I wasn’t sure what to call this look… Moody Monday? Or Folksy Fall? How about Affable Autumn?
So I’m leaning toward a combination of all three — an Affable Autumn Moody Monday Makeup Look for a Folksy Fall — because it’s overcast and drizzling right now (it rained hard last night), and part of me definitely wants to be sitting by a warm fire under a flannel blanket while sipping a mug of hot cocoa, while another part of me wants to be walking around outside in the rain dressed in black from head to toe with my headphones on while listening to Joy Division.
Basically, I’m feelin’ it. 🙂
There are three main concepts at work in this cozy/moody Monday makeup look. First, it features a warm matte reddish brown smoky eye. Second, the edges of the winged liner have been blurred. And third, the dark matte plum lip.
It’s a lot of look, for sure, but I think it all goes well together, especially if the weather where you are is anything like the weather is here now. It’s like it just turned full-on fall last night!
Skipping the winged liner or leaving out the falsies would tone it down. Or, you could not line your lower water line with the black liner, and just leave your lower water line bare.
Of course, to go the other way completely and boost the drama, you could go more intense with the brows, or add a gloss on top of the plum lip, or use a gel or liquid liner, which would add even more oomph (I just used a black eyeshadow applied with a wet brush). Any of those tweaks would look super cool.
Oh — that shimmery highlighter I’m wearing in the inner corners of my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, on my upper cheekbones and on the Cupid’s Bow? I left it out at first because I wanted to stick to mattes, but then after seeing myself in my first test pics, I thought it looked a bit flat, so I added the highlighter.
Here’s the makeup I’m wearing in this look…
- EYES:
- MAC Layin’ Low Paint Pot (lash line to brow bone)
- MAC Soft Brown (crease)
- MAC Saddle (lower crease and lower lash line)
- MAC Swiss Chocolate (outer crease and outside of my lower lash line)
- MAC Carbon Eyeshadow (winged liner)
- MAC Smolder Eye Kohl (lash and water lines)
- MAC Rice Paper (inner corners)
- Salon Perfect Demi Wispies (the false lashes)
- Urban Decay Brow Beater (brows)
- CHEEKS:
- MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
- MAC Gingerly Blush
- BECCA Champagne Pop highlighter
- LIPS:
- MAC Cyber World Lip Liner
- Dolce & Gabbana Matte Lipstick in Dolce Inferno
- COMPLEXION:
- Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer (cheeks, nose and forehead)
- Make Up For Ever Radiant Primer (underneath the eyes)
- MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation in NC42 (foundation)
- Trish McEvoy Instant Eye Lift 2 (under eyes as a color corrector)
- Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Eclair (under eyes)
- Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Pecan Pie (on cheeks, around nose and mouth and along jawline)
- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Tan (powder)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Lovely look! I gotta invest in saddle eyeshadow, you use it all the time and it always looks so nice.
Hi Savannah,
It’s a must-have brown if you love wearing warm reddish or orangey brown shades. Blends like a dream too! Do you have MAC Soft Brown, Texture or Sable? Saddle looks great with all three. 🙂
I was just thinking the same thing .. MUST pick up saddle 😉
Monica
While you’re there swatch Texture too! It’s another good one and an unsung hero!
Pretty! I’ve been doing looks sorta like this the past couple of weeks, even though it’s still 85 degrees here in San Antonio and the allergens have been SO BAD lately, which causes my eyes to water and mess up my eye makeup literally every day.
Hi Kalli,
I feel your pain! I get bad fall allergies too. My water lines get very sensitive, and I can only use a handful of liners.
Hope yours get better soon!
I’m in love with your lipstick. It’s just such a beautiful shade for fall! I must get some Dolce & Gabbana lipsticks 😀
Hi Kelly B.,
They’re great lipsticks! If you can also try the Monica ones from the line. I wear them all the time — great for everyday looks. 🙂
I love the look! I’m all about colors like that though!
This look is fiyah! It’s been raining all day & I wore MAC flat out fabulous to brighten my mood but the weather def has me feeling melancholy & I am here for this look!
Hi friend! Were you able to take the kiddos and the puppy out for Halloween? I hope that you’re feeling better today. 🙂
No, sadly. The kids went trick or treating with their mom so that my niece could join her neighborhood friends. I did, however, keep the puppy & we walked her through the neighborhood before the kids left. The puppy was a huge hit. Think they may love the puppy more than me ? In other news, I’m not feeling well but I just left Ulta where I bought the UD Loose Setting Powdee. Color me impressed. I dabbed a bit on in the store & again when I got home & I think it does cause a blurring effect that I think is lovely. Love at first swipe. Hope I’m feeling better tomorrow because I plan to get all dolled up- for no reason other than its Tuesday ?
It is an amazing powder. I just ran out of it yesterday (but I have had it for 2 years) and I decided to buy a different loose powder…But I might have to repurchase UD anyways.
Agata! Hey friend! Karen was def right about the powder. After reading such rave reviews online, I knew I had to get it. And yes, Karen, trips to Ulta have magical healing powers. And I did some trick or treating with the 3rd & 4th graders in Sunday school yesterday. Got enough chocolate to cure whatever doesn’t get cured by Ulta! ?
Glad you were able to do a little tour with the pup and that you were able to sneak in a little fun. 🙂
Did you know that trips to Ulta have healing powers? It’s TRUE! When I’m feeling blah a quick visit always makes me feel better. Hopefully the same will happen with you and you’ll be right as rain soon enough.
So glad that you’re into the UD Loose Powder!! Isn’t it just so darn good?! I use it on my oily spots during the summer and seriously it doesn’t budge for nothing. 🙂
Gorgeous, I love it! Perfect for fall!
