red lip ~
these never go out of style because they're timeless.

that said, even our beloved classics need a bit of an update from time to time! now that we've started a new year, it's a fabulous time to consider doing this. so, i consulted Mary Kay Glam Squad celebrity makeup artist, Virginia Linzee. she has a beauty recipe that can be done quickly and will be the perfect look for any occasion!

we beauty girls know, eyebrows frame the face and can make or break a look. so, first start by creating"the perfect modern brow to make a statement".

to get the perfect arch, Virginia suggests the following:

using a clean mascara wand or brow brush, brush the brow hairs downward, sketch quick, light strokes with Mary Kay Brow Definer Pencil at the top of the brow, mimicking the direction that your natural hair grows. dampen a very thin angle brush and dip into an eye shadow or brow powder that matches your natural brow color. fill in any sparse areas using quick brush stroke; comb a gel {like Mary Kay Brow Gel} into brows in an upward motion to keep brows lifted and hairs in place.

update the monochromatic, neutral look! Virginia's tips for a "simple and sultry" face:

for a gorgeous, neutral makeup look, Virginia likes to start by creating an even skin tone. Mary Kay Tinted Moisturizer works well on clear skin while Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous-Wear Liquid Foundation is best on more uneven skin tones.

for eyes, start by applying a deep brown eyeliner pencil into the upper lash line; "keep the line thick near the outer eye and thinner as you near the inner corner; soften the line using a smudge brush."

next, sweep a mid tone eye shadow shade over the eyelid and blend into the crease. blend softly under the lower lashes as well. using a darker shade {like Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Truffle}, blend shadow on the outer corner of the eye and over the liner. "be sure to blend well and fade the shadow out to avoid harsh lines." finish off with black mascara.

"to keep this look super modern, skip the blush and instead, contour." 
Virginia does this with a product like Mary Kay Bronzing Powder.  she adds, "Mary Kay Mineral Highlighting Powder in Pink Stardust can be applied on the cheek bones near the temples, the bow of the lip, down the bridge of the nose and on the center of the chin."

complete the look with Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Café Au Lait or Rich Spice.


i can imagine what a gorgeous finished look this would be! many thanks to Virginia for the tips and product suggestions. if you're curious, Mary Kay has a plethora of fabulous products to create any look, from timeless to trendy, so head over to their website and see for yourself.

Total Beauty: 8 Must-Have Makeup Trends for Fall

the spring runway trends are still fresh in my head at the moment, so it's fitting that i share this fab article from Total Beauty to jog my memory of the trends that are to be embraced now.

fall is, after all, my favorite season!

from rich lip shades to metallic smokey eyes, many of these beauty looks aren't new, but seeing them in current mags, on models, done in fantastically outrageous ways, can be overwhelming.

learn how they can me worn in a real-life-friendly way...

How to Wear Fall's Hottest Makeup Trends Without Looking Ridiculous

See the 8 hottest trends off the runway and learn how to make them wearable for your everyday

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup trends article While avant-garde makeup looks amazing in magazine spreads and on models strutting down the catwalk, the looks can end up looking ridiculous at the office or even when you're headed out for a Saturday night on the town -- until now! Our beauty expert fills us in on how to translate these trends into looks that are wearable. See how-tos

Revlon's Beauty Look at Rag & Bone Spring 2011

for Rag & Bone's spring/summer 2011 runway show, Revlon's global artistic director, Gucci Westman, created a showstopping look to compliment collection.



using some of her favorite products from Revlon, Westman made up the models in a look she called "real beauty". the Rag & Bone collection itself is full of textured and natural clothing, taking inspiration from Laurence of Arabia, so the makeup look was "meant to capture a journey."

"the girls look slightly windswept, a little raw, and disheveled with dewy skin. this translates to a healthy, subtle color in cheeks and a grayish, slightly brown sheen eye, " says Westman.



Revlon products used to get the look:

on the eyes:

Multi Use Palette in Suede Rhapsody (available early october)
Luxurious Color Matte Kohl Eyeliner in Black Truffle
ColorStay Liquid Liner in Blackest Black

on the face:

Cream Blush in Berry Flirtatious

on the lips:

ColorBurst Lipstick in Fashion's Night Pout (unfortunately, not for sale at retail locations, but be sure to look for exclusive giveaways on Revlon's Facebook and Twitter pages during the month of september!)

xo
images: Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images North America

NY Fashion Week Spring 2011: NARS Creates Makeup Look at Honor

at the Honor fashion show for spring/summer 2011, NARS international lead makeup artist, James Boehmer, led a team of makeup artists to create a look that accentuated eyes and kept lips nude.

up-and-coming Honor designer Giovanna Randall shared that the inspiration for the look came from an "elegant femininity inspired by Catherine Deneuve and Grace Kelly with an edge of rebellion like Cyndi Lauper."



