Cheap of the Month: When Holiday Met Hollywood

The images of  the fabulous Nicole Kidman as the dazzling courtesan, Satine, really inspired me. The makeup is so effortless, but is the height of glamour and sophistication. This woman is no dummy. I like to imagine this character of Satine to be resourceful, even in the most destitute of times, yet looking like she slept on a bed of hundred dollar bills. What a perfect look for this months Cheap of the Month. This look isn't a wink and a nod to the movies, this is the perfect look to rock at all the fun and fierce holiday parties. Even better, you won't go broke!

These are the close up shots of Satine that inspired this look. I have deeper skin tone than Ms. Kidman, so the color contrasts will be a bit more dramatic, but so what?

I am so proud of this look and I hope you enjoy and make some new, inexpensive makeup choices!!!

Start with cleansed skin and apply your skincare. For this look, I wanted more of a satin finish, no pun intended. I wanted a touch of dewy, a smidge of shimmer and a dusting of matte all on one face. Instead of a lightweight lotion, I went with a more emollient cream from Alba Botanica. This is a great value at $15 because along with hydration benefits, you will also see a huge improvement in the tone and texture of your skin. Great for all skin types because it isn't a thick layer of goo, but if you are extremely oily, it may not be your bag, baby ;) 

After you've completed your skincare routine, prime lids with ole faithful, NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk. You really want a clean coverage for the eye, like it was washed with this color. Pay special detail to the inner corner as well as the lower water line, if you are gonna get heavy handed, those are great areas to pigment.

Wet n' Wild really has come a looooooong way, baby! The color and quality of their pigment really has earned them a big #1, foam finger from me. Seriously. This compact is called "Blue Had Me At Hello" and contains some of the best dupes for MAC that I've seen. Even if you only like 1 or 2 colors in their palettes, this 8 color set won't even cost the same as 1 single MAC shadow. The bottom left "definer" is a dupe for MAC's "Carbon" while the lower left "crease" color is a dupe for MAC's "Contrast".

I take the crease color from the right side of the palette and create a very defined "V" shape by pressing the shadow in with my eyeliner brush (see upper left picture). You want to do a medium thick "v" because we will be tighting up the eye with a deeper blue and blending in a light blue. With the dupe for "Contrast", define the eye more by lining the eye with a thinner line that starts at the inner corner, out in sharp "V" and darting into the crease. Satine's eyes do have this dramatic brush stroke and it looks very chic. with a clean blending brush, dip into the top right browbone color. This is a milky blue and if you are an old school Stila lady, you will recognize it as a dupe for "Poppy". Concentrate the color on the inner corner of the eye. After you've applied the color to the inner eye area, take the brush a softly blend the lines from the thicker blue shadow. It should melt into the lighter blue without looking like you erased color. The only lines you want to see will be from that thin blue, creating the sharp "v".

Comb out the top of your lashes with the Jordana Best Lash Extreme and then roll the wand upwards from the beneath the top lashes. I don't recommend a strong lower lash so maybe skip the lower lashes all together if you are brunette. If you really want to go there, use a brow gel or wipe off the excess product off the mascara wand and lightly comb through.

Brow's are an important piece to this puzzle. You really want a lot of drama without going Groucho on the world..know what I mean?

I love the Milani brow kits. They are cheap and amazingly pigmented. I have really been loving the softness of using a powder versus a crayon for the brows. I think the effect is more natural, even when you are doing a dramatic arch, which we are.. Choosing the lighter of the two shades for the brow, fill in the whole brow with a eye brow brush, using soft strokes. When you have finished, take the deeper of the 2 brow colors and enhance the arch starting right before the arch and blending slightly below the arch. The deeper color really pulls that brow up for a lift. Take your brow gel and comb your eyebrows upward, then taper them down, using just the top of the brow gel spoolly.until you have created a clean, high arch.

So now that the eyes are ready to roll, clean up that face with a great, luminous foundation, I'm using True Match Lumi from L'Oreal. I love how it melts into my skin, perking it up. Using my Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Radiant, I pat on and blend under the eyes.

Before setting with powder, I'm going to do a bit of highlighting with my Milk jumbo pencil. Taking the pencil draw a fine vertical line on the bridge of the nose and then above the brow arch i make x's, one for each arch. Pat the white highlights you've created, with your fingertip, the warmth of your fingertip makes the Milk melt into the skin. 

You are now free to set with powder. I have been loving this powder from Palladio. It is a rice based powder that really absorbs oil but doesn't look cakey. This also has great staying power!

Apply a very light and satin pink like Wet n Wild's Pearlescent Pink to the top of the cheek, swirling the brush up and over the cheek bones. Think of the shape of a candy cane minus the straight edge :) This techinique gives color where you need it as it melts away into the skin.

 So for this next part, you really want to make sure your lips are in mint condition. I will be adding my fave lip treatment that cost nada at the end. The lips must be smooth and hydrated. I like using "Quenched" from Maybellines Baby Lips. It is a clear lip balm that really hydrates the lip and lets the lipstick and liner meld to the mouth.
After applying the lip balm, wait for 5 minutes then grabbing Rimmels "Tiramisu", a cool nude tone, softly outline the lips. I think a nude is a better line because it's closer to most skin tones that if you eat you lipstick off or you get crazy, you won't be left with bulls eye mouth. Think about it....
For the red, I chose a color that is in homage to the starlets of the 50's: Purty Persimmon from Wet n' Wild. This is a dupe for MAC's Scarlet Ibis from the Marilyn collection. I want to wear this color every day! This is a true orangey, tomato red. If you would rather have a cooler toned red, I like Cherry Picking from Wet n Wild as well. Cherry Picking is a raspberry red and although this is a dramatic look, using all cool tones, from shadows to lips, will look softer than cool eyes, warm lips, which is straight up drama. Oh yeah and Cherry Picking is also a dupe for MAC's Love Goddess from the same Marilyn collection. Either lip look is a dream!

As promised my quick tips for getting lips that deserve to be spoiled with a red shellac. Taking a small ramikin, add two and a half tablespoons of sugar, preferably cane. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and a teaspoon of vitamin E. Mix together and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds. Pat on thickly to the lips and massage for 2 full minutes. After you have massaged them, let the sugar honey salve sit like a mask for 5 minutes. In this time, I make myself a cup of green tea and using a washcloth, squeeze the excess tea from the bag or a few spoonfuls of hot tea to the wash cloths. Set the warm cloth against the mouth and gently massage the lips as you remove the lip mask. Pat dry and apply a lip balm.

Thanks for reading! I'm working on a ton of new blogs so stay tuned. I will also be announcing my picks for lux gifts and simple stocking stuffers! Email me or Facebook me for any questions!! XOXOXO- Mo