Smoky Eyes Two Ways

Hey everybody! Man it is hard to keep up with blogging amidst the wedding planning...I'm realizing that I need to declare a couple days a week "wedding-free" days for my own sanity and for the sake of this blog. Instead of reading reviews of yet another reception venue location, I'm going to spend my mental energy on one of my favorite pre-engagement topics: makeup!! I've been wanting to discuss eye makeup for awhile because I've found that amongst my girlfriends, a lot of them shy away from trying smoky eyes, thinking that they'd be too complicated or make them look crazy. Au contraire! Eye makeup is so fun because there are so many looks to try and it really is foolproof as long as you apply a little at a time and slowly build the look. It's kind of like painting. Today I'm going to outline two different ways to do the smoky eye: daytime and nighttime.

The Daytime Smoky Eye

As seen on Julia Roberts (picture from glamour.com/beauty)

So I know that eye makeup sounds like a lot to deal with on a daily basis, but it can have major prettiness payoff, and you can customize your routine depending on how much time you have in the morning. Here we go:

Step 1: Concealer. Every good eye makeup look starts with a good concealer underneath the eye and in the inner corners. Two concealers I love are:

CoverGirl and Olay Simply Ageless concealer

Fresh Supernova Radiance Brightening Pen

These two concealers are the bomb. I always use the CoverGirl in the morning (sometimes with some of the Fresh on top if I'm really tired), and the Fresh is great to apply later in the day if you're getting ready to go out.

2. Brows
Brows are so, so important for any eye look. If you keep your brows shaped and groomed (but not overly thin), you're well on your way to looking polished. I brush mine up and out and add a little taupe eyeshadow with an eyeshadow brush to darken and define them a tad. Tweezing happens once a week or so.

3. Eyeshadow
When I started actually wearing eyeshadow (which I really didn't until college), CoverGirl eyeshadow quads really saved me. In my opinion, these quads are the best for creating natural-yet-noticeable daytime eye makeup looks. Applying is this simple: apply the lightest shade as a highlight under your eyebrows and in the inner corner of your eyes, apply the medium shades to the lids (I usually apply a little of both of the medium shades) and then apply a little of the darkest shade to the outer third of your eye and blend it a little bit into the crease. The CoverGirl shadows are sheer enough that you don't worry about it being too much.


4. Eyeliner
Next I use a pencil eyeliner and smudge/dot it along my upper lashline. As I wrote in a previous blog entry, I've been really liking Revlon Colorstay eyeliner in Black/Brown. Once I have the eyeliner along my upper lashline, I use a spongy blender brush that came with my makeup brush set (it's pretty similar to those spongy applicators that come with eyeshadows), and smudge the eyeliner so it's soft and a little smoky with no hard edges. I then use the bit of eyeliner that's on the smudger to add a little color to the bottom lashline, only on the outer half of the eye. When in doubt, smudge/blend with your fingers.

5. Eyelash Curler/Mascara
Easy! I love CoverGirl VolumeExact for everyday - a couple coats on top lashes and one light one on bottom.

The Nighttime Smoky Eye

Kate Beckinsale...does she ever not look gorgeous??

1. So the great thing about nighttime smoky eyes is that you can just add products on top of whatever you're wearing. If you didn't already have some daytime eye makeup on, apply concealer as you would normally.

2. Eye shadow. This is the key to demystifying the smoky eye, I think. As a rule: do not start out with black eyeshadow, or even gray. These colors are difficult to pull off and require a skilled hand. I would do color: bronzes and shades of purple/plum are my personal faves, but if you have brown eyes, do the Beckinsale and try green! Navy can also be really flattering. When applying, just use a little at a time. Cover the lid, maybe go into the crease a little...just do as much or as little as you're comfortable with. Step back every moment or so and look at your work from a little farther away. If you have a small, travel-size blush brush, you can use it to lightly blend/diffuse any hard edges outward so there are no weird smudges or lines. If you are using an eyeshadow duo or palette, use a medium shade over the crease and use the darker shade (or a tiny bit of black eyeshadow if you feel comfortable) to shade the outer corner and crease.

3. Get a little bit of eyeshadow, either the medium shade or the darker shade depending on what you prefer, onto an angle brush and apply to your lower lashline. Blend a little with your finger if needed.

4. Line your upper lid with black eyeliner - either a pencil or liquid, whichever you prefer. I like Almay black eyeliner and NYC liquid eyeliner (it has the best, tiny little brush that makes it really easy to build a smooth line).

5. Curl lashes, apply lots of mascara. For nighttime, I love to layer L'Oreal Collagen Volume mascara over my CoverGirl VolumeExact to the top lashes only - it gives the look of false lashes without that extra effort.

Done! Just try it...you will look gorgeous.

