Forgotten Girl ~ Ghost LOTD [WARNING: Might Scare You, But She Cooks In The End]

 

Don't be afraid.

Hold her hand.

  

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Inspired Makeup Look

 "A pale, anorexic young woman who had hair as short as fuse, and a pierced nose and eyebrows. She did not in fact have an eating disorder. She had a wide mouth, a small nose, and high cheekbones that gave her an almost Asian look. Sometimes she wore black lipstick, and in spite of the tattoos and the pierced nose and eyebrows she was ... well ... attractive. It was inexplicable." ~ Stieg Larsson.

This is my attempt at recreating Rooney Mara's Lisbeth Salander look in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

About the character: Lisbeth Salander is a world class computer hacker (under the name 'Wasp')with a Eidetic/Photographic memory. A survivor of a traumatic childhood, Salander is highly introverted, asocial and has difficulty connecting to people and making friends. She is particularly hostile to men who abuse women, and takes special pleasure in exposing and punishing them.

 

Black Magic Makeup Look {Halloween}

Halloween is in 3 weeks, so I thought I'd do a few dark & crazy looks. This one is inspired by that black sequined fan. I saw it among the Accessorize Halloween Collection one day, held it just like in the pic above, stared at myself in the store floor-length mirror, became indecisive, went home without it.....and life felt incomplete. I went back for it about a week later.

If a girl needs a black sparkly fan, she needs a black sparkly fan. 

YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Fuchsia In Rage 19 ~ Swatches, LOTD

There are 19 shades of YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Lipsticks. If you buy all 19 at once, they'll cost you about the same price as, or less than, one Chinese Crested Dog -  a hairless dog that's won 'World's Ugliest Dog'. It's got bits of hair on the head and paws, but the rest is all skin- like human skin, they say. It's one of the most expensive pets in the world. I wouldn't call it "ugly", because I don't like that word + I have a soft corner for all dogs, but it is no doubt funny-looking. At first, I thought it's some type of goat (pic here)

 There, a little bit of Math & National Geographic. Indian Vanity Case.....Not All Make-up.

YSL Rouge Volupté Shine ~  Give in to the temptation of dazzling color. Succumb to a unique sensorial experience with extreme comfort and luminous shine.  Hyaluronic acid microspheres help seal in moisture for 8 hours of hydration. Anti-oxidants and emollients help condition and soften lips.

 Available in 19 shades. I'm showing the last one- #19 Fuchsia In Rage.

How To: Blush, Bronzer, Highlighter

Hi, hi! Sorry for not posting for days. This was supposed to be up yesterday, but editing took longer. There was a false eyelash mishap that ruined most of the pics, sigh. Long story short: lash glue and mascara stuck together and clumped the lashes, I ignored, camera didn't.

This is one of the most requested tutorials! So many ladies want the JLo glow. For me personally, it's not a must-do, because I came from Delhi, where my face was always prone to sweating because of the heat. Now that I'm in cold Scotland, I do it quite often, and I see the why it's so sought-after. It does make your skin look more.....posh. Oh yes, Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham) is also famous for her glowy cheeks.

Products I Used:

Bronzer ~ Benefit Hoola. Matte bronzer is always better.

Blush ~ MAC Bite Of An Apple. This was a Limited Edition blush.

Highlighter ~ MAC Soft And Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish. It's better to pick a highlighter that is more pearlescent than glittery. If you're using a liquid highlighter, just apply 3-5 tiny dots, and blend with finger.

Rest of the makeup: 

Face: I applied MUFE HD Foundation over Lakmé CC Cream, and they didn't agree very well, hence the spots.

Eyes: I used pinks & purples from the Sleek i-Divine Candy Palette. Swatches here

Lipstick here is MAC Betty Bright from Archie's Girls Collection. Shown here

Mint Dress OOTD | Fav Blog Posts Poll Results | UK Life Update

While I write this post, I'm gonna try to get the memory of Miley Cyrus' VMA performance out of my head. We won't say what's already stamped all over the internet, we'll just bury the memory, and think of butterflies instead. Ooh....butterfly print dress....

 Yes, that's the photo for Cosmopolitan.....

Cosmo Editor said "We want full-length pic. I said "What kind of attire"? Cosmo Editor said "Wear your favorite outfit!"

