4am

IRL I can't wake up before 5 am no matter how hard I try.  I had to get up this morning because of course a woman's work is never done but I'm glad I at least got up at 5 am. When I think about what I could accomplish if I just got up an hour earlier or actually on time, it almost astounds.  I think that's one of the struggles of Type B personalities like me. We would be monsters if we weren't so laid back.  One of these days though I'm gonna wake up at 4 am and I'll be unstoppable!

 

 

What's your best face at 4am? Send in your favorite looks to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com

 

Today I have on ColourPop in Dare on the lid, MakeUp Forever D-926 in the Crease and Kiko Milano #178 in the Outer Corner.  On my lips I have on Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Heathers.
 

Work with It

I bought some new makeup recently, so it goes without saying I've been super pressed to use it. Despite that, as I was getting ready for a conference today I went back to some oldies but goodies. Rather than turn away from the old stuff I decided to work with it. New and shiny is going to be great (I have a palette on the way for Friday) but it's always good to look at the old and see how you can work with it. There's always a new look or a new challenge you can take on with the things that are familiar to you.

Today I wanted golds to shine! I have on Makeup Forever ME 728 on the lid; ColourPop Drift in the Crease; and M7 from Smashbox Full Exposure Palette in the Outer Corner. On the lip I have on one of my new loves MAC Matte lipstick in D for Danger 

Serena is the Jam

I am not a tennis fan but I am a Serena fan. I pretty much love both Williams sisters. Serena really is a powerhouse champion.  It's unfortunate that one of the world's top-ranked athletes still has to put on a dress to let her male detractors know that she's a woman.  Somehow her actual body isn't enough so she has to put on a dress and some sass (if you've never seen Serena tell the crowd not to try her--do your life a favor) so they'll be less-inclined to talk about her physique or her height.  Straight up, y'all are lame for that.  It's crazy that women have to dance the fine line between being successful and being feminine because somehow in the male mind the two are mutually-exclusive (this is where my voice went down indicating the highest levels of sarcasm).  Makeup would seem like one of those other tools in the "I am Woman, Don't Play Down My Accomplishments" arsenal.  It's a silly practice in 2015 we still have to engage in however, regardless of the short-sightedness makeup still rocks and Serena is the jam.

You can't really tell but I have #102 Kiko Cosmetics which is Gold on the lid, ColourPop Drift (Cranberry) in the Crease and #135 Kiko Cosmetics in the outer corner which is sparkly gray.  On the lips I have on Milani Matte Confident lipstick

You guys keep me going, send me your favorite eye looks! Blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com 

Fannie Lou Said

It's been a long week.  Emotionally.  The great labor and civil rights leader, Fannie Lou Hamer, once said "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." If she were alive today, I'm pretty sure she'd say "fcuk this shid" (but she was saved so she might not).  Everyday WOC combat erasure.  The insidious process by which everything about us gets minimized, mitigated, washed away or flat out ignored. Our pain is ignored, our struggle is ignored, our truths are ignored.  In no place do we get ignored more than the beauty world. Model Nykhor Paul nicely handed white makeup artists their asses to them in an IG post where she summed it up succintly, "Dear white people in the fashion world! Please don't take this the wrong way but it's time you people get your shit right when it comes to our complexion" She also said that makeup is art and art is never racist (that's debatable but you get the idea).  I love makeup, we know this.  What I would love more is more black and brown faces in print magazines, in ads, on the runway, on blogs, on YouTube, alladat.  A cover with 3 black women isn't cutting the mustard.  No shade Teen Vogue but in addition to perpetuating poor body images of young girls, y'all don't know that black women come in more colors than just beige?  Fa'real? Am I supposed to applaud y'all cause y'all finally realized Black Gurlz are magic, in 2015? Vogue, bye!  Fight against the forces that tell you you're too black, or brown, or olive, or yellow, or women, or feminine, not feminine, and would rather see you wither on the vine than thrive and be alive.  And don't forget your mascara when you do it!

Today I used the Kat Von D Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palette.  Lid: Lifelike, Crease: Mezzanine, Outer Corner: Tornay.  For lipstick I have on Clinique Berry Pop

Yesterday I used Too Faced's Return of Sexy Palette. On the lid: Ingenue, Crease: Innocent, Outer Corner: Casting Couch. For lipstick I have on MAC in Damn Glamorous lined with MAC Beet Lip Pencil

Tuesday I used the MakeUp ForEver Makeup Artist Palette.  On the lide:I-524 Pinky Beige  Crease: D-926 Blueberry Outer corner: ME-930 Black Purple.  For lipstick I used ColourPop Lippie in Fighter

Warrior Paint

So every once in a while some woman will do the no makeup challenge, or do the half no makeup or whatever to challenge notions of beauty and self worth and blah blah blah. It's funny to me that people get shamed for wearing makeup everyday because it seems like we're being untruthful, or we're ashamed of how we look. For many of us, that couldn't be further from the truth.  When I wear make-up I feel empowered.  Aside from the fact that I look pale when I awaken in the morning, makeup give my face vitality, and color, and general brightness.  All of that becomes a part of me when I'm wearing make-up.  I couldn't tell you the times I resisted tears because I was wearing mascara.  It made me stronger in those moments. Many cultures engage in face paint or warrior paint because they believe it will give them magical powers and allow them to defeat their enemies.  My makeup gives me magical powers and allows me to defeat my enemies. So for all the anti-makeupers, don't catch me in my warrior paint cause I'm coming for you. 

On the eyes: I did a lot today but thankful it's all from one palette.  It's the MAKEUP FOREVER Artist Palette.  On the lid: I-550 (Olive Gray), in the crease: D-652 (Celestial Earth), in the middle of the lid I have one 2 colors: I-524 (Pinky Beige) and ME-728 (Copper Red) and finally (whew!) I have on ME-930 Black Purple  on the outer corner.  On the lips: I have on Knockout from Pink Diamonds Cosmetics, a black-owned biz from a lovely lady in San Diego and I have on MAC lip liner in Vino to give it an ombre look. 

What are your best warrior faces? Send them to blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com!