Vintage Funk with a Retro Edge

Salut chicas!!!

Joyeux Weekend!!! Hope you've all had a productive week and are now relaxing to your heart's content. I'm not, as of yet, but I will be soon :)) A big thank you to all of you who have been so supportive of my bloggy thus far, thanks for your kind words, thoughtful comments, awesome requests and great questions!! I've had so much fun reading and responding. Keep them coming, because as much as this blog is for me, it is also (and mostly) for you :))

My look of the day is from Christina Aguilera's new video Not Myself Tonight and it is another long awaited request from an ooold friend. In this video, Xtina is being her typical dirrrty self, thrusting her person and invading your space, but her makeup is en pointe. There are several distinct looks in the video, but the requested makeup was the one where she's wearing curled bangs and a ponytail a la the 50's. This look is actually my favorite from the video, and I think it's probably the easiest to replicate. So, let's get started!!!

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

Yellow Never Mellow

Namaste and Aloha :)))


::bows::


As you know, I've been totally inspired by my bridal concept, so I've decided to imagine the kind of "bride" that I would be. By no means am I planning... I'm just brainstorming and having fun with it!! Since I'm a complete non-traditionalist and don't subscribe to the whole white wedding/white picket fence scenario, my special moment would incorporate the things that I do buy into. I love cultures, I love people, I love art and I love nature... My favorite color is yellow (pink is a close second), and since I can't choose a favorite culture (I love them all), I'm going to do a fusion inspiration: Hula girl meets Bollywood. Hope you all enjoy my newest creation aka my pseudo Bridal look :)


bisous,


Maryam Maquillage

P. S. My awesome top is by Tracy Reese--her clothes are phenomenal!!!

Here comes the Bride...

Salut darlings!!


Today, I'm fulfilling a long awaited request from my bestie Larry aka Larissa, for a Bridal Makeup Look. This bride-to-be knows that I'm no expert at weddings, (nor do I claim to be) but she asked me to do a look that showcases what I think a "bride should look like". I searched the net for inspiration for about 5 minutes and decided to give up because the only inspiring wedding makeup I found was Bollywood makeup. Yes, I am biased. I love bold, bright colors and I tend to favor exotic definitions of female beauty... hence, I will never have a white wedding. On the other hand, Larry the traditionalist, will not be arriving on an elephant, so I'm going to present her with a couple of looks worthy of a classic modern bride. I hope you all enjoy them as well. 


bisous,


Maryam Maquillage

P. S. Wedding talk makes me anxious hehe

Week in Review

Salut mes cheris!!!

Hope you're all doing well and are healthy and happy :)) I apologize for my week long hiatus, please don't think I've abandoned my blog, and know that my heart's been aching every day that I didn't write... This week's been pretty hectic and exciting, with Valentine's Day on Monday, a surprise party for my mom's milestone b-day on Wednesday and a spontaneous "Fun in the Sun" bbq at my dad's on Friday. I love my fam, so naturally I took a few pics to celebrate the festivities :))

This post will be a review of my maquillage throughout the week, in hopes to catchup and get back on track to my regular posting routine. yaaayyy!!!

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

Valentina for Valentine's

Happy Birthday Babushka and Happy Valentine's Day Friends!!!

My Grandma, named Valentina, turns 80 today :))) Wowzers!!! Gosh I miss my Ba, she is too far from me living in Russia and I so wish that it was not the case...  If we were together right now, we'd be having her homemade wine... mmm. So, in honor of all the lovers and all the cupid's children like my Ba, let's enjoy this beautiful occasion and bring a little love to our lives.

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

The Sweet, Saucy and Sultry Valentine

Salut mes amis!!!


