Posted on

the bordeaux lip ii + a giveaway!

Here are some additional options for getting a lovely autumn bordeaux lip (see the first part here, third part forthcoming). This is my most readily and shamelessly justified kind of purchase just now, the deep, vibrant plum/violet red lip color. It’s possibly getting out of hand. [Possibly. I’m not certain I’m qualified to determine these things, or what they might depend upon…]

IMG_9377

Here we have: MAC Living Legend, MAC Hang Up, MAC Rebel, Too Faced Melted liquified long wear lipstick in Melted Berry, Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick

IMG_9380

MAC Living Legend is super vampy and reads nearly-but-importantly-not-quite black when heavily applied (wearing here and here), MAC Hang Up is my current jam, and think it’s a great balance of dark and bright (and love that creamsheen formula, wearing here), MAC Rebel has pretty much achieved cult status now, I think, as a quintessential autumn shade for anyone and everyone, and for good reason. I’m right there with everyone else saying this is beautiful (though, that said, I’m still really into Hang Up right now). The Too Faced Melted Berry is a potentially messy formula, like any liquid lipstick, but this color is amazing, this is one for the courageous lipstick queens out there. And on the other side of the spectrum, for the timid, the practical, and mavens alike, is Clinique’s Black Honey, a sheer raisin-like color that is somewhat buildable with a glossy finish. I can see why this has such a following, an effortless, foolproof, grown-up color, and a pretty color at any concentration.

OK, in honor of the season I’ll be giving away one bullet of MAC Hang Up, just leave a comment below to enter!

This giveaway is open internationally. It will close December 10, 2014 at midnight EST. If you post more than one comment, only the first will count toward the giveaway. The winner will be announced on the blog on Thursday, December 11, 2014. Good luck!

[You must be in the individual post to see comment options, click on the title from the homepage or sidebar.]

Posted on

the autumn/winter palette

So-called autumn colors are consistently my favorites, regardless of the season. Deep jewel tones, warm earth tones, any color a leaf might conceivably turn, the dark, sophisticated cousins of their spring/summer counterparts. There’s a lot of overlap between classic autumn and classic winter shades and I don’t make much of a distinction, though if forced I would say it is the warm, rusty, browned shades that dominate the autumn palette, and the winter palette substitutes that warmth for still more heavily saturated jewel tones.* Ex. the turn from the oxblood lip to the deep, blue-toned red lip (or burgundy to bordeaux). Ex. the turn from copper and gold to amethyst and jade.

*Jewel tones meaning (at least, I mean) colors somewhere on the spectrum of a true gemstone color, just darker or lighter, paler or more vibrant. A questionable phrase as the terms jewel and gem are hazy, and could really be said to include every color thanks to the diversity of minerals, but when we talk about beauty and fashion we understand the term to mean saturated and vibrant, often dark colors. So, OK, fine. Jewel tones.

IMG_9359

I like this transitional period wherein it’s not too late (I mean, it’s never too late) to evoke the rust and copper of autumn, and the muted violets, rosy reds, and deep greens of winter are fair game. I’m especially into plummy, bordeaux shades this year. Definitely another burgundy/bordeaux lip round up coming soon. Will be telling you more about some of my favorites pictured here as well, mostly quite new, and some real beauties.

IMG_9364

Really the only thing to do with piles of beautifully colored objects is to arrange endless configurations of them. Right? I, at least, never tire of this.

For me makeup is only fractionally about the medium/texture/formula, and primarily about the color. I am not even shopping for a category, sometimes, not a blush or a lipstick or a shadow (many of these can be multi-purpose, anyway), I am shopping for a color. An excellent formula is then a happy bonus. I have a few lipsticks that are lovely in texture but a little eh color-wise, and they don’t get much love. On the other hand I have some mediocre shadows that I make work because I like the colors so well.

Color is also the most dangerously effective justification for getting another thing, makeup-wise. I think I may accurately blame much of my stash on color preoccupation.

x