THE RED EYE LINER

Hello!

Very excited to show you the first ever collaboration on this blog~ Pauline of Catpacking and I are big fans of period pieces and vintage styles. One of our favorite eras is the 1940's. We're particularly fond of films set in that period (of which there are many!) Pauline's look was based on Rachel McAdams in The Notebook, which you can check out here.



The look I went for was a slightly more modern take on the classic forties makeup. I looked for a something that was wearable and translated well to how makeup is worn today. So I came across a backstage picture from Miu Miu RTW Fall 2011, which was a collection centered around the 1940's aesthetic.

One of the things to focus on is the pale clear skin. It was powdered, but not matte enough to hide a glowing complexion. For this I used my Bourjois 10-Hour Sleep Effect Foundation in #72, Pauline's Maybelline Master Conceal in 30 Light Medium, both applied with fingers, and my Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder, applied with my Real Techniques Powder Brush. On my cheeks I used Happy Skin Angled Blush Brush for a light dusting if YSL Blush Variation in 3 Camel right on the apple of the cheek over my Bourjois Cream Blush in #04 Sweet Cherry (reviewed here).

The semi-matte red lip was of course quite prominent as well and very drawn on. I decided against that and went for a more like a slightly shimmery color with my Chanel Rouge Hydrabase in #78 Shanghai Red. I applied it to look more stained than painted on so it looked more lived-in. If you read up on forties makeup, you'll learn that even during the war when everything was rationed, they made red lipstick available because they believed it was empowering and raised morale (makeup history tidbit yay!)
Pauline did a bit of subtle brow definition on me with her Liole Auto Eyebrow Pencil in #3 (because I cannot do brows at all.) For very subtle lash definition, I dotted a Nichido Precise Eye Pencil in Black Ebony along my upper lash line. On my lids I used Naked 2 from the first Urban Decay Naked Basics palette all over for the base. Then, I blended Faint, also from the Naked Basics palette, with a milk chocolate brown shade from a brand called Pinkies Collection, all across the socket right up to the point near my nose bridge. I finished with curled lashes and my Eyeko Eyedo mascara, which I should have gone chunkier with . I also could have used a few individual falsies, if I had them at the time.



I was really intrigued by just how modern a vintage look could be and really pleased with how it looked on me. Strobing and contouring aside, lots of the key points in forties makeup particularly the emphasis on clear looking skin, are very current and are still very wearable. I also had a lot of fun doing this with Pauline :)) It's great having someone to bounce makeup ideas with as you're figuring out how to do it (whilst also lip-singing to old songs haha.)