Samedi has arrived and I'm sure a lot of you will be celebrating Valentine's Day today :)) Hope you and your sweetheart are having a wonderful Saturday so far and I'm delighted to be a part of it ((: if you're reading my blog, that is :))) Today's post is straight to the point: I'm showcasing some of my archived makeup looks that I find to be appropriate for a Valentine's Day celebration. I tried to select different styles of looks, so that it can accommodate a bunch of different tastes. Hope you all enjoy!!!


bisous,


Maryam Maquillage

V-Day Pregame

Salut les filles :))

Happy Friday and Happy Bornday to GiGi!!! So many holidays and birthdays this month--it is an overwhelming and exciting time of the year :)) Let's see, what's in store today...? My poll has closed and the winner of the most feared makeup trend is ::drumroll::..... Red Eyeshadow, of course. I fear it too, but I'm looking forward to experimenting and exploring the bloody trend, (said in my best British accent ;) so be on the lookout for the Red Eye post coming up very soon. A lot of you have also been asking me to do a how-to on lashes, and since my Lashtite semi-permanent glue and remover (for individual lashes/extensions) have just arrived in my mailbox, I'll have that tutorial coming up asap. For now, you can go to my Lady Vengeance post, scroll down to the bottom and read about the application of strip lashes (non-permanent falsies). I'll also have a bridal makeup tutorial for all you brides-to-be, and I'll try to fulfill some earlier celebrity requests, so don't forget to check back!!

Today's post will launch the countdown to V-Day... and I'll start it off short and sweet. Valentine's Day makeup can be as dramatic or natural as you like, but the key is keeping it romantic and feminine. This look will be perfect for the daytime, just to commemorate the holiday while you're at the office or perhaps on your day off with your significant other. Hope you enjoy!!



bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

P. S. It's V-Day for Egypt!!!

Yourself, slightly better ;)

Joyeux Jeudi :)))

Happy Thursday indeed!!! The last couple of days have been really quite great (for me), even though the bone chilling weather has returned to claim its casualties. I've been dressing warm, keeping it cozy in cashmere and chic in Uniqlo heat-tech. In the winter, layering is unavoidable, so make sure you take advantage of this weather and layer away! I like to pair men's "wifebeater" tanks (what a name...) with long cashmere cardigans and long sleeved cotton tees with bulky knits and vests. For every day, I like to wear my bright Russian shawl over a bland outfit to spice it up and also to show some solidarity ;)... I wrap the shawl around my neck, like a huge scarf for a Mary-Kate hippie effect. Finishing your outfit with a chunky scarf or a bright shawl will add another dimension to your layering, so don't be afraid to show your individuality.

Winter makeup, for me, means less is more. I know, I know... that's not why you came to read my blog, so I'll keep my minimal makeup chatter to a minimum. Instead, I'll show you some tips and tricks on how to achieve a bright eyed, awake and healthy winter look for our everyday lives--work, school, interviews, errands, meetings, and other fun mundane responsibilities that our lives are so full of :))) Read on...

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

5 Minutes to LOVE-lee

Cheers mes amis ;)))

It's Monday and it's warm in NYC...? Really? Not really... it's actually not surprising at all if you know New York and its weatherly mood swings. Today, I wore leggings and a oversized cotton button down underneath my Uniqlo parka and I was sweating... I'm not complaining though, I'm all for global warming actually feeling like warming rather than cooling. Feels nice to walk with my coat open and feel a pleasant breeze through my hair, for a change. Too bad this is just a Monday and I've got no birthdays to celebrate tonight hehe. Let's see, what else is new... my dinner was very crunchy tonight... I guess I didn't put enough water in my rice. Adding more soy sauce did not make it less crunchy, so needless to say, I'm still hungry, but I'll live. I'm feeling very uplifted today, maybe it's the weather or that I'm finally feeling better after my cold, but today, I kinda felt like smiling at strangers as I walked down 42nd street. I don't know what it is, but I'm smiling now, even though nothing's different :))

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage















Today, I'm going to show you guys how a little bit of makeup can make you look and feel instantly better, while taking virtually no time or hassle in applying it. I call it my 5-minute Perk Me Up makeup routine.

Start with a clean and moisturized face. Apply mineral foundation using a kabuki brush all over your face, concentrating on areas that need covering--blemishes, dark spots, etc. Brush your brows in place and apply some eyebrow gel or wax to set them, if you need to (I need to). Take a peachy blush and apply to the apples of your cheeks. 