Well I'm Engaged...So There's That.

(!!!!!!!)

So I have totally, inexcusably neglected this blog lately...it feels like it's only been a couple weeks, but in reality it's been almost a month since I posted. I am sorry. No really, I am. I love this blog and I am really proud of it and I really hate that I haven't been posted. Buuutttt.....

I'm engaged!!!

So there's my excuse, despite the whole "inexcusable" thing. It happened last Tuesday (October 19th!), and between that and the 5 thousand million auditions I've been going on, my computer time has been really limited. But here I am, feeling (as Jane says in Pride and Prejudice when Bingley finally pops the question) like "the most fortunate creature that ever existed." I'll spare you all the corny details of how I (impatiently) waited for months for the proposal, and how he ever-so-casually proposed on the Highline Park in Chelsea and how I somehow could not spit out the word "Yes" for about a good five minutes...anyway. It has happened, and now that it's really settled in, and the phone calls have been made, and the shock of calling him "my fiance" has worn off, I look at my hand and just feel pure joy, and excitement for what is to come.

Despite the horror and dismay I came across recently in realizing how crazy expensive it can be to throw a wedding in my neck of the woods, man I am loving wedding planning! I've been calling a few venues trying to find the right place, and I am telling you, there is no sweeter question to hear than "Are you the bride?" Every time I am asked, I can't resist almost squealing "YES!" I also think, every time I give my name to one of the planners, that my last name will be different very soon. I am just delighted. I was kind of born to be a bride-to-be, as ridiculous as it sounds. I am just hoping that the small breakdown I had on Monday night (well, if you ask my fiance, maybe it wasn't so small) will be the only one and that I will somehow be able to enjoy the process without getting overwhelmed or having unrealistic expectations. Thankfully I have wonderful friends (and sisters-in-law-to-be!), not to mention my family and fiance, that I know will lovingly but firmly keep my head on straight - without these people, I would be a puddle of nerves and emotion, pretty much all day every day. Thank you to everyone who has stuck by me during the "waiting" period to see me come out the other side as a proudly engaged woman....I could not be more grateful for both your support and your tough love. 

So there we go. I vow to you and to myself that I will not neglect Go Austen anymore, and I really appreciate everyone reading. Onward to more ramblings (including some tidbits of wedding planning, hazah!).

P.S. Remember those fabulous hardcover classic books from Anthropologie that I featured recently? Well guess what I got Neil as an engagement present...

hey I can try to be as patient as Penelope right?

P.P.S. Thank you Cecilia for your super-sweet compliment! I will try not to let you and your sister down. :)

That's So Austen.

Things right now that have stood out to me as very Austen lately, as fall has finally descended on the Northeast:

Anthropologie

If you know me, you know I'm OBSESSED with Anthropologie. Most of my wardrobe is either from this store or looks like it's from this store (and is actually from Target, Forever21 or Kohls...gotta love some bargains). I swear that if Austen heroines were living today, they would be dressed head to toe in clothing from this ladylike, smart, classic-with-a-twist store. Last night I was sitting in an Anthropologie on a leather couch and it just came to me...the English undertones...the cheeky wit...the weathered, countryside-ish wood...it's just SO Austen. AND...!!

OMG the books!! They are now carrying these beautiful, antique-looking hardcover versions of some my absolute favorite books: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, The Odyssey and many more. I cannot deal. I want them all. But of course, at 20 bucks a pop, I can't just buy them all. SO where do I start?? I'm tempted to get Pride and Prejudice (just finished my re-read of it last night! Damn it is SO good. Elizabeth to Darcy: "To be sure, you knew no actual good of me--but nobody thinks of that when they fall in love."), as my copy is literally falling apart. But I want Emma! Can I even choose between Pride and Prejudice, which I love so much, and Emma, which I also love to the point that it is my future daughter's namesake? And then I also want Sense and Sensibility, so I can read it next! But I also need the Odyssey, aka my favorite love story ever! Oh Anthropologie, the endless dilemmas you create in my mind...

English Countryside Beauty

This picture is from an entry in the Beauty Department blog at luckymag.com. I just think this girl is beautiful, and she reminds me of a combination of Elizabeth and Jane in the most recent Pride and Prejudice movie. The big eyes, defined brows, delicate flush of the lips and cheeks...ever notice how in Austen novels (and other works from the time) they're always mentioning people's "colouring" in conjunction with their emotions? I.e. "But Jane, you are so pale" and "Elizabeth had a healthy colour in her cheeks after her exercise in the country"? And eyes are also important...there's a whole part of Pride and Prejudice where Darcy is made fun of for stating that Elizabeth has "fine eyes." So I'm loving this soft and gentle makeup...some shades to try to get this particular shade of flush would be Nars the Multiple in Maui, Nars lipstick in Dolce Vita, or Stila Convertible Color in Lillium...try it out girls! Perfect for fall.

