My MAC Antiquitease love just keeps growing and growing. Here’s the Queen’s Sin look, which features red lips and gold eyes.
Where to work it?
The red lip look is strong, but at the same time versatile. You get lots of mileage out of this look because you can work it in many different settings.
A classic look for work. I’ve been wearing the Queen’s Sin look to work a lot lately. Yes, the colors are bold, but the overall feel is conservative because you’re not sporting bright jewel tones or lots of glitter. The look would suit lots of different work environments – a buttoned-up law firm, a creative advertising company, or even a laid back office.
A gala night. If you need to dress to impress, you can’t go wrong with red lips, gold eyes and a great formal black dress. Don’t forget to throw in some pretty gold accessories and a dainty clutch.
Rober Palmer (RIP) back up singer. Remember the girls from the “Addicted to Love” video?
When I was a kid I got in so much trouble when my friend and I dressed up as the backup band! My mom was not happy about us “borrowing” her expensive red Clinique lipstick!
Get the look!
Beginners, don’t be intimidated by this look. It might seem complicated but it’s really easy to do!
I had most of the products featured on the Queen’s Sin face chart but had to do just a few replacements.
MAC face chart: Brown Down eye shadow in crease (teddy bear brown)
Replaced it with: Soft Brown Matte eye shadow (soft golden peachy brown)
MAC face chart: Plum Foolery blush (faintly plum)
Replaced it with: Fab blush
MAC face chart: Burgandy lip pencil (brownish burgandy)
Replaced it with: Rimmel Indian Pink lip pencil
To turn the look up a notch, I’ve also topped these fab red lips with a layer of Chanel Myriade Glossimer lipgloss.
And if red lips are too vavoom for you, you can always do a toned down version by doing a light stain and leaving out the gloss.
One more face of the day
I like to call this the MISERY GRIN. It comes out when people (El Hub, family members, random annoying people) ask me to do something when I’d rather just be sitting on the couch in a state of vegetation.
The key to the MISERY GRIN is moving that bottom lip directly downward to expose all of your bottom teeth! That way the misery can’t be missed from a mile away.
The MISERY GRIN is especially effective when you are wearing lipstick that draws attention to one’s pout, like in the can’t-miss red lips from the Queen’s Sin look! 🙂
YES! Wednesday. I’m happy that the week is almost over. Got anything exciting happening today? I’m going to dance class tonight for the first time in a month so I’m really looking forward to it.
I hope you’re having a good day so far!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
G-0-R-G-E-O-U-S. Girl, do I miss glamming it up for work! Unfortunately, the stay-at-home mom thing doesn’t require such glamour. Although the warm fuzzies of mommyhood make up for the shoes, wardrobe and cosmetics that used to be part of my daily life.
Hey – I’m sneaking away tonight for the MAC counter and am going to check out Plush Lash, Sobra & Lychee Luxe. I’m also hoping they’ll have “They Stylistics” in… I’m excited to see the powders from the line.
red hot mama jamma! I am loving it! I love golds…and I am definitely working red at the company christmas party (or at least try to haha)
You look simply exquisite,Karen! However red in which I wouldn’t look like a professional hooker hasn’t been made yet.As much as I love red as a color and look great in red( cloths)lipstick wise…. oh boy! Scary 😉
Wow! Such a fantastic look on you!!! You really motivate me to try out those bold new makeup combos! Thanks for the inspiration! 😀
I’m reeeeeeaally excited… I just made my appointment at Bliss for the hot milk and almond pedi! My anniversary’s coming up and my toes gotta glow! I’m so looking forward to some pampering!
You really carry that off! I look like woooaahhh but in a bad way when I wear red. Could it be in the tone?!
Very pretty on you. You rock the red lipstick. And thanks for the directions on the “Misery Grin” – hilarious. I find myself doing the misery grin with an accompanied “uh,… yeee-uh” (office space style).
Hi Tuprnut,
How fun! I will vicariously live through your MAC visit. Dunno if Stylistics is out though – I think the 29th is the release date. I was all set to throw down for the collection but I accidentally bought a purse, oops, so there goes my Stylistics budget.
