Bow Ties Are Cool

Some rather basic makeup from this look that I forgot to post.  I was ever so excited to get my first pair of suspenders and a bow tie and threw together this outfit that is a bit inarguably Doctor Who-inspired.  I was meeting my darling friend Ellen for an equally darling Japanese dinner and had to water the plants beforehand, so obviously pictures have to be taken while doing mundane tasks (i.e watering) BUT, our garden did look awfully pretty and one of my favorite areas is by my old playhouse that I'm in the process of cleaning out and turning into a bit of an outdoor-ish reading nook.  It was built by my father and uncles I believe back when I was a child, so it's really cute, sturdy, and has these wonderful gargoyles by the doors (which you can kind of see).    

 Makeup Breakdown was the usual Wet n' Wild Lipstick in "Stoplight Red" and Urban Decay Eyeliner in Perversion.  Blush was Nars' "Exhibit A"  A veeeeery pigmented blush that I totally forgot I had!

 Before the massive heatwave that killed me.  I basically reenacted that entire "Midnight Sun" episode of The Twilight Zone throughout the week. 

Bow and Actual Bow: American Apparel 

Suspenders: Vintage

Shirt: Found in the basment (Foxcroft?)

Skirt: Talbots

Knee Highs: Nordstrom Brand

Two-toned Shoes: Doc Martins 

(on a side note, these shoes are wonderfully comfy and pretty darn cute if I do say so myself). 

Sunlight: Nature's instagram

Hopefully this weather will stay somewhat nice! Especially because my birthday is coming up soon.   I'm turning twenty, so I'm prepping myself for a quarter life crisis that will likely include posting tear-streaked mascara photos on my blog asking what I'm doing with my life.  Kidding, only half-kiddddding.

xx

Shannon

P.S: I did have the stupid novel idea of starting a makeup-ish tumblr.  My blog's name is Cherries in the Snow (after an old Revlon lipstick).  There are some pictures and less-detailed posts that are on this blog and some random odds and ends that I cannot really fit into a "blog" blog.  So, please, feel free to find me on there!

Off With Her Head!

 Hi darling friends.  Again, I've dropped off the face of the earth into television, work, and general dilly dallying and have neglected my blog, oy.  So, here's a little look I entered in a MakeupBee Lime Crime competition that centers around Marie Antoinette.  Oddly enough, I have a pink Antoinette-esque wig in my possession, jammed a few head pieces and slapped on some makeup, and called it a day.  Okay, more like lovingly applied Ben Nye Clown White on my face.  I always have issues with white face makeup because it never looks even enough, in my humble opinion.  Because of this pink wig, decided to do the whole look as a "Pink Marie."

I'm still trying to get used to the new blogger layout...I don't do well with change, likely because I am internally sixty-something. The almost twenty thing is only a ruse 

Products Used:

Face:

Ben Nye Clown White

Urban Decay Glitter (does not exist anymore) all over the face

Caboodle (really dating myself) Pink Glitter

Makeup Forever 12 color Palette: Silver for highlighting 

Cheeks:

Nars Blush in Orgasm 

Eyebrows:

Lime Crime Lipstick in Great Pink Planet and Countessa Fluorescent 

Eyes: 

Pop Neon Eyeshadow Palette (pink color)

Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Liner in Perversion (used for beauty mark too)

Urban Decay Liner in Woodstock and Baked

Caboodle Pink Glitter

Clinique Mascara

Lips:

Lime Crime Lipstick in Great Pink Planet and Countessa Fluorescent

So yes, I'm trying to get back into blogging.  Officially, I'm not making promises, haha, but I've missed it.  Now I am utterly consumed by "Sherlock," "Doctor Who," and "Game of Thrones," so maybe that will serve as some inspiration.  I may also start a makeup Tumblr, just because I really like the formatting of Tumblr and such, so I'll post about it here and hopefully some of you lovely people have Tumblrs. :)

xx

Shannon

Two Lipped

     Ugh, guys, I really am the worst with promises of blog posts and the like, whoops.  Life always seems to interfere with blog maintenance.  You know, school, job searches, copious amounts of British television shows...I've been drawn into the world of "Downton Abbey," "Sherlock," and "Doctor Who," with no sign of surfacing from said world, so, when I get back to serious blogging once the semester is over (in just a month, thankfully!) I will likely be doing some BRIT-ISH inspired posts and declaring my love for various British actors.  I have a long running joke/annoyance/legit truth that I am BRIT-ISH (yes, said in that manner) that has been entertaining and annoying everyone who interacts with me.  It's clearly a good time.  So, I am alive, well, a bit overly-caffinated and returning with a simply spring-y look that I wore recently.

