In honor of our current crappy snow condition, I have decided to dig in the crates and re-publish a FACE OF THE DAY piece I published during a really big snow storm in 2008. Enjoy!

[Rewind.......]

Happy Snow Day folks -

And here’s what I’m wearing:

The initials LBD have taken on a whole new meaning for moi. Stila Smudge Pot in Little Black Dress is my current simple smokey eye crush du jour! This adorable little pot of black and purple sparkly lovin’ makes the world go ’round. I don’t know about you but I love effortless looks that make me the belle of the ball. I simply adore when everyone gushes over how gorg my eye makeup game is:

“cute eyeshadow”

“love the look, I could never pull that off”"

And on the inside I’m thinking “if they only knew I pulled off this lil diddy in the time it takes to lace a shoe”.

Well today my lovelies, my Stila Little Black Dress Simple Smokey Eye secret is yours for the taking. You know I loves to share. No holding out here. No ma’am! OK, so it goes a lil something like this:

For super intense smokey eye with more black than purple, follow steps 1-4.

For a rockin’ smokey eye that’s more purple than black, simple omit my reference to black eyeliner in the steps below:

1: Base your lower lid and upper/lower waterline with a creamy super black eye liner. My choice is MAC Feline

2. Using a smudger brush (or your finger), smudge the base you just created

3. Using a synthetic brush (or your finger), apply Stila Little Black Dress all over the black eyeliner base on lower lid as well as across the lower lashline.

4. Using a soft crease brush, apply a neutral shadow or powder foundation into the crease. I use MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Dark

5. Apply mascara to upper/ lower lash line

6. Groom brows as you see fit. I opted to not do a brow highlight for this look…after all, its a “simple” smokey eye

So what do y’all think? Is this simple smokey eye super simple or what? Just add a nude glossy lip and you’re good to go!

My new found love for red lipstick cannot be contained. When it comes to celebrity glamour, a fiercely fiery red lip is nothing new. But for the everyday gal about town, a red lip is a big deal. And I’m not talking about a toned down see-through sheer red tint (while that’s nice at times). I’m talking true, bright, festive red! The kind of red that commands the attention of the entire room (in a good way…not in an, “OMG, who’s that whore for hire” – type of way.

Prior to my encounter with the breathtakingly beautiful Poppy King (creator of Lipstick Queen) I never fancied myself to be the red lipstick type. I gave up on wearing red a long time ago. The wrong red has a strange way of aging you. Also, as a woman with rather full lips (au natural, baby!) I’ve always felt the need to shy away from too much color/attention the lips.

So back to Poppy King…earlier this year I had the privilege of working with Poppy King on the launch her latest collection, Chinatown. While spending time with Poppy, I decided to try HER signature color. Oh what the heck…”when in Rome”, I thought to myself. I have to admit, I was a little self conscious at first. How dare I think I can wear red??? After applying the lipstick I went up to Poppy and asked her thoughts. And in her lovely Australian accent she responded, “Ohhh, its gorgeous on your darling”. SO there! My red lip is Poppy King approved!

Ever since that day I have been absolutely smitten with red.  Not one to leave well enough alone, I set forth a quest to uncover more great reds! I think you will be very pleased with the gorgeous range of reds out there. So without further ado, here’s your ThisThatBeauty approved list of great reds!

I hope you fall in love with one or two:)

Lipstick Queen Red Sinner - This is the red that started it all.

And when I tell you I wore this puppy everywhere…I WORE IT EVERYWHERE…

Going on a coffee run, where’s my Red Sinner…

Running errands, where’s my Red Sinner…

I need a new facebook profile pic, where’s my Red Sinner…

At a Kiss New York Makeup event, where’s my Red Sinner?

Hanging out with Academy Award nominee Taraji Henson (not really…just a photo op), where’s my Red Sinner….
Pal-ing aroung with RuPaul, where’s my Red Sinner…

*********************************

More Reds to love….Here’s ThisThatBeauty’s run down of amazing reds that have captured my heart and lips. Here’s to hoping you find your perfect red!

Smashbox Skybox

This three color palette offers the coverage of a lipstick with the shine of a gloss. The color to the far right, “deep red”, creates a beautifully bold and fiery pout.

Three Custom Color Specialists Lipstick in Rosie The Riveter

Rosie The Riveter is from Three Custom Color Specialists “A Century in Red” lip palette. The collection showcases some of the most stunning Reds of our time. Rosie The Riveter is a 1940′s inspired rich blue-red (available in the palette or in a tube)

Smaskbox Photo Finish Lipstick with Sila Silk Technology

The Photo Finish Lipstick collection offers lipsticks in three formulas - cream, shimmer, sheer. The three reds to catch my eyes are all cream formula and very hydrating. Try these three gorgeous reds….

1)Ravishing

2) Lavish

3) Legendary

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in NSFW

OCC Lips Tar in NSFW is ThisThatBeauty’s Recessionista Red! A pin drop is all you need for beautiful red lips. One tube will last a lifetime with product left over to be included in your will…and at $12.50, NSFW screams RECESSIONISTA ALERT!!!

Youngblood Lip Colour in Vixen -

A great mineral based red. Mineral makeup fans rejoice. Youngblood offers  a luxurious, moisturizing lipstick with great staying power. The formula is lanolin-free.

