Old Hollywood's Beauty Tips: the 40s

Welcome to the 1940s installment of my Old Hollywood Beauty Tips series! Find out which famous perfume both Rita Hayworth and Merle Oberon loved, how Lena Horne was the original glamour girl to start a cosmetics line, and more!

Favorite Beauty Products of 2020

Finally got a chance to wrap my very overdue end-of-year makeup 2020 highlights hehe. I didn't have time to try very many new products throughout the difficult year, but I still found a few gems! ♡

Old Hollywood's Beauty Tips: the 50s

Glossy red lips, Max Factor "Pan-Cake" foundation, powder puffs, glistening gold compacts and jeweled lipstick bullets... Old Hollywood practically glittered with glamour. And the starlets that lit up the silver screen became beauty experts in their own right, learning first-hand from film industry professionals - from makeup and hair artists to lighting technicians.

I want to share beauty tips, tricks, and stories from some of the most iconic Old Hollywood leading ladies in the technicolor and sun-soaked 1950s!

Makeup Look: Mint to Be

Needing a break from thinking about serious things, I wanted to share this makeup look I did a few weeks ago! My inspiration? Wanting to play with some new (to me) products (like the Colourpop Mint to Be Eyeshadow Palette *!), the 60s, and mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Beauty Icons: Retro Star Trek

Where no man has gone before...
Every week from 1967 to 1969, Star Trek: The Original Series had a carousel of actresses modeling the newest, most dazzlingly futuristic looks of 1960s sci-fi dreams. The frosty lipsticks, ornate hair styles, and geometric eyeshadow underscored the daring costumes, rendered in eye catching fabrics with strategically placed cutouts (showing belly button was still forbidden).

The space age clothing and beauty trend, ushered in by fashion icon Pierre Cardin and the Space Race, combined with advances in makeup and wardrobe to create never-before-seen, hyper-pigmented beauty products as well as vinyl and metallic fabrics. All the while, Star Trek was at the forefront of the trends with it’s frosty-lipped, metallic-clad glam icons. Here are some of my favorite beauty looks on Star Trek: TOS, and tips on how to get their trademark looks. Scotty, beam... *ahem* us up! (I'm sorry, I had to...)

Six Women and Their Signature Scents

After working on the My Favorite Perfumes post, I found the experience of researching and painting perfumes just wet my appetite for more! Aching to learn about and try more beloved perfumes, I decided to ask some of my friends what perfume they consider their signature scent, and what makes it so meaningful to them.

I had such a great time compiling this list and interviewing such incredible people, and this just reaffirms my love for perfume. It's such a meaningful and intensely personal experience! From a fashion designer, to a screenwriter, to a ballerina - here are 5 signature scents as unique and multi-layered as the people that wear them.

Favorite Beauty Products of 2019

Ink black eyeliners, cream to powder lipsticks, gradient blushes and fruit themed eyeshadow palettes - 2019 was a huge year for the beauty industry. Here, I wanted to share what products stood out, and what exactly made them so good! If you have any recommendations you'd like to share, please let me know!

My Favorite Perfumes

With a simple spritz of the juice, perfume unlocks powerful memories, enhances atmosphere, clings to experiences, and unfurls different scent narratives. It’s one of my favorite parts of "getting ready" - the mist a finishing touch after picking out your outfit and makeup, helping to establish what kind of person you feel like or want to channel.

As somebody very driven by the idea of capturing a moment, learning that wearing a specific perfume can, in effect, bottle up meaningful moments, sensations - every time you smell it, was a revelation.

I am in no way an expert when it comes to the more technical side of fragrances, but I have such a great admiration and love of perfumes, and wanted to share some of my favorites! While writing this post, I did quite a bit of research on fragrances and the ones I like, and discovered I’m usually drawn towards fruity, warm, and sweet scents.

This experience has made me want to learn even more, so if you have any book or scent recommendations please let me know! I also took another shot at learning how to use watercolors, so I could attempt to accurately portray the translucent perfume bottles. While the paintings definitely aren’t perfect, I really like how they turned out!

