D&G Sadness, Red Lips, and Some Swatches

Guess what I'm doing my first Curvysta Haven post on? Yep, red lipstick! What else would I write about? The lipstick I'm rocking, by the way, is MAC Scarlet Ibis with a bit of Elizabeth Arden Crystal Clear Gloss on top, and the glowy cheeks came from Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow in Tansoleil and Makeup Forever Uplight #22.

But you know what I'm not writing about? How three--not one, but THREE--of my black eyeliners all died on me mid-cateye. Now, the Jordana Fabu-liner I can forgive, because I've had it for two years. But the Eyeko Skinny Brush liquid liner I've had for only a couple of months and barely used?! UNFORGIVEABLE! And I know for a fact I got a Wet n' Wild cream eyeliner from a bad batch, so I guess it drying up is no major loss. Still, annoying as heck to have to finish a cat eye with a creamy pencil like Milani Liquid Eyes. I'll be getting some new liquid liner ASAP. Maybe I'll even try a new product...?

And speaking of new products, here's one I had super-high hopes for, and it was such a close match to my skintone straight out of the bottle, and it cost so goddamn much, that I could nearly cry: Dolce & Gabbana Luminous Liquid foundation.

It seemed like a match made in Heaven when I tested it out in my bedroom that first night: perfectly pale and comfortable on my skin, with medium coverage and a luxurious texture. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. In the cold, harsh light of day, I realized that this product melted away on my oily nose and made the rest of my dry-but-well-moisturized skin look flakey and flat. I tried applying it different ways, using more or less product, layering it with primers, moisturizers, powders, and setting sprays...but it always just made my skin look worse. Alas, I must add this $63 purchase to the pile of products that managed to work for my skintone, but not my skin type.

Seriously, though. Why is it so hard for pale people who are also dry-skinned and not banana yellow or Pepto-Bismal pink to have nice foundations?! As soon as you find a foundation pale enough--which is a feat in and of itself--it'll be super-duper yellow or uber-pink. There's never a neutral pale foundation. If you DO manage to find one, it's gonna be a formula that's better suited to normal or oily skin. So if you're dry-skinned, tough shit; it's theater makeup or bust.

/ End rant. Here are some swatches.

Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous foundation in 090, Dolce & Gabbana Luminous Liquid Foundation in 60 Classic, Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in Sx02, Kevyn Aucoin Liquid Airbrush in Lq02, and MAC Face & Body foundation in N1. Please note that Liquid Airbrush applies slightly lighter than it swatches, and that I always mix MAC N1 with White to get a much lighter shade.

Tips for "No Makeup Makeup"

It's probably one of the most popular subjects in the world of beauty and fashion, and it's certainly one of the most sought-after YouTube tutorials: how do I make myself look amazing with makeup without looking like I'm wearing said makeup? And while there are a number of great how-tos floating about the internet, the fact of the matter is that what works best for you is really going to depend on your skintone, your preferences, and what you perceive as your "flaws." I do, however, have some basic tips for this sort of look, which always earns me loads of compliments, some of which are admittedly borderline creepy. (And I quote: "If I could, I would steal your skin, bottle it up, and sell it!" Erm...thanks?) Please remember that these are tips, not rules, and you are always encouraged to experiment and find what works best for you.

TIP #1: Be aware of your weaknesses. Try to push past them, but don't beat yourself up over them.

You've probably noticed that, despite the fact that this is supposed to be a makeup-less makeup look, I have rather strong brows. This is my weakness: it's almost impossible for me to put on my makeup and not give myself a strong brow. My eyebrows are naturally quite light, fine, and messy, and as my good friend Sara once mentioned, it is nigh-on impossible to walk out of the house without doing your eyebrows if you've gotten used to penciling them in. I am therefore well-aware that when I do this sort of makeup, I will almost always end up looking like I'm not wearing any makeup...except for heaps of brow pencil. And I don't beat myself up over that. At the end of the day, it's not so much about how well you replicate a certain look, it's about how good you feel when you walk out the door.

TIP #2: Always, always, always use products that work well for your skintone.