Nude Lips Makeup ~ Sleeping With The Enemy

I can't count the number of times I've watched the Julia Roberts' movie Sleeping With The Enemy, but this post is not at all related to the movie. No jumping in the sea, no faking my death, no running away from husband, no moving to another city and getting a new identity. Only hypothetically, I'd be Lyla, with a cherry-colored bob & a Spanish accent.

The title just.....fits.

• 2 nude lippies from rival drugstore brands coming together.
• A woman with an alternative personality.

I combined Maybelline Superstay Lipstick Beige For Good + Rimmel Apocalips Nude Eclipse

Lancôme Rouge In Love Lipstick Midnight Rose ~ Look & Swatches

I planned to post this at exactly 00:00 am (IST), midnight, to make it poetic. But of course it didn't happen, because editing took longer. 

Lancôme Rouge In Love Lipstick in Midnight Rose 377N is a fuchsia shade. It's weird that although it's glossy, it's so long-lasting, even more long-lasting than some matte lipsticks! When layered, it passed the kissing test, and I think it could easily live up to it's 6 hours claim. When I'm wearing it, I always see it on my lips- never drying, never flaky.

Very very impressed with the unique finish & quality. I want at least one more shade from this range.

If you're wondering how similar it is to Deborah Milano Red #9: Midnight Rose leans towards pink, whereas DMR 9 leans towards red.  

LOTD/OOTD: Coral, Coral, Coral....

It was only meant to be a post about a coral lipstick, then one thing led to another. Next thing I knew, I was clicking selfies all over the house. We'll blame the shoes, coz it was the very first time I wore them! =)

Face ~ MAC Prep+Prime Fine Filler, Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, Maybelline Drem Lumi Touch Concealer under eyes, The Body Shop Loose Powder & Honey Bronzing Powder.

Cheeks ~ Topshop Neon Rose Cream Blush. Swatched here.

Eyes ~ Maybelline Color Tattoo On And On Bronze, Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, , Lakmé Kohl Ultimate, Max Factor 2000 Calorie Curved Brush Mascara, False Lashes. 

Lips ~ Maybelline color Sensational Vivids in Shocking Coral #910. Pics here. These lippies are really vivid, I've swatched another shade Hot Plum here

 

(Please excuse the blurriness & powder bits on the mirror =) )

Those shoes at the back! Casual & most-worn ones stay in the hallway.

I asked in people to guess which color I'm wearing on IVC Facebook Page, and so many guessed Coral! Kudos =)

♥

I hope this post answers a recent, rather amusing, comment.....

Don't worry, even when prego, I will still do outfit posts, haha! =D (I will waddle in a sundress and a floppy sun hat, with a lollipop in my hand.)

Coral Peplum Sequin Dress ~ Jane Norman. |  Sorbet Shoes: Primark. Shown here. | Bow Earrings ~ Forever 21. Shown here

Fifty Shades Of Grey Inspired Look & Smoky Grey Eye Makeup Tutorial

"Romantic, liberating and totally addictive, this is a novel that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever." ~ Fifty Shades Of Grey by E L James.

I've had this post in my head for over a year. I had almost everything, except the most important thing- the Grey Tie. It had to be very similar to the one on the book cover. In New Delhi, I went to all the shops that sell men's formal wear - Lifestyle, Shopper's Stop, Van Heusen, Arrow, etc. It became an obsession. I kept saying to the man that I wanted to buy it for him, but really it's for me ;p

Then we moved to Newcastle. I looked for one there too. I read that grey ties had become a trend in UK after the book, and I wondered if they just meant London. I was so confident I'd find it quickly there that I bought a grey eyeshadow & a grey nail polish. But no luck.

Then about 6 months later, when I'd almost given up, in a shop in Dubai {Koton}, I found something close (or it found me!) By close, I mean something textured, not with stripes or plain.

When I created this look, it's not the female protagonist, Anastasia Steele, who inspired me, it's her complicated & highly controlling lover with very dark secrets ~ Christian Grey.

Here's the step-by-step tutorial on how I did the eyes:

1. Take matte black eyeshadow on a pointy pencil brush, tap or blow the brush so there's minimal fallout, apply it on the outer corner & inner corner. Do it like you're drawing a C. Curve the black e/s all the way to the hollow of your crease. I used Sleek Makeup Noir from Oh So Special Palette with Sigma E40 brush.