Makeup Look: Starry Eyed

When it comes to makeup, I must confess I usually stick with very "wearable", soft looks because I'm always secretly afraid the artsy, "out there" looks won't flatter me. But I've been so inspired by Euphoria's runway ready makeup looks (along with everybody else!), I decided to try out an intense smokey eyeshadow look with a side of Swarovski crystals!

Makeup Look: Modern Day Marie Antoinette

Lately, instead of asking myself "how can I make myself look better?" when doing my makeup, I've been trying to ask myself "How can I have fun with this?". It's a much appreciated change, partially inspired by the amazing dialog we had in one of my last post which touched upon beauty standards.

Beauty Trends: Testing Mermaid Makeup

Being somebody heavily associated with mermaids, I thought it would be fun if we tested out mermaid themed beauty products together! Are you sick of the mermaid trend yet? I'm still fond of it because I love a good kitschy theme, but can definitely understand the fatigue! Also, please let me know if you'd like me to do more posts like this ♡

Spring Trends: Romantic Blush

One of my favorite editorial trends for Spring? Too much blush. A trend usually associated with contouring, and at times, harsh, blush of the 80s - I've been seeing makeup artists like Pat McGrath streamlining the look with dewy fresh skin and otherwise toned down makeup. Personally, I LOVE this look and would definitely wear it out for the right occasion... It reminds me of beauty icons in period pieces - think Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet getting flushed running through grassy plains (or her younger sisters eagerly pinching their cheeks to recreate the look!) and Kristen Dunst as Marie Antoinette aggressively piling on the baby pink rouge before finishing with a drawn on beauty mark. What do you think - would you try this trend?

I'm Wearing...
Eyes: Colourpop Eyeshadows in Going Rogue, Itty Bitty, Flipper, & One by One *
Lips: Urban Decay Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss in Snitch *
(Fake) Monarch Butterflies (thank you Bao for these butterflies!)
Forever 21 Gingham Top

Everyday Makeup

I shared my everyday makeup routine (on video!) last year, and thought it was high time I did an updated routine! Here are the makeup products I currently can't get enough of - and how cute is my makeup bag?

- Glossier Priming Moisturizer *
A lightweight moisturizer that makes helps my foundation go on beautifully and lasts longer.

- Maybelline Cushion Foundation *
I've discussed how much I love this foundation in the past - I've been wearing it nonstop since I got it and can't get enough of the buildable coverage and dewy finish.

- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer *

- Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
This is my holy grail translucent powder! For the longest time, I thought all powders gave you a somewhat cakey appearance - until this one from Laura Mercier! It practically melts into ones skin and works wonders for baking under the eyes (which helps disguise my under eye bags)!

- Glossier Boy Brow *
Another product I've been using since I first got it, this amazing brow pomade is fool proof and fills in the brows without leaving them feeling crispy.

- Wet n Wild Color Icon Ombré Blush in The Princess Daiquiris
I really cannot get enough of this $5 blush - it leaves a hazy, delicate peachy cast on the skin. J'Adore!

- CoverFx Custom Enhancer Drops in Celestial *
The absolute best liquid highlighter I have come across - I take this with me everywhere, just look at how beat up mine is in the photo! Highlighter is my favorite makeup product right now - and this gives the most intense, almost metallic beam. I apply it above the cheekbone and on the tip of the nose undiluted, but you can even mix it with your moisturizers, foundations, and more to add a drop of radiance.

- Maybelline Color Sensational Insta-Matte Nudes in Honey Pink *
Another product I've mention in the past - but this truly "honey pink" hue is ticking all the boxes for me this Spring/Summer season! I even got one for my Grammy, who is equally as smitten with it...

- Pixi Makeup Fixing Mist *
I am absolutely in love with Pixi's products and have been for around 6 years now. One of my first eyeshadow palettes ever was from Pixi, and slowly I've been growing my skincare collection with their products! This mist is lovely.

You might recognize a few products here from mentioning them before in prior posts - but when I find something that works, I stick to it! What makeup products have you been loving lately? I always love hearing your recommendations!