 

Take a flat brush and a shimmery lavender eyeshadow (a universal brightener for all eye colors) and pack it all over your lid, slightly past the crease. I used Grifter from the Urban Decay Ammo Palette. Curl your lashes, brush them with a spoolie, and apply two coats of mascara. Tip: Place your mascara wand at the root of your lashes and wiggle it outwards (towards your temples) instead of straight up. This technique will make your eyes look bigger because the outer corners will be more lifted. Coat the bottom lashes once, this will make your eyes seem more doll like and awake.

 A fellow blogger pointed out that I don't always need to line my lips and it made me realize that I almost never leave my lips or eyes without liner. It's like my security blanket... I feel naked and cold without it lol!! Well, she was right. We tend to forget that makeup hides our true features, sometimes wrongfully covering up something that is actually beautiful about us. So what, if my eyes aren't big enough or blue enough and my lips aren't full enough or red enough and my skin isn't blemish free or light enough or dark enough... so what!!

Having said that... I will add that someone does find my eyes beautiful even though they're not big. Someone also thinks my lips are nice just the way they are. That someone loves every single freckle on my face and is sad to see them disappear under a coat of cover-up. That person thinks I'm special just the way I am... That person is me, on a good day ;))

On a regular day, we all need a reminder or a pick me up... We've all got insecurities or things we don't like about ourselves. Remember, makeup is not the answer to a low self-esteem. It's merely a temporary solution that won't fix your problems in the long run. I'm no spiritual guru, but you gotta start from within... heal your core = heal yourself.

Why do we hate the things that most people like about us?

My freckles... they come out more in the summertime, and I love them, now.

My "Asian" side...

where my nose is flat and my cheekbones are extra wide looking haha

♥ I love you Asia ♥

I accept me =)

Steely Smoke (Pack)

Coucou ;))

So as some of you may be watching the superbowl, (yippeeee!!!) I'm here trying to publish another post for you all (yaaayyy!!!) Question: Are there any makeup fanatics out there who are also football fans?? I believe I only know of one... my darling bff Larissa. Hi Larry ;) So not that I'm into football at all, but today I learned, through a sort-of charades guessing game, the names of the two teams playing tonight. Apparently, Packers pack paper in Wisconsin, and Steelers are known for steel in Pennsylvania... who knew?? Better question is, how does this tie into makeup? Well... after looking through my photo archives, I realized I have quite a collection of particular makeup looks, with the most frequent being the smokey eye look. My smoky compilation consists primarily of grays and gun metals, so I thought why not share it, in honor of the superbowl... After all, Steelers and Packers really do remind me of a Steely Smokey Eye. I hope you all catch the connection here hehe. Please enjoy and do vote in the poll :))

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

LOOK #1: STEELY PRINCESS

This look is perfect for all eye colors. The shimmery silver brings out blue and green eyes, making them brighter, and the black liner brings out hazel and brown shades, making them lighter and more noticeable. Keep the look wearable by pairing it with pale or nude lips and minimal blush on the apples of the cheeks. 

To achieve this look is simple. You'll need two shades of silver shadow and a good, waterproof gel liner applied to top and bottom lash lines and waterlines.  I'm wearing Coastal Scents gel liner in Stellar, and I'm sure of this because this summer (when this pic was taken) I was completely obsessed with Stellar and wore it every day. The color is sort of a muted charcoal black with tiny silver micro glitters. I still use it for my waterline, but have graduated to Clinique cream liner in True Black because it is the creamiest formula ever, and the color is blacker than black. My lips are outlined with NYX natural and filled in with Prestige lipliner in Silk, a pale pinky nude. 

LOOK #2: SHADY STAR

Similar to the first look, but less heavy on the liner with the emphasis on smokiness, blending and shading. Here, I used a silver shadow, a skin tone shadow and a light, shimmery highlight. I like this look because the flesh tone shadow gives a warmness to an otherwise very cool eye. I paired it with some lashes and clear gloss on my lips, for an extra pop. 

Apply the silver shadow first, then blend it out using a flesh tone shadow on a dome shaped brush. The two colors will flow into one another, creating a nice gradient effect. Finish with a bright highlighter shadow, right under the arch of your brow, then line your upper lash line and bottom waterline with a black gel liner. 

