So I recently had an interview with MAC for a part-time freelancer. A major part of that interview was applying a day look that can be bumped up for an evening look, without actually having to start over, fresh faced.
I'm a big fresh facer (is that a real word combo?). If I go out at night (insert knee slapping and guffaws here), I start completely fresh. Part of it is the enjoyment of the process of going out. The Ritual is what I call it: you have music on, a glass of wine or 3 and your 2 year old is having fun with daddy or grandparents.
So aside from this being an interview, it really was a challenge. What do I do with a challenge? I practice until I have its ass kicked and handed to it!
For the first look, I wanted my day time look, which may not be what 95% of the population thinks of as "day time chic". Don't blame me for having the ovaries to not stay with what the crowd considers "safe" or be content with boring.
Enough about me, let's get back to ME ;)
For eyes I used my ever faithful paint pot from MAC in Painterly. This is my Holy Grail shadow base, tied with NYX's Milk Jumbo Pencil. I chose Painterly because I wasn't going to be working with bright shades and painterly looks gorgeous with matte shadows and pearls alike.
After priming my eye, I lightly applied MAC's Contrast, a beautiful pearl navy, to the lash line and buffed it into the crease. I wanted the color to be focused on the lash line so that I could go without a traditional liner. Instead of the classic "V" shape, from crease to lash line, I slightly winged out the edges, giving a slight lift. For the lid itself, I used Woodwinked, also from MAC, in the center of the lid and buffed into the outlining portions of the blue shade.
I made the transition from the colors as seem less by using a clean, fluffy blending brush. This also softens any portion that you may have gotten a little color wild on.
For cheeks and later with lips, I used more Holy Grails of mine, but also one's that MAC considers legendary.
Pink Swoon is a perfect matte pink that gives such a gorgeous glow to the cheeks. If I ever leave the house with minimal makeup or if I'm under the weather, Pink Swoon is always within my reach. It brings life and a healthy glow to most skin types, with the exception of the gorgeous deep skin tones or our extremely fair maidens.
I applied Pink Swoon to just the outer portion of the cheek bone, blending out and up. I call it the "boomerang", not only because of the shape, but the natural lift it gives the complexion is one that I almost always come back too.
Spice lip liner is that other famous Holy Grail product for me and for MAC. It's a neutral, medium nude liner that can be used with everything. To prove it, I used it to line my lips, using soft strokes and then lightly filling up the center of my lip.
I chose MAC's Girl About Town, a true fuchsia to brighten me up, but combined with the Spice, it tones down to a warm, beautiful berry.
Now before I get accuse of using KFC as a highlighter, I chose to do a light matte loose powder AFTER I applied mascara and filled in my brows.
I did cheat with my mascara, using my beloved Benefit mascara They're Real!
For brows I used MAC's Embark eyeshadow, brushed in with my angled brow/liner brush.
Now the challenge: the night time look!
This was actually easier and more fun than I expected. All I did was apply MAC's black matte shadow, Carbon. Concentrating on the crease for the majority of the shadows pigment, but generously blending Carbon into Woodwinked.
Getting the Carbon deep in the eye crease, does take some exacting and perfecting. In the photo below, you can tell that there needs juuuuuust a touch more of Carbon.
Another trick, even if you aren't a beauty blogger or just vain, take pictures as you go. This is a great tip for beginners or if you are venturing out of your comfort zone because you get instant gratification for instant correction.
Because Woodwinked is warm gold/bronze, the carbon really amps it up for the smokiest of eyes, while retaining a touch of sparkle.
I also added more Woodwinked to lower lash line all the way to the inner corner. I followed that golden line with a smaller, more firm blending brush, applying Carbon with soft strokes, blended with circular motions.
I wanted more warmth and glow for evening and used MAC's loose iridescent powder in Golden Bronze. I used a blush brush that was more rounded at the top, making it easier to use Golden Bronze as a highlighter as opposed to a full out bronzer. I applied it lightly above the blush, concentrating on the outer cheek bones. I used a small amount to the bridge of my nose and temples.
I cheated the process yet again. Yup. I removed my lip color instead of amping it up with another color.
For lips I used Spice lip liner, only lining the lips softly, as to what class? Create no distinct or strong lines.
As long as I already cheated twice in this look, what's one more reel around the fountain. I popped some of Tokyo Milk's Let Them Eat Cake lip balm on with a lip brush. This method is my tried and true way for better lips. Lip balm fills in any dry areas, conditions the lips so the lipstick lasts longer, but also gives a more plumped up affect.
Using a lip brush, I applied one of MAC's most popular shades: Angel. My only quibble with its description on the MAC site is labeling as a "frost". A frosty pink lipstick brings to mind Magda (if you don't get the reference, first, kick your own ass and then do a Google image search. If you see a blonde beef carpaccio in human form, outside tanning, you now get the reference!).
Angel is more of a creamy pink satin, as you can see above. Another option is Creme Cup, for a more nude look instead of the pink route.
To wrap up the look, I pumped up the lashes by adding a touch more of They're Real mascara (stop! Cheater time!). A trick of mine when applying or reapplying mascara, is to start by brushing mascara to the top of the lashes, combing away any eyeshadow fall out. For the next step I just apply mascara in rolling motions, really getting to the root of the lash line to make the most of these smoketastic eyes.
Whether you are a social Miss. Thang or just want to amp up your already made up face, challenge yourself. The key to every look, especially when it comes to out of the box looks: blend, blend, blend, confidence with a touch of strut ;)
NIGHTY NIGHT!
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