Month: May 2013

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into: NARS velvet matte lip pencil in Red Square

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The NARS velvet matte lip pencils are lovely. Try them out at Sephora sometime, the texture is creamy without being at all slippery, the pigmentation is intense, the wear–provided you don’t layer with a gloss or eat something greasy–respectable. [Does not leave a mark on a drinking glass, for example.] Not sure if you can get this color through the regular channels anymore but even if you cannot, try another – the formula is fantastic. It can be worn sheer (which is still bright), or in layers for greater impact.

This is one in Red Square is of my favorite orange-reds. A vibrant poppy red with a generous element of orange. Will feature it on the lips sometime (not unlike NARS Heat wave). The color is very much of a piece with MAC’s Lady Danger lipstick…which is on the wishlist…though leaning more toward orange. I often think of bright corals and pinks for spring/summer brights, nearly forgetting the quintessentially bright red beloved of toreadors and urgent sign-makers the world o’er. Red is always in season.

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a tale of two brows

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I have never done anything beyond brushing my eyebrows (I really love brushing them, though). No plucking, dyeing, threading, waxing, trimming…the occasional penciling-in to darken them. They are naturally level and quite fair, the color of the lightest blonde shades in my hair rather than the darkest. I like them.

It is probably due to some tacky 90s advertising (I am thinking Jordache could be a culprit, the closest modern equivalent I could find is Amber Heard for Guess – very much the same look. Trashy gorgeous.), but I quite like the look of brows that are several shades darker than the hair. Even platinum with dark brown eyebrows…as long as they are good eyebrows. Actually I think I am, at heart, a bit trashy. And I have a thing for contrast. And for eyebrows.

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So I bought an eyebrow dyeing kit, on a whim, on Amazon the other day. A basic, popular one around $12 in a light brown shade. Nothing too crazy. I imagined how well this would compliment the impending natural bleaching of the hair in summer sun, contrast-wise. I looked in the magnifying mirror at the brows.

…hm. Was it me, or did they seem, upon scrutiny, rather haphazard? No wonder people pluck them. Mine are unobtrusive, so you can’t tell that the odd hair is out of line with the natural shape. I do not want to pluck, though! I cannot be bothered, and I don’t like the idea, besides. I would have to keep it up indefinitely, and like them looking casual, as big as possible, not overly groomed. The odd out-of-line hair is key. I like the look of quite scruffy eyebrows on some, and dense Mediterranean brows, gender irrelevant.

Hm. Their natural color is lovely, too, gently bleached on the top ridge from the sun. And would never get it back…I could just use makeup when I want them darker…

So I returned the kit.

The End.