Thursday 8 March 2012

“Getting Lippie”: A Holy Grail-Hopping Tale, And How I May Yet Bite The Burberry Beauty Bullet...

Oh dear…my unintentional Wikio Beauty Blog rating just took another tumble, from 70 to 99. At what point do I stop trying to arrest its fall by knocking out another make up post? No that is not fair, for ever since Tara and I got lost in the wonderland of Harrods’ beauty counters, I have been planning to write about my luxury lippie epiphany, and so here finally is that post. It did cross my mind though, that at the rate things are going, there may come a point when my Wikio (aka ebuzzing) ranking is so embarrassingly low that I might as well take the badge off my blog. Or conversely brazen it out and leave it up there for its not inconsiderable comedy value. And if I do on occasions put up a cosmetics-themed post right after my ranking has plummeted again, it is more in the spirit of patting a toad to see how far – or indeed if - it will hop, rather than any serious belief that I could climb up the greasy pole (greasy because it is of course well moisturised) to a top 20 or even a top 40 Beauty Blog ranking.

But back to our muttons - or muttons made up as lamb - which is of course an ever present risk when you get to my age.

In a post last year, talking about her favourite sensory discoveries of the autumn across a variety of product categories, Katie Puckrik posed herself the question:

“Does makeup count as a sensory discovery? In my book (admittedly an absurd, rather disjointed book) it does.”

When I discovered the world of fragrance in my late 40s, I felt I had stumbled through a wormhole into a new sensory dimension which had more or less passed me by up till that point. I wondered at the time – and still do - if perfume was acting as some kind of HRT, evening out my moods through its ad hoc style of aromatherapy, and bolstering my femininity as I stood on the cusp between what it pleased me to think of as my “late youth” and the slow descent towards old age and invisibility.

For a long time I pursued my ideal of a Holy Grail Scent, and thought I had found it in Guerlain Plus Que Jamais until the “dark actors” at IFRA chopped its legs off. I still nurse the fantasy that one day I may smell the scent that is quintessentially me – or the me I would like to be, even – but for now I content myself with some near misses and my remaining stocks of PQJ.

And meanwhile I have recently discovered high end makeup...! Like Katie, I do consider it to be another type of sensory discovery - one that has the potential to be as good for my morale as it could be disastrous to my wallet.

Now I should point out that I haven’t made a purchase yet (aside from a Dior tester lipstick on Ebay that has yet to arrive), but I am eyeing up a few ranges – of lipsticks particularly – like a hawk circling its prey, and it can only be a matter of time before I go in for the fill. Okay, so that was a really bad pun, but lipsticks with alleged plumping properties are top of my wish list.

Then I have got it into my head that somewhere out there are my Holy Grail pink and peach lipsticks – maybe even a subdued orangey red, though anything else might be pushing it, "true reds" being a notoriously difficult shade range to pull off. That way lies a look which, on the wrong person, one beauty blogger tellingly likened to “the business end of a chicken”. Yes, I am proceeding with caution, keenly aware that for most of my adult life – for even longer than I went scentless – I probably wore lipsticks that were not especially flattering, some of them even featuring the derided characteristics to which Katie Puckrik also refers in her post of “yack-attack glitter, sparkle, or other gleamy crud”.

Slovenian chickens not showing their business ends

These klutzy choices I put down to a number of factors: misguided yet persuasive sales assistants - like the one in Boston who sold me the frosty orange MAC Jist and some super tacky clear gloss to go on top when I was well into my 40s - compounded by my own slavish belief in a matching look: “Oh look, there’s a neon coral red in a matt finish that goes exactly with my red Sloppy Joe sweatshirt!” Never mind that the occasion for wearing such a vivid red (even were I much younger and blessed with the appropriate skin tones to work the look) was never going to be a jogging outfit...

Beyond that, there were the many free lipsticks that came in those little cosmetics bags you get given when you buy two items of skin care or make up of a certain value from a high end brand. The GWP fosters a certain defiance in the purchaser: “Look, this Highland Heather Diamond Sparkle Shimmer lipstick was free, so I am damn well going to wear it.” And the catch-all reason for my other bad acquisitions is simply my general nerdiness and lack of fashion sense. Down the years I have displayed an unerring knack of wearing styles that a) do not suit my body shape in the first place – especially not in those ice cream pastel colourways and b) have come and gone and not yet come back again. I think the word for this may be “counter-cyclical” – when speaking of the economy certainly – but I do know that in fashion terms it is Not A Good Look.

