Flourishment

There are two things about today that is just total awesome sauce: (1) OITNB (if you not on it yet get your whole life), and (2) it's Friday.  Friday in real life means you get to count the hours until booze time, but in work life it means do actual work until 2 and then count the hours until booze time.  I really enjoyed yesterday's look so I wanted to try it with another nude look.  A light top makes the eye color pop and gives the nude lip space to breathe.  All of that leads to a state of greatness known as flourishment.  Flourishment today also includes getting everything on my list done today.  If I can do that then I will be in a full state of flourish.  Cheers to getting everything done, bomb eyeshadow and a great Friday!

Today, on the lid I have ME-728 Copper Red) by Make up Forever, on the crease I have on Fur Elise from the Lady Bird palette from Kat von Don the outer corner I have on Coconut Super Shock Eyeshadow by ColourPop.  On my lips I have on Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Pinkalicious, lined with MAC Cork and glossed with Starlet Sand Colorlicious lipgloss by Covergirl Queen Collection

Looking for your favorite eye looks and some of your favorite products.  Send them to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com

I Can't Make a Sexy Face

We all have our strengths and weaknesses in life.  I am really good at words and remembering information, but I suck at making sexy faces.  I've tried it and each time it looks like I have paralysis in my face.  So to ease the burden of my non-sexy having face I fake it with dramatic eye make up.  As a round/slightly almond eye-shaped gal I can pretty much do whatever I want.  The goal is to create depth and dimension that make the eyes stand out and draw attention to your face.  For today's look since I'm wearing a darker color I thought I would do more drama in the eyes and a nude lip.  Because I'm at work I didn't want to wear too heavy a face.  Even though I can't make a sexy face I go with what strengths I do have--the power to blend and an awesome smile.

Today's rundown includes: MAC Amplified Lipstick in Half n Half lined with MAC Chestnut.  On my lid I have Drift by ColourPop,  MAKE UP FOREVER D-652 (Celestial Earth) in the crease and M-928 (Eggplant) in the outer corner

Looking for your favorite eye looks and some of your favorite products.  Send them to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com

Prepare for Sunny Days

The sun is out today.  Hoo-ray.  I need it to be sunny at all times, in all ways.  At least don't be hot.  Anyhoo, picking up off of yesterday's post (and if you missed it, learn which looks are best for your eye shape here) I wanted to start incorporating eye looks.  Because today it was sunny day I opted for a bright pink (which I toned down with a purple, because I am at work after all).  Coordinating my outfight to lipstick I went with a coral top I love.  Because my outfit is bright and so is my lipstick, I went to downplay the color in my eyes.  Remember your makeup should not be in competition with each other but should be working together to showcase the makeup baddie you are.  I went with a sparkly brown for the lid and a medium-dark gray for the outer corner and the crease.  Altogether the look conveys what I want "It's sunny outside and I want to play, but I want to keep my job and make this money."  

Today I have on Fusion Pink Amplified Lipstick by MAC lined with Bite Beauty  Matte Creme Lipstick in Aubergine.  On the eyes I used Smashbox Full Exposure Palette to give me lips room to walk around.

What are your favorite eye looks? Send them to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com! 

Get in (Eye) Shape - Info Post #1

First, thanks for hanging in and following along with me y'all. I know makeup seems like a silly thing to talk about especially with the way the world is today but for me it's a simple pleasure that brings joy to my day. Even more so when makeup companies are aware that we come in more than just Biracial Beige and Alek Wek Dark. No offense to either but Black women come in a rainbow of colors and companies should know that. That being said, I'm going to branch out and start bringing in other parts of makeup into my discussions and I hope you like it.  So I mentioned I am going to be talking about eye makeup and incorporating lipstick into those discussions as well.  No man is an island and neither is a part of your face.  Your makeup should be a harmonious melody not a cacophonous mess.  So let's start at the beginning: Your eye shape. 

