More of the 1930’s: Get the Look of Bette Davis

I just love this picture of Bette Davis. The colors are beautiful against her fair complexion. I love a matte plum lip. It really works for most skin tones.

FACE: Apply a medium to full-coverage foundation such as Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation with fingertips. If extra coverage is needed apply a concealer like DuWop Surface where needed. Dust skin with an illuminating loose face powder such as Everyday Minerals Sunlight Finishing Dust (love that stuff). Take a fluffy blush brush and apply a sheer plummy pink blush such as Lancome Blush Subtil Sheer Powder Blush in Sheer Amourose to the apple of the cheeks.

EYES: Fill in brows with a pencil such as MAC Impecablle Brow Pencil (dirty blonde would be like Bette’s). For the shadows, you’ll need something like Too Faced Natural Eye Duo in Heaven & Teddy Bear. This consists of a cream and a medium brown. Apply the cream shade from lash line to brow. Take the medium shade and blend from lash line to crease. Take a finer brush and apply this medium shade to the bottom lash line. Take a brown eye liner like Bobbi Brown Creamy Eye Pencil in Walnut and line the top lash line, closely to the lashes. This will give the appearance of thicker and fuller lashes. Curl lashes and apply a few coats of mascara such as Benefit Big Brown Mascara. The warm tones in a brown mascara will make cool toned blue eyes look, well, bluer.

LIPS: Apply a lip crayon such as Bobbi Brown Lip Crayon in Raisin Berry (darker plummy brown) or Dusty Nude (medium plummy brown). I like this formula because it is easy to use, has full coverage, and doesn’t feel dry. You can all get this same type of look if you use a plummy lip liner pencil. Fill in lips with the pencil and apply a lip balm over it. I often find this too drying but it is long-wearing.

To get similar nails, apply 3 coats of Butter London Nail Lacquer in Yummy Mummy. It’s a beautiful beige. Picking a fragrance for this look is difficult. I’m thinking something flirty like Yosh Whiteflowers 1.41.

 

Ralph Lauren Notorious EDP Perfume Review

Mainstream Monday: Sniffing A Popular Fragrance

Ralph Lauren describes this scent as being “a provocative accessory of modern glamour”.  The inspiration includes those amazing sirens of Old Hollywood including Ingrid Bergman and Lauren Bacall. This fragrance was created by Olivier Gillotin (nose behind such amazing scents as 10 Corso Como and Tom Ford Private Blends Tobacco Vanille and less than amazing Ed Hardy and Mariah Carey scents) and launched in 2008. This spicy oriental caught my attention for the Old Hollywood references and glamorous Laetitia Casta ads. I wish I could say that it was what I wanted it to be. It isn’t Old Hollywood glamorous to me. If you want Old Hollywood glamour stick with a classic Guerlain or something Piguet Fracas. Ralph Lauren Notorious isn’t bad, it just isn’t Notorious.

Notorious opens up as a sweet floral, not a candy sweet fragrance bust just a sweet, to me, “modern” floral. It reminds me of other department store and Victoria’s Secret fragrances. It is slightly spicy with generic pink peppercorn but this spice isn’t that overwhelming. It plays nicely with the spiciness of carnation. The sweetness comes from black currant, so it is fruity. This scent is chocolaty but not like a Comptoir Sud Pacifique or other crazy for Coco Puffs scents. This one seriously smells like a chocolatey peony. What is this? Well, it is chocolate cosmsos, a beautiful and breath-taking cosmos that smells like if a Strawberry Shortcake doll was in your flower garden. I’m still looking for a lipstick shade that resembles chocolate cosmos. Anyways, back to the fragrance. It is slightly vanilla/chocolatey, it is much more floral. It really does stay in the peony and carnation mode for some time but with a little more “vanilla orchid”, a certain sweetness like that. This floral stays strong for some time. I must say that Notorious is a long-lasting fragrance. The dry down never shakes it floralness but it does “chill out” with some woods. The woods aren’t overly “oriental” woods. They are soft, warm, and have orris root powdery sweetness. Despite the sweetness, the orris/iris makes it very fresh and crisp. I didn’t know “oriental woods” could have a fresh dry-down. And somehow manage to have choco-vanilla sweetness? It’s strange, but I do like the dry-down. It is an interesting perception of “freshness”.