But before I could correct the mistakes of a lifetime, and pursue a series of HGLs (Holy Grail Lippies) in the main shades I have a hunch I do in fact suit, there was a serious need to purge my many tatty cosmetics bags of their existing crud, both “gleamy” and otherwise. This is in fact a subject I have touched on in an earlier post in reference to make up generally.

Yes, it was time to pull the pillar box reds, bin the bolder browns, nuke the nudes, lose the lilacs, and give the hot pinks the old heave-ho.

Katie Puckrik herself urged me to be ruthless:

“Lipsticks: I beseech you to turn in any arms older than 5 years of age, and that's pushing it.”

In all, I chucked out 18 of my 27-strong lipstick collection, some of them dating back to the mid-80s. It wasn’t too much of a wrench once I got going, because when I put all the wrong ones together, they somehow managed to look wronger still en masse.

And even the ones I allowed myself to keep – partly on the grounds of their relative youth, but also my perception that they may suit me – I am not wholly sure about at this point, especially not the darker, slightly magenta-y end of the pink spectrum that narrowly escaped the cosmetics cull.


Red and pink pariahs



Peach and brown baddies


Pink probationers



Peach and brown probationers - note that brown on the far right doesn't come up nearly as dark as it looks, and was a personal recommendation by Wordbird, so trust me on this...

Going forward, the problem I have is that my skin is naturally yellow/sallow in tone, while my lips are quite pigmented with an almost mauve tint to them. The bottom line is that my complexion doesn’t go with my lips, so the deal is either to find something that will cover the pigment of my lips and work with my skin, or let my natural lip colour take precedence and match my lipstick to that, thereby running the risk that my mouth will clash horribly with the rest of me.

I have found a few new shades I like such as Burberry Beauty Lip Mist in Feather Pink, and have also earmarked A TON for future investigation: the Chantecaille Lip Chic and NARS Lip Gloss ranges, plus other untested shades in the Burberry Lip Mist and Lip Cover ranges, but for now the HGLs continue to elude me.


And then just yesterday, Mrs Bonkers Senior gave me a freebie Clinique lip gloss she had no use for – Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss - in Ginger. Mrs Bonkers Senior is more of a Vaseline person when it comes to lip care. So I put it on today and it was very moisturising – a bit sticky and a bit too glossy maybe - but most of all what struck me was the colour: it was YLBTS – "Your Lips But The Same".

So now at least I know that if anyone asks me what exact colour my lips are naturally, I can truthfully say "ginger"...


UPDATE: I hope that if I do get around to buying one of those ultra-slinky bullet shaped Burberries, I don’t literally bite it, as the title suggests. For I have just watched a Lisa Eldridge make-up tutorial on YouTube about five different ways to wear the same lipstick (Tom Ford Black Orchid). There was in fact one understated look that Lisa demonstrated which she referred to as a “stain”, but grape-coloured stains on your teeth wasn’t it.


And I realise we have been talking about lipstick, but I have now watched a bunch of other videos by Lisa and it has been a revelation! I feel I am being mesmerically sucked into a vortex where magical transformations happen, and that I am poised to make a slew of purchases of tools and make up items in other categories. Brow care! Eyelash curling! Armouries of brushes! Yes, it has been a real eye-opener – or it would be if I put a white dot in each inside corner.


PS Thanks to the Get Lippie blog for inspiring the title of this post. : - )

PPS Any lipstick recommendations for my challenging sallow skin-and-mauve lip combo gratefully received!!


Photo of girl with red lips from re_ via Flickr CC, photo of tree from tubbus via Flickr CC, photo of Shiseido office from DaraKero_F via Flickr CC, photo of Clinique Superbalm Moisturiser in Ginger from harlowstar.co.uk, photo of Burberry Lip Mists from Burberry's website, photo of Lisa Eldridge from sweethealthnut.com, other photos my own






35 comments:

Dionne said...

No lipstick recommendations from me, as I'm pink pink pink (and more pink.) These days I'm reaping the benefits of a complexion that was extremely ruddy in my teens, since as a 40yo it's calmed down to a nice glow.

And I can relate to the fragrance thing being a springboard to other changes, although I took a different path and started paying more attention to what I was wearing. I've got a few fashion blogs in my Reader as well as the proliferating perfume blogs.

Although there is one thing I splurged on recently: in amongst my drugstore eyeshadows and Avon lip glosses is a newly purchased Nars Orgasm blush. No regrets!

