Spruced Up Spring Green

Joyeux Printemps!!!

I'm celebrating Spring by whipping out my makeup palettes of brights, pastels, satins and shimmery eyeshadows! See ya later smokey eye, hello and wink wink flirty eye ;) I love experimenting with colorful shadows, so the next few makeup looks will be girly and fun, just in time for spring. As always, I'll be including some of my makeup tips and tricks and a tutorial on how to achieve the look. Let me know if you have any requests and I'll gladly take on the challenge. 

I love love love that short transitional period in New York, the week and a half that falls in between winter and summer, when the temperatures are perfect and the people are all eager to mate... I'm exaggerating, of course, but if you've never lived in NYC, expect either unbearably hot or unbearably cold, unless you're lucky to catch the teensy season (a month at the most) of Spring aka Sprinter... 

When I think of Spring, I think of the color Green sprouting from the earth and the cherry blossom tree outside of my building (can't wait for it to bloom!). I also think of all the exciting color filled holidays--March 8th, St. Patrick's Day, Purim, Easter, etc. Forgive me, I'm a little behind on my holidays, but I know some of you take it very seriously, so I'll try to match my makeup looks to the upcoming celebrations. So, in honor of Spring and St. Patrick's Day passed (don't ask me how I how got around the city that day), here's my Maquillage du Jour or Makeup Look of the Day: Spruced Up Spring Green... now say that three times. 

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

Smooches

à la Film Noir

Salut cheries :))

I know my title is grammatically incorrect... excuse moi. This is how we, Americans, would say it, and I know we screw up everything, so please do not mind. In this post, I will be fulfilling a request for dark lipstick maquillage inspired by Film Noir and Gucci's recent take on it, as well as show you how to balance it with eye makeup. Ooo-La-la!!! For the dark lip, I did three eye looks, and I'll include the other two in my next post so this one doesn't have to be super long. For now, check out my maquillage du jour, let me know what you think, and keep your requests coming!!!

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

WHY THE FUR?

Viva Scarlett Feva!

Salut les filles :))

If you can't tell by the title of my post, my maquillage du jour is inspired by the one and only Scarlett Johansson. The look I'm replicating today was worn by Miss Scarlett to Sunday's Academy Awards. Although, she got a lot of hate from the fashion police, I think she was by far the best dressed on the red carpet, and certainly deserves an award for her makeup and gown. Besides, who made Giuliana and Kelly Osbourne experts anyway?... they know nothing about looking good. With that said, my beautiful muse receives the Scarlett Letter A from moi :))

P. S. In this look, I will not be pretending like I'm Scarlett Jo; I'm not blond and I look nothing like her (shucks), so I'll be applying the makeup as I would on moi :))

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

Moody Blues + DIY French

Salut mes cheries :))

This is me, today... Candidly moving my hair from my face and showing off my fresh French. I like this pic, because it perfectly describes my mood today--a bit anxious and a bit moody... don't worry, I won't take it out on you :))

It was a gloomy, warm Monday in NYC, and as it's coming to a close, I'd like to end it on a positive note. I'll share with you my makeup of the day and I'll walk you through my do-it-yourself French manicure. Hope you enjoy :)))

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

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

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

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!!!

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 ;)

Everyday Smokey

Salut mes cheries!!!

Happy Wednesday, hope you're all still warm and healthy. I'm feeling a bit scratchy in my throat, so I'm drinking hot tea with lemon and gargling with warm water and baking soda... yummy :/ Tonight, I'm making myself a special concoction, which I learned from my Russky bff: 1/3 honey, 1/3 lemon and 1/3 vodka. If you're feeling like you're about to catch something, try this "cocktail"-- it works better than Theraflu. My throat is always super sensitive and I'm constantly battling with it... my bf thinks it's stress related as I am about to start my final school semester. Whatever it is, I gotta nip it at the bud, so I'm keeping positive and happy while trying to stay warm.