For an extra sparkle, top the silver lid with loose glitter. I like MAC reflects pearl and gold glitter. LA Splash and NYX also have great choices on glitter.

LOOK #3: SMOKIN' COOL

Simplest look to achieve, yet it's the most glamorous. I used exactly 2 shadows for the look and 1 liquid eyeliner. Start with a matte gray shadow by packing it on the lid and past your crease. Next, take a clean dome-shaped brush and "erase" the harsh line by sweeping the brush along the edge of the gray shadow in windshield wiper motions. Take a matte white or bone color shadow and apply under your eyebrow, not touching the gray. With a black liquid liner, line the top lash line, adding a wing at the end and lightly line the bottom lash line with the matte gray shadow.

Add some half lashes or lash accents just the corners of the eyes and you're done!! On my lips, I'm wearing some ruby red gloss to match my earrings. I typically don't like to match my outfits to my makeup, but occasionally, I do... :))

SOME SMOKEY PALETTES

Urban Decay Naked Palette (12 colors)

NYX For Your Eyes Only in Smokey Eyes (10 colors)

Rimmer Colour Rush Quad Eyeshadow in Smokey Noir (quad--4 colors)

Brushes: Sonia Kashuk Crease Shadow Brush, Studio Tools Medium Shadow Brush, both from Target.

Lady Vengeance

Salut mes cheries :))

Hope you had a productive week and are enjoying your weekend to the fullest!!! I am for sure, because my week was tough, to say the least. For one, I started my final semester of school, with my week consisting of speaking to counselors, sorting out my schedule, purchasing books with money I don't have, etc. :/ and to top it off, while running around, I was also battling a killer cold that was vigorously trying to bring me down... I got knocked once or twice, but in the end, I beat the bitch... and I'm finally better now, thanks to my slow-to-respond immune system, which awoke from its week-long siesta at the eleventh hour... and thanks to my mom for bringing me actual Russian remedies that did not involve vodka. whew... Enough about all that bitterness. Today I'm planning on enjoying me some QT and rest. Tomorrow's another day and then back to biznass on Monds... In today's post, I'll try to address some of your questions and comments, while presenting you with my look of the day: Lady Vengeance. The Bitch is Back and She's Back with a Vengeance. (The Bitch is played by Moi ;) Hope you all enjoy. Please vote in my new POLL, you can find it on the right sidebar. Merciiiii

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

Fancy seeing you here...

THE CONCEPT: A couple years ago, I saw The Vengeance Trilogy, a South Korean movie trilogy about revenge, which blew my mind and just knocked my socks off!!! I believe it was based off a Japanese manga of the same name... Korean or Japanese, it was awesomely mind-boggling and refreshingly twisted. So, if you're into twisted foreign films, watch the second installment titled Oldboy, and you will not be disappointed. Anyway, I got my vengeance idea from this film and the Japanese manga--it's like ninja meets anime :/ I like to base my makeup looks on concepts or stories and sorta build from there... I thought it was fitting because after looking and feeling like crap for an entire week of imprisonment by the evil cold, I decided to break the chains and kiss my cold bye bye. Now, I'm back and I'm better than ever and I wish to take pleasure in avenging my cold mwa-ha-ha. Hope you like the concept, I kinda do. 

THE LOOK: The focus of the look is obviously on the dark, sultry and crazed purple eyes. I think this makeup can be worn for a dinner or a night out, but you have to be careful with your hair and accessories. Keep your hair up in a classic chignon pairing with black lace and simple accessories or if you're more daring, go for loose hair and a white blazer... mmm I smell lady vengeance ;)  P. S. I have no idea why the eyeshadows come out so washed out in flash photographs... I mean, I get why that happens, but I don't accept it. It is unacceptable lol... A quick disclosure: I'm posting the high quality pics so that you can see the makeup on the face and how I would pair it with clothes, hair, etc., even though the colors aren't true to life. Smaller, more detailed pictures are taken with photobooth (built-in web cam) and are more true to life as far as color consistency. Yay, now the weight is lifted and I can move on ;)

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED: Here's everything that I used for my entire face. Click to enlarge.