Vanessa said...

Hi Dionne,

You've got me intrigued now as to the exact shade - and degree of - pink in your favourite pink lipsticks! : - )

I have an oily complexion - with a touch of intermittent ruddiness from rosacea - but that too has paid dividends in offsetting the sunbathing abuse to which I subjected my skin until I turned 40 and saw the light. Or deliberately didn't see the light, even.

Interesting that you have diversified your self-improvement quests down a fashion path. I am a bit more aware of style trends now than I was - ice cream pastels are apparently in this summer, as a matter of fact - though I intend to give them a miss!

And I do believe I have heard of Nars Orgasm Blush - Nars Orgasm something, anyway. Will take a look. I only own two blushers and am not sure they are ideal either. Though I do sometimes use lipstick as blusher, a cunning practice Lisa Eldridge endorses in one of her videos! (Though it may depend on what the lipstick is...)

Anne said...

Hi, Vanessa! I am a perfume addict as well (you might not be able to tell by my blog, as I have many interests, but I am!) ~ I am a new follower ~ Visit me if you get a chance!
Best,
Anne ♥♥

Vanessa said...

Hi Anne,

Thanks for following Bonkers and am I very pleased to meet you. What a charming and intriguing name for your blog! Just about to go away for the weekend but I will take a look for sure. : - )

Tara said...

Ooh looking forward to checking out those Lisa Eldridge vids, I've heard they're good. Spent rather too long looking at nail colours yesterday online after Natalie of APB mentioned wearing Essie. Very tempted by "Fun In a Gondola".

Personally I think you should choose your lipstick to suit your skin tone. Though I know it's not always easy to cover up highly pigmented lips. I too have yellow/sallow toned skin and found rose pinks suit me best so I buy any lip colour as long as it has "rose" in the title. I am trying hard to resist the lure of high-end lippies but I definitely do not want any "yack attack glitter"!

Undina said...

Vanessa, you inspire me! This weekend I'll get rid of all lipsticks I do not (or should not) wear any more. I don't think I have anything older than 7-8 years but probably those should go.

I love buying lipsticks. But recently it became a problem: I have a tendency to keep buying the same colors (OK, almost the same) but from different brands. So recently I started taking 5-6 lipsticks with me - just to compare a new color that I think I like to those I already have.

I have no positive recommendations for you - I have both fair skin and lips. But I have a negative one: I really do not like my most recent purchase - Chanel Luminous Matte Lip Colour (http://www.chanel.com/en_GB/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Lipsticks-ROUGE-ALLURE-VELVET-123646). It looks fine but it dries my lips - and it's not something you want from your lipstick.

Also I want to thank you for the link to this video. I watch LE's videos from time to time but not on a permanent basis so I didn't see this one. I loved this lipstick when I saw an ad in the magazine, I went to the counter prepared to pay that ridiculous price for it, tried it and left relieved - it didn't look good on my lips. But I have a slight doubt that maybe I wasn't applying it properly, maybe it could be done better. But having watched this video, I feel much better: I do not like how it looks even after a 15 minutes of a professional application ;) So thank you.

Cymbaline said...

Vanessa, do you read Gaia's(The Non-Blonde)blog? Her recommendations may work for you. She often mentions her olive -based skintone (warm) and darker pigmented lips.

My skin tone is completely opposite, but I found my absolute favorite products through her blog - any and everything by Edward Bess (his make-up colors work well on everyone) and Guerlain Rouge l'Automatique lipsticks which are named after their perfumes. Chamade is my everyday color and L'Heure Bleue is great for evening, they're all gorgeous!

My mouth often clashes horribly with the rest of me also, but it's usually because I've said something atrocious : /

Olfacta said...

Sounds like you and I have similar coloring (sallow undertone to skin, mauve lips). I will be eagerly following your discoveries!

A suggestion: look to art supply stores for brushes. Watercolor brushes have short handles and there are even collapsible "travel" brushes. Any artists' brush will be of better quality than any super-expensive cosmetics one. Crimps (on the ferrule, just above where the hairs start) tell the tale: one is meh but serviceable, two is plenty good, three crimps and you're in the sable stratosphere! With the money I've saved on brushes, I can buy a "base" that makes the damned lipstick stay on my lips for more than ten minutes.

Natalie said...

I don't have any lipstick shade recommendations, but I do love my Burberry lipstick and gloss. Unfortunately, my skin tone is the opposite of yours: pink! And my lips the opposite of yours: almost colorless! So I can't imagine we'd wear the same shades. I look forward to your follow up posts, though. I'm always on the lookout for good lipsticks.