You will *love* those powders, by the way. I bought a mystery powder from last year’s version of the Stylistics line, MAC Couture, and I love it. It’s got this wonderful finish and it’s very finely milled. Plus, you get two pans for the price of one, which helps lessen the $ pain.
Vanessa,
Reds would look great with your Christmas party outfit. And those shoes, girl! Super cute!
Hi Glosslizard,
The cool part about trying new makeup is that even if it doesn’t work you can always wash it off. I tried doing a brown look the other day and it turned out TERRIBLY! Thank goodness for makeup wipes and a sense of humour.
OHHHH your feet will so thank you for that pedicure. I have to say that it was probably the BEST pedicure I’ve ever had. The nail tech was so good at her job that the polish lasted about a month without chipping. Prepare yourself mentally for that foot cheese grater though. It’s no joke!
And woo hoo! Happy (early) Anniversary! Do you guys have a hot date planned? What makeup will you be wearing?
Hi Rowena,
Yeah, it might be the tone. Plus, if you aren’t used to wearing bold lips then it can take a while to adjust to the idea of it. For example, I *love* the bold, colorful looks that Vanessa does; I wish I could pull it off purples, blues and greens like she does but I am still adjusting to the idea of it. In time!
What reds have you tried? A few very user friendly ones I can think of are MAC Viva Glam, MAC Dubonnet and Nars Dolce Vita.
Hi Madeline!
Aww, I’m sure you’d totally rock the red. Maybe you haven’t found your red lippie soul mate yet! You can always do a toned down version too, which is still colorful but subtle. 🙂
HA, Mrs. Lynne, you hit it right on the nail. The misery grin fits in perfectly in any cube situation, especially when somebody asks for something lame like making copies or faxing! 🙂
You are one RED HOT mama, Ms. Karen! That red shade suits you beautifully!
And you know what’s funny? When you were teaching us how to do your Misery Grin, I was trying to follow your directions and then started laughing out loud. Fortunately, I have random outbursts of giggles often so my coworkers didn’t even notice 😀
Happy Wednesday! Have fun at your dance class, I’ll be enjoying myself at happy hour this evening before I head home to try and watch Project Runway!
LOL, Nilla! Once you get it down though, nobody will mess with you when you are in MISERY GRIN mode.
BTW, do you have a fave red?
OHHH Project Runway is on, I totally forgot! So far I like the guy who won the very first challenge. He seems very talented and humble.
Have fun at happy hour, girl! *raises glass*
Hmm.. I don’t have a fave red, although I’d like to try and find it. Currently, I’ve been wearing NARS Cruella with my fave Chanel Spark gloss over it. I liked it at first, but it’s not something I could do everyday. Cruella is a tomato-red and I think I’d prefer something that was more red/blue.
My friend used to wear red EVERYDAY and I think I’m looking for that shade where I would be comfortable sporting it on a daily basis. Do you have any recommendations? I’d love to know what your favorites are!
I’m really liking the first guy that won PR too. I also really don’t like Elisa. Did you see last week’s where she spit on her dress?? Ummm.. what????
Hi Karen…I can rock a red lip…BUT…the issue for me is I hate reapplying lipstick a million times a day and I also hate the long wear formulas that are so dry and flaky that they drive you nuts all day long. Hence my day to day look tends to be more eye focused with nude lips…but the occational red lip will be rocked for evening occasions. I know it laziness versus texture…and honestly laziness really wins because I tend to give up and do some gloss that won’t look crazy if part of it wears off a little. Any thoughts or tricks?
Um, yeah, hello Gorgeous! And those earrings are FAB!!! I love the whole look. I’m a fearful of red. It has to be just right and can’t have too much orange in it.
I haven’t been to my dance class in a month. I must return.
Two words. Demure and Gorgeous !!!!
Sadness! My MAC counter (at Macy’s) won’t be getting The Stylistics line. The MA I worked with today saw them recently and said that they totally rock. I’m planning a trip to Cali in January, so I’m going to try and stop by a MAC store then and scope things out.