This scent does smell a bit grown-up in comparison to other Ralph Lauren fragrances. It doesn’t smell like it was launched for middle school students. I don’t find it overly grown-up either. I really do feel like the market was the 35-50-ish crowd that doesn’t wear “classic” fragrances. This is a nice change from other mainstream perfume releases.

Notes listed include: chocolate cosmos, black currant, pink peppercorn, bergamot, white frost peony, carnation, patchouli, musk, vanilla, and iris.

It isn’t that I don’t like this one. I just find it boring and I have many more fragrances in my fragrance wardrobe that make me feel like a sultry film noir screen siren. As far as a Ralph Lauren fragrance, this would be one of my pics since I hate Blue and Ralph. Like I said, it isn’t notorious. It’s just something that I forget about. I would say to give this one a try if you like Missoni EDP, Vera Wang Princess EDT, Bath and Body Works Vanilla Noir EDT, Calvin Klein Secret Obsession EDP, Mélange Perfumes EDP in #13, Sarah Jessica Parker Covet EDP, Van Cleef & Arpels Lys Carmen EDP, Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy Hot EDP, and/or Bvlgari Blv Notte EDP.

Prices for this EDP range from $65 to $75 depending on size. It is available at beauty.com. *It is also available at fragrancenet.com.

Notorious Perfume for Women Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 Oz by Ralph Lauren
From: BigDiscountFragrances.com

 

More of the 1930’s: Get the Look of Jean Arthur

November 11th, 1939

I love this “fresh” look ofJean Arthur. It’s a simple vintage look that looks good on a variety of complexions. I promise that the orangey lip will make blue eyes pop. To get this look:

FACE: Apply a liquid foundation such as Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup and blend. Apply concealer if needed. A stick concealer like NARS Concealer is nice for the under eye area and blemishes. Apply a pressed powder such as Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder in your shade. An orange blush will brighten the complexion and it will make cool eye colors pop. I would of recommended NARS Blush in Taj Mahal (RIP)…try Shu Uemura Glow On Blush in P Orange 53. This is an intense orange shade like NARS Taj Mahal. I recommend for pale to medium skin tones to apply this with a fan brush or a highlighting dabber brush such as Lancome Brush #3, any brush that picks up less pigment. Apply a small amount to cheeks and blend and blend. If you feel it looks uneven blend with your pressed powder. I love orange blush. It looks scary but I promise that it works on a variety of skin tones.

EYES: Jean has thin penciled in brows. Brush brows in their place with a brow comb and fill in with a brow pencil like MAC Impeccable Brow Pencil. Eye shadow is so simple. Take a nude-to-you duo. For a complexion like Jean’s try Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Duo in Taupe Minerals. Take the lightest beige shade and apply from lash line to brow. In the crease, apply a medium brown shade. Line top lash line closely with a black eyeliner pencil like Shiseido Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil in Black. Jean is wearing false eye lashes. If you want to avoid that hassle, curl lashes and apply a lengthening mascara like NARS Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara. I would apply a few coats to top lashes and only one coat to bottom lashes.

LIPS: Lips are so simple. Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Genre is the perfect product for Jean’s look. Just take the pencil and stay in the lines.