Four Looks with Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Lipsticks

Recently, Lancôme sent me their range of L’Absolu Rouge lipsticks to try and I was absolutely gobsmacked! Revamped by their global makeup creative director, the incomparable and extremely talented Lisa Eldridge, these lipsticks come in a wide variety of stunning hues and in three different finishes - cream, matte, and sheer. There is truly a shade for every occasion in the line of 44 lipsticks! I'm also incredibly smitten with their new, sleek case with the "signature Lancôme rose as a gold domed seal on the cap - with just one simple push of the rose, the lipstick is revealed". Sublime!

I asked my readers on Twitter what shades I should spotlight in this post, and had such a fun time creating looks centered around the lip colors you helped chose!

The Isabella
A classic, timeless look: the matte red lip, perfected skin, and winged liner. Exemplified by Isabella Rossellini, Lancôme's muse for over a decade.

One of my favorite actresses and models is Isabella Rossellini - the always poised, stunning inside-and-out, daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini. Growing up, I would pour over books and websites, admiring her campaigns for Lancôme in the 80s and 90s. I was extremely excited to hear she was recently invited back as one of Lancôme's ambassadresses at age 64! When I saw this shade was called Isabella, I had a hunch it was named after her - and Lisa Eldridge herself confirmed she named the shade after her in this lovely post! The lipstick, a matte, cherry red is a truly classic shade.

I'm wearing:

L'Absolu Rouge 189 Isabella Lipstick *

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Cushion Foundation *

Mattifying Translucent Powder

The Deneuve
A light lip and heavy liner - the trademark look for any bombshell.

One of my favorite beauty looks is the iconic bombshell - the heavily lined eyes, light lip, and voluminous, tumbling locks combination was popularized in the late 50s/early 60s by Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot! The L'Absolu Rouge shade 202 Nuit et Jour is a gorgeous, sheer pink that is perfect for this look.

I'm wearing:

L'Absolu Rouge 202 Nuit et Jour Lipstick *

Black Eyeliner

Muted Rose Blush

False Lashes

The Clara
The roaring 20s are back! Silent film actresses Clara Bow and Louise Brooks inspired a legion with their expressive faces and dark, vampy lipstick drawn in the style they popularized, the "beestung" lip.

The 20s were the beginning of when it was socially acceptable to wear makeup again after the Victorian era completely looked down on it. The first wave of film stars inspired people all over the world to paint their lips, fringe their eyes with eyeliner, and publicly powder their noses (and knees, to the distraught of the older folks with Victorian sensibilities)!

When I first got into makeup as a teenager, I was incredibly smitten with the Bright Young Things of the 20s and attempted to recreate their look on my own face. Though I had very beginning level skills, attempting my first smokey eye and drawing my lipstick in the exaggerated "beestung lip" style, I was completely transfixed by the image in the mirror. It was incredibly exciting to see the transformative nature of makeup that I hadn't really experienced until then - and it was truly the beginning of my love of makeup! I wanted to try my hand at the 20s style again now that I know a bit more about makeup (heh). 399 Secrete is a vampy purple that is perfect for this era, but is also completely timeless.

I'm wearing:

L'Absolu Rouge 399 Secrete Lipstick *

Mauve blush

The Gidget
Retro summer sweetness! I can just imagine relaxing on the beach in this fruit popsicle inspired look.

For the final look featuring 114 Amuse-Bouche, a bright coral in a cream finish, I wanted a fresh look that could be worn relaxing on the beach like in a retro summer flick - preferably with a fruit popsicle in hand!

I'm wearing:

L'Absolu Rouge 114 Amuse-Bouche Lipstick *

Peachy blush (in Beam)

Gold eyeshadow (in Kitten)

Kat Von D Pastel Goth eyeshadows *

Milk Makeup foundation *

Which of the four looks is your personal favorite?

Sunset Makeup Look

Even though it's still rather dreary in Oregon ("Local Girl Shakes Fist at Unrelenting Grey Skies"), Spring is finally here! The flowers are blooming, I've been baking strawberry cookies, and playing with new spring makeup releases! Here is a simple look but with a hint of glam I've been wearing a lot lately.

