Dear Perpetually Late Self (yep, that’s you, Karen),
Duuuuuuude. Sometimes you really surprise me.
I used to think your best idea was dumping that guy you met dancing in that cage at the club, because really now, what kind of future can you have with a cage-dancing, club-hopping, Kangol-hat wearing player?
But this? Using your iPhone’s timer to track how much time you’re spending on your makeup? That’s brilliant. Your best idea yet.
I don’t know how you came up with it (perhaps you got tired of being late for, like, everything?), but in just a couple months it’s already saved you about a zillion hours.
And setting the phone’s Auto-Lock feature to “Never” was a pretty good idea. That way the phone didn’t even go to sleep. All you had to do was set the timer for 30 minutes and click “Start.”
Earlier this week I tried a 15-minute MAC Divine Night look. Today I gave myself a little more time…
Today you gave yourself 30 minutes to get your face on using the new MAC Divine Night collection and — “WOOP! WOOP!” — you actually did it.
Kudos. 🙂
Minutes 30:00-20:00 — Face
I like that you started with the basics — primer, foundation, concealer, powder and brows. You got your skin finished first, so if something unexpected had come up, at least you were done with that.
20:00-5:00 — Eyes
For your eyes, you went with a shadow duo — purple and pink Mineralize Eye Shadow in Past Midnight — which seems wise because you were in a hurry. I remember you mentioning the duo before and how it had very little fallout and was easy to blend. Those things always save time. And when I saw that you decided to do a simple smokey eye, I thought, “Good call.”
Using MAC Feline Kohl all over your lids as a base made sense. The super creamy, easy-to-blend formula makes quick work of smokey eyes.
Oh, and patting the purple shade from Past Midnight directly on top? I couldn’t figure out why you did that at first, but then it hit me — the black base intensified the purple, and because Past Midnight’s finely blended powder was so easy to blend, you weren’t spending forever and a day buffing out the edges with your tapered 224.
When it comes to gradients, I’m with you, man! I’m obsessed. You could’ve stopped before that point, but you decided to go for it. You patted the lighter pink shade from Past Midnight in the center of your lids (with the same 239 brush, I noted, just flipped over) and created that gradient that moves from light to dark.
Then you applied two coats of mascara and lined your upper and lower water lines with Feline Kohl.
Not bad for 15-minute eyes!
Minutes 5:00-0:00 — Cheeks and Lips
By that time the clock had run down to five minutes, but you didn’t panic. Since you spent most of the 30 minutes on your face and eyes, you went easier on your cheeks, buffing Talk of the Town Mineralize Blush on the apples.
Good thing you used a MAC 109 to apply it, because Talk of the Town’s powder grains are a little fluffy. If you’d used something with a larger, less dense brush head, you might’ve ended up with powder all over the place (even up in your hairline).
Ha! — and I know you too well. You couldn’t resist blending out the edges of that smokey eye a little more with your MAC 224 loaded with Talk of the Town Blush. I do that trick all the time when I don’t have a transition color nearby.
The lips looked easy. Shiny nude Flair For Finery Lipstick topped with the Cremesheen Glass of the same name.
Good job! Now that you’re all gussied up, can I drive us to DSW? It feels like a great night to go shopping for boots. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Pretty look Karen!! Now let me try this idea too 😛
Thanks!
I am a late latif too! I simply can’t get anywhere on time. Especially work. :-/
Flair for finery looks fine!
Yay late people! LOL
This is such a pretty look!
Thank you, Emme!
Are you a smokey eye girl too?
at one class in grad school, there were 6 students, all from different countries. the dane would always be early, like 5 minutes early. the american right on the clock just behind the prof (close enuf to kiss his ass). the russian would arrive riiiight before the class started, breathless in all her blonde glory. the indonesian and the indian would take turns being next, a few minutes after the class started. the south aftrican would saunter in last, in his own time. the pattern would continue for the rest of the semester, which drove the prof crazy. 😀
bottom line? i think a sense of time is in our genes.
smashing look, karen. half an hour AND picture-taking for the blog? i’d never manage that.
Hi Lena,
LOL, what a funny story. What did you study in grad school? Or are your currently in a program?
it was an econ class eons ago. it was one of the best class i’ve ever had, so no reason for being late really, coz i really enjoyed the class. but i don’t know, maybe it’s the winter time making my body (and mind) react to 8am like it was 5am lol.