Eye Shape

Almond Eyes

These are eyes, as the name suggests, that are almond shaped.  They are symmetrical, slightly upturned in the corners.  The best makeup approach is to increase depth and intensity.  A mix of light and darks helps achieve this look.  Using light colors in your brown bone and inner colors, topped with the medium tone on your lid.  Finally using a dark color on the crease starting from corner and blending into the crease.

Downturned Eyes

 If you were to put a straight line through the center of your eyes and see the corners of your eyes go downwards then you have downturned eyes.  The best makeup approach is to accenutate shape and enhance outer corner.  Use your eyeliner to provide some lift to your eyes, remember one of the greatest things about makeup is it lets you fake it till you make it.  You can use the same color approach for almond eyes but here you might want to try a cat eye or winged look.  
 

Hooded Eyes

If your crease is invisible then you have hooded eyes.  Since the crease is covered here your focus will be on creating the illusion of a crease.  The best makeup approach is to enhance visible eyelid space.  A medium color will give your lid a good platform for the darker color to place in your crease. Blending your dark color in your crease will make your eyes look rounder.  Using eyeliner here as well will create roundness.
   

Monolid Eyes

Those with little to no crease have monolid eyes.  Here the best makeup approach is creating definition and dimension.  You can achieve this look by exaggerating the highlight by taking it from the inner corner all the way out to the center of the eye.  You should take your medium color all the way up to your crease as well to fake a rounder eye and dark color in your crease should be done in the same manner.
 

Round Eyes

Your eyes are round if the whites of your eyes are super visible when you look straight ahead.  The best makeup approach to round eyes is to elongate width to maximize shape.  Following the makeup instructions for almond eyes will best achieve that look.

Upturned Eyes

If the corners of your eyes go upwards if you were to put a straight line through the center of your eyes then you have upturned eyes.  The best makeup approach here is putting emphasis on the upward lift and enhancing symmetry.   Here applying a dark shadow on the lower outer corner will bring that curve down to make eyes look round or you can use your eyeliner to really make the curve stand out.  Upturned eyes are really great vehicles for smoky eyes.

Width
To determine the width of your eyes check the gap between your eyes.  If your gap is less than one eye length in size, you have close set eyes. If this gap is bigger than one eye length, you have wide set eyes.

Deep Set Eyes
For deep set eyes use less dark shadow and focus on highlighting the eyes to mimic roundness

Close Set Eyes
For close set eyes highlight below the brow bone and inner lid use a medium color and shade a little farther out than the width of your eye, use your dark color to shade from the outside to the top of the crease and start your eyeliner in the middle of your eyelid and pull it further than your eye.

Depth
Deep Set Eyes

Deep set eyes are the type of eyes that are tucked into your face.  Using light colors on deep set eyes on the upper lid will create highlights.  Darker shades on the upper socket line will create depth without pushing the eye back further.

Protruding Set Eyes
Protruding eyes are the type of eyes that pop out of the face.  Protruding eyes don't need highlighting in the inner corners rather medium shades layered on heavy will help diffuse some of the bulge.  Dark shadows under the crease of the eye will also help to bring down the protrusion while maintaining roundness.

Whoo I know that was a lot but at least we're up to speed on one of the basics.  Y'all know the drill, send me your best eye makeup looks with your eye shape and products to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com 

Sites and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.vogue.com.au/beauty/vogue+loves/galleries/how+to+determine+your+eye+shape+and+master+your+eyeshadow+application,28189
2. ↑ http://www.makeupfornoobs.com/know-your-eye-shape-for-right-makeup/
3. ↑ http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcacj/whats-your-eye-shape
4. ↑ http://lerablog.org/health/beauty-health/different-eye-shapes-and-how-they-define-your-face-and-personality/
5. http://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/tips/g8507/how-to-apply-eye-shadow-by-eye-shape/?slide=6

