keeping it minimal

My style efforts of late are not much to speak of. The coldest days of the year are upon us here in the northeast, and staying warm is the prime directive. But look! I put on some false eyelashes. Short individuals. It’s hard to see on camera but they make an incredible difference in person. For one they are dark, and my lashes, while healthy enough, are pale, and don’t announce themselves. They are nice but, you know, no one is writing sonnets about them.* I can see why people speak of becoming addicted to false lashes. The effect, even of short, modest ones with only one coat of brown mascara, is, basically: BOOM.

*Not one sonnet. It strikes me I hardly know any of the right people in this life.

Eyelashes, those quintessentially female attributes, shorthand for femaleness in all manner of cartoony contexts. As everyone knows, though, full, heavy lashes are appealing on absolutely everyone, at every age. I don’t know why I can’t bring myself to be very interested in mine, though I suppose there’s no logic behind what does interest me, either. Sometimes I learn that I can make some moderate effort to achieve a pleasing effect and I’m delighted, and adopt it immediately, and sometimes I am untouched. Eyelashes are like that for me. I amp them up as a novelty now and then and I like how it looks, think it looks better in a sense, even…but evidently do not care about looking better in that sense. Like when you have some power at your disposal and it is the possession of the power that matters, not the wielding of it.

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J Crew cashmere hat, Old Navy sweater

Most days my face is something like this. Probably a bit more boring than this, even. Or a lot more boring, though maybe you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference…who can say with faces. This is the Glossier face tint, which I like very well so far, high in silicone so it feels like a primer, extremely sheer but really the closest I’ve seen to something undetectable on the skin. Reminds me in texture of Armani Luminous Silk foundation. It doesn’t cover much (not sure how buildable yet) but that is rarely my intention anyway. What I want from a foundation product, if anything, is a gentle evening of skin tone without some dreadful sacrifice of skin-like texture.

On the cheeks my favorite, favorite blush of the moment, Tarte cheek stain in Natural Beauty, a deep rosy color that does look natural on me, about like the color my cheeks actually turn in the cold. Also undetectable if I’ve done a good job, which if I take more than 8 seconds I usually do. Fewer and the results are sometimes questionable.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara, which liking as well despite the plasticky/silicone wand (these I typically do not enjoy). MAC Fanfare lipstick, which so glad I picked up recently! A faultless nude pink that isn’t too pale, like so many popular nude pinks are on me. It’s one of the colors my lips often simply are, one of their more flushed shades…they have many shades, depending on humidity and hydration levels, blood flow, etc. All nice, it should be said. All just what they should be. But a girl likes to have options.

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Isn’t winter exhausting? I seem busy (working), cold, and so tired all of the time. I am not dull, but I can appear so in such conditions.

Innocent winter, so little deserving of blame here.

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NARS Liberté blush

As it gets colder I turn from the orange and coral blushes of summer and reach for darker shades, especially those within that rosy red spectrum that approximates a cheek kissed by winter. My favorite might be NARS Exhibit A, pretty much a straight red, but this new acquisition, another NARS gem, Liberté, is a beautiful, approachable, alternative.

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This is a rosy terracotta with an extremely subtle shimmer which, as far as I can see, is only distinctly visible in the pan and doesn’t translate to the face. This color is so pretty, no? This is the kind of sophisticated pink I find so versatile, so easy to wear. To me this shade is perfect for the transition from summer to autumn but of course it would be lovely any time. I’m sure there are dupes out there but I don’t have anything else quite like it.

Still loving my NARS yachiyo brush, too.

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Wearing it on my eyes as well, with a little bit of brown in the crease for depth and some brown eyeliner (Urban Decay 24/7) to delineate/prevent that pinkeye effect one can get when using straight pink around the eyes. It comes off quite peachy and warm on me. Oh, this mascara is from a little Canadian brand called Geisha Ink and is excellent, highly recommended by shamelessfripperies (if you have expensive taste, definitely check her out).

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If you only get one thing from NARS, make it a blush, they are famous for their excellent quality (also notorious for breaking easily, though). Unless you don’t need any blush, in which case get one of the lip pencils, satin or matte.

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No lipstick!

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