Originally Posted by Ayacalypso Wow! I had no idea that I would get so much helpful advice on my first post here! Girl_geek, I didn't get to read your original "mean" post, so I can't say if I thought it was mean though - I DO want a bold look, but not a trendy one. I've never really been a trendy sort.
So, since you are all so eager to help, I'll elaborate more (be prepared, I can get wordy!)
Coloring - no idea if I am "warm" or "cool." I always thought I was warm, but my daily shade of blush (Clinque "new clover" [cool, I think]- probably discontinued - it always happens) and lipstick (L'Oreal Endless lipstick in "perfect plum" [cool, I think because it goes well with my purple eyeshadows, but maybe it's a warm mauve?] are colors I would consider cool, and I've worn shades like these for years because I've always thought they look the most natural on me. The "perfect plum" is actually only a shade or so darker than my natural lip color and the same tone, which is pretty pale and a grayish-mauve [cool] (this is why I wear lipstick as my primary make-up item, btw). Maybe these are really warm or neutral shades though and I am mistaken. My hair is naturally light brown, prone to warm blonde highlights [warm] back in my suntanning days, which are over, but I dye it now. It's usually some shade of medium auburn to a gold strawberry blonde [warm] (which is probably what it will be for my wedding, because I think it looks the best on me). My eyes are very dark brown [warm], practically black. I'm of half-Mediterranean (Turkish) decent, but since I stopped tanning, I am rather of fair-skinned, and get red in the face easily (either heat, excitement, blushing - I always thought this was a characteristic of cool skin tones [cool]). I burn easily now-days (birth control pills until the past 6 months, and now Retin-A and minocycline for the acne that came when I stopped the pills), but I used to tan dark, dark, dark as a kid and into my teens. I could probably still be dark, if I went about it slowly and carefully, but I think the fairskin is what enables me to pull off the reddish hair so well. *I* think silver looks better on me than gold [cool, right?], and the only colors I don't feel I wear well are oranges [warm]. Actually I don't wear peach either, although I think the color looks good on me, I get lost in it - in other words, it blends with my skin tone too well, and makes me feel like I am naked [so this is warm, right?];-)
OK, so I'm going to be a bold bride, so of course, I am not wearing white ;-) it's my second wedding and I wanted to wear a color that I loved, not a color that was expected of me (this is the way I am). So, my gown is a deep, glowing wine-red color (train and all), which really looks good with my fair skin and my hair when it is at it's strawberry-blondish color. I've already decided that I want to wear my usual daily blush and lipstick because these colors go well with the gown and I am comfortable with them. I'm still experimenting with foundations and I won't go into that now. But I want dark, colorful, dramatic eyes in a fall palette. I'd love a deep wine color, maybe a plum liner (having trouble finding a good dark, warm color though), with some gold, but I am aware of the problem with shimmery make up and camera flashes. So, I love that gold MAC pic you posted, Marisol, and I wear gold and coppery eyes when I go out sometimes, but I don't think it will go over well with photography. Maybe if I keep the shadow off of my brow bones like MAC did, and use a wine in the crease....? Anyway, I've noticed that anytime there is a picture taken of me wearing eye shadow, my brow bones HEAVILY reflect the light and make them look shiny, wet, or silver, no matter what color (I plan to make another post about this and my other eye make up problems elsewhere though). So, I'd like either an entirely matte eye look, or a look with shimmer only on the lids. My eyes are VERY deep set by the way, so I find I have a hard time getting the crease colors to show up and I don't use liner or color on my lower lids (except a touch at the outer corner) because I have creases there that collect the stuff and make me look old ;-).
I also know that my eyes are my strongest feature, so I really want to play them up. So, OK, here's a weird story:
When I was younger (about 10 years ago, I'm 31 now), I somehow had some sort of mersmerizing way with my eyes that has since dried up ;-) Men would stop mid-sentence, forget what they were saying and just say "I'm sorry, your eyes are so...". It had actually happened to me several times in one year for some weird reason, so it couldn't have been just a fluke, and deliberately used this to my advantage more than once. At the time, I thought it was because of this new lipstick I had been wearing (it was Revlon Color Stay in "sienna," the color of which just seemed to compliment the color of my eyes in a way that made the stand out more. I would still wear it today didn't feel so yucky compared to the L'Oreal Endless (and their closest color match ("extreme spice", just isn't the same). Maybe it had nothing to do with the lipstick, but I can't remember what mascara I wore back then, and I can't even remember if I wore eyeliner. It was like I accidentally got splashed with some sort of Love Potion #9 for eyes and didnt know it. I absolutely have no idea what I was doing at the time to cause this strange reaction, but I want to re-discover it again! At least if only for my wedding day, you know?
So, the whole eye thing and trying to find a foundation look that will stay pretty with my new super-oily sensitive skin are my bit wedding day make-up dilemas. I'm fine with the lips, cheeks, eyebrows, hair stuff.
By the way, I love these boards, and everyone seems so friendly! I hope I haven't worn out my welcome already with this long post ;(
Hi again,
I read your whole post and although there is no way to tell for sure without seeing you. It sounds like you already know exactly what colors to draw out your best features. I think since you want to have really dramatic bold eyes, then a smokey eye like Janelle suggested in plum/taupe colors would be exactly what you are looking for. If you lived close, I would love to help you out (for free) since I am a makeup artist and get great joy out of seeing people look their best. I never got into it to make money anyway.
But I think although you said you don't wear eyeliner, you should for your wedding to really bring attention to your eyes. The Stila smudgepots are a great long lasting eyeliner that comes in a little jar. You can get a brown or black and line your top lash line and smudge it softly with a taupy-plum eyeshadow to soften the harsh line and apply the plum eyeshadow in the crease and softly blended (really well)up towards the brow bone. (without drawing too much color too high) If you really want your eyes to stand out I wouldn't leave the lower lash line bare. It will fade out as apposed to how dramatic your lids will look. Invest in a good concealer and eyeshadow primer to give it the budge-proofness that you will need. Another possibility is some false eyelashes just on the outer lashes to give your eyes that extra "oomph". They always say not to match your eyeshadows or makeup exaclty to your clothes. But I think if you stay within the same color family you should be okay. The foundation is essential to the look so that is where I say you should do your best to find a good one that really covers well. You'll do fine, it sounds like you already know what works for you, you just need to expirement and don't be affraid to try something new! That is how I find the best techniques, not from what I learned in beauty school.
