Paris, Make-up, and long Rabbit Trails

I'm determined. Got my mind set. I'm GOING to post something besides an outfit of the day on here one of these days. I still have my hair routine due... and and thought I'd post some tips on dressing modestly and femininely, ( that is a word right?) and also how to wear skirts more often than not without looking like a stereotype homeschooler. =) If you know what I mean. But all that will have to wait. One because I'm tired and don't have the stamina to plan that out. And two because I'm way too excited to show you all my new Paris Dress!

I did end up wearing it to the wedding, (which was lovely by the way) and I can't remember when I've been more excited about wearing something. It is a halter top dress which I've never worn before and because of that my parents deemed it to revealing for a wedding, but! I found an adorable shrug-like cardigan to wear over it on Saturday, so Yay! problem solved. Anyway here are pictures. I had to just have my sister snap a few in between the wedding and the reception, so the lighting is horrible and... sadly my hair came down. I had put it up in a  half french twist sort of style, I'll have to show you that later its super easy but looks like it took you hours! So you don't get to see that... but here's the outfit and I'll give a short tutorial on make-up too. See! I can write something besides outfits!

Eiffel Tower Dress: Modcloth

Coral Cardigan: Talbots

Black Leather Flats: Talbots 

Pearl Studs: J. J. Ashley's 

Heart Pendant: J. J. Ashley's again 

Make up: All clinique

<3 <3 <3

O.k. before I start, I should probably tell you that on a normal daily basis I don't ever wear eye-shadow. More often than not I don't even wear foundation either unless I have a blemish or something.  Because if you wear lots of make-up every day then when you really want to dress up there's not much difference. So there's my silly reason but it does make it so much more fun to actually wear eye-shadow on special occasions. Like now. 

I went to the mall this Saturday and got a "make-over" which basically just means the lady showed me which various types of make-up and colors would look best on me. They do it for free and you don't  even have to buy everything they demonstrate so I highly recommend it if you have the time. Its especially fun with friends. =)  So here's what I came away with.

-First a basic liquid foundation which is just rubbed all over your face. Its quite breathable which I like, because I can't stand make-up that feels like mask or something on your face. Because I have a more olive skin tone and tan like nobodies business in the summer ( To give you some perspective I still have tan lines from last Summer)  I got a slight shade darker than I am now because I know in a month it'll blend perfectly. Thats the bane of my skin existence. I have to go through at least three different shades of foundation each year. Dark for Summer, Lighter for Winter, and in-between  for Spring and Fall. Its so annoying. But then we all have to have something to complain about. Thankfully we have powder foundation. 

-Thats my second thing. Powder is just a lighter foundation which helps smooth but not cover. I love it because I can wear it on a regular daily basis without the trouble of regular foundation. 

(-> This is supposed to be an example of the Foundation and Lip effect. Hopefully you get the idea.)

-Third, Amazing lipstick. So that sounds funny but I'm so so excited about the color I just got! I tend to stay away from washed out colors because vibrant colors look best with my coloring. But I found this bronzy pink that a great medium. And I did wear lip gloss. I'm usually not that girl that wears sparkles and glitter and gloss all the time. I absolutely forbid my seamstress to put rhinestones on my Spring Banquet dress. (Which is nearly finished by the way I'll post pictures when its done!) But I do like a bit of shimmer if you can balance it. So I'm wearing Clinique's "Lip Smoothie." Dumb name, I know, but the stuff's amazing!

- Fourth,  Eye-Shadow. Even though I don't wear it on a daily basis I absolutely love eyeshadow. I use two colors combined to get my effect. A pale pink almost white. And a dark brown. Combined they make a very light brown almost golden color. First apply the pink all over the lid and ridge, because its so pale its doesn't look garish at all. Then just for fun I also add a small swipe beneath my eyes for extra definition. Next I add the brown but just on top. Tada! :) Here's an example of the finished effect ->

-Thats coupled with the Fifth step, Eyeliner and Mascara. I use Clinique eyeliner as well. It last so much longer without smearing I think. Confession: I only just this month discovered the joys of eyeliner above the eye. Took me some practice but I think I've masted it. It helps add depth really well I think....  Plus of course a light line underneath. 

Here's a tip. Don't go crazy with eyeliner. Especially if you have lighter eyes. Eyeliner is a wonderful gift. But it can go so so wrong very easily. Lighter is always better. Start with it barely there and then you can darken it later if its not quite what you want. Believe me when I say  a natural look is way more attractive in nearly any case than excessive and heavy shadow and liner. Make-up is supposed to enhance your features not cover them up,  Really bright shadows or dramatic liners tend to distract from your face rather than make you look prettier. This is not to say there isn't a time and place for those things. I attended a masquerade ball last summer for my friend who had a peacock mask and had on four different shades of eye shadow, winged eyeliner, and false eyelashes. And she looked stunning. Because one, even with all that she didn't overdo it but took loud make-up and make it soft. If you understand what I mean... :) and two, because it was the right occasion. Everyone looked crazy with our masks and whatnot so it was appropriate. Whereas wearing that look to school the next day or even to church would have been out of place. And appeared attention seeking. O.k. done with the tangent. Whew. 

-Finally just a few strokes of Covergirl Lashblast mascara on eyelashes. I've tried more expensive brand mascara and there really just isn't enough difference to justify paying so much more. Drugstore brands work just fine. Covergirl has got some great mascara and of course that pink and green one from Maybeline that everyone has as a fallback is always great. 

Kay done. That truly was supposed to be short. Sorry if I bored you. I always tend to go off on rabbit trails and then forget what the original point of my post was supposed to be. Anyway, tell me if any of my ideas for future posts sound interesting. I'm at a loss as to what to choose first. <3 Tata for now!

Happy Wednesday!

Laughter and Song,

Elizabeth