All you need to know about makeup.

Two brushes at a time makes total sense!

Need makeup lessons? Throw away your beauty magazines and just click above to listen to adorable tutorial poster Madison who makes about as much sense as any magazine beauty copy I've ever read.

via The Daily What.

Gift It: Wow! Bam! Makeup!

Every girl is a superhero. Every superhero needs a little gloss. This DC Comics makeup pouchFred Flare says Happy Wow! Bam! Pow! Holidays like no cosmetics bag I've ever seen. That means you should grab one for your favorite supergirls and yourself. Seriously.

It's like pop Lichtenstein for your lipstick, isn't it?

In Crease.

Here's something I bet you didn't know: eyelids are a big deal among Asian women. The classic Asian eye has what Asian women refer to as a "single eyelid". In other words, there is no crease to separate the upper and lower eyelid like there are on European (read: white) eyes. White women have "double eyelids", which include a coveted crease. There are all types of beauty treatments on the market to help Asian women achieve the look of a double lid, and some women even go so far as to get surgery to create a crease. The most popular solution for the single eyelid is for Asian girls to wear double sided tape on their lids that causes the skin to stick together and creates a crease. I had no idea this was even a concept until I worked with a few Asian girls at a restaurant and their makeup routine in the bathroom would include sticking tape to their eyes, kind of like this:



I couldn't believe it. It seemed so uncomfortable. It also really made me consider the things women will do for beauty; especially to emulate someone (like a European woman when you are an Asian woman) who looks nothing like them. It's fascinating and a bit unnerving, isn't it?

Everything That Glitters Is Not Boring.

This video of designer Gareth Pugh doing a makeup marathon for SHOWstudio back in 2006 reminds me of my own days behind a locked bathroom door in front of a mirror with my mom's makeup in hand. While my skills weren't quite as adept, and my mother would have killed me if I got glitter all over the place, I still relate to the "boredom-as-impetus" feel of this video. I have secret photos of my maquillage experiments that will never see the light of day, so watch Gareth again and pretend it's a ten year old me if you want...sort of. Kind of. Don't you love how he makes everything glimmer?

Get Yourself An Education.

Halloween Drag Queens from New York's annual parade.

Halloween in New York is Drag Queen Day. It just is. The Girls come out to show off all their glory to fellow drag queens, gawking tourists, and slightly befuddled children of all ages.

Oops, that's not a Drag Queen, just Christina Aguilera going about her business.

Their theatrical makeup is the pride of their glory, and if you've ever wondered just what goes into their powder room routine as I have, here's a soup to hiding the nuts makeup tutorial on the ins and outs of a drag face. Granted this lovely (real) lady doesn't have to contend with stubble or anatomy issues, but her color techniques are top notch and fascinating and oh so thorough.



How much do you love the last seconds of that vid where her roommate comes home and stumbles upon her in dragness. Awesome, indeed. I think I'm going to go as a Drag Princess next Halloween. Yep, Anna, Queen of The Desert.

Make Me Up. Make Me Down.

The T Magazine Blog has a fashion month feature that's one of my favorites. They take before and after photos of models backstage pre- and post-makeup, align them, and let you transform them from bare faced to bold faced with the drag of a bar.

Click an image above to play the makeup game.

Attack!

Ok, I'm putting my foot down! Models need an advocate, and I'm signing up! Not only is the average age of the catwalkers a mere 16 years old, but now the youngsters are being attacked backstage! Look at the photos of the prep they go through:

I keep seeing shots of this kind of backstage multi-tasking torture and I can't help but think that this has to be terrifying for the tall, skinny, women-children. They are at the center of a stylist swarm! I mean, how can that even be efficient? I feel like there are only so many hands that can fit on a head/face and still be able to do their thing the right way. The poor girls are being attacked! They endure this numerous, numerous times a day for a whole month. The models seem to just close their eyes and take it. This can't be good for them. Hmmm, maybe we could train this lady to do hair and makeup?

Then at least there would be less nostrils breathing on the models and just one friendly, non-frazzled face to stare into. (If only she was real...) Click that image to have your mind absolutely effing blown by the performance that picture comes from. Do it! Actually, just watch it here. It's amazing.

Hmph. I wish I had that many arms. Well, actually that may be a careful what you wish for kind of scenario.

Bullets Full Of Beauty.

A shot from Ellis Faas' portfolio.

Ellis Faas is a makeup artist who truly is worthy of the second half of that term. With collaborations with some of the fashion world's most intriguing photographers--Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, Jean Baptiste Mondino--under her brush belt (er, holster), the artist was asked to put together an eponymous line of makeup for the masses. Taking the natural colors of the human body as her pallate, Faas has created an array of makeup that conditions and absorbs into the skin it was colored to flatter. It doesn't sit on top of the face, or gum up, or dry out, or flake off. It's rich with emollient oils that prevent the normal and major mishaps of most makeup. The coolest part? The packaging looks like bullets. Yep, it's badass.

Faas' human body inspired color pallet.


Faas' signature color--blood red.

I'm a sucker for makeup packaging, and I think the entire makeup buying public is. In fact, what largely distinguishes one quality makeup line from the next if not their packaging? I know it's consumerism at its most obvious, but I'm all for that trick of the trade.

Faas' beautiful bullets in theory and reality.

A multi-product carrier mimics the barrel of a gun.

Nice shot, Ellis. Nice.