 

More of the 1940’s: Get The Look of a Wintery Esther Williams

This 1949 pic of Esther is a bit grainy but she is still looking great. This gal transitions nicely from mermaid to snow bunny. This is how you get this wintery look:

FACE: Esther’s complexion is luminous even in the harsh winter air. Apply an illuminating foundation during these “dull” times. A nice one with more coverage is Clarins True Radiance Foundation. Apply an illuminating concealer under the eye area if needed. Almay Bright Eyes Concealer + Eye Base is a multi-use product that provides coverage and not just “shimmer” like most eye illuminators. Apply this product to lids as a base as well. Set makeup with a loose powder. Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Hydrating Mineral Veil is nice for dry winterized skin. Apply one of my favorite complexion pick-me-ups, Benefit High Beam. down the cheek bone. Blend. Apply MAC Blushcreme in Ladyblush to cheeks. Apply as much as you see fit and blend.

EYES: Brows are pencil perfect. Fill in perfectly shaped brows with a powdery eye pencil like Lancome Le Crayon Poudre Powder Pencil (not pictured) in your shade. Sculpt in to place with the spoolie. Eyes are very simple and it is all about flirty lashes. The base has evened out your lid. Apply a nude-to-you shadow. For Esther, this would be something like Laura Mercier Mineral Eye Powder in Gemstone, a sheer light peach. If you feel a bit more definition is needed. Apply a light brown shade to the crease. Try a shade like Maybelline ExpertWear Eyeshadow in Silken Taupe. Line top lashes with an eye liner to “thicken” lashes. I would apply a smooth liner such as Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Liner . Curl lashes and apply a lengthening and curling mascara like L’Oreal Panoramic Curl Extreme Mascara. Apply a few coats to top lashes and one coat to bottom lashes for a wide-eyed look.

LIPS: This is such a classic beauty look. Apply a rose lip liner such as Dior Crayon Contour Lip Liner in Candy Rose . Apply a satin rose lipstick like Milani Velvet Lips Lipstick in Lavish, a mulberry rose. Add some shine with a clear lip gloss with silver shimmer such as Lipstick Queen Shine in Silver Saint. If you really want to warm up in winter, apply DuWop Moon Venom. This adds a silver sparkle and lots of lip plumping “burn”.

And for a fragrance to finish this flirty mermaid-turned-snowbunny-look, I recommend Karl Lagerfield Kapsule Light EDT, a mix of juicy citrus, flowers, and winter spices.

 

Get The Classic Look of Katharine Hepburn

This Katharine look is all about the lips. It’s a very versatile look that many people can wear.

To get this look:

FACE: The complexion has a nice healthy glow. Apply concealer to under eye area if needed. I like Clinique All About Eyes Concealer. Apply a tinted moisturizer or a sheer foundation for an even but natural look. I like Origins Nude & Improved Bare-Faced Makeup. A dusting of a luminous loose powder will really make skin look glowing. Use my all time favorite luminous powder, Guerlain Meteorites in Beige Chic. Cheeks are accentuated with a bronzer in an upwards motion. Apply Maybelline Mineral Power Loose Bronzer Shimmer Loose Powder in Sunlight Bronze (not pictured).
EYES: Brows are very natural looking. Just apply a clear brow gel or wax like Revlon Brow Styling Gel to keep brows in place. Apply a sheer and shimmery champagne shadow from lash line to brows. Try something long-lasting like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin. From lash line to the crease, apply an illuminating golden shadow like Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Glimmer Eye Shadow in True Glow. Apply a brown eyeliner closely to the top lashes. Applying this is all about making the lashes appear thicker. Use something like L’Oreal Micro Liner Ultra Fine Eyeliner. Curl lashes and apply a few coats of mascara to top and bottom lashes. I like an all around product like Bobbi Brown Everything Mascara.
LIPS: This look is all about the lips so make sure that they are perfect. Line with a rust colored lip liner like Lipstick Queen Lip Liner in Rust. Apply a golden reddish rust shade of lipstick like Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Autumn. This is a beautiful color with a smooth formula (not very long-wearing). Apply a coral lip gloss over the lipstick, something like Kevyn Aucoin The Liquid Cyber Lip Gloss in Datura for extra shine and sparkle.