DSW!!! I can’t get enough of that store. Even if I’ve already found a shoe I love, I still have to check out DSW because I’m not willing to risk that there could be something better. I love that this look took you 30 minutes. Every time I see “statistics” (I’m going to use that term very loosely) saying most women spend 10 minutes on their makeup, I call BS.
Hi Alison,
OMG, I know, right?! It’s a miracle if I even get what I need to get done in 10 minutes. That’s like minimal makeup right there. 🙂
This looks is fantastic, you look so pretty. Any good boots finds at DSW?
Hey Agata!
There were some cute ones but nothing that really stole my heart. I went in because I’m super obsessed with these over the knee boots by Sam Edelman that I saw at Nordstrom, and I’m trying to find a more affordable pair that I can actually walk in:
Sam Edelman Kayla Boot.
The heel is 4.5 inches! I can handle the height, but I’d prefer something that was 3 inches.
How was your photo shoot last weekend? 🙂
These boots are hot! But I can see how it might be difficult to walk in them, unless you’re stepping out of a limousine right into a fancy event 🙂
The photo shoot was a lot of fun, I have some pictures posted on FB and a couple on Instagram so you can have a look when you have a moment.
YARGH, I love them. But I know I’d never wear them because I just can’t deal with shoes that hurt my feet anymore. Ain’t got no time for that!
I will check out your pics on FB. Too bad I don’t live closer! I could’ve been your hubby’s photo assistant, LOL. 🙂
What a stunning look! Laughed out loud at the post, too :).
Thank you, Bella. Hope you give it a try. Do you wear smokey eyes often? If I could get away with it, I’d wear them every day, no joke!
Great smokey eye look!!
Hey Ms. Chris!
Thank you very much. 🙂 What do you think about this collection so far?
Love it. Setting your phone timer is a great idea. Why didn’t I ever think of this? I work full time and have two little ones. I’m doing this tomorrow morning!
Hi Amanda,
How did it go? I hope setting your timer helped! One other thing you can do is keep it within your line of sight. That way you are always aware of how much time you have left.
By the way, how old are your little ones?
Karen, I recently became a regular reader of your blog and I am so in awe of your makeup application skills! You do such a fantastic smokey eye…mine needs so much work. No doubt it helps to have such pretty features. 🙂
Hi Jess,
Thank you for popping by in the comments! 🙂 Glad you enjoy the site.
So, let’s talk smokey eyes. When I first started doing the look, I was a HOT MESS. For reals. It just takes practice. What about it are you having a hard time with? Maybe I can give you some tips.
Happy almost Friday!
That’s so sweet of you.:-) I think part of my problem is just not having the right tools to blend with (brush recommendations would be appreciated!)…I love how, in your looks, the colours seem to flow together seamlessly. I also know NOTHING about eyeshadow bases beyond eyeshadow primer (I’m such a noob), so any tips on that would also be super helpful!
Hi Jess,
No problem! Okay, so, it really helps to have a good blending brush around that you like. And it also helps to have it be clean. If it has a lot of product in the bristles, then it’ll scoot the shadows around your lids as opposed to blending the colors together.
I have a couple faves that I use and love all the time, the MAC 217 and the MAC 224. I use the 217 when I’m doing looks with more precise gradients, and the 224 when all the colors mesh together and are more blown out. Here are links to both those reviews:
MAC 217
MAC 224
Too Faced also has a tapered blending brush similar to the MAC 224 that’s excellent. It’s a little thinner, which makes it great for those with smaller lids.
Another thing that might help you blend more easily is to powder your lids. After you apply your primer (which one are you using?) dust your lids all over with your face powder. The layer of powder helps will grab onto your primer and make the surface more even, which makes blending the powder eyeshadows on top easier.
HTH! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Karen, your skin is flawless. And your eyes compleeeetely POP in this look, especially in the first and last photo!! However, I am a little sad to say that for some reason I cannot get into MAC’s holiday collections this year. They look fabulous worn, but I think it’s the packaging- maybe even the names?- that are throwing me off. Which I guess is kinda silly. But hey, if I was obsessed with every single MAC collection that came out, I’d be broke and living in a van down by the river (a van loaded with makeup). Wait… that doesn’t sound SO bad.. 😀
Rachel, you crack me up!