I did have super fun at MAC and picked up a #213 brush (I’ve been using a shader for my base color), Plush Lash (super cool), and a pan of Soba. You were right, Soba is beautiful and I can really play with it. Unfortch, our MAC doesn’t carry Lychee Luxe.. super bummer. Another one to add to my list for Cali.
Anways, thanks for the recommendations.
Y’know, I was taking a friend out to choose some makeup (yeah, I got her hooked on Chanel too, LOL!) and I kept telling her, “try it on, it’s not a tattoo, it’ll wash off if you don’t like it!”
Thank you! We do have a mega-hot date planned! This will be our 20th anniversary as a couple (our 14th wedding anniversary is in March… yeah, we were dating in High School)! So to celebrate this milestone, we are having our fab-friend Justine sit with the kids and we’re spending the night at the Ritz-Carlton in SF! Woo-hoo! A whole day to play and a whole night away! 😉
I’ve got a fabulous dress that I picked up at Nordstrom this fall, and I SO haven’t decided on my makeup yet! I have such fab lip colors to decide between (especially Chanel and MAC) that the lips will probably dictate the rest! I just can’t decide! Bold lip and subtle eye? Nude lip and smokey eye? So many choices! The dress is black with a multi-color abstract floral around the bottom edge, so anything is possible! Ah, an embarrassment of cosmetic riches!
P.S. Foot cheese grater, here I come! Oh, how we suffer for glamor! 🙂
hey karen! rocking the uppity f/l. i was so torn about queen’s sin, but you make it look fabulous!
Nilla,
If you want a blue/red then I highly suggest MAC Russian Red, which comes in both a lipstick and a lipgloss! I have the lipgloss … hmmm, maybe I’ll use it in tomorrow’s fotd!
Elisa seems interesting. Definitely kinda spacey! I gotta say that I did like her outfit though!
Hi Megan,
I used NARS Dolce Vita for the longest time as my go-to day red. The color is long lasting, yet still comfortable (and *everything* dries out my lips). The great thing that I like about it is that it fades nicely and is easy to wear.
But ya know, I’m all for the lazy lip during the day! Just work those neutral lips if it’s easier. I know I would!
Hi Tuprnut,
OH! That 213 looks like a nice brush. I would like to try that up in the crease some day because it looks very soft.
That’s a bummer about Stylistics. Maybe you can order it online…those LE’s sell out really fast! I hope that the powder you want is still available.
Soba is awesomeness. Do you have Shroom? It’s an easy, pretty, daytime pairing.
And you are welcome! I love spreading the MAC love. BTW, what are your favorites?
Tootsie! Don’t be scared of the red! How about a blue red, like MAC Russian Red?
That’s super cool that you dance. What kinda classes do you take?
Thanks Ponikuta! Do you have a fave red?
Glosslizard, wow, what a wonderful celebration … and super HOT DATE! Woo hoo!
It sounds like you have a lot of makeup options with that pretty outfit. I like the idea of smokey eyes and light lips, that way when you and your honey make out (cause you know it’s gonna happen!) you won’t have to worry about messing up dark lips.
Oh, and your shoes! What shoes are you wearing?
P.S. Eat a brownie for me at the Bliss spa!
Hi Kia!
Queen’s Sin is a really fun, and surprisingly user-friendly, red. I actually feel very comfy in it during the day! How’s your red lippie collection? Do you own lots of reds?
I *love* Uppity as a base but hate it as a liner. It’s really hard to work with when I want to create a nice, solid, line.
Hey Karen, I’m doing makeup for a friend’s short film and this look is SO perfect for one of the characters! Thanks a mil!
I lovvvve your website its one of the first I check daily you’ve inspired me to try a red color for my lips. I got a lip gloss just for starters – Smashbox starlit. Gonna have to try to find a lip pencil or something but Im gonna work it.
Karen,
My experience with red lippy was absolutely horrifying. You see Asian skin is a little harder to put on a red lipstick. Especially I am not entirely dark skin nor am I the fairest of them all. So I am kinda in this yellow place.