Speaking of LE, have you by chance tried the Boots BB Cream? I am trying to decide if it's worth having one of my UK based friends send me some.

Vanessa said...

Hi tara,

My friend lovethescents is a big fan of Essie polishes - it may even be her favourite brand. I had to look up that one you mentioned, it is such a good name!

And I think you are probably right that it is better to match the lipstick to one's skintone. The "Burberry Rosewood"-style one you were wearing the day we met looked very nice on you, so I can see why you would go for names with "rose" in them. : - )

I am probably in more or less in the same colour ballpark as you, in actual fact, though I reckon you could pull off a bolder shade of pink better than me.

Vanessa said...

Hi Undina,

Congratulations on having your own lipstick clear out - it is a nice feeling afterwards...

And like you, I am totally guilty of buying the same shade over and over in different brands, as you may just be able to tell from the photo of the "pink probationers". So what a great idea to take along your current crop of lipsticks when seeking a new shade. Such a simple idea, yet it is something I have never thought to do myself, and as a result I am always struggling in the store to remember what colours I already own!

Even from the illustration of the Chanel you are disappointed in, I think I can see that it might dry you out. Also, we are so used to lipsticks being "moisturising/creamy/hydrating" nowadays that a matt one by definition will feel dry by comparison.

I think the shade of lipstick featured in the video looked nice on Lisa when applied as a stain - or even one coat, for a bolder look - but by the time she got to a couple of glossy coats of it, I thought it was too dramatic to be wearable anywhere except on the catwalk, maybe?

Vanessa said...

Hi Cymbaline,

I have always looked at The Non-Blonde for perfume reviews, but lately have started reading some of her makeup ones as well, and had indeed clocked the fact that she has a warm skin tone and darker lips, though you wouldn't get that impression really from her avatar.

A number of the lipstick shades I am investigating were reviewed by Gaia amongst others. I also enjoyed her posts on Edward Bess and Sunday Riley eyeshadows, so thanks for reconfirming that Edward Bess is worth looking into. I have yet to pursue the lipstick side of either of those ranges, but the eyeshadows look gorgeous.

And those Guerlain lipsticks are new on me, so I will check them out.

I can't imagine your ever saying anything atrocious - you look like the soul of tact from this distance!

: - )

Vanessa said...

Hi Olfacta,

From what you say - and your own avatar - I would say we probably do in fact have quite similar complexions, so I will report back on any major breakthroughs in my HGL quest!

And your tip about the artist's brushes is inspired. : - ) Why wouldn't they also work for a "make up artist"? Next time I am in town I will pop into the local art supplies shop and examine the crimping levels on offer...

Vanessa said...

Hi Natalie,

I do so envy you your colourless lips - what a fantastic blank canvas! I would be curious to know which Burberry shades you favour to exclude them from my inquiries really, as they would doubtless be too "cool" for my skin tone.

I am a fan of the BB Cream as a matter of fact, and wrote a review of it myself last year. There are some rather candid photos of my naked face just wearing the stuff, but they give you an idea of the coverage - or lack of it - and the degree of shine (on the oily base of my skin).

I have used it quite a lot over the months since I invested in a whole tube, and am definitely a fan on good skin days, not least for the moisturising aspect and the lovely smell.

I should point out that I am a complete novice where skin care is concerned; if you are used to higher end brands this might seem a bit basic, but it is a step up for me from claggy foundations or heavy moisturisers.

If your reading leads you to pursue this one further, I would be glad to buy you a tube - you would probably need the palest shade? That might be the one I have, come to think of it. I wonder if the company have any samples left so you could try before you bought. I could make inquiries about that if you like?

http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.com/2011/11/garnier-miracle-skin-perfector-daily.html

Natalie said...

Thanks so much for posting back, Vanessa. So did you try the Boots BB Cream alongside the Garnier? Not sure if I am missing something. It was actually from you that I first cottoned onto the whole BB Cream trend, so I guess it's appropriate that I'm now coming back to you for further advice. :)

As far as the Burberry: I have the gloss in No. 1 Rosewood and No. 10 Nutmeg, and I have the lippie in No. 23 Nutmeg. Both are "my lips but better" - quite nude shades with a bit of mauve-y pink. From your description, I would cross the lippie and the No. 1 gloss from your list, but the Nutmeg gloss is very versatile and might work for you. I never get more compliments than with the gloss.