I would be parked right next to you by the river. My van would be filled with pink lipgloss and Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers (Turkey Flavor).
I can see how this year’s holiday collection isn’t for everyone. Is it the frost finishes? There’s ways to work around them…or you can just wait until the next big thrill comes along. With MAC, there’s always something to look forward to. 🙂
My van would have purple eyeshadow galore! 😀 The frost is definitely a part of what’s putting me off (but I’m not inherently opposed to frost). I’ll definitely just wait for what’s next! I wonder if MAC has ever done a rainforest makeup theme. I would be down to have some lemur liner and boa bronzer!
Or jungle green eyeshadow! I’d be totally into that.
My van would also be overflowing with coral lipsticks. And all things Nutella.
Ok, I feel we may have accidentally started an epic beauty revolution with the makeup van thing. At this rate we’ll need an entire gypsy caravan for all the possibilities! All aboard, makeup artisans and beauty lovers!
I would totes wear that jungle green eyeshadow. And I’m throwing in parrot primer to the rainforest mix. Need that shadow to stick!
OMG…a Parrot Paint Pot. Can you imagine?!
Woah girlfriend! You look particularly pretty in this look, honest. And your hair! Flawless 😀
Hey lady,
Thanks very much. 🙂 Wish I could take credit for the hair…the gal who cuts and colors it is the miracle worker, LOL! Otherwise I’d be walking around with a crazy @ss mop.
How’s your hair doing these days? Are you happy with it?
That is such a gorgeous look! I couldn’t do that if I had 30 HOURS. 🙂 Btw, Halloween is right around the corner so I’ll be doing the boys’ zombie eye makeup again. Last year was pretty challenging and I received that lovely midway comment of “you’re not really good at this, are you?” HAHA!
GIRL. I know you could handle this. You totally could! I have faith in your eyeshadow blending skills. 🙂
If you take pics of the boys in their zombie costumes send me one! I want to see your handiwork. 🙂
I will! I’ll blame the bad lighting if it looks sketchy. 🙂 One of the boys is a Killer Scarecrow and the other opted to be a skeleton in one of those one piece bodysuits with the face hood, so he won’t have to suffer through my eye makeup clinic. Lucky fella! I’ll get pics of them with the new kitten to see if Tabs approves. 🙂
OMG…I would LOVE that! I am really jealous about your family’s cat status. I wanna see your newest meow!
Fabulous makeup!!
Thanks, Maria Therese. 🙂 I hope you give this look a try. Let me know if you do!
Gorgeous! Great idea to time yourself I’m always missing my train every morning because of makeup!
Hi Judith,
Ahh, I know that feeling all too well. I used to take the train to my job in SF ages ago, and sometimes I’d actually end up putting on makeup on the train because I was running late. Whoops!
How long is your commute? Mine used to be 45 minutes (YIKES).
What a beautiful look! I love it!
Thank you, Gio!
Hands down, you win the BEST thirty-minute look EVAH! Gonna have to try this one, stat… 😀
Thanks, Glamkitty. 🙂 Let me know how it goes. And if you take pics send one to me!
This look is amazing! And only thirty minutes.
Yup!
Omg! I was just thinking of this on my way home! That I should time myself to see how long it takes me to do my makeup lol great job I love the look
Hi Ali,
Let me know how it goes! You might be surprised how fast you’ll be able to knock out your looks.
I love that eye look on you. I wasn’t expecting to pick anything up from this collection, let alone an eyeshadow, but you are seriously making me reconsider.
Hi Sylvia,
This is one of my favorite pieces from the launch. It’s a very smooth, easy to wear purple, and you can bump up the color even more with a wet brush (YAY!).
Hope you’re having a nice day so far. How are things in your neck of the woods?
So pretty I love a smokey purple eye! Now I want that eye shadow so I can try putting it over feline.I’m frequently behind in my schedule too.That timer idea sounds like a good way to make yourself accountable.
Hi Denise,
Feline is a great lil’ color and great for layering and smudging. Try it sometime with the jewel tones in your eyeshadow collection sometime! I love it with emerald greens, especially.
Happy Friday, btw. What are you up to this weekend?
Ok I will!!! Can’t wait to try it out