One time went to the Estee Lauder counter and I suggested to try their new Hydra Lustre Signature lipstick in Rich Red. I looked like a geisha turned C grade porn star wannabe. I guess it wouldn’t be entirely that bad if the PA hasn’t put foundation all OVER MY LIP and mouth area (without blending it in nicely) and drew my lips crooked with the lip liner and applied Rich Red onto my crooked lips.
I then told her it was crooked and she insisted it wasn’t. It was so so obviously wrong. So there you go, no red lippy for me.
But the furthest I’ve gone is just Apricot Sun. It is a very lovely and versatile color (suits formal/casual).
Oh by the way, I am so jealous you guys have online shopping for Chanel and you get to choose from 34639876 colors. In the Chanel counter over here, we have like only 6 or 10 colors to choose from. Seriously, not cool.
Yes, I love Shroom!! All-around perfect.
Here’s some of my ever-growing list of favs:
Eyes: Beige-ing Shadestick, Mineralize Silver Family, Shroom, Soba (thank you very much), French Grey & Shale
Lips: Syrup Lipstick, Plink! Lipstick, Nymphette Lipglass, Viva Glam V Lipglass
Of course I will eat a brownie for you, my friend! 🙂
I think I am also tending toward a light lip since it will prevent major before-and-after effects over dinner! Hmm, I’ll bet the MAC Contessa lipglass layered over my Chanel Neutral lipliner would rock! I can use my beloved Winter Nights quad for eyes to look good during our day out and then amp ’em up for night! Yeah! I guess my last step to looking flawless would be to indulge in the Teint Innocence compact foundation…
The shoes are fab, open-toe Nina satin pumps with tiny little black crystals! Open toes = my need for a pdicure!
Oops, an amendment… the lipliner is “Natural” not Neutral. I tried the combo (Natural + Contessa) this morning, it’s very pretty! Not too pink, not too beige, nice and sparkly but good for daytime!
It’s a jazz and hip/hop cardio dance class. But it probably looks like I’m having full body convulsions. **jazz hands**
Hey Karen,
I just put Russian Red on my list!
I also didn’t get a chance to watch PR last night, but I heard Tiki Barber’s wife was on. It seems like a lot of folks are guest judging to promote something for themselves now. Football hottie, Mr. Barber, never struck me as a fashion kind of guy.
Happy Thursday!
i looove queen’s sin. it looks so pretty on you!
Wow, Babyu21! I love that you come here first thang! I try to get posts up in the morning but on days like today (when technology sh*t hits the fan) I post at night.
Can’t wait to hear about your Smashbox gloss. I love their not-too sticky texture and shine. Have you tried MAC Cremestick liners? They are my fave lip liners EVER! Pink Treat is a can’t miss. 🙂
Yeah, that’s great, Mich!
How awesome that you do makeup for films. Is that what you do for a living?
Oh Ponikuta,
Maybe it’s better that you don’t have such ready Chanel access. My wallet would be much more happier if the nearest counter wasn’t 8 minutes away (yes, I’ve timed it.)
I *love* Apricot Sun. What eyes do you pair it with?
And I suppose finding your red will just take lots of experimentation and time. At least you aren’t afraid to go for it! It always washes off 🙂
Tuprnut,
I’ve had Beige-ing on my list for months. I hope I remember it when I go to the MAC store tomorrow. (I tend to get easily distracted, SIGH!)
Wanna know something funny? I have almost all of your faves on my favorite list too. 🙂
Hiya Glosslizard,
Your shoes sound fierce. You know I loves me some pretty shoes!
I am going to a Chanel event tomorrow and will check out the compact foundation, too. Let me know when you get yours so we can compare notes.
I’m so excited for your big night out! It’s like prom, but 20 years later!
LOL Tootsie, ***jazz hands*** right back at you!
I used to jazz but now my body rejects it. There’s just something about it that I can’t “feel” anymore.
You would love my hip hop class. My teacher is amazing and her choreography works up a sweat. She makes us breakdance, lol.