 I've always been a fan of the two-tone lip look and since it was lovely and spring-y out, I took advantage by doing a pink/orange combo.

 I kept my cheeks pink to compliment the less noticeable pink (because my upper lip is thinner) and the eye makeup to a basic bronze overcast with a basic liquid liner cat eye.   The scar below my brow is reeeeally noticeable in this picture.  As a child I was playing tag (indoors) with my father and ran into a wall (typical).  I love scars though (this, of course, stemming from my heart surgery scar that goes from in between my collar bone and down to a couple inches above my belly button).  Scars always tell a story! And there goes my scar rant....haha

Face:

Typical Neutrogena Skin-Clearing Makeup in Ivory

Garnier Fructis Under-Eye Roller Concealer

Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Powder

Cheeks:

NARS blush in Orgasm (across cheek bones)

MAC Creme Blush in Bougainvillea (on apple of cheeks)

Eyes:

Lime Crime Shadow Primer

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Baked and Toasted (mixed on lid)

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner in Perversion

Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in Baked (applied on waterline)

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara 

Lips:

MAC Lipstick in Pink Pigeon (upper lip)

and Lady Danger (bottom lip)

Thoughts on the two-tone lip? I, as I said, really like it, the only trouble I had was with keeping the colors separate.  In about three seconds I already mashed the colors together and had to fix it, haha.  So goes my general clumsiness.   Anyway, it's lovely to be back and blogging.  Not making any promises on how frequent my returns will be happening (because I have broken o' so many promises), but, until next time!

~Shannon

If You Take a Mouse to School...

Hi lovlies! I just finished up with the children's show I've been rehearsing/performing for forever!! I cannot believe it's done.  It was such a fun show, even with screaming children and 20+ performances.  The show was "If You Take a Mouse to School" and I played the Teacher and Mother Mouse (Grandma Mouse) complete with ears.  I am actually obsessed with my teacher costume (a screaming pink suit) that I'm greatly considering buying it..GREATLY!  The overall theme was very pink, so I did my makeup to match. 

 UD Liquid Liner in Pervasion, MAC Creme Blush in Florida, discontinued Makeup Forever pink Lipstick, and Wet n' Wild Eyeshadow trio (magenta color) in Spoiled Brat= basic makeup usage.  I had a quick change where I had to wipe this all off and turn into... 

MOTHER MOUSE! This is some basic old-age makeup (and old-age clothing, hello lovely not totally turtleneck...) without speckling with my favorite stipple sponge because the lighting made it...wonky.  Of course, this looks super cartoony and odd, but, with the magic of stage lights, I looked relatively and realistically old.  It was funny because the majority of the children didn't even realize I was both roles, haha, silly children. This was actually applied in about two minutes because, it was a quick change with the basic highlighter and character shadow from my Ben Nye makeup kit. You can see my more intense aging/realistic aging makeup here.  All in all, I had a fun time, slapping on my makeup running around two shows a day, eeek! I have a ton of makeup to review/blog about now that I have a semblance of a life.  Plus classes...eeek, classes...Until then...
~Shannon

EEEEEK!!

Hi, jeez, I've been so busy I keep forgetting I have a blog, haha.  This was a look I did based off a picture of Elizabeth Taylor for some much needed 1950's style makeup.  Well, I noticed that it's basically my normal makeup with more filled in eyebrows and highlighter, haha.  And EPA stress, my NARS Multiple in Cococabana is like five applications away from being gone.  Sadface.  Uggg, but I don't want to get a new one because they're pretty expensive...but they do last forever...hmmmm.

