Friday, June 19, 2009

Taking a Page out of Kevyn Aucoin’s Book

Hello, my lovelies!

While reviewing “Making Faces” by Kevyn Aucoin, a look that he did on Nadja Auermann really stuck on me. It’s a futuristic look called “The Model”. If you already have this book, please turn to page 140 and you’ll see it. Although Kevyn Aucoin based the look on the Seventies fashion, I still think it is a very fashion-forward and fierce look. The direction is simple: you only need a pencil eyeliner, a sponge-tip applicator to blend, and a golden beige shimmer eyeshadow to highlight the inner corner of the eye and the brow bone.

"The Model" look, modeled by Nadja Auermann

I made some changes: I replaced the sponge-tip applicator with a MAC 219 pencil brush to make blending eyeliner much easier. Since I could not find a golden beige shimmer eyeshadow, I used NYX Champagne eyeshadow instead. Also, I equipped myself with some cotton buds (or Q-tips) just in case the liner got messy.

Closeup on the eye

Closeup shot #2

For the lips, instead of sticking to the dark burgundy glossy lip color, I used three different lipsticks: MAC High Tea, Most Popular (from Hello Kitty LE), and NYC Retro Red. While I did not use any lip glosses with High Tea as this lipstick is very lustrous, I coupled Riley lip gloss (discontinued, from Victoria's Secret) with Most Popular, and Pink Bouquet (from Sally Hansen’s) with Retro Red. The results are quite stunning, actually. I think they are the testament for the versatility of makeup as each lip color creates a different mood and almost a different look.

Look 1: with High Tea

By using a pale lip color, the emphasis goes to the eyes. They look so dramatic!
I feel so much like an alien :)

Look 2: with Most Popular and Riley

It’s dark, it’s dramatic, it’s vampy. I look like Medusa!
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Look 3: with Retro Red and Pink Bouquet

Now, the focus is on the lips. I like this combination the best although the red lipstick emphasizes my Asian features a lot more.

I tried to wink, people!

Baby got chubby cheeks :)

If I do this look again, I would use much better eye kohl. The Revlon ColorStay eyeliner, while is an excellent eyeliner, is hard to blend. (Plus, it’s quite old!) By using something softer and easier to blend, I can load more liner on my lids to make the eyes look more dramatic. Also, I would use a golden beige shimmer eyeshadow to highlight instead of NYX Champagne, which is too shimmery.

This look can go from day to night with a change of lipstick. It is really simple to do and if you haven’t get your copy of “Making Faces”, what are you waiting for?

Photobucket

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6 comments:

  1. Considering Making Faces was published in, what, '99? These looks still look very current and fashionable today. In fact, I believe Kate Hudson sported a similar look on the cover of Vogue not too long ago! I personally like Look 2 best on you.

    Have you tried doing this with one of your HIP Kohls? Those have made SUCH a difference to me when I do smoky/dramatic eyes. I have no idea how I lived without them before.

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  2. your wink is sooo cute! I think you look like a china doll lol <3

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  3. Hi May,

    The book was published in 1997, which means it was written about 1-2 years earlier than that. Kevyn Aucoin was way ahead of his time, a lot of looks in Making Faces I've seen in recent MAC campaigns as well.

    I need to try with the HiP Kohl, it may look really good. Thank you for reminding me :)

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  4. Hi da goose,

    I can't wink like in movies, that's the best I can do ;) Thank you for your lovely comment. I do have that china doll look sometimes :)

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  5. You look gorgeous Dao! I love the lip color in the second look, so pretty!

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  6. Hi Gio,

    That's Most Popular from the Hello Kitty collection. It looks really glam but I don't get to wear it as much :(

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