Wednesday 17 March 2010

Choose Opulence During Turbulence


There is no doubt that over the last year the recession has given birth to a new shopping trend. For most of us, the days of purchasing the first item that catches our eye and handing it to the cashier without as much as a blink have lessened. Caution has been instilled in us, a little voice urges us to “Look around first” or worse, insensitively reminds us, “You just can’t afford it.”

Boring as it sounds, there’s a lot to be said for this style of shopping! (Stay with me...) Saving up before you make a purchase ensures you still feel the same about it after some time. And if you do still crave it after a while then it is more likely to be an item that will continue to rank highly in your wardrobe. Instead of buying a host of garments on impulse which may not be versatile, the sensible option has been to buy pieces that are perhaps a little more expensive than people would usually stretch to but are built to last, with great adaptability.

Shopping this way results in smart purchases – and the chances are you will emerge looking a lot more classically tailored than you did before the economy crisis. Not feeling particularly flush? Stride out in your finest and who’s to know?!

Why not inject this attitude into your makeup shop? While neons, metallics and glitter are lots of fun, they tend to clutter your makeup bag as items that have ‘a time and a place.’ Ideally, I think every girl should own a makeup kit that makes the most of her features for a soft, everyday look, with an additional lipstick of a racier hue to set the mood in the evening. The day to night transition need only require an extra slick of mascara, a gentle touch of eyebrow pencil to showcase the eyes and a splash of rouge lipstick.

Start with the basics when buying smart makeup designed to last– a long wear foundation such as Lancome’s Teint Idole Ultra will leave you with a matte finish to last through the day to evening, with no need to powder. Invest in a good compact of natural eye shadows – such as Bobi Brown’s Nude Eye Palette. Again, your eyes can easily transform for evening with this product – simply use a soft brush to blend the darker hues into your socket line – concentrating especially on the outer corners of your eyes. Ensure you have defined brows by using an angular brush to stroke on a little solid eyeliner such as Sleek's cheaper-than-cheap eyeliner pot in 'Espresso' (exclusive to Superdrug). An eye-opening mascara such as Maybelline’s fairly-priced ‘Colossal Volum' Express’ will open your eyes with guaranteed impact on a second coating.

Vamp up your look with MAC’s Russian Red lipstick (think Madonna in her Express Yourself and Vogue videos - you ARE that hot) and finish with a sweep of blush to suit your skin tone. I'm obsessed with Beneft's 'Sugar Bomb' blusher just now - they promise their four unique shades of rose, shimmering pink, soft plum, and peach will blend together perfectly for a delicious "sugar rush flush." I couldn't agree more!

The look you achieve should be that of timeless glamour – a look that will leave you feeling sophisticated and every bit deserved of that cocktail in front of you, even if it was a kind friend’s shout...


Model: Nicola Duff
Make Up: Suzanne C.M Smith
Photographer: Stefan Sealy

No comments:

Post a Comment