Low-Key Halloween

Happy post-Halloween!

For those still nervy/young enough to trick-or-treat, I hope you got lots of treats!

For those out of that demographic, get yourself two Advil and bacon grease.

I'm shockingly lazy when it comes to Halloween - I've mentioned before that I can't justify spending a ridiculous amount of money on a generic costume only to wear it once.  I know some people have a go-to costume that they wear every year because it looks amazing on them.  I still have yet to find mine.

Once again, I like my Halloween looks to be interpretations rather than literal copies of a character - that is, I'll pick and choose certain defining characteristics and use them in my costume.  I'm just too commitment-phobic to go all out!

This year, it started with a hair look...

One curl managed to turn out so defined - my first thought was "...this looks familiar."  I kept going with it and it came to me.

FLAPPER!

These boundary-pushing ladies were known for their raised hemlines, shorn hair and bold, care-free attitudes.  What could be more perfect?

Hair
I used my GHD iron and L'Oreal Studio Finishing Spray to help collect and define the curls.  For such precise curls, it's a good idea to run the iron more slowly through the strands and use your fingers to help shape the curl.  I also used bobby pins to hold them in place until they fully cooled.

Make-Up
Face: Them flappers liked staking their feminine claims with lots of make up, so I felt it appropriate to go with a heavier base.  It's okay if your look lacks that fresh dewiness people often go for - it was the 20's when everything lead in it!  I say go for matte, porcelain-perfect skin!  I used Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse in Porcelain Ivory.  It's not my favourite foundation, but it gives that heavy coverage and leaves a certain opaqueness that worked for this look.

Eyes: You all know that I love me a sooty, dark eye.  Flappers weren't so much known for a smoky eye as they were for abusing kohl to the max, so I kept the line rather precise and close to the lash.   I used Covergirl's LiquelineBlast in Black Fire; it's supposed to be liquid liner in pencil form.  What I find about these liquid-in-pencil things is that they don't usually look like liquid liner, but they're extremely precise and soft in such a way that neither pencil nor liquid are.  I like!

Cheeks: Flappers were VERY into rouge - but I with such a heavy look already, I couldn't bring myself to go with a bright red cheek.  Instead, I went with a generous dusting of Benefit Dallas (a gorgeous, plummy blush/bronzer depending on your skin tone) on the cheek, temples, hairline and chin for a little dimension, and finished with a reddish-pink blush directly on the cheekbone (Split from Smashbox Softlights Duo in Split/Second - I think it's discontinued, or only available in a set)

Lips: Pièce de résistance, non? They key here was to get a very defined line - in the 20s women liked a very defined cupid's bow.  I used MAC's Lip Pencil in Spice to sketch in the shape I wanted, then filled it with MAC Viva Glam I directly from the tube.  Most people like to use a lip brush for such a strong colour, but there's a kind of velvety colour payoff that you get from direct application that I can't procure with tools.

Preview of my next post:  how to make your lip colour last!