 

Get The Look of Sybille Schmitz of Vampyr Fame

Since being involved with this 30’s home renovation, I have been obsessed with 30’s everything. If I’m not peeling wallpaper, then I am out at the home salvage places looking for the back of my deco speakeasy. I’ve spent more time paying attention to the 30’s and more than just home trends. This includes 30’s hair and makeup. I must brag that my marcel waves are improving. I absolutely adore this look of bleached blonde turned red head Sybille Schmitz of Vampyr fame. (One of my all time favorite movies and you’ll notice many of my “favorites” in this look).

FACE: Skin is matte and perfect. Apply concealer where needed. A stick concealer usually can do it all and I love the packaging of Paul & Joe Stick Concealer. Apply a powder foundation like MAC Studio Fix, one of my all time favorites. Apply a pinching pink blush to the apples of cheeks with a large fluffy brush or a soft fan brush. NARS Powder Blush in Desire is the perfect color for this look. It is one of my all time favorite blushes for light to medium complexions.

EYES: Fill in brows with a brow pencil. 1930’s brows always had a bit of a waxy look. Apply a stiff pencil like Maybelline Expert Eyes Twin Brow Pencil in a shade darker than your hair if you are going for a genuine 30’s look. Apply a subtle champagne shimmer shadow to the entire lid from lash line to brows. I like Clinique Colour Surge Soft Shimmer Eye Shadow in Champagne. A warm brown shadow should be applied to the crease. L’Oreal Wear Infinite Eye Shadow Single in Brushed Suede is a nice rich, warm brown. Apply to the crease. Apply more of the champagne to closed lids and apply where the pupil would be if your eyes were open. This will add some light. Take the brown shade and apply to the bottom lash line with a smudger brush. This will make the lashes appear thicker. Apply a soft, dark brown kohl liner to top lash line. Don’t wing out and stay close to the lash line. Apply a shade like MAC Eye Kohl in Costa Riche. Whimsy false lashes are a must for this look. There are many out there with a variety of price points. I like the look of Laura Mercier Full Faux Lashes for this look. Apply mascara to top and bottom lashes.

LIPS: Lips are pink and pretty simple. Try a color like Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lipstick in Stay Pink. Apply a tiny dab of Smith’s Rosebud Salve (another favorite) to lips to keep them looking healthy and moist. And that’s it. Well, those finger waves, I’m saving that for another day.

 

More Bold Lips: Get The Look of Rita Hayworth on Photoplay

Here’s another Rita Hayworth look that I love. It’s a clean, fresh, glowing look that is all about the lips. There was a reason why this woman was once voted to have the best lips in the world by the Artists League of America. I feel it’s the kind of look that will work with all complexions/hair/eye colors if they are going for a vintage look.

FACE: I say go for a glowing, satin complexion. Even out skin with NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in your shade. Apply concealer where needed. L’Oreal Visible Lift Concealer is nice for the under the eye area. Apply a sheer and not too matte loose powder like Sue Devitt Hydrating Marine Minerals Loose Powder. It has SPF 30 to keep skin looking beautiful. Cover Girl TruCheeks Blush in #1 is perfect for this look. Take a big blush and run it all over the three colors and apply to the apples of cheeks. There is enough shimmer in the blush to make skin look flawless but not “glittery”.

EYES: Rita’s brows are penciled and thin. If you must, draw brows in with a thin pencil such as Prescriptives Groom Stick for Brows in your shade. Apply a matte antique white shade such as Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Vintage Lace all over eyes from lash line to brow. Take a sheer greenish/brownish/gray shade like Bare Escentuals Glimpse Eyeshadow in Moss and lightly apply from lash line to crease. Blend for a “natural” look. Apply a soft liner to the top lash line, something like Bobbi Brown Creamy Eye Pencil in Mahogany. Apply a few coats of mascara to top lashes (after curling) and one coat to bottom lashes.

