Welcome to Skin Deep with Louise McSharry, my opportunity to put years of obsessing over beauty products and techniques to good use. I won’t tell you something is good if it’s not. I won’t recommend products I haven’t actually tried. As the magical sitar in Moulin Rouge said, I only speak the truth.
During my lonely, I have no friends, woe is me years, when all I had to comfort myself was makeup, I looked for inspiration everywhere. Lots of magazines, music videos and movies provided me with looks to imitate, but Clueless was the absolute holy grail. There was nothing about Cher, Dionne and even, yes, Amber, that I didn’t want to imitate. I may not have had a revolving, computerised wardrobe, but I did my best to copy their more accessible outfits (I still fantasise about a dress a girl I met at drama camp owned and let me change into every day when we got there, it was the image of a wine coloured dress Amber wears at one stage in the film). I can’t say I had any major success though, and it was wholely disatisfying that I didn’t have access to the kind of clothes I wanted to wear. The hair and makeup, however, that I could do.
At the time I had long hair, not dissimilar to the colour of Alicia Silverstone’s, and I used to get up really early (think 5:45) in the morning to wash, dry and curl it before school. My go-to face was the look she wore for her failed rendezvous with Christian (you know the one, burned cookies, Spartacus, falling off the bed, etc.)
The look was pink, pink and more pink, and really easy to manage with the inexpensive products I had managed to gather into a collection. Recently, pink eyeshadow has been having a moment, and I’ve found myself returning to my favoured teenage look. I have to say, I’m loving it. It’s fresh, pretty, perfect for spring, and I reckon anyone, with almost any skin colour can do it. Aside from that, it’s really quick!
Start with whatever you usually do to make your skin look fab. Recently I’ve been massively cutting back on foundation (as you may have read a couple of weeks ago), but this week I got my hands on the new Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation so I decided to try it out when doing this look for you! It’s excellent, much fuller coverage than I would usually wear, but without the mask-like quality I find most full coverage foundations have. The finish still looks like skin, just even, healthy skin. It’s not dry like many longwear foundations, but it does last. Basically, it’s an enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Oh and, speaking of thumbs, according to Nars, this foundation is meant to be applied with your fingers (thank you to the Instagram follower who alerted me to this fact!). Make sure you have clean hands, dot the product around your cheeks, forehead and nose and then blend out with the pads of your fingers. Obviously, if you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to, but never let it be said that I don’t give you all the information.
Anyway! Once you’ve sorted your skin out, do your brows your usual way and then commence the pinking! Start by using a primer or nude coloured cream shadow to cancel out any colour or veins which may be on your lid. Then, move on to a sheer and slightly shimmery pink shadow (any one will do, but in this picture I’m wearing Blur from the new Urban Decay Distortion Palette). I used a small short brush (I used this Inglot brush which I love for this purpose and for applying product under the eye) and focused the colour on the inner corner of my eye, blending it out onto my lid, creating a kind of ombré effect.
Then, using Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner, I applied a thin eyeliner flick.
This product is my go-to for this kind of delicate liner look because the brush is very thin, and the product is absolutely black (which isn’t a given for many black liquid eyeliners for some bizarre reason) an it lasts really well. The thin brush allows you to start from a very narrow line in the inner corner and gradually thicken as you move outwards. It’s harder to mess up, because you’re building slowly, so if you’re scared of liquid eyeliner it might be one to try (especially as it doesn’t break the bank!) After that, it’s just a matter of applying seventeen thousand layers of mascara. Or however many you like. For me it’s the seventeen thousand.
A flush of pink on the cheeks is essential to this look, and in my opinion, one of the nicest things you can give yourself with makeup. You don’t need to spend a lot, this Natural Collection one in Pink Cloud is a perennial favourite of mine. I’m currently obsessed with Glossier’s Cloud Paints in Haze and Puff which I mixed to achieve this cheek. They are beautiful products which give a truly natural look, and probably my favourite of the stuff I’ve tried from the brand (although I also like Haloscope, Boy Brow and Balm Dot Com… ok I like a lot of the stuff).
Currently Glossier don’t ship to Ireland, but you can order from the UK site if you use a service like AddressPal or Parcel Motel, which is exactly what I did! On top of the Cloud Paint, I added a light dusting of Clarins Ombre Iridescent Eyeshadow in Silver Rose to add a little extra glow, but that’s optional!
Next, highlight! For this look, I recommend a natural looking highlight rather than something super high impact, but obviously do whatever you want. I used Glossier Haloscope, which I apply by rubbing my fingers on the bullet and then patting the product onto my cheekbones, bridge of my nose and cupid’s bow rather than directly from the bullet. I think this is the best way to apply any cream highlight or contour which comes in that format.
This method allows you to build the product slowly until you achieve the level you want, without removing any of the product you’ve already applied. There’s nothing worse than lashing a bullet of highlighter across your cheekbones only to find that it’s removed all the makeup you’ve carefully applied.
Finally, lash on your favourite pink lipstick! When it comes to a proper pink lipstick, I like to keep things matte because it looks a little more modern than anything glossy or shimmery. As a result, my favourites are Kat Von D Studded Kiss in Bachelorette (which I’m wearing in the picture) and Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Electric Poppy. I kept the edges clean here, but if you find a lip colour like that a little intimidating, blot some of the excess product off, and buff the edges slightly with a brush which will soften the effect.
With that, you’re done! Modern, pretty, fresh and on trend (God knows we have to be on trend! Go forth and pink yourselves.
New Product
Glossy, fresh skin is all the rage, and in a clear sign that it’s where makeup is headed, budget brands are hopping on the trend. My favourite new product in this category is Catrice’s Dewy Wetlook Stick, which is available now in Penneys and selected pharmacies for €5.50. It’s a highlighter very much in the vein of Haloscope which is mentioned above, and I’m into it.
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