Monday Beauty Blog-Sarah Prost

The task of creating the designers makeup looks is one I take very seriously. A designer has a very specific vision when they are creating their lines. I am entrusted with helping them make that vision come to life on the runway. It is so important to me that when the models step out onto the runway the designer is beyond thrilled with what they see.

So when the designer is Sarah Prost, someone who is beyond talented, and also a dear friend, I literally lose sleep trying to make sure that she gets exactly what she wants for her show. Sarah is very detail oriented. She is meticulous with her designs. She always has a very specific vision in mind for her shows. And she is also one of the loveliest human beings to set foot on this silly planet. The thought of giving her anything less than perfect for her makeup look makes me almost nauseous. The fun part though, is that she has great taste! And she always shows me inspiration looks that make me excited for the task at hand. This January StyleWeek was no different.

Sarah handed me a pile of looks that she liked and wanted to somehow incorporate into her hair and makeup for her show. These looks ranged from Marie Antoinette, to Victorian ladies, to sixties mod. And somewhere within that we found her look. A very bold round smoky eye, with a touch of teal, and top and bottom false lashes; this cosmetic confection was then finished of with a flush of pink blush and the glossiest nude lip we could make.

Photo by Heidi Finn
http://heidifinnphotography.com/

I LOVED making this look. I had so much fun playing with it. If I ever left my house for anything other than work, I might even wear a variation of this. But the least I can do is help those of you who do leave your homes make this look possible. Obviously wearing top and bottom lashes is not for everyone. But in the right setting it is absolutely gorgeous and has a certain other-worldliness that I can’t get enough of!

Photo by Heidi Finn
http://heidifinnphotography.com/

To create this look start with priming the entire lid with eye shadow base, just a hair lighter than your skin tone. Then, tight line the lash line with a black cake eye liner. Cover the lid with a well blended coat of black caviar liner, lash to crease and then also along the lower lash line; unlike the more traditional smoky eye that tends to elongate the eye, this eye should be a tad more round. Blend a black eye shadow across the lid and along the lower lash line, covering the caviar liner and softening the edges. A soft shimmery shadow like Star Fruit from Laura Mercier is placed on the brow bone, and then just a dash should also be placed on the inside of the orbital area. Not on the eye, but more the side of the nose.. Then, using a soft pony tail brush blend (my favorite) teal eye shadow, St Germaine from Laura Mercier, into the crease and lightly into the lower lash line. A thick coat of black mascara is applied to the top lashes and a light coat to the bottom lashes. I save the false lashes for last so no powder falls down onto them. So at this point prime the skin with a foundation primer. I will never stop loving Laura Mercier’s hydrating primer. We used Laura Mercier’s crème smooth foundation to even the models skin, using our fingers to apply it. Conceal any imperfections. If you haven’t used Laura Mercier’s award winning secret camouflage, go out and buy it now. This is a product I am so devoted to it may warrant a blog of its own. Set complexion with loose setting powder using a puff.  The cheeks were flushed with Rose Petal blush on the apples of the cheeks. And then the lips were colored in with Passion Fruit lip color and Platinum glace. As for fake lashes, the look was intended to be dramatic and rather “doll-like” so I chose a very large shape for the top lashes, and then a kind of frilly shape for the bottom. A little secret to getting bottom lashes to fit your lower lash line, if they are being a bit unwieldy, is to cut them into segments and then apply them connecting the dots along the way. This can be done on the top as well.

This look is a very sweet take on what is often a sultry, “bad girl” look. I never cease to be amazed at how many different ways a smoky eye can be worn. So much of it has to do with how the product is placed. There are many similarities between the colors used in this look and Avni’s super strong super sexy smoky eye. But the finished product is so dramatically different. So if you don’t like how you looked in one smoky eye, play with the shape and see if that makes you fall back in love with eye shadow.

Too often we hide in our comfort zone when it comes to makeup (I am sure other areas of our lives too, but makeup is probably the most fun one to talk about). If there is one thing I hope to accomplish with this blog, it is to help reignite that playfulness that almost all girls had with their lipsticks and eye shadows when we were growing up. It is only makeup. It washes off. So play. Be bold. Be fearless. It won’t end world hunger, or teach people to love their fellow man. But it might make you smile a little brighter when you catch your reflection. And a confidant woman (or man) can accomplish anything! And how cool is that?!?

Next week, Kara Wickman.

Send your questions to Jessica@StyleWeekProvidence.com