Carine Roitfeld for MAC

           I have a horrible secret to admit: I don’t buy makeup. Well, I haven’t for the past few years. Interning at magazines, I got to take home so many new and amazing products that weren’t shot, and obviously, at tarte, I get whatever I may need. My kit is fully stocked and my drawers are overflowing. So something has to REALLY catch my eye for me to go out and buy it. And what was that something? Carine Roitfeld for MAC.

          Oh, Carine Roitfeld. The fabled former editor of French Vogue, she now has her own magazine, CR Fashion Book (with Kate Upton [!!] onthe cover  “mothering” baby chicks), and basically is the authority on all things cool – not just breasts and cigarettes. Her partner, Christian Restoin, started Equipment (a SoHo boutique is coming within the next month), so essentially, everything this woman gets involved with has an air of understated, I’m-not-trying-at-all perfection.

Perfect hair, perfect coat

          While Roitfeld’s style is obviously flawless, her beauty look is also of  note. I’m actually contemplating copying her current hairstyle (a sharp, shoulder grazing style with subtle shading to the ends), and in the meantime, actually copying her makeup. Her eyes are always shaded with matte, warm shades and lined to smoldering perfection with liner, almost like she slept in the makeup, but better. The rest of her face is softly contoured and finished with a sheer nude lip.

          As a former MAC whore (I used to buy every item from every limited edition collection), I now barely keep up with their releases, but somehow stumbled upon news of Carine’s collection just last week. And on a walk through the West Village, at the world’s tiniest MAC store on Bleecker Street, I took the plunge, buying both the lipstick and the Desert Camouflage Palette.

The Verdict?

          Tropical Mist Lipstick looked like the typical “goes well with smokey eyes opaque nude” upon first glance – something I have iteration after iteration of in my kit…from MAC’s famous Myth to Revlon’s ColorBurst inSoft Nude (an AMAZING budget pick) to Lancome’s Color Design in Pale Lip. Upon swatching, however, I realized this one is different. With its luster texture, it is super sheer and just gives lips a hint of pale peach color and shine, instead of wiping out the lips a la [new mama] Snooki. It would pair beautifully with almost any look, especially those with a deeper eye.

          Desert Camouflage is the perfect palette to create a matte, warm smokey eye and contoured cheek, much like Carine’s go-to look. The colors – Sahara Dust, Cactus Thorn, Desert, and Carbon – are all super neutral, allowing you to create a subtle day time look that can be kicked up a notch for evening by smoking it out a little. I’m also loving the cremeblend blush that is on the bottom of the palette, Sand Storm, as an eyeshadow as well as a contour color, putting a little on the lower lids for dimension and some sexy mystery. It’s also essential to mention that the layout and look of the palette is subtle and minimalist, making it a super-chic addition to any bathroom counter.

        It is safe to say that I am utterly obsessed with this palette and will be using it until I run out of the colors. While in-store, I also picked up the Dark Side lipstick, an amplified crème that is ideal for that gothic-y beauty look I’m loving for fall. AND, I think I’m going back for the Azealia Banks lipstick in Yung Repunxel, a super-deep purple that you can sheer out to create a berry stain. So unfortunately, I may be a MAC addict, once again.

 

Change: The Only Constant

Image via Pinterest

           If there is anything I’ve learned in the 21 years of my life, it is that the only thing constant in life is change. One minute you think you have everything planned to a T, and suddenly, your plans go up in smoke and everything does a 180.

           I just arrived from San Francisco to NYC two Saturdays ago, and I just signed the lease on my first apartment – in SoHo, one of my favorite parts of Manhattan. Along with the move came the start of a new job, as marketing coordinator, at tarte cosmetics, where I will help to plan in-store promotional events and company video shoots, work on makeup artist education and training, and help with marketing copy. It is a perfect position for me because it takes both my writing skills and makeup artistry into account, allowing me to help create facecharts and looks to correspond with upcoming products, while giving me the security you have in an office environment as opposed to freelancing. So to say that I have been busy is an understatement.

          If you aren’t yet familiar with tarte cosmetics, you should get in-the-know now. Started by Maureen Kelly in her one-bedroom NYC apartment not too long ago, the brand has an amazing line of “high performance naturals” – products that are free of many of the harmful preservatives, irritants, and other icky things we see in many cosmetics lines. Many of the products are vegan and all are cruelty free. tarte’s products are fun and trendy, but they also seriously work. The company has won a plethora of beauty awards from Allure, Elle, and many other publications.

