Makeup Monday: Though Rosy Lips and Cheeks

I did my best to beat the clock, but I lost. Hey, it’s still Monday on the West Coast (as Michael kindly pointed out).
For my third Makeup Monday, I decided to do a look that was both summery and something I’ve been meaning to document. Remember the look from Rebecca Minkoff’s preview? Well, I’m going to show you my own version.

I love the way lip stains make you look like you just ate a popsicle, or indulged in a bowl of juicy cherries. I have absolutely no pigment in my lips, so the benefit of a stain is even greater. Even if other layers wear off, at least I am left with a little bit of pigment.

This is a picture heavy post, so please continue reading after the jump!

Here’s what I’ll be using:
1) Smith’s Rosebud Salve – to condition the lips
2) MAC Fix+ – to wet the eyeshadow brush and make it into a liner (I also sprayed it all over my face before I applied makeup – not pictured)
3) Tarte cheek stain in Berrylicious – to give a natural, dewy glow
4) Benetint by Benefit – to stain the lips
5) Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (looks really dark, but is quite sheer – layer over the lip stain for more uniform color
6) MAC paint pot in Bare Study – to prime the lids
7) MAC eyeshadow in Say, Yeah (discontinued) – for a wash of color on the lids
8) MAC eyeshadow in Mulch – for use as liner
9) Prescriptives mascara in dark brown
10) MAC 224 brush (blending brush) – to apply eyeshadow in a sheer wash
11) Sonia Kashuk angled brush – to line the top lash line
All of these products can be found at MAC, Sephora, Target, and department store makeup counters, respectively.

(Note:I went out to Manhattan for a meeting earlier, so I already had my concealer and eyebrows on (no powder – you shouldn’t use it for this look). I just wiped off my mascara and lip stuff, so I could get this done faster.)

Before I start the tutorial, I want to emphasize the importance of exfoliating your skin and lips before attempting this look. This is all about being fresh faced and glowing. The cheek and lip stains, especially, will show any dry skin and look blotchy. I exfoliate my skin with extremely fine sea salt and honey, or baking soda (it depends on my mood). I exfoliate my lips with a little bit of vaseline and a soft, dry toothbrush. Please keep in mind that I’m not an esthetician or dermatologist, so you might want to consult a professional before taking my exfoliating advice! Also, prep your skin with a primer (I used smashbox photo finish & sprayed my face with Fix+ for a dewy look), so the cheek stain glides on smoothly. Now, onto the tutorial:

~~I’ll be editing this post with more product info (including alternatives you can use) and such, but I wanted to get this up before I could not longer call it Makeup Monday.~~

Edit:
I must admit that makeup is one area where I often shell out the extra money. I’m also very fortunate to have a great friend, who is a makeup artist and very generous – and I am a smart shopper. I will do a special Makeup Monday post with details on that:) In the meantime, here are some product alternative suggestions for what I used:

Smith’s Rosebud Salve alternative: Vaseline. I also use Lanolips and Julie Hewett’s Camellia Balm
MAC Fix+ alternative – for the face, you can skip it, but I still suggest some sort of primer. Make sure your face is evenly moisturized. For making the shadow a liner, you can use water (a lot of people use Visine, but it makes my skin burn)
3) Tarte cheek stain alternative – use any lipstick (preferably NOT shimmery) and blend it with your fingers, or try Mark Just Pinched Instant Blush Tint (I haven’t tried this, but it looks similar)
4) Benetint by Benefit alternative – Covergirl Outlast Lipstain (I haven’t tried this, either)
5) Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey alternative – not sure, but I would say this is one product worth picking up. Wait for Clinique’s Gift With Purchase deal and you can get a whole lot of makeup for very little money!
6) MAC paint pot in Bare Study alternatives – you just need a primer, so try e.l.f.’s eye primer
7) MAC eyeshadow in Say, Yeah (discontinued) alternative – You can use any shimmery, light eyeshadow you like. MAC’s melon pigment is kind of close to this discontinued eyeshadow. Sample sizes go a very long way, so you can also buy a sample from a makeup community or ebay.
8) MAC eyeshadow in Mulch alternative – any brown shadow will do
9) Prescriptives mascara alternative – any brown mascara will do
10) both brushes – try e.l.f.’s brushes – they’re $1!

If you have any makeup alternative suggestions, please leave them in the comments!
Love love,
Keiko Lynn