Prescriptives Colorscope Lip color offers two perfect reds!

The formula is extremely and moisturizing. It glides on like a dream!

1)Prescriptives Classic Red

Prescriptives Race Car Red

Smashbox Doubletake Lip Color in Cranberry

This wonderfully warm berry shades comes from the fall collection, Reign. Doubletake Lip Color is a liner and creamy lipstick all in one. The long wear portable stick is chock full of vitamins which help to nourish the lips!

So what do you guys think? Are you gaga for red? Do you see something in this post that appeals to you? Leave a comment. I love hearing from you:)

Felicia

For today’s installment of ThisThatBeauty Pops Lip: Lip Colour du Jour, I am partnering with one of my favorite designers, Diane Von Furstenburg.

I give you DVF “Foreign Affair”. 

Foreign Affair is a bold red 1940′s inspired lipstick. It is described as “matte crimson”. Ever since my brush with Lipstick Queen Red Sinner, I’ve been walking on the wild side and playing around with red.

How about y’all? Who wants to walk on the wild side with me and try DVF Foreign Affair? Well today’s your lucky day because I am offering two lucky ThisThatBeauty readers the opportunity to win a tube of Foreign Affair.

Check me out below showing off Foreign Affair. If this shade is for you, follow the instructions and enter my contest. Its that simple:)

WARNING:

I took these pics really quickly and on a whim. I am wearing absolutely NO makeup and I had just washed and airdried my hair. You’ve been warned….

So do we like? Do we wanna win this?

OK, two lucky ThisThatBeauty readers will win Diane Von Furstenberg “Foreign Affair“.

• Leave a comment with your email address
  
• One reader will be chosen at random
  
• You have until July 5 to enter contest
  
• US residents only
  

Good luck,

Felicia

For today’s installment of ThisThatBeauty Pops Lip: Lip Colour du Jour, I am partnering with one of my favorite designers, Diane Von Furstenburg.

I give you DVF “Foreign Affair”. 

Foreign Affair is a bold red 1940′s inspired lipstick. It is described as “matte crimson”. Ever since my brush with Lipstick Queen Red Sinner, I’ve been walking on the wild side and playing around with red.

How about y’all? Who wants to walk on the wild side with me and try DVF Foreign Affair? Well today’s your lucky day because I am offering two lucky ThisThatBeauty readers the opportunity to win a tube of Foreign Affair.

Check me out below showing off Foreign Affair. If this shade is for you, follow the instructions and enter my contest. Its that simple:)

WARNING:

I took these pics really quickly and on a whim. I am wearing absolutely NO makeup and I had just washed and airdried my hair. You’ve been warned….

So do we like? Do we wanna win this?

OK, two lucky ThisThatBeauty readers will win Diane Von Furstenberg “Foreign Affair“.

• Leave a comment with your email address
  
• One reader will be chosen at random
  
• You have until July 5 to enter contest
  
• US residents only
  

Good luck,

Felicia

In the past I have written about my undying love for Erno Laszlo. I’ve tried three of their skincare products and each has earned the ThisThatBeauty seal of approval (a seal not easily earned, let me tell you). Not one to leave well enough alone, I’m thinking its high time I check out Erno Laszlo’s makeup as well.

With flash on camera.

And here I am wearing both bronzer and blush.

The bronzer is on cheeks and forehead.

Blush applied to apples of cheeks.

And here’s a close up of the blush…do you see the pop of pink? Its very natural looking.

(PS: You’ll be happy to know that I am writing this piece while at the hairdresser, getting a relaxer touch up. Please forgive my edges. LOL)

I recently dug in the crates with the goal of playing around with a product that I haven’t touched in a while. Sometimes I get so stuck in my everyday go-to products that I forget about all the goodies I’ve collected over the years.

The first product to catch my eye was Vincent Longo Hydro Stick in GOLD SOLARE. I’ve had this for about a year and have never used it. Hmmm, “how can I incorporate this product into a look”, I thought to myself.

{TICK TOCK}

{TICK TOCK}

Eureka, I’ve got it! Do a classic JLo Glow look. Yea, that’s the ticket!

So here is my JLo Inspired look and here are the products used:

FACE

• Dermalogica SPF 30 booster (Ladies, the real secret to great skin is SPF and LOTS of it…and EVERYDAY!)
  
• Vincent Longo Hydro Stick in Sun Solare applied to the apples of cheeks, temples, and forehead.
  
• Then….Cinema Secrets 202-20 Cream foundation was applied over the Vincent Logo product. I used a buffer brush damped with MAC Fix+ to apply the Cinema Secrets. I used very little CS…just enough CS to tone down the gold of the Hydro Stick. 
  
• Topped cheeks with MAC Style Warrior Bronzing Powder in Solar Riche 
  

EYES

• Model in a Bottle Eye Brow Sealer on brows (This stuff is amazing at setting unruly brows)
  
• Almay black liquid liner (RECESSIONISTA ALAERT – I LOVE this stuff)
  
• Kevyn Aucoin The Mascara
  

 LIPS

• MAC 3N Lip Gloss (This is a perf neutral/nude gloss for my complexion)