with the venue set up like a parisian apartment, the idea was to communicate a merge of innocent femininity and bold sexuality.



for the look James and his team created round-shaped eye combined with a nude matte lip and an overall blended effect. he says, "we wanted the look to be clean and simple so not to distract from the clothes."

to keep the face soft, features were kept streamlined by not using mascara. below are some key products and steps for recreating the look (all products by NARS):

-Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer (new for february 2011). For now – try a light application of Sheer Glow Foundation
-Zen Blush
-Bombshell Eyeshadow (to highlight cheekbones)
-Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow
-Ashes To Ashes Eyeshadow
-Madere Pure Matte Lipstick (new for spring 2011) dabbed on the lip (try Bangkok Pure Matte Lipstick for now)

xo
info and images courtesy of NARS

Leighton Meester at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards

when Leighton Meester attended the 2010 Teen Choice Awards, she too had a pretty makeup look, created by none other than CoverGirl's celeb makeup artist Molly R. Stern.

Molly shares what products, and how she used them, to create this soft, feminine look...

for her face:

"i prepped Leighton's skin with Josie Marin Argan Oil Skin Primer and lightly moisturized with Sk-11 Facial Lift Emulsion. next, i sparingly used CoverGirl Clean Liquid Makeup.

for her eyes:

"we wanted a celestial glow with a smidge of an edge. so i first based her eye with NARS Cream Chadow in Corfu on the lid, then with Shu Uemura P Gold 94 over the top. i added a little silver sparkly glittery shadow from RMK, a treasure i found in japan, to the inside of the lid and under the outer edge of the eye. next, i lined the top of the lid at the lash line and under the eye with CoverGirl LiquiLineBlast Eyeliner in Blue Boom. for her lashes, 2 coats of CoverGirl LashBlast Fusion in Brown was the perfect finish."

on her cheeks:

"i used Kevin Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow in Nuelle and dusted YSL Touché Blush over the top. to set her look for the red carpet i dusted all over with La Mer Treatment Powder Foundation in Linen.

on her lips:

"i wanted a long lasting nude so i chose CoverGirl Oulast Lipstain in Nude Kiss on the lip with CoverGirl ShineBlast Lipgloss in Dazzle over top."

thanks Molly-- fabulous work!

xo

NY Fashion Week Fall 2010: Thakoon

for the Thakoon fall 2010 show, Nars cosmetics created the gorgeous look.

taking inspiration from Chopinot & Gaultier's Le Défilé, designer Thakoon Panichgul says, "i was inspired by the costumes used in this show and wanted to create a collection that reflected that same era but without the goth element."



Diane Kendal applying makeup to model

lead Nars artist, Diane Kendal says of the look: "the look is fresh, beautiful, luminous and quite confident. we focused on a strong brow and highlighted the eyes to show depth and boldness in a way that wouldn't fight with the various textures, layers and colors of the collection."



on the face: Douceur Blush (new for fall 2010); try Lovejoy or Madly Blush for a similar effect
on the eyes: Coconut Grove Single Eyeshadow (new for fall 2010); try Bali Single Eyeshadow for a similar effect. Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (new for fall 2010); try the Orgasm Illuminator on brow bones for a similar effect. Portobello Duo Eyeshadow

on the lips: Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick (new for fall 2010); try Belle de Jour Velvet Matte Lip Pencil for a similar effect.

xo
first two model images at top via style.com; all other images and info courtesy of NARS

NY Fashion Week Fall 2010: Yigal Azrouël

inspired by a collection rich in texture, lead artist Wendy Rowe, working with Bobbi Brown cosmetics, focused on creating "youthful, fresh, but chic makeup with heavy focus on brows..."

this monochromatic look worked flawlessly with the women's clothes (the collection also included menswear), and was a great contrast to the more structured pieces. eyes were complimented with softly smudged eyeliner, and cream shadow, making the eye more neutral; lip colors in Hot Cocoa and Salmon from Bobbi Brown's collection completed the look.



to get the look, the following products were used*:

on the skin: Hydrating Face Cream, Hydrating Eye Cream, Foundation Stick, Creamy Concealer, Corrector.

on the eyes: Suede Long-Wear Cream Shadow, all over lid; Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Sepia Ink, applied lightly and smudged on upper and lower lashline.

on the cheeks: Bronzing Powder

on the lips: Hot Cocoa and Salmon Lip Color

on the brows: clean and brushed up with a touch of Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Sepia Ink


as for the hair, Teddy Charles for TIGI created a modern, understated ponytail loop-bun with a silky, textured finish.




to get the look, the following products were used:

CATWALK by TIGI Your Highness Root Boost Spray

Love, Peace & the Planet by TIGI Freak of Nature

CATWALK by TIGI Your Highness Firm Holding Hairspray


xo
all beauty info and images courtesy of the respected brand PR; model images via style.com
*please note that the makeup look contains products slated for fall/winter ’10 release, and shade names and pricing will be confirmed closer to their release dates.

