the beachy nymph

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I was determined to wear a garland before the summer was out.

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This kind of easy, beachy look is a good example of a summer uniform for me: bikini top, loose sleeveless thing over top (if there can be an ancient Athenian garb situation going on, so much the better), trusty gladiators, piles of rings and bracelets, tote-scale bag.

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This is a simple, no makeup makeup look, using a few new favorites and a few old favorites. Bioderma Photoderm, a tinted moisturizer/spf,  is very sheer and natural, a bit like Origins VitaZing in texture. There is a regular (untinted) version that is also really nice, lovely texture. MAC Huggable lipcolor in Love Beam (already sold out it seems, quelle surprise), much blotted, Tarte cheek stain in Blissful, a peachy pink that adds instant freshness to the face (mine is so well used nearly all the text has worn off, and this is the old packaging because these things last forever). Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer, my current favorite highlighter, which is saying a lot given the formidable competition, which competition includes this MAC bronzing powder Nude on Board (also sold out but available here). More on highlighters soon.

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American Apparel drawstring dress, garland from Etsy, Seafolly Neo Tribe bikini (new, really incredibly tiny on the bottom, Brazilian-style, I like. Not looking like it’s going to see a beach this summer, unfortunately), French market basket, Ray Ban aviators.

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the leopard

One does feel somewhat predatory with such decor as this going on.

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This Violent Lips leopard appliqué is not disappointing. It’s strange on the lips, yes. You know it’s there, and it seems like you can’t move your lips very dramatically without the appliqué cracking (not flaking off, just cracking in place – once it’s on, barring the intervention of oil or makeup remover, it’s not coming off). That said, I’m pretty impressed. I like. It’s a playful novelty, winning me over by being just what it promises to be.

[It’s a good thing, because I got a ton of them.]

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This leopard print is so unexpected. It’s distracting, and not only for me it seems, given the number of looks on the street. Any of the component colors alone would be unusual lip colors, and all three together are triply so. Unconventional, bizarre, bold…all the necessaries for a potentially fierce look, a look that says, I do what I want.

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I think we need some aviators here.

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This necklace features the Leo constellation (fitting, no?). Was searching for a small but not too small gold disc like this for some time, intended for layering with other small pendants on dainty gold chains with white v-neck shirts (you know how it is…). Gold and white is a favorite color combination of mine, and the uncontested favorite for summer. I was so attached to a white/gold/brown look here that I omitted blush and am only wearing bashings of bronzers and illuminators (yes, multiple, we’ll talk about that later).

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Victoria’s Secret tunic dress, bowler bag (eBay, thoughts on replicas here), gladiator sandals (eBay), Free People belt, Fossil Watch, Julie Nolan zodiac necklace (eBay, chain replaced), Ray Ban aviators.

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Used a combination of a gold Urban Decay 24/7 liner and a brown Tarte Smoldereyes pencil here, both great, soft, smudgeable, long-wearing formulations. Tried out an intriguing technique I picked up from this really interesting tutorial (so many techniques/perspectives here I hadn’t seen before) by Australian makeup artist Rae Morris. Applying the gold all along and down my inner corner/epicanthic fold was my idea, though. More dramatic and metallic in person. A little cat inspiration.

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