Vintage compact purchase

I am super excited about this pre-1950s compact that I bought on Etsy. I found it in Vintage Warehouse's shop.
It is one of those dealies that has a handle that holds a small lipstick, and under the compact part there are spots for powder and rouge. A few years ago Benefit made reproduction compacts like this and I've kicked myself that I didn't buy one then.
So, hooray!

Hair and Makeup Workshop at Lili's Burlesque Academy

Our lovely instructoress, Gina Louise, Ophelia Flame and Nadine Dubois!

Last Sunday my friend Sara and I went to learn about Burlesque hair and makeup at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis at a workshop taught by the beautiful and talented Gina Louise. So, I packed up my Caboodle (yes, from the 1980s, but at least its pink and roomy)with various forms of eyeliner, my favorite mascara, many red lipsticks and anything else that might provide glitz and glamour. I was looking at it as a kind of sleepover without the ghost stories, snacks and sleeping over.

The seven of us got comfortable on the floor near the mirror, and Gina showed us pictures of many gorgeous ladies for some inspiration, shared some tips, and then we played with our makeup. She brought hers too, with lovely tubes of glitter to match the various eye shadow colors and lipstick.

She showed me a look for my eyes, which are hazel, using L'Oreal HIP shadow in Showy, which looked quite bright blue in the container but nice and smoky on the eye. Sara tried one eye in blue and the other in purple.

We had a great time! Possibly blurry photos to come.

Today's Red Lipstick

I have many red lipsticks. I'm on the red lipstick quest. I know it's illogical, but it seems like the perfect red lipstick might make me almost perfect too. Or something...

At least it gives a vintage inspired glamorous look.

I have a few criteria for my reds. The lipstick should stay on my mouth. No bleeding or smearing onto my teeth. (Nothing screams Crazy Lady! like red lipsticked teeth). I prefer a long-wear color, but that might be too much too ask. Blue-reds should not turn fuchsia!

Today's new color is Covergirl Outlast in 521- Eternal Flame. Actually, I wore it yesterday. I'm having a crazy hard time describing the color. I wouldn't call it orange red or blue red, I think on me it was more of a brown red, with a sort of almost metallic finish like car paint. Sounds great doesn't it? Maybe russet is the color description that I'm looking for. I was trying to match a dark berry red sweater.
Outlast's color is liquid and applies with a sponge tip. The gloss top coat is a stick. The red went on smoothly, but I found little flakes of it on my teeth throughout the day. I will give it a another chance because I might have applied it too heavily. It didn't bleed and it really did last. I ate a Zone bar and it didn't budge. When I ate lunch, the inner part of my lips became bare, so it was necessary to reapply. The clear top coat is really needed because otherwise it looks dry, dry, dry! When I woke up this morning, the outer ring was still visible (note to self: makeup remover).

I don't think that this is the color for me. Suggestions of favorites? I should mention that I have very pale lips naturally. I like a dramatic red and prefer a matte finish if it doesn't look too dry. But, glossy lighter reds have their place. I joked with my husband this weekend that I need to find two perfect reds: Darned Old Floozy Red and Church Red.

New Beauty for Old

You know how every so often you just want to scrap the way you look and start over? You decide that none of your products are working and you need to replace them all? Well, I've had that itch lately. Paula Begoun at http://www.cosmeticscop.com/ recently gave a list of the best inexpensive beauty products, which spurred me on.

So, with the guidance of Paula and More magazine, I've purchased some new things lately with hopes of better results.

Body lotion:

Former: Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion with Soothing Oat Essence
New: Olay Quench Body Lotion Active Hydration with Green Tea and Vitamin Complex

Aveeno is the best I've found so far, but I still tend to get pretty dry in the winter, so...

Concealer:

Former: L'oreal Infallible 16 Hour Concealer: 676 Fair/Light
New: L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Concealer: Fair/Light W 1-2-3

I've been happy with the L'oreal Infallible, which comes in a stick, until recently. Now it does not seem to blend in well. It sits on my dry skin and calls attention to it.

True Match is a liquid formula that applies with a brush. I'm not sure that I think it covers well enough, but I need to get used to applying it before a true judgement.

In order to help out with the dry skin, and per an article on concealing in More, I also bought some Ulta Professional Foundation Primer, to put under the concealer.

Blush:

Current: Milani Powder Blush #08 Luminous
Newest: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush: #25 Rose Petal

The Milani is great. A peachier shade than I'm used to, but very pretty. The Dream Mousse is a lovely color and I'm hoping it will work well with my skin as it becomes drier this winter.

Mascara:

Although I was happy with my Maybelline XXL (see previous post), I had to try new Maybelline XXL Extensions.

So, these are my foolish new hopes. After I've tested them out for awhile, I'll let you know how they do for me.

Here are some basics for you, for comparison. I am very fair skinned. I tend to be dry in winter and I also tend to break out around the side of my nose, if I do at all. I have brown spots on my face and under my eyes that I want to cover. I have dark brown hair and hazel eyes. I like dramatic lashes and red lips, with neutral shadow. This is not often reflected in my daily look, but I'm trying to bridge that gap. I like vintage beauty looks, especially the 1940s. So, there you are.

New Mascara

Last night I went out and bought myself some Maybelline Intense XXL in Very Black, and so far, very good. It went on well, made my lashes look VERY long, and my audience really likes the look. He said, "There aren't even any clumps; how'd you do that?" When I get done with work tonight, I'll see how it held up, if there was any flaking or smudging.
I also tried out some eyebrow stencils from Ardell to see if I could get my brows shaped up. The four shapes included are classic, elegant, delicate and glamorous. I went with glamorous, and using the stencil was not easy. If you had thin brows and you were just filling in with brow color it might be one thing, but I have thick brows, and I was trying to figure out how to prune.
I couldn't follow the stencil exactly, but I was happy with the results. I would really like to splurge and go to an eyebrow expert to be done. I've been waxed before, but I would like someone to teach me to fix them up with the tweezers.
Further, I'm tired of my hair again. It's time for fall beauty restlessness.

Quest for the perfect mascara

Me in falsies

Like always, I'm looking for that amazing mascara that will make me look perfect. Sigh. It's an impossible request, but I still persevere. My desire was further spurred yesterday when my fine husband, Knobs to my Cleery, suddenly asked me if there are any "daily wear" false eyelashes, less trouble to apply than ordinary ones. Ahem. Not that I know of. But, eager to please and ready for some autumn glamour, it will be back to the store with me after work today.



I've been wearing L'oreal Voluminous Naturale in Blackest Black. Maybe the natural part was a mistake. I want to look better than natural. I want to feel the breeze when I bat my eyes. So, I haven't been too pleased with this mascara. On me, it clumps. Quite a bit. And the change to my lashes is not worth it.