The Lace-Up Bootie

Now I don't pretend to know what kind of shoes Austen ladies would have actually worn, but I imagine that they would have worn something at least in this genre and that they would have approved that they're now one of the biggest shoe trends out there. I got myself a pair of grey leather ones that are a little low-cut in the front and have a medium-height heel, and I can't wait to wear them now that it's finally cold enough to stop wearing sandals! They're so cute and versatile and I feel like there's a lace-up bootie for everyone out there right now, you just have to search a little bit! Stay tuned for a post on how I actually dress around these babies...a challenge that I am ready for.

That is all, happy Tuesday! Embrace your inner English Country Rose...you know you want to.

Skincare

Happy Friday ladies (and gents)! Today I'm going to talk about that very complicated topic of skincare. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so overwhelmed at the drugstore, just staring at all the skincare products wondering which items work the best and if this cleanser would go well with this moisturizer, etc. Here are some of my favorite skincare products (and I promise I've tried a LOT):

Cleansers

Aveeno Positively Radiant Makeup Remover Cleanser

I found this at Target and I really, really like it. Like all Aveeno products, it has a pleasant, light scent, is gentle and moisturizing and doesn't irritate your skin. What I love about this specific cleanser is that it is self-foaming and it creates this awesome lather that feels so good on your skin - you feel like you're getting a spa treatment every night! It is very gentle so sometimes I have to lather up twice for it to really get everything off my face, but for me I'd rather use a more gentle cleanser and have to use it twice than use something harsh on my skin.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser

This is a product I've used off and on for years. Like the Aveeno, it's really gentle and will never sting your eyes, but it's a very effective cleanser and I love the smell - kind of a weird smell to try to describe, but it just smells like a spa! Almost lavender or rosemary-ish. It is definitely more expensive than the Aveeno, but it's just so effective and pleasant to use that I always end up going back to it.

Moisturizers

Neturogena Oil-Free Moisture SPF 15

Mine has newer packaging, but looks similar to this. For a day moisturizer, I usually go as plain as possible - something oil-free that won't make me greasy but will moisturize and protect my skin. This stuff is really good.

Burt's Bees Positively Ageless Night Cream

This is my nighttime moisturizer, and I really like it. Just moisturizing enough, with a nice light texture - plus a great pomegranate scent that to me smells like cranberry tea or something. It's really good, and it's all-natural which is a nice plus. I'm going to have to get more!

Eye Cream

Origins GinZing Eye Cream

This is such a great eye cream...I use it in the morning after moisturizer, and it really helps "wake up" my eyes. Besides for the ginseng and caffeine to de-puff, there's a nice luminous pink tint that helps camouflage my dark circles, which are probably my biggest beauty gripe. This eye cream plus CoverGirl Simply Ageless concealer equals bright eyes!

So there you have it...some truly great skincare secret weapons. Try them out!

Hair How-To.

This Friday night when I was heading out for dinner/drinks with my girlfriends, I couldn't figure out what to do with my hair. I recently cut bangs for myself, and while I quite enjoy them , they freak out in the humidity and it seemed like it was going to rain that night. So I ended up putting my hair up in this braided hairstyle that I've done a few times that was inspired by these pictures from glamour.com/beauty:

                     

I promise it's really easy and looks great with any hair type/texture, and it's so flattering and girly and cute! My BF always compliments my hair when I wear it this way...and you know for a guy to actually comment on a hairstyle is a big deal. Here is my how-to:

1. The first step is to start with a little texture in your hair. It doesn't really matter if your hair is totally dry or slightly damp, but either way add a little texturizing product (I just used some flexible-hold Aussie hairspray, the shine+hold one) to your hair before you start braiding. Flip your head over, spray it in and massage/scrunch your hair and flip over.

2. Next, divide your hair in half from forehead to neck, as if you were going to do pigtails, and secure one side with an elastic. you don't have to do it right down the middle; I think I look better with a slight side part, so I divided it that way. I think it looks better when it's a pretty messy part, so don't overthink it!

3. Start french-braiding the side you didn't secure. Err on the side of braiding a little more tightly - you can loosen it up later, and it will loosen on its own as you wear it. If you've never french-braided, here's a tutorial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74Efp4P5Tw

4. Braid it all the way down to the end and secure with an elastic. Next, braid the other side of your hair.

5. Once you've braided down to the ends, take the elastic out of the first braid and gather your hair together to form a bun. you can un-do some of the braid so it's easier to get into a bun.

6. Secure the bun with an elastic and then with bobby pins if needed/desired. Finally, spray with strong-hold hairspray - I like John Frieda Moisture Barrier.

