Personal Best

I have exciting news today!

For the first time ever, I was able to do winged liquid eyeliner in a somewhat successful manner, thanks to Lyn from Cheap As F*ck. Her tutorial for hooded eyes (although mine are more deep-set than anything) allowed me to finally figure out a way to get wings from looking screwy to looking... slightly less screwy? Observe:

Products: Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless foundation in 110 Porcelain, Maybelline Fit Me! concealer in 115 Fair, NYX Brow Mascara in Espresso, e.l.f Pressed Mineral Blush in Jet Setter, Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color in Blissful Berry, Maybelline Full and Soft Mascara, and Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner in Blackest Black.

Looking down to show the wing a bit better.

Another angle of my triumph.

Hideous closeup that nevertheless highlights my accomplishment.

Look at that! It's winged eyeliner, on both eyes and looking somewhat more steady than if a crazed toddler drew it! Bask in the glory of my over-sized sense of accomplishment. It's kind of like a heat lamp.

In other news, Blissful Berry looks awfully patchy in these photos, which is a bit baffling, since it looks nothing of the sort in real life as I sit here typing this. It's a mystery? Really though, my lips are probably to blame - they are absolutely Sahara dry right now, as is the rest of my face. I blame the advances of age and winter, and my lack of a decent moisturizer.

Finally, I send you off with a sad little photo of my happily festive nails:

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in On Pines and Needles, topped with Sally Hansen Quick Dry Topcoat.

The photo really doesn't do this color justice. It's a lovely deep, cool forest green with a subtle green shimmer. It reads as black or dark blue in most artificial lights, and the shimmer is lost in all but direct sunlight, but I love it anyways. It matches my favorite winter coat almost exactly. The formula is decent; I needed three coats for opacity, but this photo was taken on the third day of wear, and as you can see, it still looks almost perfect. Pretty impressive!

... How does one end a blog post?

Getting Started

I've spent the majority of my adult life proudly eschewing makeup as a frivolous past-time for the vain and self-absorbed. I thought that by showing my bare skin and blemishes I was also showing moral fortitude. The world of academia only added to my illusions of superiority. "Yes," I thought, "I am a woman of substance. I have better things to occupy me than the color of my cheeks or the length of my lashes. Science needs me!"

Geez, I was insufferable. 

Early this year, I realized something profound about myself. I liked to feel pretty. I liked to be feminine, to primp and prep. As a creature of harshly lit labs and filthy field work, this was something strange indeed. But why shouldn't I? How exactly does a fondness for pink lipstick take away from my intellect? In precisely none ways, thank you. Slowly, over the last several months, I have discovered that I can be more than one thing at a time. I can be smart, I can be outdoorsy, I can be tough and rugged and strong... And, I can be beautiful. 

With this realization, I began to reach out into areas previously marked "Here Be Dragons" on my mental map. I've been experimenting with makeup, nail polish, hair, even fashion. It's been eye-opening, illuminating, and even esteem-boosting, as my friends comment on my eyes or my husband notices my care. Most of all, it's been fun. 

In the spirit of fun and new experiences, I've decided to start this blog, to help me experiment with new looks and techniques in a way that I might not be comfortable with in my graduate lab. I plan to document lip colors and shadow placement, highlights and brows and blushes. I'll probably throw in a few things about the rest of my life as well: deadlines met, accomplishments achieved, animals caught (yes, animals). I do not plan to hold to deadlines or content quotas; this is a place primarily for me, not for gathering pageviews and enticing followers. 

With that said, I would like to leave with a look from the balmy days of midsummer - utterly inappropriate to our shortening days and encroaching frosts, but c'est la vie and all that noise.

Products: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation in W1-2, Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, NYX Je Ne Sais Quoi eyeshadow palette, Maybelline Full and Soft mascara, Revlon Lacquer Balm in Demure.

Eyes closed, showing horrendous blending skills.

Work that non-existent blush! Way to keep things subtle, girl.

Honestly, there are a lot of things I don't like about this look. The eyeshadow is too cool toned and not well blended, my blush is subtle to the point of disappearance, and the lip color is too sparkly for my general taste. However, I believe it represents a good starting point, a place from which to show my growth. Also, I like seeing green things in the background.

Next time, a current look using either a fall lip color or strong nail polish. We'll see!