NY Fashion Week Fall 2010: John Bartlett

for the John Bartlett, show inspiration for the makeup look came from the masculine clothes. makeup was the same for the men and women with the exception of the lip color. this made for the perfect compliment to the clothes since John Bartlett's collection looked the same for both the men and women, just fitted to their respected size.




Shiseido artist director, Dick Page, created the looks:

on the face:

to create a "just in from the cold"-look, skin was first prepped with Shiseido Men's Anti-Shine Refresher. Dick then applied Shiseido Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation where needed to neutralize red areas, spots or razor burn. finally, a mix of the Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Face Colors was applied on the cheeks and bridge of nose. colors used: RD103 (Petal), RD 302 (Tea Rose), WT905 (High Beam White) and BE206 (Soft Beam Gold)


on the eyes:

only a touch of Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Lip Gloss in BR108 (Warm) to the eyelids and nothing else.





on the lips:

"no shine, matted lips" were created by blotting Shiseido Makeup Perfect Rouge Glowing Matte Lipstick in BR323 (Wink) on lips with his finger.


for more info on products mentioned, visit shiseido.com

xo

Holiday Makeup Look featuring Smashbox Cosmetics

Smashbox sent me* some fabulous lippies and other goodies to help me come up with a fun holiday look. since all of the gloss colors were amazing, immediately knew what look i was going to create.



as you can see, i decided on a cat-eye look-- yet another look i don't wear often enough.



i used Smashbox Oil-Free Photo Finish Primer as a base before applying my foundation. i highlighted my cheeks and added a bit of color to my eyelids using a mini version of the Fusion Soft Lights in Dusk, then applied a creamy eyeliner and blended it, creating a little cat eye effect.

on my lips i used glosses in Tease (raspberry) and Radiant (a shimmery pink plum), both featured in the limited-edition Wish for the Perfect Pout Set.



i finished with a couple of coats of Lash DNA mascara and voila! a fabulous holiday makeup look. what do you think?

find all these products and more at smashbox.com

xo
*products featured were sent to me by a representative of Smashbox for the purpose of this post.

Holiday Look Featuring Raw Natural Beauty

Raw Natural Beauty was kind enough to send me some products so i could create another holiday-inspired look for you. when i first recieved the products i sort of had an idea about what i wanted to do, but once i started playing with the eyeshadows, i changed my idea. i decided i wanted to create an "icy" look-- something that is natural, fresh, shimmery and definitely unlike what i normally wear on a typical day (but still very pretty!).



the products i used for this look:

VitaFirm Foundation Duo in Dark
Perfect Balance Concealer and Highlighter Trio in Dark
Mineral Eyeshadow in Lily*
Mineral Eyeshadow in Rose*
Mineral Eyeshadow in Lavender*
Primal Pigments Pure Botanical Lipstick in Nectar*



the shadows are all loose, and i really like that they are sheer, but buildable shades. after placing a bit of the Highlighter to my cheeks and inner corners of my eyes, i applied Lily all over my lid and Rose and Lavender very lightly in the crease to add a hint of depth.

Nectar was the perfect complimenting shade for my lips. this lipstick leaves my lips feeling so smooth and nourished thanks to ingredients like cocoa butter, omega-6 and omega-3-- love it! following this, i used a similar shade of blush i have in my stash to give a little color to my cheeks.

visit rawnaturalbeauty.com for more info on all the products featured.

xo
all products sent to me from represntatives of Raw Natural Beauty; * represents products sent to me for the purpose of this post.

Holiday Look Featuring Prescriptives

Prescriptives announced a few months ago that it will no longer be in stores come january 31, 2010 (sigh...), but their makeup is still around now (and will be online while supplies last). in fact, they just released the Lustre Holiday Collection, featuring baked shadows, lip glosses, liners and shimmering cheek colors.

so here i am sporting a fun, smokey eye look using the Cool Lustre Baked Eye Color Quad, Shimmering Cheek Color in Cool and Reflective Gloss in Ruby. i also used Longwear Kohl Liner in Black and ColorScope Lipcolor in Posh Honey, a limited edition lipstick from their fall '09 Well-Suited collection.



btw, the roses in the back were given to me by my fabulous hubby. at the time i took this pic, they were almost 2 weeks old-- aren't they pretty? :)

visit prescriptives.com to view the entire Lustre Holiday collection and stock up on your faves before they're gone forever!

xo
all products sent to me by representatives of Prescriptives