Thanks, Rachel! How are you and Natalia doing? All settled into the new house yet?
Moved in, yes, but I wouldn’t say settled. The main floor isn’t done yet so I had to put a lot of my stuff in the basement. I was able to put my bed in my bedroom upstairs so I have a little piece of serenity at least! Natalia loves going outside on her leash, she is going to hate when winter arrives shortly!
It takes a while, but I’m sure in no time it’ll feel like home to you. And YES to the bed finally being set up. When your bed is ready, then it starts to feel like home.
Aww, glad that Natalia is enjoying the last of the nice weather. It’s been the same way for Tabs. Yesterday it was overcast and drizzly and he didn’t get to go outside, so he was out of sorts. Today though has been sunny and he got to go on the deck for a couple hours, so he’s considerably less grumpy. I swear that cat blames me for the weather!
This is one of the most beautiful looks ever. I wish I could come over so you could do this look on me. I don’t know if I could recreate it myself. I think I need to expand my Mac eyeshadow collection because I don’t have any of these shades. That lipstick is gorgeous too!
GIRL, I know you could work this! It’s just a whole bunch of blending and quick movements with your brushes. Not a lot of precision at all, well, except maybe for the liner, but that’s also a little purposefully messy too.
By the way, saw your pic of you and your BF on Halloween in Instagram and you guys look so cute together, awww! ❤
Thank you for having faith in me, I will see what similar shades I have and attempt this look, maybe tomorrow.
And thank you! He melts my heart and I don’t know how I got so lucky. He is such a sweetheart!
This look is gorgeous!!! I am LOVING the soft liner and lip!!
Thank you, Leticia! I hope you’re having a great week so far. 🙂
The look in eyes speaks volume and the way you carried the whole lool is amazing and so inspiring 🙂
Thanks, Rashmi! What makeup did you wear today?
I opted for a similar look in the blogpost I uploaded Sunday, but seeing how it could have looked makes me slightly depressed. You look fabulous!
I’m sure you looked fabulous! I bet a dark vampy lip looks amazing on you and very dramatic.
You look STUNNING, Karen! The lip color looks great on you. Very sophisticated.
I think those warm-tone, red-orange browns are your best look. They compliment your skin-tone perfectly. I love those tones, but my eyes are so deep-set that they make me look tired. I tend to go more neutral brown. The lip color is a bit deep, but it looks great on you. So the Lemberg’s are off to sunny Florida for some R and R with my folks. I hope to do some shopping with mom. Speak to you in a few (WiFi there is not so great).
Hi Jane,
Have fun in Florida and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen. 🙂 Talk to you in a few! (Maybe about what beauty purchases you happen to make on your trip?!)
You look absolutely stunning Karen!
Thanks, Indya! What makeup did you wear today?
Hey Karen! I’m wearing Tease from the Naked 2 Palette on my lids with Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner. Topshop Lips in Mink on my lips and Nars Almeria Blush. Super simple for work 🙂
How pretty! Honestly, I love those simple types of daytime work looks, because sometimes you just have to get a little bit of color on your lids, lashes and cheeks and just go, ya know?
You are sooooo Gorgeous! I wish to be this gorgeous when I’m your age! <3 xx
You did that winged liner with a powder shadow?!!! Girl, you have some mad skills!! Really love the inner eye highlight, too. Sometimes you just need a little glow to brighten the face. Very cool look!
So, so gorgeous on you! I agree, the highlight adds that little bit of something. 🙂 I always love a dark lip on other women, but never go further than red on myself, maybe because I’m so dang fair? But the blurred wing makes this so wearable. Really love it!
I think this is my favorite look I’ve seen on you. You look absolutely beautiful. Those colors are perfect on you.
Thanks for sharing this look with us, Karen! It looks wonderful on you. Hope I can recreate the look…
You look awesome. Full stop. 🙂
You look stunning! I love this look and the one you did with Tom Ford’s Cocoa Mirage. I like the berry/wine/brick lipstick looks you do – great inspiration!
STUNNING LOOK! What a great fall look and perfect for those upcoming holiday get-togethers too 🙂 thanks for sharing Karen! I just stumbled upon your blog and I’m already a fan! I think you make makeup so fun and easy to understand for newbies 🙂 I’ve been really getting into makeup, and I’d like to ask a few things because remembering so many rules can be confusing!
1. Do I have to put on moisturizer before putting on primer? Or can you skip one of them before moving to foundation?
2. Do you always have to absolutely “set” your foundation with powder, even when you’re going for a dewy, radiant look? Or does this ultimately depend on what kind of foundation you use?
Would love to hear your thoughts 🙂
Hi Sam,
You’re so sweet! I’m so glad you enjoyed this. So, I think that with makeup one thing to remember is that “the rules” are very, very flexible. Ultimately just do what suits you best, and keep trying until you find a particular combination/solution that works for you! So, regarding your questions…
1. You can skip the moisturizer, but I do find that it helps to plump up the skin so that the primer sits a little more smoothly. This difference is probably not as visible to the naked eye as it is in photographs, though. If you’re in a hurry, and you’ve already moisturized during your skin prep in the morning, sure, skip it. I do that when I’m in a hurry and just go straight into primer. Or, if I don’t have time for primer, I’ll only spot prime specific parts and then move onto foundation.
2. Feel free to skip setting foundation with powder. It does help to keep the foundation in place if you have oily skin, but some foundations don’t need it. It really depends on your skin type and what you’re using. For me, I have combination oily and dry skin, and I try to get away with as little powder as possible because I don’t want the skin to look heavy. I pat it onto very specific parts of my face (forehead, nose, chin) with a smaller brush to keep the dewy parts dewy.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any me more questions if you have them.