I wear makeup, but I don't wear a LOT of makeup, and I certainly don't have a heavy hand. Moisturizer. Pore Minimizer (I have pores like a grapefruit rind. Note: even when you're on treatment for breast cancer that strips your body of every drop of estrogen, if you were meant to have oily skin, then by damn, you have oily skin). Foundation. Blush. Mascara. Eyeliner. A little eye shadow. I wish I would remember to put lipstick on more often, as in more than once or twice a week, but I just don't think about it more often than that.
I don't carry makeup with me in my purse for touch-ups.
Therefore, I did not know highlighting and contouring is a BIG THING right now. I believe it is Kardashian-driven, but it's no secret that I am not Kardashian savvy. (I can't tell any of them apart, nor do I care enough to try.)
Then I found this pin and was intrigued:
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| hotandflashy50.com |
Step by step instructions by Angie show you how to create the illusion of a firmer jawline, a thinner, straighter, nose, prominent cheekbones, and diminished eye bags. It is tailored for women over 50 (who, me?), and she also has video demonstrations. If I looked like her, I wouldn't bother with highlighting and contouring, but I appreciate her efforts to help the less-fortunate (like me). Challenge accepted.
My first hurdle was finding the product she recommended, NYX Cream and Highlight Contour Palette. She said you can use 3 shades of foundation to achieve the same effect, but that was too hard to wrap my non-Kardashian head around. I checked two different Ultas, plus Target, and I was about to give up and scramble for a new "C" when I gave one last look at my Ulta store and found they had replenished their supply. Game on.
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| This was around $15. Plus I had a coupon. |
I'm going to warn you now that the pictures that follow are not pretty, and I think I am VERY BRAVE to post them. They are me, in varying stages of putting on this stuff in harsh bathroom lighting. You might need to look through your fingers, as you would in a horror movie. Small children and mouthy teenagers should leave the room.
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| No make up. |
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| Let the highlighting begin! |
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| Looking stripey. |
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| Highlighting (the light stuff) and contouring (the dark stuff) |
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| Everything blended and foundation applied. |
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| All done. Do I look like a Kardashian? |
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| For comparison: on the left is with the highlighting and contouring; on the right, how I normally wear my makeup. |
I don't know what you think, but here's what I think: yes, it looked better with the highlighting. The contouring - meh. May need more practice with that. The product was really thick, and I could feel it on my face. Not sure I liked that, but once it was blended, it wasn't as noticeable. My daughter (who does an excellent job of applying makeup) said cream would be more difficult to use. She recommended I get powder highlighting and contouring kit, or, better yet, I could just get HER one (I did), as it goes on AFTER you put on your makeup and feels lighter.
I think, THINK this is a Pinterest win. Not going to do it on an every day basis, but I'll do it again, or my name isn't Dyanne Kardashian....
I'm even less inclined to makeup than you are, so my opinion really isn't expert. However, I think you did a nice job--both in your normal makeup and in the contour version. I'd say go with whatever you want to at the time. (I'm just envious that you can forget to wear lipstick without consequence. Whenever I forget to put on my Burt's Bee's lip balm--now that speaks to how into "makeup" I am--I end up with chapped lips, even if it's just one day!)
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot of time for all that contouring. I'd have to get up earlier - ugh!
DeleteMy lips have enough color in them without anything that when I DO put on lipstick, the color seems so vibrant!
I am with Kristi. I am an all naturale kinda gal -- and when I do wear make up, it is simply cover up, some eye liner, subtle eye shadow and maaaaybe lips (in like a nude color). My opinion may be not the best, but your makeup and the contouring honestly look very similar, with maaaaaybe your nose looking more defined in the contouring.
ReplyDeleteAnd hey, at least no avocados in this one! ;)
My main goal is to cover up the pores. They are seriously huge. The rest of it is smoke and mirrors.
DeleteI couldn't have taken a third day of avocado!
I have giant pores too. I kept waiting for my hormonal teenage face to go away. Never did.
DeleteTo be honest,I was waiting to see if you had to apply an avocado based face cream!
Im with them...they look the same to me...youre cute as a button either way!
ReplyDeleteYou are way too kind. But I didn't see much of a difference, either.
DeleteWhat a great experiment. I'm horrible with makeup but love the concept. I've never done foundation of any kind so I'm not sure where I'd start. I think contouring might be beyond my skill set. I think both versions that you showed in this post look great.
ReplyDelete@WeekendsInMaine
Weekends in Maine
Thanks, Karen! I like this woman's videos. I got some great tips from her for eye makeup. This seems a little extreme to do every day, but I spent $15 for the palette, so I guess I'll be highlighting and contouring for quite some time!
DeleteYeah, I'd say it wasn't worth the time. I honestly can't tell the difference. Of course, I only wear makeup of any kind a few times a month. Maybe.
ReplyDeleteIt looked a little better in person than it did in the pictures, but not much. Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!
DeleteThe only possible way I'll call you Dyanne Kardashian is if you show your booty in your blog. Otherwise I'm just saying your look really good with the contoured face. Did it take a long time? I gotta get me some. Val from My Virtual Vineyard
ReplyDeleteI think I probably would have rather shown my booty than my face with no makeup, but that ship's already sailed.
DeleteIt took me probably a half hour to do it, but I kept stopping and starting the video and taking pictures. If you got good at it, you could probably do the whole thing in less than 10 minutes.
Well, this is way, way out of my league, but I'm just glad we were all graced with so many pictures of your beautiful face (both with and without makeup)!
ReplyDeleteBut I have to admit, I was getting worried if there was another pic, it would be you and Ray J in some compromising positions! I don't think my heart could have taken that!
I'd say this was a success :)
You are a good liar, but keep 'em coming, because it's nice to hear!
DeleteI better not see any Dyanne and Ray J photos leaking on the internet in a few years!
DeleteYou are just too kind!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to comment since i read this post on my lunch hour on Monday - but the darn computer at my job won't let me leave a comment. i have a round face and was interested in contouring for about a minute - first I had no idea that it was something and once i found out that it was a thing i didn't have a clue what to do - then i saw pics and thought wow that is a lot of work and a lot of makeup - so i haven't tried it yet but might consider it on a special occasion - i am one of those gals that are applying make-up on the way to work and on the weekend i forget all together - but will quickly apply something again in the car when i remember or realize that i don't have any make-up on -
ReplyDeletewe are basically the same - moisturizer,very little foundation,eyeliner, one stroke of brown eye-shadow then blended, and finally lip gloss- :) that is it - basically done once a day for work.
and by the way you looked very nice and pretty either way.
A few years ago I pretty much gave up wearing makeup altogether, though on very rare occasions I might to a bit of foundation and eyeliner just for fun. I wear lip gloss always, simply because my lips are dry. I think you look very nice in both photos! The highlighting may add a bit more light under your eyes which is pretty, but I am a firm believer that we are beautiful just the way God made us, no enhancement needed on a daily basis. I am sure you had fun trying this experiment, and of course our daughters are so much more savy on such things! :-)
DeleteJosie's Journal
Make up is SO MUCH TROUBLE. I want to be able to put a little on in the morning and be done with it, but anything I put on has usually disappeared by noon, except the eye makeup, which has crept down and smudged under my eyes. Sigh.
DeleteLove it. Love it. Love it! You look awesome! And Nyx is quality stuff, made by Neutrogena as I recall!
ReplyDeletejean
aquired by L'Oreal now!
ReplyDelete