 Breakdown o' Products:
Lips: MAC Lip-Pencil in Cherry, Lime Crime Lipstick in Retrofuturist (ironic, no?) and Glamour 101
Face: Neutrogena Concealer in Ivory, NARS Multiple in Cococabana for highlighting, and Eyeko Fat Balm in Cherry for blush (applied heavily for that old-timey look)
Eyes: Urban Decay 24/7 H20 proof in Perversion with some Covergirl eyeshadow...neutral colors, yay
Revlon Lash Growing Mascara!

  Sorry for the half-hearted post, haha.  I'm sups tired and just got back-ish from HOURS! *dramatic sigh* of auditions for student-run directing scenes. I also got some makeup from OCC which I will review soon, eeeeeek (as my title stated) I am running behind in my makeup insanity!  Oh, I also have a little poll on my sidebar if any of you beauties cared to answer :D.
~Shannon

A Little Annoyed, A Little Accepting

***What? Only a handful of people have bothered to sign up for my GIVEAWAY? How crazy! So go ahead and enter.  It will bring me happiness and yourself happiness if you win***

Hi...it was a sad day this weekend when a man at Ulta told me this weekend that my favorite, life-changing, makeup staple, the product that would be included in my life if I could only use 5 products is DISCONTINUED! WHY URBAN DECAY, WHY ARE YOU SO CRUEL!?????? Their liquid liner is the best ever and now they discontinued it for their new 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner.  They carried it in my normal color (Perversion) so I went ahead and got it to see how it compared.  And now I will air my grievances against this product:

1.  The formula dries shinier than the old one.
2.  It is also thicker, so more product is used.
3. The handle of the bottle is a little clunkier.
4. A little less precision due to the bottle design.
5. The main grievence: The size.  I understand that companies want to make as much money as they can, but they slashed the amount of liner in a bottle by...over half?!? The old liner used to contain 0.25 fl oz... and now it's 0.058? What? What? And the same price.  That makes me peeved to say the least.  Urban Decay could at least have the same amount of product, oy vey.  But, all of this does not necessarily mean I will not use this liner nor swear off Urban Decay (they have some of the best products).  It's just one of those hinderances that make people hate companies when in reality there's really nothing that can be done.

    Okay, rant ooooover! Here's some positive aspects of this liner:
1. Lasts forever
2. Even though it has a clunkier feel, it can deliver a nice, clean line and a lovely wing.
3.  Very pigmented, I sampled a few of the other colors on my hand and they were nicely colored.
4. Overall, a lovely water-proof liner, but pales in comparison with their old liner.  If you did not have the chance to compare I'm sure that you could have different views on it.

Now, because I was missing my dear Perversion liner oh so much, I could put it to good use! Here's my makeup from yesterday and today using my new liner:

 So, it looks pretty much the same applied, only a little glossier. Lipstick is Lime Crime's Retrofuterist and Eyeshadow is a mix of Lime Crime's Magic Dust in Diva and Covergirl Eye Enhancer in Golden Sunrise and MAC...Lemon Yellow Color...whoops, can't find the eyeshadow I used...I'll fix that once I find it. Highlighting was done with NARS Multiple in Cococabana and NARS Blush in Orgasm is on le cheeks.

 This was my first time actually wearing the liner so there's a little bit of that liquid liner bleeding look...a little 

 Covergirl Eye Enhancer Eyeshadow in Golden Sunrise, waterline lined with Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil Liner in Electric.  Lipstick is Lime Crime's Airborne Unicorn.

 Pardon the stupid mouth, but OMG my nails matched my lips...kind of a big deal (nailpolish is essie in Splash of Grenadine).  I went to see "Crazy, Stupid Love" with my friend Erin (which was amazing, I luuuurved it) and she flipped out when she saw the matchyness.  It must be her color-cordinating preppy-ness taking over.  She pulls it off quite well and is extremely stylish with good taste.  I shall one day feature her here :)

 The liner, very thin with a huge handle, like over half the bottle turns out to be handle so I'm always accidentally opening it backwards/upside down.

This liner does last forever though, this picture was taken after applying the liner to my hand almost...a whole 24 hours WHICH included a shower and multiple hand washings.  So, very impressive stay power.

Hope you enjoyed this little rant/review/acceptance in the last stage of grieving over the loss of my original liner.  I will always remember it fondly...

~Shannon