February 14th.
Valentine's Day.
For some, a day of love-filled chocolates and for most others... like me... can we please just get rid of the pink hearts cluttering our shopping aisles already?! <insert eye roll here>
I'm happily married and a hopeless romantic yet V-day has never been my thing... so I say. Truth be told, my husband gets the cold shoulder if I don't receive any acknowledgement by ten minutes after waking up.
So for all the pretend Valentine's Day haters, even on your most single 14ths of February's, who still have hope going to that dark gloomy bar to speed date with weirdos, remember, HOPE is what curls those lashes and leaves red lip stains on your "whiskey on the rocks" glass... Here is for you, single or not, a tutorial to show you how to let everyone know that Valentine's Day sucks, all while making the people you complain to wonder why you look so good.
For Steps 1-7 refer to these previous posts:
https://www.rlvbeauty.com/blog/part-1-how-to-achieve-glowing-skin
https://www.rlvbeauty.com/blog/part-2-how-to-achieve-glowing-skin
Now that you have cleaned your face, moisturized and primed, concealed those blemishes, and are shining in all the right places...
Step 8: Contour
Use a contour stick, a cream foundation or concealer a few shades darker than your skin tone to create a bit of drama on the contours of your face. Contouring has been around for ages. Most took notice about 10 years ago at the beginning of the Kim K takeover but we are going to emulate the 90's babes such as Cindy C and Drew B who definitely used contouring but in a very subtle way. Wearing black is a known trick to appear slimmer... think of contouring the same way; you're going to use this darker shade to create the illusion most flattering for your face. In my case, I have the cutest, chubbiest cheeks that I despise. To create the illusion of high cheek bones, draw a straight line starting from just underneath your cheek bone at the ear and use the end of your eyebrow / outer corner of eye as a guide for your stopping point. Tap product into place with a damp beauty blender or contouring brush. Be careful not to spread product around... that can make it look muddy and unnatural. You can do this very same technique along your jawline to create a more defined chin and jaw, along your hairline to create a smaller forehead, and you can surely use this technique to create a straighter nose. Remember to blend product into the area applied, DO NOT spread, and you will be a contouring queen. Feel free to seal it in using a translucent powder or a contour powder.
Step 9: You Makin' Me Blush
Select a blush color. Peaches, Baby Pinks, Plums look great on lighter skin tones, I love tangerine shades and deep reds for darker skin tones. Berries look best on medium skin tones but I think all skin tones can really do it justice. You can use your fingers to blend out a cream onto the apples of your cheeks and slightly into the contour to marry the two OR you use a blush brush to lightly blend into the apples and contour using a circling motion.
SKIN TONES USAGE - 4
Step 10: Eyes Made Him Smile
The focus of this look are the eyes. Choose a neutral eye shadow with a hint of pink and dust all over the lid. Line your top lash line with either a dark brown or a black eyeliner and don't stress about the perfection of the line because you're going to blend it out using a smudge brush, Q-tip, whatever you got, sistah. Next, take a medium neutral toned eye shadow and blend along your lower lash line. You want most of the the pigment toward the outer corner of your eye and a very minimal amount at the inner corner. Curl your lashes. Coat with mascara being conscious of leaving lashes clump free. Coat again... TWO COATS!
*use a lash comb to free those clumps
Step 11: She's on the BROW
Remember, the point is to look like you didn't try so don't get all crazy with the eyebrow carving and things like that IF you don't need to. Use a brow gel, clear or colored, to groom those suckers into place. I love a good bushy brow and think it looks awesome when they're combed up and out to give that ultra cool girl vibe. If you have any areas that seem sparse, use a brow shadow, pencil, or pomade to fill those areas in.
Step 12: Get Ready To Blow Yourself A Kiss
Apply a balm to your lips to give them a bit of moisture, especially if you have chapped lips. If your lips are extremely chapped due to the cold weather, I suggest using an exfoliating lip scrub or the bristles of your toothbrush with some sugar. Select a vampy red, berry, or a hot pink and use a finger to apply to your lips. This will give you the desired color as if you tried but in an very unintentional way.
Enjoy those compliments from your S.O. or the free drink from that speed dating weirdo.
Products I used are:
Cheek and Contour -
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Quickie Contour Stick https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/us/en/product/hoola-quickie-contour-stick
NARS Dolce Vita Blush https://www.narscosmetics.com/USA/dolce-vita-blush/0607845040316.html?cgid=blush
Too Faced Cocoa Contour in Medium Contour https://www.toofaced.com/face-makeup/contour/cocoa-contour-chiseled-to-perfection-palette/70164.html?cgid=contour#start=1
Eyes -
MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Naked Lunch https://www.maccosmetics.com/product/13840/907/products/makeup/eyes/shadow/eye-shadow-pro-palette-refill-pan#/shade/Naked_Lunch
MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Woodwinked https://www.maccosmetics.com/product/13840/363/products/makeup/eyes/shadow/eye-shadow#/shade/Woodwinked
MAKE UP FOR EVER Kohl Pencil in Black w/ Metal Highlights https://www.sephora.com/product/kohl-pencil-P99802?skuId=1266162&icid2=products%20grid:p99802
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Brownish Black https://www.maybelline.com/eye-makeup/mascara/great-lash-washable-mascara/brownish-black
Maybelline Sensational Mascara in Brownish Black https://www.maybelline.com/eye-makeup/mascara/lash-sensational-washable-mascara/brownish-black
Brows -
Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow --- it's been recalled
Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade in Medium Brown http://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com/dipbrow-pomade-waterproof-color-brow-sculpt/dipbrow-pomade.html?cgid=best-sellers-brows#start=1&cgid=best-sellers-brows
Lips -
BeautyCounter Lip Conditioner Calendula Balm https://www.beautycounter.com/rachelvogel1?goto=skin-care%2Feye-lip-care%2Flip-conditioner-calendula-balm.html
Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes Lip Color in Burgundy Blush 696 https://www.target.com/p/maybelline-174-color-sensational-174-creamy-mattes-lip-color-696-burgundy-blush/-/A-17243432