Vanessa said...

Hi Natalie,

I have just realised that by "Boots BB cream" you mean one produced under a Boots brand as opposed to the Garnier, which is mainly *stocked* in Boots!

The answer to that is no, but I take it you mean their No 7 line of BB cream? If you can hang on a bit longer, I shall investigate and let you know...!

Thanks also for the tips within the Burberry range. I am very curious about the Nutmeg shade now and don't believe I have even seen a picture of it up to this point, so will rectify that.

flavourfanatic said...

I've also had a hard time finding lipsticks that work for me. I'm about as pale as anyone gets without being an albino so most lipsticks will stand out like a red light in my face... What works for me is that 2 years ago I came across an internet auction of a makeup store that was going out of business. They had Lipstick Queen (my fave brand) and the way the auction worked is that you did not get to know the colors you bid on. So I did bid on a few as the price was very good and ended up with a very random selection of lipsticks and glosses. Now, what I do is I start with a little smear of one color, smear it out thinly, then add another and blend them on my lips and go on like this until I seem to have a working color.

Vanessa said...

Hi flavourfanatic,

I hadn't come across that make, Lipstick Queen, but the auction you describe sounds like a bit of fun, and your method of shade mixing is positively inspired! A bit like mixing paints in a DIY store. : - )

I take it that you note down how you arrived at any particular shade that is a success so you can recreate it again?

Anonymous said...

This is my first comment on your highly entertaining blog and it was provoked by my guffaws at the "business end of a chicken" descriptor - thank you so much for passing on that little gem. Love lipsticks. Not as much as I love perfume but still it's like the lovely crayons I played with as a child. It's the sensory thing isn't it. As I age (next birthday is the five-oh) I find my features are losing definition so what I want my makeup to do is to softly bring that back. Burberry Lipmist in Copper is fabulous and although I think I'm a bit paler than you it could be worth a try. Elis Faas (sold in Liberty and some Space NK) does some lovely lipcolours in three textures (I hate gloopy lipgloss but don't like heavy colour) and I just wanted to second the Lipstick Queen recommendation as being skin tone friendly and again a lighter as well as heavier coverage offered - these also at Space NK.
Nicola
ps I was at the PG talk at Les Senteurs and would like to applaud your write up of the event!

Vanessa said...

Hi Nicola,

Thanks for dropping in and leaving your kind comment - it is lovely to meet you - well, it appears we have already met in a manner of speaking! Anyway, I am delighted that the rear end of a chicken prompted you to "de-lurk" on this occasion, as they say.

Comparing lipsticks to crayons is very apt. Colouring implements of all kinds were very pleasurable things to use as a kid - I liked my tin of pencils in particular from that company in the Lake District whose name escapes me, and nowadays I agree that lipstick is another sensory pleasure.

I have a sample of Copper Mist as a matter of fact, which I have enjoyed using, though it struggles to cover the pigment of my mauvey lips. The pinks seem to work better than the the nudey brown ones in the Burberry range - or the ones that I have tried at any rate (Nude Beige was way too pale, for example). I plan to have a go with Nutmeg as Natalie above recommends, though out and out brown lippies don't suit me either.

Thanks for the Ellis Faas rec, as well as confirmation that Lipstick Queen are worth exploring. I will always associate Ellis Faas with Jan Evoud Vos of Puredistance, because when I "interviewed" him last September he mentioned that she is someone who shared similar values to him and with whom he is collaborating. I must say I have not tried her make up line, but then this whole Holy Grail Quest is very new!

The other thing to mention is that we appear to be in a recession again, and they do say that people turn to lipstick in tough economic times. There is even a phrase for it: "the Lipstick Indicator", though I have not yet deployed it myself!

Natalie said...

Thanks, Vanessa! I'm more than happy to wait for your report on the No. 7 BB Cream (sorry I wasn't very clear about that initially), as I'm sure it will be informative.

You've also inspired me to make a post about lipsticks, so I'll include a swatch of the Burberrys. :)

flavourfanatic said...

Noting down the shades I use would indeed be a very smart thing to do, but I'm nowhere near that level of organization. I'm more, "oh, I think I'm having a pink day today", putting on some pink, "hm, no, that not it, lets add on some red", "ooops, to bright, some brown then", "ok, now we're getting somewhere", some gloss on top and we're done! It might sound stupid but I think of it as therapy, getting a moment to myself (something that doesn't happen that much as I have small kids) and just listening to myself and my feelings when it comes to choosing colors.