Nilla Cookie,
Dude, where have I been? Football guys are HOT! Who else should I take a look at, LOLOL?!
Thanks, Marina! Have a good weekend. 🙂
Karen, I’ve only just discovered your blog, and I like it a lot. Thanks for doing this look, as I am in love with gold eyes and red lips. I wish so many women weren’t so afraid of bold lips. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Hi Glamour Girl,
It’s nice to meet you. 🙂 You’re very welcome! The gold eye/red lip combo is one of those classics that you can never go wrong with. Do you have a favorite red?
Have a great weekend and I hope to see ya back here soon. 🙂
Aw hell Karen, I wish I did it for a living! This is my second production so far, the first was a stage musical. They’re both school productions so I don’t get paid much. But hopefully I’ll be able to build up my portfolio and get more (and better-funded!) clients in the future.
I’m actually pretty nervous for this one because my friend has a couple of minor local celebs (don’t think you’ve heard of them, I’m from Singapore) in his cast and he didn’t tell me! Here I was thinking they were all unknown students … gulp!
Wow Karen, diggin the red lips!! I love the look! I tried Queens Sin the other day and was pleasantly surprised, its my first Red – I’m so pleased that it hasnt put me off bold lips!!
Also, I want to ask how you make your cheeks so glowy! Do you apply a highlighter over your blushes? If so, which one?
Keep rockin’ :o)
xxx
Thanks for replying, Karen! I am currently crushing on You Say Tomato and Classic Dame from M-A-C’s Mattene collection. And of course M-A-C’s Russian Red for the brave hearted. 🙂
Oh man…I love this look on you! The red lips make your teeth look gorgeous white. I mean they probably already are but…you know what I mean. Hehe. Ohh, and I have those earrings! Got’em from Nordie’s in Tampa, FL….just fab. Have fun dancin’.
Hi Mich,
That’s really cool that you get this great opportunity to work your makeup skills. I’m sure you’ll do great! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all about it.
If you are intersted in doing makeup for movies then days check out Melissa’s blog at http://www.epicmakeupblog.blogspot.com. She’s worked on several movies, including one of my all time faves, Terminator (yes, I’m a closet sci-fi geek!). She’s very cool! Tell her I sent ya 😉
P.S. I get a ton of readers from Singapore! One of these days I hope to make it out to your country for vacation.
Hi Miss Shamyla,
Bold lips open up a whole new world of makeup possibilities. I’m glad you picked Queen’s Sin up as it’s a fantastic first red!
In this look, the blush I used had a lil’ bit of sparkle, which is why there’s that hint of glowy-ness. If I’m using a matte blush and want some glow then I’ll use a highlighter. Just a few of my faves are the MAC Beauty Powders, Prescriptives The Illuminator and the MAC Mineralize eye shadow, Engaging! Lemme know if you need brush suggestions.
Have a good weekend. 🙂
Glamour Girl,
I agree with you on Classic Dame – soooo fantabulous! I haven’t tried Russian Red as a lipstick but do have it as a gloss and love it. I read once that it was Madonna’s favorite red in the 90s, lol. Anyway, enjoy your weekend and take care. 🙂
Divine Blackness!
(Can I just say I love your handle?)
Thanks for the white teeth complement, lol. This is kinda off topic but have you ever seen the movie “Mommie Dearest”? Dang, that crazy woman’s teeth look so yellow when she’s wearing red lipstick!
Ohhh, Nordie’s is dangerous when it comes to cute earrings!
Hey Karen!
Football guys ARE hot! I really think Tom Brady and Tony Romo are cute too. Did you hear that Jessica Simpson took Tony Romo home for Thanksgiving?? Risque!
OH, Nilla, scandalous! I’ll put Tony Romo on my list of things to “research” today, LOL!
Have good weekend!
I have spent a good portion of my live copying those addicted to love women! such style!
Karen, this look suits you so well! It looks GORGEOUS in any means, sexy, elegnat, sophisticated – throw everything else away 😉
This rocks completeley – why am I not wearing that?! Daily?? Because I do not dare 🙁
I need an tutorial about how to wear red lips with confidence.
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