Thursday, February 21, 2013

An Oscar Trend Alert: [Beauty] La Vie en Rose


by makeup artist Melissa Perelli 



When I think of red-carpet makeup, two looks immediately come to mind: red lips, and dramatic eyes.  Chances are you just read my mind and also had a similar vision. While these two iconic beauty styles will forever be synonymous with Hollywood glamour, I’m expecting to see a new hue on the lips of starlets this year… and it’s coming up rose. That’s right- the iconic red made a baby with the lovely pink and she’s more in demand than the next célèbre-mommy.

The Oscars-inspired look I’ve created for you would catch the eye of the paparazzi, and I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet- it’s simple! But before I reveal how you can get the look at home, I’d love to tell you why I chose it for Kasey’s Kitchen Academy Awards coverage. My inspiration for this look came from two different sources:
·      In 2008, Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald won the Academy Award for Best Acheivement in Makeup for the period film La Vie en Rose, starring Marion Cotillard, (who also took home Oscar-gold that night for her portrayal of French singer Edith Piaf).
·      My middle name is Rose, after my dear Nauni (or “grandmother” in Italian) who recently passed away this January. I miss her every day and am constantly looking to infuse her signature sweetness into my own daily life.

And the Oscar goes to… the perfect shade of rose lipstick, crafted by Lipstick Queen’s Poppy King.
Selecting the perfect shade of lipstick in such a saturated market can be a daunting task, right? So many brands, so little time… Lucky for you, I’m here to make it easy: start by trying the Lipstick Queen shade HotRose ($20 matte color, not shimmery). This shade works easily on fair, medium, and deep skinned hues. King’s line is known for the pigment that goes into their product. You can be sure your shade won’t fade yet lips never feel dry due to the incredibly hydrating shea butter complex.

Get the look with these easy steps:



PRIME
Trace an outline around lips with a reverse-lip liner to keep color in place. I like Too Faced Borderline anti-feathering pencil ($18.50). Then use your finger to apply primer to your lips. I often use whichever eyeshadow primer I have on hand, like Urban Decay Primer Potion ($20). If you want to add some extra oomph to your pout, try the Lip Priming Perfector from BECCA ($24). Once your primer sets, you’re ready to apply color.

COLOR
Apply Lipstick Queen lipstick in Hot Rose ($20).

[Adjust Your Style]

TOO MUCH? If your idea of anything with “hot” in the title is too flashy for your neutral tastes, start with dotting the color on the top lip only (try 2-3 presses for a sheer look). Press your lips together to transfer the color to the bottom. Take your favorite neutral gloss or balm and rub over lips, smudging the color to fill in any gaps. This will sheer the formula and make it more “tinted balm” than “statement lip.”

LOVING IT? Blot lips with a tissue then reapply a second coat of lipstick. Set with a sheer dusting of neutral face powder. I personally prefer this color as a matte, but if you gotta have gloss, grab your favorite clear coat or light pink and apply only to the center of your lips. This will create a fuller look.  

NOT ENOUGH? If you really like bold lips and this look is too modest for you, embrace the ombre! Take a lipstick or gloss in the same color family that is lighter than your base shade- I like Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Brown Sugar ($22). Apply it only to the center part of lips to create definition and fullness.


This trend looks best when it’s the focus of your makeup look. The rest of your makeup should be low-key. Try the shades in the new NakedBasics palette from Urban Decay ($27). This next trick is key to defining eyes without getting a heavy liner look (and is often refereed to as tight lining).  Take your favorite black or brown liner and spot the liner in between lashes instead of drawing a solid line on top of your lash line.  Curl your lashes two times each (it will open up your eyes more). Apply one to two coats of natural-looking volumizing mascara, like Bare Escentuals BUXOM Lash ($19).

THE “POLISHING” TOUCHES
AlchemyAs for the rest of your complexion, stick to the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) rule when applying blush, bronzer, and foundation. Style your hair however you like and accentuate the bold lip with a hot new nail color. In keeping with our Oscar theme, I chose Alchemy from vegan nail polish company LVX ($16). The chemists who create the colors for the line take inspiration from current haute couture collections and infuse it into high quality, animal-friendly nail polish. It’s a gorgeous gold and my favorite thing about it is that it’s entirely opaque- unlike many other gold polishes which take many layers to get that metallic-looking, full-on gold. Your shiny, gilded fingertips will make you feel like a million bucks, even if you don’t walk away with a golden man-shaped statue at the end of the night.

Find Melissa on Facebook at Make Me Up, Mel

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