If you want to look like you're not wearing makeup, one of the worst things you can do is use a foundation that's too dark or a blush that's a completely unnatural tone (ie, a bright orange blush that stays bright orange on your cheeks--nobody blushes orange). This can be tricky if you're on the "extreme ends" of the skintone spectrum, ie very fair (like me) or very dark. Most foundations, concealers, and powders won't come in shades that suit your skintone, and most blushes and brow products will either be very difficult to blend out so that they look natural or just won't show up. Take the time to test a lot of products and figure out what works for you; it took me several years to find just a few products that matched me perfectly.

TIP #3: Watch out for "extreme" finishes, like extremely matte, extremely dewy, and extremely shimmery.

Your skin may naturally be quite oily or dry, but the trick with no makeup makeup is that you want to look like your skin is naturally balanced and healthy: not super-oily, but with that slight "glow of youth." And glitter is most certainly not something that just pops up on your skin! This means that, for the most part, you'll want to use products that are demi-matte or satin finish to best mimic the appearance of real skin; you can then add highlights with a product that is glowy, but not glittery, to the points where you need it. Exceptions to this rule would be people with very oily and very dry skin, who will need a more matte or more moisturizing base, respectively, to keep their skin looking nice throughout the day.

TIP #4: If you don't absolutely need it, don't use it.

I used foundation for the FOTD that heads this post because I was experiencing some skin sensitivity and therefore had a bit more redness to my face than what is usual. But for the most part, when I do no makeup makeup, I skip foundation altogether and just use a bit of concealer on my undereye circles and the occasional blemish. This is one of the hardest parts of no makeup makeup: it's meant to look "real" and "natural," so if you have to be willing to let your supposed "flaws" shine through a little. Almost nobody, without makeup, has a uniform skintone with no variance in color or texture, huge Kardashian-style eyelashes, or glossy coral lips. If your brows are already quite lovely, brush them in to place, maybe set them, but leave it at that. If your lips are naturally quite pigmented, just use a bit of lip balm. If you have freckles, let them shine through. Remember that the point isn't to look hyper-real and flawless: while beautiful, those types of looks always indicate that you're wearing makeup.

Products Used and Recommendations

1. I used a small amount of Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($18, Sephora) on my eyelids and undereyes to prevent them from getting super-shiny and oily. If you use a face primer, you can also run that over your eyelids, brows, etc. If the skin around your eyes is dryer, consider moisturizing it 10-15 minutes before you apply your makeup.

2. Because there are next to no color cosmetics in this look, I moved right on to perfecting my base. On this occasion, I used a thin layer of Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous foundation ($40, VapourBeauty.com) to even out my skintone. With this kind of makeup, it's best to stick with very sheer, thin foundations like this, then add concealer wherever necessary. Other foundations I've used for this sort of look include MAC Face & Body ($27-$33, MACCosmetics.com) and Revlon New Complexion ($10-15, drugstores). I also recommend using your figures to apply your foundation, as this tends to spread the foundation thinner (making it look more natural) and can make this look a quick no-brush option.

3. VOBALF evened out my sensitivity redness, so I just concealed my undereyes with a sheer, demi-matte concealer: Clinique Airbrush concealer ($19.50, Sephora). If I skip foundation, I tend to use Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer ($45, Nordstrom) as needed; I have a tutorial for this KA SSE application method right over here.

4. I tend to keep a few mascaras around: a natural mascara, a layerable mascara, and a dramatic mascara. Obviously, the dramatic mascara is not an option for this kind of look, so I went with the layering mascara, which is also my HG: Prestige My Biggest Lashes ($6.50, Ulta). You can keep layering this product for uber-thick, full, black lashes, but I stuck with one coat and combed out the few clumps with my fingers. Always pick a mascara that's tried and true, one that you know won't smudge or flake on your lashes, as smudges and flakes are obvious signs that you're wearing makeup. My current favorite natural mascara is Estee Lauder Sumptuous ($22, Nordstrom); I would also recommend Maybelline Full n' Soft ($6.50, drugstores) and Bobbi Brown No Smudge Mascara ($24, Sephora).