7. Ta-da!

Try it out and let me know how it goes! The biggest thing with this hairstyle is not to worry about it - it can be as messy/neat/whatever as you like! 

OMG Giada.

I finally made it over to Target yesterday; although I love the store, I have had really low energy since fall started blowing in and just couldn't muster the strength to get over there. I got some good stuff - more of their fabulous v-neck pocket tees (seriously the best t-shirts ever for 8 bucks a pop), a neon pink sports bra, a faux leather jacket, Burt's Bees toothpaste...gotta love a store where you can just get everything! My heart stopped, however, when I found the section for the new Giada for Target line. Dear sweet Lady Gaga. This line is all I've been waiting for. I'm just so pissed that it wasn't available last year when I stocked up on kitchen gadgets for my Boston apartment! It is such a great line containing everything you could ever need for your kitchen: pots and pants, bakeware, cutlery, even appliances! I died when I saw her food processor for 69.99, as opposed to Cuisinart's that go for at least 250!

Isn't it cute???

I've been wanting a food processor forever - my family doesn't even own one, even though we have random things like a bread maker and ice cream maker. I know you can usually use a blender, but like, no. I want to be official. I want to be professional. I want to be Giada.

I was going to buy myself one of her adorable red spatulas (the spatulas in my parents' kitchen are seriously lacking), but I resisted. Instead I got a jar of her Tomato Basil sauce (I read on her blog that her favorite items from her line are her pasta sauces) and I poured it over ravioli for dinner last night and it was fabulous! As soon as you open the jar, you actually smell fresh tomatoes and fresh basil, which you may not expect from a jarred pasta sauce. 

I'm excited to try her other food products and perhaps even obtain a small collection of some of her cookware and tools. I imagine that if I were to be getting married (I'm not getting married, but you know IF I were) I would immediately register for all of her products. Sigh. One day I will have the Giada kitchen of my dreams. Until then, I'm going to try some more of her recipes from this cookbook, maybe one that uses butternut squash to ring in the new season!

Giada is such a Go Austen heroine. She is talented and smart and savvy and beautiful and very much her own woman. You can tell that she's worked very hard to get where she is and that she works for pleasure as well as to make a living. She loves what she does, and that is really inspiring. You go, girl.

Summer to Fall Beauty Staples

  These are some products that I was into this summer that I believe will carry me through the next season:

Revlon ColorStay Mineral Mousse Foundation

(Photo: walgreens.com)

This foundation was seriously my secret weapon this summer. It is awesome. I wear the Fair/Light shade, which is perfect for my skin when I have a slight tan. The formula is just great; it's this really unique liquid mousse that you can apply with fingers, a sponge or a foundation brush and it's super-easy to blend and dries to a perfect, undetectable, airbrushed finish. It's sheer enough that it never gets cakey or obvious, but it does an incredible job of evening out your skin and neutralizing any redness. In addition, the tube is nice and streamlined and perfect for travel. Love.

Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner

(Photo: walgreens.com)

So apparently I have become a slight Revlon stalker, which is weird because I'm usually more into CoverGirl...anyway. This eyeliner is the shizz. I've been using Black/Brown, and it's a great shade and an even better formula; super pigmented, easy to blend, and then it DOES NOT MOVE. It's great and it really makes your eyelashes look thicker if you put it right at the lashline. I anticipate this becoming my new favorite eyeliner ever...might have to get some more colors...gray perhaps?

Stila Convertible Color in Poppy

(Photo: lookfantastic.com)

Stila Convertible Color is such a great product; if you haven't tried them, I highly recommend them. I have them in both Petunia and Poppy: Petunia is a really fabulous coral-y pink that is natural and flattering, and Poppy, which is a sheer, buildable true red. Both colors manage to have both warm and cool undertones, so I can imagine them both being flattering on a variety of skintones. Poppy has been my go-to recently - I apply it with a flat-top cream blush brush (mine is Sonia Kashuk) and slowly build the color until there's a nice flush going on. It goes on very well over the Revlon Mineral Mousse foundation, and it really lasts. A great, versatile product.

Chloe Eau de Parfum

(Photo: fashionfuss.com)

This is a beautiful, rose/peony-based fragrance that I got for my 21st birthday. I got the eau de parfum because the eau de toilette hadn't come out yet, but I just love the fragrance and I knew as soon as I smelled it that I had to have it. Since it's a parfum and is therefore very concentrated, I only need a tiny spritz for it to be noticeable (and it lasts - I put a small amount on last night and I can still smell it on my wrist this morning). Check out this perfume if you like girly, ladylike scents that aren't cupcake-y, coconut-y, or food-y in any way...the scent is both classic and modern, which I love. I could see an Austen heroine wearing it (Emma, of course...it's fit for an English rose), which makes me like it even more!