          I covered my favorite tarte products in the past, but I want to introduce a new fall launch that I absolutely adore: the Call of the Wild palette and eye liner, only available at Ulta. Not only is the black and leopard packaging super-chic, but the eye shadows inside really work. Most are bronzy neutrals, but I love the navy shade – “roar” – which is an unexpected pairing with the shimmering burgundy, “wild”.

          I’m so, so excited to start working seriously for a line that I love, and while this fall will be plenty busy, I can’t wait for the chaos! I find that I am the type of person that does much better on a regular schedule. Between tarte, my last few credits in college, enjoying what New York has to offer, and of course, blogging, I may suffer from a severe lack of sleep but I’m fairly certain it will all be worth it.   

Pre-Fall Favorites

          I’m sick of summer. More specifically, summer in New York. Yes, beach days are great, but the city in the sweltering heat is quite unmanageable. You leave your home looking what you think is wonderful and by the time you are at work, makeup is smudged and sweat-through, hair is frizzy, and you’ve sweat through your white dress. If fall started tomorrow, I’d be quite alright. I’ve amassed quite a large inventory of fall clothing, all of which I am unable to wear, and it just stares at me, dejected, in my closet. The poor sweaters, coats, and boots!

This fall, there are a couple of things I’m obsessed with style-wise (and beauty-wise, of course).

British Racing Green

Image found on Pinterest

 

           I’ve always been a fan of all the greens - lime, chartreuse, kelly, and most of all, hunter. For fall, shades of green are everywhere, and I’m a fan. My main goal is to get my hands on a deep green leather bag, preferably this one by YSL. You can wear the color with everything you normally would pair black with, which makes an outfit new and exciting. Another way to wear the color is in clothing, and Aritzia’s house brand T.Babaton makes the perfect button-down (only available at Aritzia stores), a steal at $110 compared to the classic Equipment blouses.

          A deep green cat eye is an unexpected, yet subtle twist on a classic – Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Liner in Ivy Shimmer Ink and an angled brush is ideal for this. Or line the inner rim of your lower lashes with MAC’s Technakohl Liner in Jade Way, for a louder look.

 

Deep, Dark Lips

From Oyster Magazine via Le Fashion

 

          As I’ve gone gradually blonder over the past  two years, I’ve tried to go “darker” in my accessory and makeup choices, to prevent myself from looking too bubblegum. Blonde hair needs to be toughened up. I recently picked up these earrings from Topshop, which are almost like a faux gauge, but simple spike studs also do the trick to go bold.

          For makeup, the easier way to go from Barbiesque to something more Daria (the 90’s tv show, obviously) is a dark, plum-tinged matte lip. With clean skin, a touch of highlighter, and just mascara on the eyes, this look is modern and edgy. Don’t be afraid to rock it if you happen to be brunette or redhead, but be sure to prevent it from going too gothic by pairing it with hyper -feminine ruffles or lace.

          My pick for this look is Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, which I picked up at the gorgeous Nars boutique on Bleecker Street this weekend. A subtler, sheerer option is Tarte's Lipsurgence Lip Luster in Moody.

         I’m just waiting for the first leaf to fall before I pull this soon-to-be-staple out of my makeup archives.

Stubbs & Wootton

Super-heroine shoes

          Ah, smoking slippers – the new ballet flat. This shoe shape is everywhere, from Steve Madden to Christian Louboutin. But my pick for the slipper of the season is the quintessentially preppy classic, Stubbs & Wootton. These embroidered loafers come in every style of embroidery imaginable, from yacht-clubby crests, to a more punky version featuring one shoe with a devil wing and the other with an angel wing.

          While they are certainly not cheap, starting at $330 per pair, these shoes are timeless. Even my grandmother rocks them! J.Crew currently has an exclusive collection, and Stubbs & Wootton also several boutiques in preppy mainstays: Madison Avenue, Palm Beach, and East Hampton, where you can get a glimpse of the entire collection and choose a loafer that truly fits your personality.

