Sara found me on recommendation from her hair stylist, who knows my hair stylist. She was married on a g o r g e o u s Autumn day, and we created a subtle smokey eye with what I call sunset colors: gold, peach, plum. Here’s the final look:
And here is how we did it.
Thank you Sara, and congratulations!!
Today is my 30th birthday. And I am going to party like it’s my birthday.
Husband is taking me to NYC. It’s where I turned 20 because I lived there at the time, and I suspect I’ll turn 40 there…and 50…unless we move back and I spend every birthday there…we shall see. Anyway, I’ll be gorging myself on all the food I so miss eating, and maybe mix in some new things like a cronut. We’ll also catch On the Town (husband’s first Broadway show!) and just meander around my old haunts. I love New York in the fall.
For night-out makeup I’ll do a smokey eye with warm browns (NARS duo in Surabya) and my favorite nude lip (Armani Beige 100), but I’ll keep it fresh for the day. And since 30 is (at least supposed to be) a milestone birthday, I’ve decided to work on this list. Here’s what I have so far…
Go-To Drink:
Champagne
Go-To Karaoke Song:
I don't do karaoke, but I'm one heck of a backup dancer
Uniform:
A tee and jeans with a statement necklace or scarf / pencil skirt and blouse / shift dress and heels
Hair Stylist I Love:
In VA, Sean at Gabba Gabba. In MD, Leslie at GLOW.
Exercise Routine:
Running and ballet/pilates/yoga 4-6 times a week
Hobby:
Makeup. Duh.
Best Friend:
Husband
Healthy Sense of Self:
Still working on it, but I’m happy with me. It’s been a hard-fought battle, but all things considered, I have nothing but gratitude for the past 30 years and hope for the next 30 (and beyond).
There’s a misconception that your everyday makeup brushes need to be washed all the time. While I keep a brush cleaner on hand for daily (think gel eyeliner brushes) or weekly (bronzer brush) cleansing, I only do the whole shampoo-and-water scenario once a month. I start by dividing my brushes into groups, from biggest to smallest, then fill a sink with a little warm water.
Although I’ve tried many different detergents, my favorite is Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap because it gets the brushes very clean, it disinfects, and leaves them soft and smelling amazing. I add a little of the soap to the sink and swirl around until there’s a little foam.
Next, I dip each brush into the soapy water, gently massaging the bristles until the water runs clear. After I finish with that group of brushes, the dirty water is drained and each brush is rinsed under cool running water.
I do this for each group of brushes then reshape the bristles and lay the brushes out flat on a towel to dry overnight.
It all but breaks my heart when I hear someone say, “I love sparkly eye shadow but I’m over 50 so I can’t wear it,” or “Can you still do my makeup if I have {insert race} eyes/skin/features?” or “I feel gorgeous, confident, and powerful in red lipstick but it’s not appropriate for the office.” Somewhere along the way, these lovely people read or heard or were told they couldn’t do something with makeup or something was wrong with their faces and therefore they should only do their makeup a certain way or wear certain colors. The people who spew all these “rules” are probably a) inept, b) misinformed, c) trying to sell something, or d) all of the above.
Don’t get me wrong – you need the right foundation color, and it is invaluable to know your facial anatomy to make the most of your makeup…
BUT
this is makeup. It is not rocket science. Obviously, if you work somewhere that doesn’t allow red lipstick, don’t wear it…
BUT
keep in mind that some of the most powerful and well-respected women in the world seem to work red lipstick into their dress codes (Condi...Hillary...Arianna...OPRAH...).
There are no rules in makeup. Some colors and techniques look better than others, but that’s half the fun. Do. Not. Let. Anyone. Hate. On. Your. Face. Especially you.
Trying to name this makeup “thing” was more difficult that I could have imagined. After several years on the bridal makeup circuit, I wanted to create a place where we could sit down over a cup of tea and talk about makeup; a place where frank and practical advice isn’t backed by someone selling something; a place where no question is too silly and technique is explained instead of demonstrated. Essentially, I wanted to give you the tools and knowledge I have so you can be your own makeup artist.
The problem is that I couldn’t figure out a name that summed up all of that, had something to do with makeup or beauty, and was catchy. So I went a little rogue. After a lot of research and a little guidance, I picked the name of the street I lived on at the time:
And so, Electra Lane was born.