Maybelline's newest releases have knocked it out of the park - the Dream Cushion Foundation and lipstick in Honey Pink have quickly become a new holy grail for me! The foundation is buildable, light to medium coverage, beautiful finish that is dewy but not TOO dewy for my oily combo skin type - all while using the compact and easy to travel with cushion design! Meanwhile, I've been searching for a favorite pink lipstick shade and Honey Pink has become just that! The tone is so pretty, not too warm or too cool, and I love how creamy the lipstick is. If you would like to see swatches from the entire Inti-Matte Nudes lipstick line, please let me know!

L to R: Maybelline Honey Pink Lipstick, Smashbox Spotlight "Pearl" Palette Highlighter Shades in: Blow a Fuse Pearl, Crank It Up Pearl, Turn it On Pearl, Wet n Wild Blush in The Princess Daiquiries

Meanwhile, in January I picked up two of the Wet n Wild Color Icon Ombré Blushes - the gorgeous gradient look of the blush was what initially got my attention. But to my absolute delight, the blush went above and beyond my expectations, delivering a flushed, natural sun kissed glow! Glitter is visible in the pan, but none transferred to my cheek - just a beautiful sheen of reflective pink! Perfection.

Wearing the Smashbox highlighter in Turn it On Pearl

Finally, I partnered with Smashbox to do a collaboration on instagram featuring their Spotlight Palette - and was so impressed I wanted to share it here as well! Highlighter has dethroned lipstick as my favorite makeup product - it just feels magical! In the palette, you get three different highlighters. I used the yellow toned "Turn it On Pearl" which looked stunning specially when paired with the delicate pink shades of blush and lipstick - I later swapped it out for the shade "Crank It Up Pearl", a rose gold, and was equally impressed!

Wearing the Smashbox highlighter in Crank It Up Pearl

Happy Spring!

FACE
Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation *
Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
Wet n Wild Color Icon Ombré Blush in The Princess Daiquiries
Maybelline Inti-Matte Nudes in Honey Pink *
Smashbox Spotlight Pearl Palette *

Three Glitter Lipgloss Looks with Unicorn Snot

I'm super excited to share with you my newest obsession: FCTRY's Unicorn Snot glitter lip glosses! Beautiful fine glitter in a gloss format that feels super hydrating, gives the perfect hint of color, smells great, and are amazing to layer with? Dream product = unlocked! I wanted to share three ways to style Unicorn Snot's glitter lip glosses for every occasion!

Everyday Dew
Imagine: it's spring, the flowers are blooming, and you are laying in the lightly damp grass with dappled light tickling your face. For a fresh look, I paired the Pink Lip Gloss all over my lips, which left a glittery, rose lip tint, a dewy face base, and let some freckles peek through. Perfect for picking daisies...

Princess Chic
For the second look, I wanted to go all out fantasy princess - think the gorgeous Robin Wright in The Princess Bride. With a small heidi braid peeking through my hair, I amped up the blush and highlighter and used the dreamy Purple Lip Gloss for a glossy, glittery pout with a hint of purple.

Mermaiden Glam
Finally, for my third look - I was instantly inspired by the Blue Unicorn Snot Lip Gloss to go full on mermaid glam. I played up the eyeshadow in icy, shimmery shades and Unicorn Snot Glitter Gel in the matching Blue shade (for face, body, and hair!). Of course, to top it off I used the Blue Unicorn Snot Lip Gloss - the beautiful iridescent shine reminds me so much of mermaids and I of course, am smitten! Now where's my seashell bra...

I'm so excited to play with these more - it's such a fun, no fuss way to wear glitter! They can easily be played up or down depending on whether or not you are wearing it for day or night - and so versatile! Here's to always being adventurous in our personal style <3

This post is in collaboration with FCTRY. All opinions are my own and only products I truly love are featured!

MAC Shadescents Review and Giveaway

MAC Cosmetics has outdone themselves. I was gifted their new line of Shadescents * to review, and I am gobsmacked. With Shadescents, they've created a perfume inspired by six of their most iconic lipsticks and the people that wear them! With it, they managed to create a wide range of scents that evoke different moods, temperaments, and vibes - all based on a lipstick. Incredible, and one of the most exciting makeup launches I've seen recently.