2. With a clean blending brush, join the two C's at the crease by running the brush back & forth in a windshield wiper motion. I used Sigma E25 brush.

3. It should look like that. You could add more black if you prefer it darker. 

4. Wet a flat shader brush and wipe/squeeze off excess water before using it to apply the grey eyeshadow on the center of lid, not touching the edges of the black e/s. Applying eyeshadows with a damp brush make them look more vibrant, and it gives shimmery eyeshadows that foiled effect + they stick to skin better. I used 2 grey eyeshadows- Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Eye Shadow Night Jewel & Sleek Makeup Glitz from Oh So Special Palette with Sigma E60 brush

5. Apply the same grey eyeshadow on the center of your lower lash line.

6. With the pencil brush & matte black eyeshadow you used before, apply on the outer 1/4th of lower lash line. Join it with the black e/s on upper outer corner.

7.  Do the same on inner 1/4th near the tear duct.

8. It should look like that.

9.  Apply black kohl on the upper waterline & lower waterline, but only on either side leaving the grey area in the center. I used Lakmé  Kohl Ultimate. *This method does not suit my eyes, and makes me look drunk (hehe!), mainly because I have hooded lids. I should have lined and smudged the black all the way.

10. Apply black liquid or gel liner close to your lash line. Line straight out till it touches the edge of the black eyeshadow at the outer corner. I used L'Oreal Super Liner Instant Impact Felt Liner.

11. Touch up the black eyeshadow if needed. Here, I applied a little bit more and repeated step 2.  

12. I put on false lashes, and applied black mascara on top & bottom lashes. I used Eylure 101 lashes & Max Factor 2000 Calorie Curved Brush Mascara.

DONE! 

 I hope you'll try it. You could always replace the grey with other colors, any color you want- gold, bronze, peach, green, blue, beige/taupe, etc.

Products I Used:

Face: MAC Prep+Prime Line Filler, Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundtion #54 Beige, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer Medium, Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer, NARS Loose Powder Beach.

Blush: Sleek Blush Dolly Mix from Blush By 3 Sweet Cheeks. Swatched here 

Bronzer: Benefit Hoola. Swatched here 

Lips: Bourjois Levres Contour Lip liner #12 Facetieuse, Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick #32. Blotted those, then I applied Bourjois Levres Contour Lip Liner #11 Enjoleuse. Yes, I was confused what to wear, and should have applied only the last one! =D

Grey Nail Polish: Miss Sporty Lasting Colour in New Black

Shirt with bubble sleeves: Mango Suit.
Grey Dress: Guess
Grey Tie: Koton
Silver Earrings: Forever 21

***[This is for readers under 18 years of age: I don't want to sound like a parent, but I would advise you not to read this book until you're over 18. Better yet, wait till you're 25.]

"Laters, baby."

LOTD ~ Blue Eyes & Boats

This was the makeup I had on yesterday. I rarely wear bright colored eyeshadows on regular days. But right now I'm loving this turquoise blue eyeshadow and have been wearing it like a liner. Now that's one way to wear bright eyeshadows, ladies. Just apply with a wet flat or angled liner brush for a little bit of intensity. If you're a scaredy cat, try only on your bottom lash line.

Face ~ Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation Beige 54 (shown here), Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, The Body Shop Loose Powder.

Cheeks ~ MAC The Perfect Cheek Blush

 Lips ~ MAC Pink Pigeon Lipstick. Photos here 

Eyes ~ Inglot Eyeshadow 504 DS (shown here) applied with a wet Colorbar Fabulips Lip Brush , Lakmé Kohl Ultimate & Urban Decay Blackout (matte black) to tightline and line very close to upper lash line and on waterline. Since I have hooded lids, I had to contour my crease, especially with a heavy lower lash line.  I blended Urban Decay Buck, Naked & Blackout (all from Naked Palettes), Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara.

 I'm surrounded by boats & ships here in Dundee. I imagine seeing Jack Sparrow in one of them someday - he waves at me, I wave back & invite him over, he comes and braids my hair, and we drink tea together. I thought I'd share some pics.....

Frigate Unicorn ~ Scotland’s only preserved warship, and one of the six oldest ships in the world. I pass it all the time.

I walk on that bridge whenever I go to the city center

A gift when we moved in ~ "We hope you enjoy your new home for the next few months."

Weekend Snacks

Regards from Mr.CZ =)

Happy Weekend Everyone....See you again next week!