I love that Faas' tools of pretty wear the design of weapons. And, a red lipstick that's based on the color of blood? How incredibly Femme Fatale. The line is still only in stores in Europe and honestly costs a pretty Euro, but if you want to be cool you can buy it online via the Ellis Faas website. If you don't want to be cool, you don't have to buy it. Be cool. That's all I'm sayin'.

Please Avoid The Too Powdered Look.

How does one wear makeup in 1940? Well, like this of course:

I love the word rouge.

Ok, Call Me Obsessed.

I'm a blogger, if I wasn't obsessive, I wouldn't be any good at what I do! I found yet another tutorial on the "perfect red lip" and I have to share it with you. I really would never do all of this shading and powdering and lining, I'm just not that HM, but any makeup video set to the lovely, dulcet tones of Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys (Get Well Soon, Adam!) deserves a re-post! Also, you have gotta love Jonny Cosmetic's big "la la la" finish.



Ha.

Stay Inside The Lines.

There is something so beautiful about these backstage photos of Peter Phillips' cat eyes for yesterday's Chanel couture show in progress.

It's like coloring. Inside the lines, of course.

Photos by Luca Cannonieri / Gorunway.com via Style.com

Mistress, May I?

The runways are cloaked in black this season. Something dark has shown up all over Fashion Week(s). It got me thinking about my first exposure to the darkside which was none other than the mega-glam, goth goddess Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. I was pretty obsessed with her way back in the day. Her and her big hair and her dark makeup and massive...hair showed a totally different possibility for women and their appeal. She was bossy and brash and I kind of wanted to be her (just for a hot minute after midnight). So, in honor of our second Friday the 13th in a month I offer a behind the scenes look at the life and times of Elvira.

And some bloopers, because they are funny.



Admit it, you still want to be Elvira don't you? Click the images below to get yourself a costume and some fake lashes. Follow the directions below and call it a (wild) night.

May the darkness be with you.

Click images for source information.

The Marathon.

I love fashion. I do, but my, oh my, the show season is like an endurance test. My interest in the catwalk shows has slipped a bit. Instead, it is merging into thoughts about how they do it, mostly the models? How the hell do these girls go from show to show to show with all of the extreme make up changes (glitter to grease paint to talc powder to glued-on lashes) and hair switches (wigs to slicked back to teased to super straight to frizzed) without losing their souls, an eye, or clumps of their hair? I mean, I really want to know if there are Fashion Week Season-specific rashes, conditions, or ailments that these girls suffer. Pink eye? Break outs? Scalp burn? I don't wear so much makeup but when I have in my life it was always a pore clogging problem. I really wonder how these girls do it. I bet you there is some kind of great expose, underbelly story to do here. I should get on that...

Photo: Pascal Rosignol/Reuters for The New York Times

Get Schooled: Holiday Makeup Lesson

There is literally no excuse for not knowing how to do anything anymore. You can YouTube tutorial your way through sewing on a button, shaping your eyebrows, learning French, or Cha Cha-ing in heels, which are all essential fashionista skills.

You can also teach yourself how to do a pretty face of makeup just in time for Holiday parties. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a little old-school glamour. A red pout with some cleanly lined eyes is the most gorgeous makeup look a girl can go with. It creates a classic face that flatters anyone, and it's simple. Ok, well it may not be that simple if you don't know how to do it. Here's a makeup lesson from the Makeup Geek. She goes a little heavier than I may recommend, but she still covers the basics:

See, you have a computer? You have makeup? You can be glammy too. And you can save yourself the sinus trouble of breathing in huge gulps of perfumed air at the makeup counter if you learn how to DIY this face. Godspeed and remember, less is always more (unless we're talking about fresh baked bread. mmmmm)

50 Lashings

Don't Blink! stars Linda Evangelista and famed artist Kabuki's incredible makeup. Keep your eyes peeled and watch Linda E. transform.


Kabuki is a master of maquillage. Here is more of his incredible lash heavy work:

See all of these images and more at KabukiMagic.com.

Gift It: Liner Note

I'm not a spluger. I'm a thrifty girl through and through. In fact, the only way I usually acquire spendy items is if I receive them as gifts. For instance, I would never think to drop $25 on an eyeliner. I would be searching the aisle of the drugstore for a cheapo alternative thinking, "Why would anyone spend $25 on a black pencil when you can get this one for a dollar?" I'll tell you why. The quarter-of-a-hundo black Waterproof Dior Crayon Eyeliner that I received as a gift a few years back went on so smooth and easy, and with such inky blackness that I couldn't believe my eyes (or how great they looked).

Now I love to give little luxuries as gifts. Here's the strategy: Indulge in small items with relatively higher ticket prices for a big impact, and love the smiles you get in return. As a side note, that glorious eye pencil lasted me a nice long time. It was the gift that just kept giving (thanks Tuhanny!).

Get your loved ones a Dior Crayon Eyeliner from Sephora.com.

Lipstick Londonites

Party scene site Dirty Dirty Dancing proves that Londoners love a good lipstick.


Choose your shade (kind of like Choose Your Own Adventure for glam girls!) from the M*A*C selection below and pop your pout.

Each shade is $14. Click a color for more details.

The Queen of Makeup

Buried under the fearful financial headlines on today's Times site is a lovely escape from the stress in the form of a video about Pat McGrath. The recently feted and fabulous Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune rightfully calls McGrath "The Queen of Makeup". The woman is an absolute artist and her collaborations with John Galliano are always a highpoint of any fashion week.

She can do it all, from otherworldly to simply beautiful.

Images: Style.com