Palette: Urban Decay Ammo Palette. I used Last Call (burgundy) for the crease, Grifter (lavender with glitter) for the inner corner, and Polyester Bride (shimmery white) for the highlight under the brow. I absolutely love this palette and all Urban Decay palettes... they're super sleek, are great for traveling and the quality of the eyeshadows is superb!!! I'll be doing a lot of looks from these palettes, so get them if you're a makeup junkie like meeee :)))
MAC pigment: Grape (purple with hot pink glitter). I used it for the lid color.
Lashes: Ardell Whispies; Glue: Duo dark tone adhesive.
Brushes: Medium Shadow brush for application and Stiff Crease brush for the crease and blending. I don't remember the brand, but I'm sure I got them both at Target.
NYX jumbo eye pencil in Purple (love this color--it's like a bluish purple that's sorta duo tone)
NYX lipliner in Natural, and NYX gloss in Mauve (this color is very flattering on olive and tan skin)
Bare Minerals matte foundation in Golden Medium and my pink Kabuki brush from Coastal Scents.

Because I'm not using a lot of products on my face, I want to even out my complexion first. I'm starting my routine with my Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. For more skin care tips, go to my post The Skinny About Skin.

Here I am, frozen in Mint Julep... I would've made a great muse for Gauguin

TO ACHIEVE THE LOOK: I kept my face super simple, one because I really wasn't going anywhere and two, because I wanted to keep the focus strictly on the eyes. I used my Bare Minerals matte foundation in Golden Medium over the t-zone only and to cover up any blemishes. For the lips, I used NYX lipliner in Natural and NYX gloss in Mauve.

1. Prime the lids with a primer and apply a purple sticky base to the lid and under the bottom lash line (NYX jumbo eye pencil), leaving the inner portion of the eye blank 
2. Taking a purple pigment (MAC pigment in Grape) with a flat eyeshadow brush, begin by packing it on the lid, going past your crease. Keep the shape parallel to the line of your crease. With the tip of the brush, also line underneath your bottom lash line. I like using pigments (loose shadow) because the effect is very opaque. Keep a tissue handy to catch fallout.
3. With a stiff dome-shaped brush, apply a burgundy color onto the crease, blending with the purple. Concentrate most of the color on the outer portion of the eye.
4. Wipe off the flat brush and apply a white shimmery shadow under the brow and a lavender shimmery shadow to the inner corner. 
5. Apply the lashes and you're done. Because the color is so deep, I skipped the eyeliner, but if you feel like you need to line the eyes, go ahead and do so :)
6. The lashes that I'm using are strip lashes, so they're far from natural looking. I think they're fun and demure and add an extra degree of drama to the eye, but I'd never claim they were mine lol. If you're looking for something believable yet enhancing, go for half lashes, or lash accents. They're easier to put on and they blend in nicely with your own lashes. I use Duo dark tone glue for strip lashes because it's the only one that dries quickly and does not pull out any of your real lashes when you take them off.

QUICK LASH HOW-TO: STRIP LASHES

1. Remove the lash from the tray using tweezers. 
2. Apply a thin line of Duo waterproof lash adhesive to the base of the lash strip
3. Wait 30 seconds for the glue to get tacky. While you wait, bend the lash gently to form better to the shape of the eye.
4. With dull tweezers, take the lash by the center and place to the center of your lash roots. Once you practice a couple of times, you can apply your lashes with your fingers.
5. Take the outer corner and place it to outer corner of your eye, then the inner corner, respectively.
6. The inner corner of the lash strip does not have to meet your tear duct, it can stop where ever it stops, as long as the outer corner is at the very corner of your your eye. 
7. Flick the lashes up or gently crimp them with an eyelash curler. 
8. Take a black mascara and run it just underneath the roots of your lashes to blend your real lashes with the fake ones. 

To remove: Grab the outer corner and gently peel off. Voila!!!

Ze Bitch eez Back... and she's scheming

These eyes never tell a lie... I'm so in character!!

 PEACE OUT AND I'M OUT ;)