Lipstuck Queen is an American brand, highly recommended! Their home page is at: http://www.lipstickqueen.com

Vanessa said...

Hi Natalie,

Am hoping to check out the No 7 cream in Boots at the weekend - will see if they have it in my shade first.

I look forward to your lipstick post - I am sooo interested in lipsticks at the moment it is bizarre.

My first high end purchase arrived today - a Dior tester from Ebay. The blogs captured its shade perfectly and I am very pleased - a sort of pinky nude. Will do a mini-post on it soon, as it is a major result in my HGL quest!

Vanessa said...

Hi flavourfanatic,

I loved hearing more about your ad hoc methodology for finding the perfect lip colour for the day!

The only downside I see with this delightfully spontaneous approach is not being able to reproduce a particularly good shade next time round!

Thanks for the link to Lipstick Queen's site - will take a look.

Cymbaline said...

I'm going to chime in with a vote for Lipstick Queen also! If I'm not wearing Guerlain Rouge Automatique Chamade, then I'm probably wearing LQ Medieval - a beautiful sheer red, perfect for daily wear.

Vanessa said...

Hi Cymbaline,

Thanks for endorsing the Lipstick Queen rec - have checked out those Guerlains you like and the LQ range now, then spent the last hour and a half lost in Rouge Coco reviews, till way past my (nominal) bedtime! : - )

lovethescents said...

I think I have sallow yellow colouring and pigmented lips so I try to match my lip with what eye colours I'm going with. If you're looking at full coverage, you cannot go wrong with Tom Ford: either the lipstick or the gloss. Both provide exceptional coverage and moisture. I'm surprised you haven't bought anything yet!

Another trick is to cover you lips with foundation then use your lippie over that. Not something I do but I know it's something that's 'done'.

Vanessa said...

Hi lovethescents,

I had forgotten about eye colours - as in eyeshadow colours, that is. My eye colour remains sadly fixed, though I wouldn't mind experimenting with a violet eye for the hell of it!

I must admit I haven't really investigated the Tom Fords yet - another trip to Harrods is on the cards - but I have made a Dior purchase on Ebay that I am very happy with. Mini blog post coming up soon!

I don't think I would fancy putting foundation on my lips first. That might take away from the sensory pleasure of applying lipstick to bare skin, plus it might feel like a little too much "stuff on my lips", which was my experience with lip primers(?).

lovethescents said...

I think violet would be stunning on you :-) You could do neutral with violet smoke, or lilac with violet. Love that idea :-)

Yes, I wouldn't do the foundation on my lips either, but I know it's something that can be 'done'.

I love Dior lipsticks. I hope you will too! Also, looking forward to your thoughts on the TFs, if you ever do try them.

Vanessa said...

I like the sound of "violet smoke" - a metallic greyish mauve, maybe. At present I own two mauve eyeshadows: MAC Shale and a L'Oreal, but they are a bit pinker than I would like. Can't do anything too extreme and dark either, because my eyes are too small to carry a plummy look off.

I am keen to explore the TF range - I have at least researched them on paper now. I was amused that the new collection has three oddly coordinated ranges: NUDES, BOLD and DARING, with Daring being more daring than bold, apparently! The packaging is to die for, I must say, much like the price, indeed.

: - )

lovethescents said...

Yes, the price is scary but if you find a few pieces you really like, then you can always get a better deal on the 'bay!

Dior has some lovely colours for spring that you might like, eyeshadow-wise. Otherwise, you might want to wait a bit as darker plums aren't really summery. OOooh, speaking of summer, have you seen the new Chanel Summer 2012 collection? Peachy perfect!

Elisa said...

"Your lips but the same" made me laugh. I bought a shade of cream blush once that looks pink but when I put it on, it just disappears. So apparently my face is "peony."

Vanessa said...

Hi Elisa,

So I have "ginger" lips and you have "peony" cheeks. Once we identify the beauty product shade for all our body parts, it will be an interesting composite, I sense!

Elisa said...

I also meant to say -- have you tried the storied Clinique Black Honey yet? I think it might suit your coloring. I thought it would be way too dark for me but it isn't.

Vanessa said...

Hi Elisa,

No I haven't, however, spookily - if it had not been raining cats and dogs today - I had planned to check it out in town. It was featured in a review of universally flattering shades that I found on the web, and Natalie of APB also owns it and swatched it in her recent lippie post.