Ultimate nudes

My great Aussie mate recently told me that she can never tell the difference with my makeup. That I always look the same. Humph! Well, it’s true that I favour the more natural look. I don’t do bright colours and tend to keep it all earthy, neutrals. So guess that’s why it always looks the same. But I might surprise my mate and do a FOTD using electric blue eye makeup. No, wait: that would surprise the bejesus out of me!

So in my continuing posts showing you that old goats don’t have to look well, old – here is a FOTD using my exciting new discovery, the Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Nude Palette. Living in Oz, I was a great fan of Napoleon cosmetics and you can get the brand here in NZ. As I was swanning through Farmers last week, I spotted the palette at the Napoleon counter. It’s part of their Holiday Collection but I was told that it’s been very popular and will be included in the permanent collection. Good news because it’s a fab palette full of eight neutral, matte eyeshadows and four highlighting and contouring tones.

It’s refreshing to find a totally matte collection I must say but I do wish it contained a deeper chocolate brown colour. The eyeshadow bottom right of the palette isn’t dark enough for my liking. And some of the colours I initially thought were a tad too yellow but they do seem to offset the reddish tone of my skin.

Anyway. Here’s what I used for the FOTD.

EYES

Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Nude Palette.
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as an eyeshadow primer. I never use any other primer as this is the HG.
e.l.f. mechanical eyelash curler – especially for older women, curling the lashes helps to open up the eye.
Mascara is one I bought in Italy – Planters Balsamo Maxi-Volume in Black. A really good mascara. Took awhile to like though, I think because it’s quite a wet mascara.
MAC Blanc Type eyeshadow on brow bone.

FACE

To tone down the high-colouring I have in my skin thanks to the Welsh/Russian ancestry, I used Moisture Mist Green Veil. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a better green-coloured primer out there.
Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. This is a makeup base and primer that’s supposed to melt in and conceal pores and lines. I don’t think it covers a thing and it slides off my combination skin. I’m still trying to use the pot up then I’m swapping to L’Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer.
Revlon PhotoReady liquid foundation in 002 Vanilla. Just realised it’s not in the photo below.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus – a great sheer coverage matte setting powder with hints of yellow. Just a dusting on the T-zone area.

CONCEALERS

My usual – MAC Studio Finish SPF35 concealer in NC15 to cover up any blemishes; Almay Line Smoothing Under Eye concealer; and Thin Lizzy Concealer Creme in Miss Von Dita. I tend to mix the MAC and Thin Lizzy concealers for complete coverage.

BRONZER, BLUSH & HIGHLIGHTER

I used the darkest shade from the Napoleon palette for bronzing (middle section of palette).
Becca Turkish Rose creme blush. I’ve had this for quite some time and have rediscovered why I like it. Becca is an Aussie brand. It’s a very pigmented silky cream blush that blends out to a light rose pink on the cheeks. Only problem is with the staying power. By the end of the day, not much is left.
At the top of the cheeks, I used Ere Perez Natural Cosmetics Falling Star Natural Vanilla highlighter. Another rediscovery for me and I’m slapping it on everywhere – on the eyelids, cupid’s bow, top of cheeks, brow bone. So versatile. Ere Perez is another Aussie brand.

BROWS

Swedish brand, the Make Up Store Microshadow in Smog.

BRUSHES

MAC #217 blending brush to apply eyeshadow.
MAC #219 pencil brush, which I used to apply crease colour.
Stila #9 long-handle blending brush to eliminate any harsh eyeshadow lines.
IDUN Minerals powder brush/large kabuki brush to apply the MAC powder.
Artiste concealer brush.
e.l.f. Studio Stipple brush to apply foundation and e.l.f. complexion brush to apply bronzer.

LIPS