Ok, not UP so much as…well…OUT. Out to my established 5-year-old blog, Living a Goddess Life.
Apologies to those who follow here and prefer WordPress, but managing two blogs with associated social media, a business, a full-time job, and the million odds-and-ends of life was getting impossible. So all Printcess posts will henceforth be on Living a Goddess Life.
Bonus! There’s other stuff there, too (book reviews, product reviews, giveaways, nail polish art, etc).
I do love blue. And blue and brown are such a classic combination. I couldn’t help but be inspired by Alice in Wonderland, especially the Disney versions, as I set about with this look.
My eyes are so darned hooded, it’s most accurately seen on my closed lid.
That’s Once Upon A Time on my inner lid, Denouement in the middle of my lid, and Epilogue in the outer corner. It’s whimsical and fun, as all good eye looks should be. The world is serious enough already, without us adding to the nonsense!
According to the makeup artist whose brain I plucked copiously last week (prep for my brother’s wedding, next weekend)…
if you have to go cheap and buy a drugstore brand of cosmetics, buy L’Oreal.
Why?
Of all the major drugstore cosmetics brands, L’Oreal puts the most money into Research & Development, so their products (high-end or low) have the most science, proven results, and innovation.
Granted, I don’t know if this claim is true, as I don’t even know where to begin researching how much money each company puts into their R&D. But she’s not actually a L’Oreal fan (she’s hard-core Kevyn Aucoin), so I take her at her word.
How many shades of eyeshadow can you wear at a time?
One?
(Climax)
Two?
(Forest & Peasant)
Three?
(Narrative & Characters & Villain)
Four?
(Narrative & Ball & Storytime & Happily Ever After)
Five?
(Narrative & Prologue & Characters & Forest & Epilogue)
Six?
MORE?!
The right answer is: However many you want. Just blend and layer to keep away harsh edges, and you can do incredible things with makeup.
Much though I love Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach greatly disturbed me as a child. Giant insects and the thought of being trapped inside a rotting, sticky, too-sweet prison…*shudder*
But I enjoy unearthing tales from my childhood, for my EOTW posts, and this was too good to pass up. Technically, this is less peach and more bronze, having more orange/yellow undertones than yellow/pink undertones. But whatever.
(in indirect sunlight)
That’s Slippers on my browbone, Witch on the inner half of my eyelid, and Plot on the outer half, with wings (whee!).
(in total shade, so you can see how the brown of Plot comes through)
I learned my skin care routine from my mother, who has the exact opposite skin from mine (in type, shade, you name it). So it took me more than two decades to truly figure out how to keep my skin healthy and happy (and it’s an ongoing process, as age, pollution, allergies, shifts in weather, etc change things up every year).
If you have dry, flaky skin that doesn’t respond well to over-the-counter products, here’s how I work with mine…might be worth a shot for you:
In addition to drinking plenty of water, eating well, getting moderate exercise, and always wearing SPF when going outdoors for any length of time, dry skin needs two things- moisture, and exfoliation.
Cleaning
Exfoliation is necessary to slough off dead skin cells, so that your skin can absorb that good moisture. But too harsh exfoliation can abrade skin, causing inflammation, scarring, redness, etc.
I found the best exfoliation is to make a baking soda paste (baking soda and a small amount of water), and apply it to my moist face three times a week. Just a few swipes to apply it evenly everywhere (avoiding the eye area), then rinse off with warm water. Dry your face by gently blotting (not rubbing) with a soft, clean towel.
In between exfoliation days, I clean my face by just splashing water on it and blotting dry. Seriously- this is all you need.
One day per week, after cleaning by splashing water on my face, I use a mask (for sensitive skin). My current favorite is Boots “Botanics Ionic Clay Mask”. It’s a clarifying mask designed to deep clean without pulling out what little natural moisture is in your skin. Yay!
(my weekly cheat sheet is Mon- just water, Tues- baking soda scrub, Wed- just water, Thurs- baking soda scrub, Fri- just water, Sat- baking soda scrub, Sun-just water & then a mask)
Moisturizing
I use coconut oil is my sole moisturizer. I’ve tried countless over-the-counter moisturizers, and they did a lot of irritating my skin, clogging my pores, and only superficially moisturizing my skin. Coconut oil, on the other hand, I’ve had zero issues with. It absorbs easily and fully (I apply morning after cleansing & evening before bed) and has never cause zits or irritation. I make sure to apply it under my eyes and rubbed into my eyebrows, two dry areas that suffer from my constant eye rubbing (yay allergies).
I apply it directly after washing and patting my face dry, and then I try to avoid touching my face throughout the day.
A note on coconut oil: It absorbs well, but will block anything else from absorbing, so that may affect the appearance of your foundation (depending on what type it is).
That’s it! Simple as pie. Of course, it takes 4 weeks or so after switching to any new routine for your skin to fully adjust, so be open to altering things as needed after that initial adjustment period.
Printcess 