Today, I wanted to show you guys my makeup look from this Sunday... it was a simple, everyday mini-smoky eye paired with pinkish nude lips and rosy cheeks. I wore the look to a kiddie party and would recommend it for any informal or formal daytime occasion. Basically, this is a super easy look to achieve and anybody, even a beginner, can recreate it on themselves. Hope you enjoy!!

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

P. S. Please vote in my POLL on the right sidebar :))

ABOUT THE LOOK: In the winter, I like to use warm shades on my eyes and cheeks, even if it's for every day. For the face, I used my typical makeup routine: Laura Mercier mineral foundation primer (the best primer for mineral makeup ever), Lancome Maquicomplet concealer in medium bisque under my eyes, around the nose and on any blemishes, and my Bare Minerals matte foundation in golden medium. I also swept some Benefit Hoola bronzer across my forehead, nose and cheeks. 

Tip: To fake a tan, apply your bronzer to areas where you would normally highlight: across the forehead, down the nose and on top of the cheekbones. You can use shimmery bronzer if you want, but I still prefer matte for the winter. 

EYES: For the eyes, you will need just 3 eyeshadows: a matte chocolate brown, a lighter matte soft brown or tan (couple shades darker than your natural skin tone), and a frosty pink or nude color. You'll also need a brown eyeliner and black mascara. You'll need 2-3 brushes--smudge brush, contour fluffy brush, and an angled fluffy brush (optional). For pictures and detailed descriptions of these brushes go to my post Fabuleyes.

1. Line the bottom waterline with the brown liner. I used Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in whiskey because it's waterproof once it sets.
2. Extend the line outside of the waterline, creating an outer wing and line the outer half of your upper lash line. Don't line under the eye.
3. Take your smudge brush and a matte chocolate brown shadow and smudge the top liner and the wing your just created. Smudge it up and out and also inwards toward the center of the lid. I used Too Faced eyeshadow duo in Sexpresso. 
4. Take the remaining color on the brush (do not add more shadow) and line very gently under the lower lash line, stopping halfway in.
5. Take a fluffy dome-shaped (contour) brush and apply the medium brown color following the contour of your eye socket. Use windshield wiper motions and make sure to tap off the excess color from the brush. This look is about soft smokiness, so there can't be any harsh lines. 
6. Take the smudge brush and a little more dark brown and go over the upper lash line once more, then repeat step 5. I do these two steps about 3 times until I achieve the smokiness that I like.
7. Take an angled fluffy brush or just clean your dome brush and apply a frosty nude color to your brow bone and to the rest of your lid (inner two thirds). I used the color Peach Fuzz (a peachy nude with gold glitters) from the same Too Faced eyeshadow duo. These eyeshadows are absolutely fantastic, I love this duo for everyday.
8. Curl your eyelashes and apply two coats of Black Mascara. My favorite is L'Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black. I dare not spend over $5 on mascara, ever...

I used Ardell half lashes to complete the look, but you obviously don't have to. I like these lashes because they give me an extra cat eye lift. I use Duo lash glue in dark tone, that way you don't have to conceal it :)) My eyebrows are filled in ever so slightly, only in areas where my brows are sparse. I use a gray eyeshadow to fill them in because my brows are black and then I brush it out with a spoolie.

I look really weird in this pic because the camera angle distorted my features. My nostrils are super flared... yikes!!! No me gusta... but the lip color came out very true to life ;)

Anyways, I added some pink blush on the apples of my cheeks to warm them up and sprayed some MAC Fix + on my face to settle the makeup. On my lips, I'm wearing NYX lipliner in Natural--my everyday go to lipliner--and NYX lipgloss in Beige. I don't know why it's called Beige, it's really a muted pink, but whatevs... Also, I'm really not crazy about the smell of this lipgloss, it smells like cheap fake cherry and I just can't stand it... the colors and the quality of NYX glosses are awesome, but the smell could definitely be upgraded. Alrightie, short blog, let me know what you think, and PLEASE VOTE IN MY POLL on the TOP RIGHT sidebar. Merci a tous!!!