LIPS: Apply a deep pink lip liner like Avon Ultra Luxury Lip Liner in Rosebud. Apply one of my all time favorite lip colors to the lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow. Apply MAC Clear Lipglass over the lipstick with a lip brush for added shine.

 

1940’s: Get The Look of Arleen Whelan

This pic of Arleen makes me want to dye my hair bright red again! I love everything about this look. It’s classic and who doesn’t want to be a ravishing redhead?

FACE: Arleen’s complexion is flawless. Isn’t it amazing what some airbrushing can do? To get an airbrushed look, apply concealer where needed. Almay Line Smoothing Concealer is nice for the under eye area.  Apply a matte foundation such as MAC Studio Stick Foundation in your shade. I love the ease of a foundation stick. Apply a small amount of loose powder to set foundation. I love the packaging and price of Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder. Cheeks are lightly dusted with a pretty pink powder blush. Try something like Rimmel Mono Powder Blush in Pink Rose and apply with a large and fluffy blush brush.

EYES: Brows are perfect. Use a brow kit like Urban Decay Brow Box in your shade. First fill in brows with a powder and then brush them into place with a brow wax. Eye shadow is nude but warm. I love the colors in Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Beige Massai. Take the lightest almost ivory shade and apply all over, from lash line to brow bone. Apply the lightest beige brown from lash line to crease. Take the warm bronze and brush into the crease. Apply a bit of this warm bronze on the bottom lash line but only halfway. Take the deepest center chocolate brown shade. Use it as a liner on the top lashline and bottom lashline, applying with a stiff thin, flat brush. Apply false lashes or apply a few coats of your favorite mascara. One of my favorites is Chanel Multi-Dimensionnel Mascara in Extreme Black.

LIPS: You need more than bright red hair for this look. You need bright red-orange lips. Make sure lips are in healthy condition and slightly moist from a lip balm. Apply a lip liner if you are wanting a “clean” line. Try L’Oreal Colour Riche Anti-Feathering Lip Liner in Timeless Coral around the lip line.  Apply Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick in Red Strass, this is one of my favorite lipsticks . To add shine, apply a sheer red shimmery lip gloss like The Body Shop Hi-Shine Lip Treatment in Red Gleam. Apply it with a lip brush. How ravishing?

 

Guerlain Russian Beauty Fall 2009 Color Collection

OK, you all know that I am a Guerlain fragrance and cosmetics mega-fan. That being said, I shocked to see their model for the fall color collection. Doesn’t she look totally insane? Doesn’t that look like the makeup application that would be seen on Whatever Happened To Baby Jane (oh, I do love that movie) sans the ghostly face powder? They really should of rethought releasing this or at least fire the makeup artist responsible for this terrifying look. The model even has an uneasy expression about all of this. Poor, poor gal. Maybe her expression is what makes the look so disturbing. I hope the photographer doesn’t beat her. Well, the colors of the collection aren’t too bad and many of the products are very nice. It’s just that the look that presented is just awful and they made a beautiful gal look like she is going to serve you your pet for dinner and smile while doing it. But, anyways. I think this collection is supposed to be all luxe and opulent. It’s supposed to be hedonistic and self indulgent with a mix of Russian royalty and bohemian or maybe a bit of glam gypsy look. I don’t know. I’m thinking something pre-Russian Revolution and before those pesky Bolsheviks got in the way of the wealth. 🙂 The company’s website hasn’t released these details yet. The collection offers the following:

EYES: There is an Ombré Éclat Eyeshadow Palette for $58 that comes in a shimmery blackish gold compact. The colors are imprinted with a “champagne shimmer” design. The shades are inspired by Russian princesses and their OTT glimmery gowns. There is Brun Mordore which contains shimmering shades of browns and black. This compact creates a nice smoky eye for all eyes and can be worn during the day too. Just depends on your technique. The other is Tsarina which contains a warm brown shimmer, bronze shimmer, burgundy shimmer, and plum shimmer. Tsarina has lovely colors but I don’t think they all mix very well together. They could but they also have the chance of creating bruised looking eyes (check out the lady above). I do think if done right this compact would look amazing on cool toned eyes like blue. There is a Eye & Lip Palette for $69. It comes in a luxe case that is Slavic inspired. It contains 2 eyeshadows (champagne pink sparkle and a sea pebble taupe shimmer) and 2 lipcolors (sparkling party pink and a shimmer rosewood neutral). I like the palette but I don’t see myself buying it. I don’t like eye and lip products packaged together. The powders always mix and clump with the oil based lip products. It’s gross. I do like the colors featured but I don’t feel they are worth the dough. Retractable Eyeliner Pens have been launched and retail for $29. They come in elegant gold packaging. Two will be permanent: Gold & Silver. The other is Bohemian and it is a deep shimmery plum. Le 2 Guerlain Mascara has been relaunched along with a new color Boheme. This retails for $35.

LIPS: There is a KissKiss Baby Lip Balm (see had to put baby in the title) that retails for $30. I love this product. It is super moisturizing, lightly tinted with shine, and it comes in a ultra-glam Guerlain case. It comes in 6 colors ranging from clear to rosy neutrals. My favorite is Red Nude.

FACE: The Parure Compact Foundation has been relaunched. This is a great powder foundation that retails for $60.

This collection is available at Nordstrom and Dillard’s.

Hmm, this Guerlain collection is much too close...

 

Get The Look of Raven Haired Beauty Hedy LaMarr

September 1943 classichollywoodbios.com

Who doesn’t want to look like a totally hot babe actress and totally hot babe scientist? Seriously.

FACE: While you are working on your canvas, apply a nourishing lip balm like Yu-Be Lip Balm. This is important because this is a matte lip look and lips need to be moist and chap-free. Hedy’s complexion is matte and flawless. First even out complexion with a matte foundation such as YSL Matt Touch Foundation. Apply concealer where needed. Estee Lauder Smoothing Creme Concealer is great for under the eyes. I wouldn’t wear powder with this look since a matte foundation was used. But, if you are oily, do dust lightly with a translucent powder to set the makeup. Take a big fluffy brush and apply a coral pink blush to cheeks. A color like Benefit Coralista will really brighten the complexion without being brash. It really is a great coral blush for pale skins.

EYES: Heidy’s brows are penciled. We all can’t do that. However, the brows should be nicely manicured. If necessary fill in the brows with a pencil such as Tarte EmphasEyes High Definition Brow Pencil. This is a thin pencil with a spoolie on one end. Eyes are very neutral and it is all about the lashes. Apply a nude matte shadow from lash line to brows. For a complexion like Hedy’s this would be Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Vintage Lace. Apply a sheer light brown shade from lash line to crease. A color like Bare Escentuals Eyeshadow in Bisque. If you have a bronzer this will do too. Apply it like an eyeshadow. In the crease apply a light steel color like Dr.Hauschka Eyeshadow Solo in #4, a smoky gray brown. Also apply this gray closely to the bottom lash line to give the illusion of fuller bottom lashes. Line eyes closely with a gel eyeliner like Shu Uemura Painting Gel Eyeliner in M Black. I think false lashes are a must for this look but mascara will do to. Apply what you want.

LIPS: Lips are matte and pretty bold. Wipe off lip balm. Apply foundation to the lips to create a blank canvas. Apply Lipstick Queen Lip Liner in Rust. Apply a matte rust lipstick like Sue Devitt Balanced Matte Lipstick in Phuket, a perfectly matte rusty red. If you must have a glossier lip, more satin because you are not used to matte lipsticks, try Lipstick Queen Saint Lipstick in Rust. It’s a rusty shade with a bit more sheen.

It’s really difficult to decide what fragrance a beauty like Hedy would wear. But, I would have to go with something modern, woodsy but femme like Tom Ford Private Blend Black Violet. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go dye my hair to a nice raven shade. I am loving this look for fall.