5. Oh, brows, my weakness! I used my beloved La Femme brow pencil ($1.50, MakeupMania.com) and went very full-on, but because this is a harder pencil, you can get quite a natural look if you use a lighter hand. The Shu Uemura Hard Formula brow pencil ($24, ShuUemura-USA.com) is another great option if you prefer a pencil. If you just need a bit of help, considering using a matte eyeshadow to fill in gaps, or just add a hint of brow gel, which--

6. --my favorite is the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel ($21, Sephora). I keep a mini-tube in my purse at all times! It smells awful, but no other brow gel is able to groom and hold my brow hairs so well without making them feel crispy. They also make tinted versions.

7. When it comes to blushes, I will almost always recommend a liquid formula for this kind of look, since they tend to be sheerer and more blendable. My favorites are the Becca Beach Tints ($25, Sephora). If you don't plan on using a highlighter, certain cream blush formulas can add a bit of glow to your cheeks, like a Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow ($24, Nordstrom); just use a very light touch, as many cream blushes are opaque and saturated with pigment. If you have trouble getting liquid blushes to show up on your skin, go for a buildable, matte powder blush that's easy to blend out; Sleek Blusher ($6, SleekMakeup.com) and Lancome Blush Subtil ($30, Sephora.com) are some of my favorite formulas.

8. I always finish off with a highlighter that's glowy, but not shimmery, and hard to overdo. In this case, I used the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl ($41, Sephora). (This is actually a little sample pot that a very kind friend sent me!) If you prefer a powder, consider the Kevyn Aucoin Celestial powder in Candlelight ($42, Nordstrom). MAC Cream Colour Bases ($18.50, MACCosmetics.com) come in a number of highlight shades, if you're looking for something more affordable, but be forewarned: these are buildable and can be overdone.

I've posted two similar no makeup makeup looks with breakdowns/tutorials in the past, so I will link those down below. Here's hoping these posts have helped!

Hyper-Glow post
No-Makeup-Makeup/Minimalism

Review: Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous Foundation

It's not easy to sucker me in to buying a new foundation. Most foundations are too matte or full-coverage, or wouldn't work on my dryer skin, or rub right off on my t-shirts, and the few that might be doable don't come in a shade light enough for my super-pale skin. If I start to lust for a foundation, all I have to do is ask the folks on MakeupAlley if it comes in a suitable shade, and BOOM--lemming destroyed!

But when I saw this review on Drivel About Frivol, I couldn't resist the Atmosphere Luminous foundation from Vapour Organic Beauty. She's a smidge fairer than I am--she wears Sx01 in the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, I wear Sx02--and her skin is even dryer than mine, so if she loves a foundation to bits and pieces, it's usually a sure thing that I'll love it, too.

What really sold me was the realization that this foundation would most likely match my skintone and would come in a convenient stick form. As much as I love MAC Face & Body, the lightest shade doesn't match me unless I add in the White shade, and the huge 4 oz bottles are far from travel-friendly. It also takes a lot of buffing in with a brush. It looks gorgeous on, don't get me wrong, but there are days when I just don't want to fuss with it, and I certainly can't jam it in my purse and go.

Shade 90 is, in fact, a great match for me; it applies much lighter than it appears in to the tube and smooths in to the skin easily. It would actually probably work for anyone with N5-N15 skin, because it's a very sheer foundation. (Most N15 folks would probably want to bump up to shade 100, but 90 IS doable.) You can build the coverage up to medium, but that requires a brush and a good bit of work, which isn't why I purchased it in the first place. That also takes more product, and at $34 for 0.34oz, I'd resist the urge to cake it on. I actually prefer the sheer coverage and natural finish I get when I blend a small amount of this foundation in with my fingers.

The Atmosphere Luminous Foundation also has a bit of a smell. It's nothing horrible, just kind of waxy, and I figure that's because this is a mostly-organic brand that doesn't use perfumes or chemicals to mask the natural scent of the ingredients. It's not super-strong or offensive, but it does bother me that I can't use "smell has gone waxy" as a tell-tale sign that a product has gone bad.