Choose You

Let me start off by saying I did not have this theme in mind when I started out this week. Life events just went in that direction and offered up inspiration.  Monday's post will not start off "Pikachu I choose you" I promise.  This week started off pretty shizzy for me and by the end I can say it's considerably better.  Which is why today's post is about choosing you.  Now don't get me wrong now I like to get chose as much as the next Black gurl living life in the DMV.  But it's important to know that when it comes to life you need to see yourself as a choice instead of an option.  You will come across some fine, well-established (or on the come-up), folks who all but have to give you the word before you decide to be bae.  But for some reason won't give you the fuel you need to stay interested.  It's at that point that you have to make a choice, and choose yourself.  If they can't see how awesome you are fuck 'em.  You see how awesome you are and someone else will too.  

Don't forget to choose happy, choose greatness, choose kindness, choose BOMB ASS lipstick 

and choose YOU!

Today I chose Sad Girl Liquid Lipstick (ironic I know) by Anastasia Beverly Hills

Choose Kindness

So I left my house with my dress not entirely zipped. It was probably about 25% down. I forgot to pull it up and Bella doesn't have thumbs so there's that. Luckily for me some nice young woman noticed and offered to zip me up. That was kind of her. It gets exceedingly more acceptable to ignore others and their needs the more self-contained we become. Everyone stays on their phone, if you're like me you don't talk or smile at people in the street, or you have just run out of fux to give and don't really have any interest. In those moments I would beg you to remember kindness. Small acts that show people that folks still care. Apathy destroys but empathy saves. When there's nothing left to choose, choose kindness. 

New lipstick alert! Everyone also was doing so I figured midaswell be Flat Out Fabulous by MAC with MAC Chestnut liner--because I am at work after all

Got lipstick? Send it to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com.  Next week the eyes have it!

Choose Greatness

I had a meeting at work today (which explains the nude lip) and as we're talking about the agenda for a conference we're planning I could hear myself sounding like I knew I was talking about.  Additionally, I heard praise for some of my ideas.  It was in that moment that I had an epiphany "damn bitch you doing it."  As I've mentioned before, countless times, I'm a champion procrastinator.  As a result, I never quite reach my full potential.  I'm honestly shocked by the things I've been able to pull off half speed, which probably means pushing it into full throttle would make a beast.  In that moment, I realized that when I decide to choose greatness, my shiz is unstoppable. I've got hobbies on my to-do list, books on my to-read list, and places on my to-go list I need to accomplish.  My misdirected energies and all out slothfulness have only made me slightly better than average.  It's time to change my to-do lists into what's-next lists.  We don't get many choices in life but we can certainly choose greatness and greatness, I choose you.

I was meeting ready in Mocha Locha by CoverGirl Queen Collection and MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut

Danae chose greatness and moved for new opportunities.  Thankfully she did it in MAC Cyber Lipstick, MAC Rebel Lipglass and MAC Nightmoth Lip Pencil

Choose Happy

I wish I could say I came up with today's title but I didn't.  Rather  it came from one of my LS's that's wise beyond her years and shades the everlasting life out of me.  She's right though.  Little known fact about me I get the blues fairly often and have since high school.  It's incredibly easy to stay in a rut once you're in it.  It's cozy down there, it gives your face time to relax cause you're not smiling, and you can stay home and save money.  It's the emotional toll it takes that's costly.  So right on schedule it seems I found myself down this weekend (for reasons I won't go into simply because they're ridiculous).  Talking it out with her she pretty much told me that I can be sad or I could try to feel better.  "Happiness is a choice" she often says, and I have to believe her.  Doing makeup everyday is a choice I make.  I choose to do it because it makes me happy.  Choosing to be happy seems difficult at times, but choosing the things that make me happy always helps to pull me out the dumps.  When things seems out of your control and out of your power, there's always one thing you can choose.  Choose happy.  

New makeup also makes me happy, today I have on MAC All Fired Up with MAC Nightingale Lip Liner

Folks, summer is coming and I've been going strong since January.  I'm shifting gears and will be focusing on eye makeup starting next week.  Yay!