Mizuki Jewelry

Image via Fragments

 

          If you haven’t noticed, tiny pendants of crosses, owls, hamsa hands, stars, and everything in-between, are all the rage right now. Featured on the necks of every girl from Brooklyn to Birmingham, they are a fun way to give a glimpse of your personality and tastes. As an April baby, I am partial to diamonds, and when I discovered Mizuki pendants (particularly the moon symbol necklace; yes, sometimes I want to channel Practical Magic), at one of my favorite boutiques, Red Bird, in Berkeley, CA (a must-see for anyone in the Bay Area: they have a perfectly-curated collection of clothing, jewelry, and accessories, that is unmatched anywhere), I was in love. While the moon pendant I am lusting over is a little (read: a lot) out of my price range right now, a girl can dream, right?

          Black diamonds mixed with gold are less bling-bling, but just as luxe, as the typical platinum and crystal combo. A peek at Mizuki’s website reveals the stunning assortment of pendants, charms, and chains they offer, which are also available at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. This is not just a fall pick, but a forever pick, the ideal (albeit pricey) gift for a friend, parent, or sibling.

Top Five: Tarte

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Tarte Cosmetics, and worked as a freelance makeup artist for the line. Before this, I kept several Tarte products in my kit, but did not get to try the whole line. I’m so glad I had the chance to! Tarte is a fabulous, all-natural line available at Sephora and Ulta stores, as well as on QVC, in the U.S., and will soon be available in the U.K. Besides the amazing fact that the products are free of many of the harmful ingredients that show up in most cosmetics, the colors are incredibly pigmented and long-wearing, and are growing more and more popular with pro makeup artists. Without further ado, here are my top five favorite Tarte products:

You know what my least favorite question is? “If you were stranded on a desert island, what three makeup items would you bring?” Since I don’t really plan on trying out for Survivor anytime soon, I don’t think that I need to think about this, or even choose, because I just love too many products! Plus, if I was stranded on a desert island, I’m sure I wouldn’t need any makeup as I’d become quite beautiful with all of the coconut milk I’d be drinking and the omega-3’s from the fish I’d be catching. But IF I did really have to choose, I’d say Tarte’s Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum would be in that top three. It is an absolute multitasker; I use it as foundation base, tinted moisturizer (I mix it with a foundation), highlighter, even body illuminator. But my favorite, top secret makeup artist trick for it? To add extra oomph to a smokey eye. After applying your eye makeup, simple apply a tiny amount with a domed concealer brush beneath the eye. It will catch any dark shadow fallout as well as give a clean, polished look and illuminate dark circles. I use this product every day, without fail. It doesn’t contain any chunky glitter, but instead imparts a soft, candlelit glimmer. Perfect.

2.     There are many days when I simply don’t feel like putting on makeup, but I need something to perk up my face. The solution to this age-old dilemma is Tarte’s LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint in Lively. The color is so unique; I’m a major fan of both YSL and MAC’s hot pinks and nothing in their lines come close. Deep, electric-but-not-neon pink that looks fabulous on every skintone, from ivory to the deepest chesnut. With a touch of mascara and concealer, you are out the door. Caution: don’t wear this color if you don’t want people asking what you are wearing.

3.     The next product is one that looks awful on me, but incredible on those with deep skintones: Tarte for True Blood Cheekstain. It’s a stunning, candy-apple red infused with gold shimmer that gives an amazing, glowing from within look. I’ve sold this miraculous product to women from age thirteen all the way up to eighty – it’s just that good. If you haven’t tried Tarte’s cheek stains yet, you must. Besides the addicting clean, lemongrass scent (which I keep begging the Tarte gals to make into a perfume or candle), the formula is unlike anything else – a smooth, almost-opaque gel that blends with fingertips or stippling brush and lasts for hours. While this cheek stain is no longer available in stores, you can still get it on the Tarte website – take the chance.

4.     If you read beauty blogs, I’m sure you’ve heard of Cle de Peau’s amazing concealer – and its hefty price tag. Yes, it is worth it, but if its just not in your price range, give Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Waterproof Concealer a try. The formula is wonderfully thick, to cover basically anything, from blemishes to undereye circles to hickeys, but doesn’t crease at all. It even covers dark spots or deeply pigmented rosacea. And at $22, it’s a total beauty steal!