SO ANYWAY.

Here's my skin naked except for sunscreen. I look completely whacked out, which, okay, but the sunlight also washed out a bit of my natural redness, which, BOO. You can still see some of the pink that's on my chin and nose, and a bit of the texture on my chin, cheeks, and forehead. My skin is relatively normal at this moment, perhaps a bit dry on the cheekbones. I would definitely recommend moisturizing your skin and letting it soak in for a few minutes before applying this foundation, just because it's a stick formula versus a liquid and is therefore a bit "dryer."

I like to apply this foundation directly from the stick to the areas that need the most coverage. You can see that it looks kind of heavy, almost paint-like, and a bit too light for my skintone, but it blends right in when I rub it with my fingers. It feels gross when I first swipe it on and blend it in, kind of like waxy theater makeup, but once it's blended in, it dries down to a smooth, almost powdery finish. It's completely weightless once it's set on the skin. I've pulled on black t-shirts right after applying and didn't experience any transfer.

Here's what my face looked like immediately after applying the foundation straight from the stick and rubbing it in with my fingers. Not bad, huh? Yeah, it's never gonna cover up my Undereye Circles of Doom--I reserve the Big Guns for that duty--but it still gives me a nice, even finish.

I will say, however, that the Atmosphere Luminous Foundation isn't my idea of "luminous." It's natural and pretty, and it certainly evens out my skin and gives it a bit of light, but it's not particularly glowy or dewy. If you want that kind of finish and your skin is on the dryer side, like mine, you'll want to apply it with a damp sponge or over a layer of a really good moisturizer. I like to add a bit of Skindinavia Setting Spray for just a hint of glowiness, and of course, some Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer to cover up my undereye circles.

Regardless, I think this is just a beautiful foundation. I can't get over how great the shade match is, how easily and quickly I can get a nice, even application, and how long it lasts on my skin. That's the other bonus: it's not only transfer-resistant, but it also really, really sticks to my skin, even if I skip powder or setting spray.

Here's how the foundation looked after 6 hours of wear, including 2 hours of romping around outside. The only place that got blotchy and shiny was my nose, which is one of two oily spots on my face (the other is my eyelids). If I add a bit of powder through my t-zone, the Atmosphere Luminous Foundation will stick like glue. That being said, it's not very oil -resistant and it is a luminous product, so it's probably best reserved for dry to normal skin.

Just a few final notes. I'm sort of 50/50 on the packaging, which is a flimsy blue plastic tube. No, I'm not a packaging whore, but I do like a sturdy tube that doesn't feel like it's going to crack or open up in my purse. I'm also not a fan of the silver-and-blue-sparkled color theme. The idea, though, is that the tube is recyclable, and that I can get behind.

I also like the idea that this is a more natural, sensitive-skin friendly product, but I'm immediately wary of taglines like "70% Certified Organic ingredients!" "Organic," "Natural," and "Insert-Demon-Chemical's-Name-Here Free" are almost always just marketing buzzwords.

Finally, I'm impressed by the amount of pretty packaging and product literature they send with their products, although I wish they'd send sheets that focus on how to use each specific products versus a sheet that tells you how to do a full face with another $100-some Vapour products. For example, I would've liked a, "Here's how we recommend applying the Atmosphere Luminous Foundation, and only the Atmosphere Luminous Foundation, to your gorgeous face." But that's just me.

Overall, I absolutely love this foundation. My qualms--the fact that it's not super-glowy right out of the bottle and the debatable packaging/advertising--are minor. This has been my go-to foundation for the past few weeks while I'm working super-long holiday shifts because I can apply it quickly and not have to worry about it fading throughout the day.

You can purchase this product for $34 a tube at VapourBeauty.com. (UPDATE 1/22/13: Vapour Beauty has recently altered the packaging of this product and upped the price to $40 a tube.) Processing and shipping are reasonably cheap and quick, especially for a small company, and they package everything beautifully!

RATING: 5 out of 5