Makeup Is Easy: Makeup of Biblical Proportions

I took this picture in the early morning today and I like it for two reasons. First, because I think I look like I am peering into the future and secondly because you can see the full awesomeness of the Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes mascara I'm always on about (the eye on the right particularly.

I would also like to make an announcement in light of this photograph - I have zits today.
I want to start the world campaign against concealer, which I know sounds insane. For those of you who do not believe that we can all live fuller, happier lives without concealer, I note that I have zits on my left cheek, under my lip on the left side, under my nose on the right side, and one kind of smooshed into my right eyebrow. They are not insignificant but they have been handled properly, by which I mean that I didn't slather greasy concealer sticks all over them.

Concealers tend to come in two varieties - greasy and drying. The downfalls of the greasy variety should be obvious. Additional oil on an oily area will encourage more zits to crop up because they can't breathe; your skin is waterbased and the concealer is oil-based, so the concealer will just float over the top and smother the zit, encouraging it to fester and get truly gross. The drying types get held up as medicated solutions, but realistically they also encourage breakout because the skin doesn't have ENOUGH moisture. You get blemishes when your skin is unbalanced, not necessarily because of oil alone.

So here's what you do. First, clean your face every day. This can mean cleanser, it can mean toner. Just clean it. Then you go out and you get yourself an extractor - I use this one from Sephora and it's great. When you get a zit, steam the bejesus out of your face using a washcloth soaked in hot hot hot water, then apply pressure with your extractor when your pores are nice and open. The beauty of the above-linked extractor is that it has a narrow end and a thick end, so you can apply different kinds of pressure to get all the junk out of there. You want to do this routine at night because your face will likely freak out a little and get red. This is worth it. Clean your face again and moisturize.

In the morning, put a little dot of foundation on your finger and TAP the foundation onto the zit. This will let it work its way into any little crevices without getting all chunked up around any raised skin (you can do the same if you just use powder; the tapping and lack of greasy concealer are the important parts). After you've paid this special attention to the blemishes themselves, go ahead and apply your normal foundation or powder. For me, this requires some concerted effort towards abandoning my more OCDesque tendencies. Yes, you will be able to see the zits, but you will be able to see them because you are looking for them and because you know where they are. Go forth and stop worrying about it and I promise you that no one will ever take note of them.
I went with a slightly more toned down version of my favorite pink/gold combo of late. I still used Bandits in Bras but topped it with the more brown Necessary Morality for a smokier feel. Used the usual Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes which is regrettably drying up, so I am considering trying some new brands...man, but it's SO GOOD. One of my Life Projects of late is being less stuck in my ways, but does that have to apply if the way I am stuck in is awesome? Decisionmaking process to follow!
This is a closeup of my lipgloss, which is Get Rich Quick Dazzleglass from M.A.C., which I bought upon a recommendation from Apocalypstick Now. I will note, as she did, that it looks horrifying in the tube. It's brown goo with Eighties colored sparkles in it but somehow when you put it on it turns into a great nude. I don't know how or why, but I assume physics factors in heavily.
I actually think I could have used some blush here. Ah, the passing of summer. From pastiness I came, and to pastiness I shall return. On a side note, were you perhaps wondering about my necklace? The one that basically sums up about 90% of my personality in one piece of jewelry?
This is a piece called "The Cimmerian Library," made by Margaux Kent of The Black Spot Books. I found Margaux's work on Etsy, and she is just amazing. She has a sublime old world sensibility that informs all of her work. This necklace is comprised of eleven books held together by three chains.
Margaux mostly works with reclaimed leather, so all of these covers have a back story. I put the card away but will be detailing them later - they include an old baseball glove, a doctor's bag and a vintage handbag, amongst others. I LOVE it and would wear it all the time if I could. You should go by Margaux's site and take a look. She has some fantastic handmade items and gorgeous prints. Here's one more shot of the library, on Margaux for her Etsy listing - much better quality than with my cameraphone!