To Nude or not to Nude

Nude. It's no secret that I love my bold lipsticks; make it red, purple or black (sort of?) I don't care. Yes, it is because I love a strong, well-defined, statement lip, but also - let's just admit it once and for all - because it's all that suits me. I struggled to find a suitable nude shade for the longest time, tried everything from peachy to pinky and even brown-y nudes,  none seemed to suit me. That's probably where the real issue lies; it doesn't have to suit me and my taste, but my complexion.  As I said, I've been wearing bold lipsticks for as long as I can remember, so it's no surprise that the transition isn't that easy. However, nude lipsticks are and should be a staple in every woman's makeup bag, whether you can't be bothered to touch up your lips all day long or you went for a heavier eye look, nude lips are the way to go to maintain the balance. Here's what I've learned throughout the years and many, many attempts to make peace with the nude trend.

Make it grey, rather than black or white

You don't have to go from MAC Ruby Woo to Myth, you should rather try something in between first, something less daunting and work from there. What you could also do is take one of your usual brighter shade (ain't gonna work with Ruby woo) and tone it down - apply it with a light hand and blot it with your finger or a brush, so it looks more like a stain. It's all about baby steps.

Find the one that works for you

There're different nude shades as there're different foundation shades,depending on your skin tone and undertones. Don't beat yourself up if everything you try doesn't look right, it could be that you picked the wrong shade or more often that you just aren't used to it. Try to go to Sephora, Selfridges, SpaceNK, MAC or whatever you fancy and ask for a professional advice - no one's gonna eat you and a neutral opinion can never hurt.

Think juicy and sexy

Not dead and washed-out - because that's what it is all about isn't it? The number one problem of a nude lip-look, if done wrong, is that you'll look like a ghost - not so Victoria Secret-esque is it? No worries, I've got you covered for this one; once you found your shade, there are a number of tricks you can use to give you an extra bit of confidence in your nude-to-be journey: line your lips, so they look well-defined, highlight your cupid's bow to make them look fuller and finally, add some gloss right at the center of your lips for a very natural-ish yet sexy and plumy effect.

As you can see, I'm still miles away from MAC Myth, but hey, I'm too pale for that one anyway right ? I do gravitate around darker pinks rather than "proper" nudes, but that's just what works for me, and as far as I'm concerned, it's nude enough.


xxx

M'

Love at first sight

Let me introduce you to my very new and most definitely favorite lover, the Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes mascara. Now, before I even get into it, let me be clear about one thing; I've had a love/hate (mostly hate really) relationship with any sort of high-end mascaras for as long as I can remember. I've tried Helena Rubinstein, YSL, Chanel, you name it - and I ended up regretting the splurge pretty much every time, so much that when I discovered the wonderful, wonderful world of the Covergirl Lash blast and the Maybelline the Falsies, I swore I wouldn't ever dare to cross the drugstore line again. Or so I thought

What happened then ? I went into Selfridges - and if you've ever been there, you know it ain't no good. I was in the mood to try out some Charlotte Tilbury products, I had my eyes on her palettes for the longest time so when one of their lovely make-up artist offered me a make-over, I was more than happy to jump on the chair. The whole make-up look was lovely - truth is, she made a good job at making me buy too many things - but what shocked me was the mascara's results. Oh.My.God. My lashes never ever looked so good. Longer, infinitely thicker, they took the whole look to another level, so much that I broke my vow and bought it.

I can honestly say it is the best mascara I've tried so far. It looked good in Selfridges, in the hands of an expert, sure, but it worked its magic again back home. And again the next day. And again. No matter how much you work it in your lashes' roots, it never gets crunchy, the lashes remain nice and flexible and that's a big deal for me. The brush isn't too big or too small, very fluffy and easy to use, just how I like 'em. You can get it at Selfridges for 22£, which isn't cheap, but totally worth it in my opinion. I don't use the term holy grail very often, be sure of that, but this baby has definitely become one.

xxx

M'