Earlier this week, I sat down to put on makeup and…after an awkwardly long pause and “Hmm…” realized I’m majorly lacking in inspiration. The proverbial makeup “well” hath runneth bone dry.
BONE. DRY.
My creativity needs a boost, so I found a stack of Allure mags and bookmarked a few looks, starting with the one in this Estée Lauder lipstick ad.
I’m getting a very ’80s vibe, and it’s working for me! The bold, glossy red statement lip; massive shoulder pads; the big jewelry. Sign me up!
I like:
- The sheen on her inner lids
- The strong liner on her upper lash line and the outer half of her lower lash line
- Her Brooke Shields brows!
I also love the lack of heavy-handed bronzer and “highlights from space.”
Also, you might also notice that the model’s eye makeup isn’t perfectly symmetrical, and it’s interesting and refreshing to me that she isn’t Photoshopped into a completely symmetrical version of herself, since ultra-symmetrical eye makeup has dominated social media for so long. It’s cool, and I hope to see this more often.
This is a very dressy makeup look and probably not something I’d wear out and about right now, but I do love it. I still might try something similar just to wear around the house.
Next, up — the makeup in this Lancôme ad with a very “Hunger Games” Zendaya. I see you channeling Katniss Everdeen with your bow and arrow, girl!
“I volunteer as tribute!”
And can we take a second to admire her brows? I’m really into bold-but-soft arches right now.
I also like the liner in this look. There’s a thin wisp of it on her lash lines. (I’m guessing it’s pencil?) See how the liner hugs her lower lash line tightly but doesn’t spill over onto her waterline? I think that’s just lovely. I also like how defined but not overly crisp it is. The edges are softened just a touch with some golden bronze eyeshadow.
I like her cheeks, too, with their barely-there hint of peachy tan bronzer and blush. There are subtle highlights on her upper cheek bone and underneath the arch of her brow, and I like how they’re blended. They don’t just look like shimmery stripes on her skin.
And then there’s her lip color, that nude pink with a little shine, to round out the look.
This whole thing is something I’d want to wear in everyday life!
This last look below is similar to my current makeup aesthetic — when I wear it, ha! — except for her brows. Hers are a little too bold for me, but everything else, I dig. I love the shine on her lids and the peek of color on the outer corner in the inner corner. Everything is blended so well and seamlessly, too! I’m guessing the artist went with creams.
Love the fresh, dewy skin because it’s just shy of shiny. It also doesn’t look like she has much on her cheeks at all, and I’m loving that.
Also totally into her lipstick, which matches her gums! I think it looks so natural.
I hope some of these ideas inspire you like they’re inspiring me. I don’t know how it’s been for you lately, but whenever I put some makeup on, I feel like I’m wearing…a lot of makeup. Maybe I’ll want to wear a full face again someday, but with everything still going on, I’m nowhere close to that right now!
If you’d like to, please share what makeup you’re into these days. I’d love to hear about it.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Karen,
It’s hard for me to find makeup looks that inspire me since I am much, much older than the models I see. I just do what has worked for me the last few years. I am fine wearing the same look with a few tweaks here and there. My life is a whole lot simpler these days.
Be well and enjoy the weekend. Stay safe!
I admire your ability to streamline your routine, Jane! I hope to get to that place someday.
Happy Friday to you! Will you be seeing your boy today?
My makeup has been a variation of the same bronzey eye with different lip colors for a long time now, I am too tired to experiment much.
But a few years ago I would pick one inspirational makeup look from a magazine per month and try to recreate it, in order to practice my skills. I might need to get back to doing that, as I feel I have lost every little bit of practice.
That sounds like a good way to practice!
Whatever the eyeshadow is in the third picture, I want some!! I LOVE shiny eyelids and whatever she’s wearing looks beautiful and just like something I want to have! I wish magazines would tell you what products they use on the models. The ones I really hate are where they tell you the name of the MUA but not the products.
I’m on a mission to find something similar. I love how it glossy but not sticky-looking, and how it seems shimmery but not frosty. LOVE. If I find something like it, I’ll let you know!
That first pic is totally out of the 80s. 🙂 The diagonal line of blush under the cheekbones? I spent years doing that. Thanks for pointing out all the little details that I would never see, just looking at the picture. So many thoughtful touches go into creating looks that seem pretty “simple”.
I hope you have a wonderful, long weekend!
Thanks, Kim! I still remember when Duran Duran was rocking that blush, HA HA HA!
You have a great weekend, too!
I’m feelin the 3rd look too, it’s the lids. I’ve been rewatching Hindash tutorials and trying to do his bronzey looks.