In this post, I break down the lipstick shades and their matching perfume and outline the scents. I definitely recommend these lipsticks as well as their perfume if you can't tell, I'm absolutely in love!

Have I piqued your interest? I'm holding a giveaway where you can win your favorite scent on my Instagram! See the giveaway post for full details. Good luck!

Ruby Woo
One of my all time favorite lipsticks, a cool toned, classic matte red, now has a matching perfume. With notes of wood, floral, and red leather, this perfume smells wholly unique without being overpowering.

Candy Yum Yum
Described as sweet, fruity, and floral, this perfume was my favorite out of the bunch! I also love it's namesake, a neon, Barbie matte pink lipstick.

Crème D'Nude
For the "ultimate laid back goddess," this perfume's top notes are amber and musk, and was formulated to smell it's best on the skin. The matching lipstick is a peachy, sheer beige lipstick in a cremesheen finish.

My Heroine / Heroine
Another perfume with wood top notes, this one paired with a heavier dose of leather. The matching lipstick, Heroine, a matte purple - is another of my all time favorite shades from MAC.

Velvet Teddy
Velvet Teddy smells like wild honey, the word I instantly thought of to describe the smell was "warmth." The matching lipstick is a new favorite, a matte warm, deep beige.

Lady Danger
Finally, MAC's second most popular red (losing only to Ruby Woo, of course!), Lady Danger gets the special treatment in their perfume - with notes of wood and floral. The lipstick is a matte fiery red with hints of orange.

L-R Lipstick swatches of: Heroine, Ruby Woo, Lady Danger, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy, Crème D'Nude

Sugarpill Pretty Poison Lipstick Swatches and Review

Sugarpill Cosmetics is one of my very favorite makeup brands out there - always unique, hyper pigmented, and the quality never disappoints! I was especially excited when I heard they were debuting their first line of lipsticks - and may or may not have jumped up and down when I found them in my mailbox to review (thank you again Amy)!

The line, entitled Pretty Poison, consists of 6 matte, vibrant shades spanning from a trademark red to a deep teal. All shades are vegan, cruelty free, and available for $20 each on Sugarpill's website. I found them very matte, but still comfortable to wear on the lips - and each shade was incredibly pigmented and true to color. I think my favorite is Cubby - such a "me" shade! Would you rock these lipsticks?

Girl Crush Lipstick (Barbie pink), Nurse (cool toned red), Spank (blue-based violet), U4EA (deep teal), Detox (hyper pigmented orange), Cubby (vibrant peachy pink)

Candyland: Candy Scented Makeup

This is something I've wanted to do forever - a post spotlighting two of my favorite things: sweets and makeup! Here, I've compiled some of my very favorite beauty products and the candy they smell like. This took me a couple weeks to put together and photograph - so I really hope you like it!

Prada Candy smells like caramel, vanilla
One of my very favorite perfumes, Prada's Candy has a very sweet scent with caramel and vanilla top notes.

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm * and OCC Lip Tar smell like peppermint
So many amazing lip products smell of peppermints - but my favorites have to be Revlon's lip balms and OCC's lip tars.

Inglot Lip Products smell like gummy blueberry sharks

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss smells like starburst

Too Faced - The Chocolate Bar Eye Palette smells like chocolate
I absolutely HAD to include Too Faced's chocolate bar palette! They always completely knock it out of the park when it comes to themed packaging and product performance. I absolutely love this palette and it truly does smell exactly like chocolate. Anybody else eagerly awaiting the Too Faced peach makeup line?

MAC Liptensity Lipsticks * smells like vanilla
Now I cheated a little by using ice cream instead of candy - but I had to include MAC's famously amazing smelling vanilla lipsticks! Their new Liptensity Lipsticks are absolutely gorgeous too - featuring an wonderful range of shades from purple grays to berries, I'm absolutely smitten!

Milani Color Statement Lipstick smells like watermelon gummies/jolly ranchers

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments and I might do a part two! <3