5.     This last product such an on-set staple, I keep at least two in my makeup kit and one in my brush belt for instant touch ups – Tarte’s Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. I guess I just can’t get enough of Amazonian Clay – but it really is a miracle ingredient! If you’ve tried Bare Minerals Mineral Veil or Makeup Forever HD Powder, this puts those to shame – it sets makeup without ever getting cakey, and keeps the oilies at bay for hours. If you’ve never tried a loose powder, consider one if your skin tends to shine several hours after foundation application. This powder also comes in a Bronze shade, so those with deeper skin tones, or anyone looking for a subtle (faux) tan, can get a flawless, poreless complexion as well. 

Hello There

View of the Brooklyn Bridge from Jay Street, Brooklyn; November 2011

“The future destiny of a child is always the work of the mother.”

- Napolean

          As cliché as it is to begin my first blog entry with a quote, the quote is something I find to be quite necessary: it’s the reason I have embarked on this little journey. I am quite the stubborn dreamer, and had I not been raised in the environment I was, I’m not quite sure if my dreams would have come true in the manner that they have.

My grandmother in the McCaller, May 1967

         Add grand to Napolean's quote. I owe my infatuation with the world of beauty to my grandmother, Marie Irvine.  An only-child of the Great Depression, she attended a one room schoolhouse in the tiny country town of Pawling, New York, enchanted with the beautiful surrounding Berkshire Mountains. With her parents unable to afford the tuition at Vassar, Marie had felt as if she had one choice after graduating from high school: New York City. The glistening “Big Apple”: a city where one could go from virtual unknown to celebrity overnight. Marie, a sensible, wise young lady did not, however, have aspirations to be a starlet. She longed for a comfortable life, and this was her motivator for entry into Katharine Gibbs Secretary School. Unfortunately, long hours of typing were much more tedious than she had initially thought. Feeling isolated and disheartened, Marie decided to take a job as a “treatment girl” at Elizabeth Arden’s famed Fifth Avenue Red Door Salon. Quickly rising the ranks at Arden with her natural talent and charm, she soon was applying makeup to dozens of New York City socialites and helping to formulate the makeup and skincare collection that has grown to be unanimous with the American idea of beauty. By the time she was thirty-five, Marie had limos taking her into Manhattan from her home in Queens to the sets of world-renowned photographers such as Richard Avedon and Irving Penn, creating looks for the likes of Marilyn Monroe and supermodel Verushka.

Two of the hundreds of magazine covers my grandmother did makeup for.
Left - Richard Avedon, January 1961. Right - Bill King,  November 1969.
Image Source

          To say that glitter runs in my veins would certainly be a fair assessment. From the time I was five years old, the portrait of my mother as a toddler sitting on Marilyn Monroe’s lap inspired me. As perhaps one of the clumsiest children my dance studio had ever seen, my only motivation to keep dancing was the hope that in the next recital, I would get to wear more mascara. In the fifth grade, I declared in the yearbook that my role model was Bobbi Brown. No, not Whitney Houston’s dysfunctional ex-husband, but the makeup artist who so successfully created an ubiquitous international brand.

My makeup work on the cover of Graphis Photography Annual 2009.
Photo by Kevin Reed
Styling by Ope
Hair by Linh Nguyen

          Fate has been quite kind to me. I began working as a freelance makeup artist in New York City when I was just shy of sixteen years old. In the past four and a half years, I have built up my portfolio with the help of many incredibly talented individuals I have met along the way. I also spent my sophomore year interning in the beauty department of Glamour Magazine, and I’m fortunate enough to have just completed a beauty & health internship at Teen Vogue. Sometimes, I need someone to pinch me and wake me up from these dreams, ideas I’ve had since I was awkwardly dancing in my sequin tutu, that are actually my reality.

My first published writing credit in Teen Vogue, December/January 2012

           I would love for you to join me on my journey wearing coats upon coats of mascara and fabulously fuchsia lipstick. Not only through my tests of the latest and greatest cosmetics available (although I’m delighted to share my findings), but also through what has created our modern idea of beauty, explored through photos, observations, and small anecdotes. Beyond the powder, paint, and rouge of my vivid imagination is a world that I’m dying to explore. Follow me on Twitter @cbentleymakeup and check out what inspires me on Pinterest. 

For the Love of Lipstick,

Charlotte