Break All The Rules! What I'm Changing In My Forties!

I turn 40 tomorrow, and you know what I'm changing about my look?
NOTHING!!!
There are  a few tweaks, which I talk about here, that are good rules to follow, but that's about it!
Rule 1- Never wear anything with shimmer. 
I will never give up a good shimmer eye shadow!  It will settle in lines, but if used strategically and in small doses, you're fine!  You should be doing that anyways, if we're honest here!  We are not the wimpy-ass vampires from Twilight, are we?
Rule 2- Softer hair colour is more appropriate.
Really?  As long as you believe it works, it does!  Vivid hair is all about attitude!  I'd lie if I said it didn't take nerve, but if you have it you're all set!  Choose the proper tone, of course.  It's like anything else, if the skin tone is off, you can't make that just work by will!

 

 

Rule 3- No dark or bright lip colours.

Never Going to happen!  You can take my full coverage red lippy out of my cold dead hand!  The logic behind this is that lips thin as we age and lines form on the outer portion.  As a result, darker shades bleed, as well as make lips thinner looking.  This is why primer, lip liner and hilighter were invented.  These three things ruin that argument Mr. Arbitrary Rule Maker!!!

My hair went grey when I was a teenager, and by the time I was 17 I was colouring every four-six weeks!  I always told myself that when I was forty I'd stop colouring my hair.  What.  Was.  I.  Thinking!

I'm going to be as fiery red tomorrow as I am today!

Well, wish me luck Boys and Girls!  This is a biggie!

I have wine, red velvet cupcakes, an incredible new camera, and my lovely wee family to cushion the blow!

I'll be just fine with all that going for me! 

Lucky, lucky girl that I am!

 

Donna Xoxo

 

PS- I was given a Canon Rebel camera by Ray today, so this is going to be a great adventure for all of us!  I want to give everyone the best possible experience at An Occasional Redhead, and that means better pictures!



Makeup Looks for Saying Goodbye to 2013

Happy Holidays!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and has been enjoying some time off.
Most of all, I hope everyone has their power back on!
What the HELL was that????!!!!
We lost power for about 36 hours, and after the first 10 or so, Ray and I were bored, delirious and freezing!  Even my poor doggie was cold!
We were pretty lucky though.  I can't imagine having to leave my home for a week, or going through that with young kids.  (I did however get a text from a friend, who has a 10 week old and had to pump breast milk in her Subaru.)
Now, to the subject at hand.
New Year's Eve!
No matter what you have planned, New Year is always an opportunity to be fancy!
Try something a little gutsy and colourful!
I have a few looks here that are fun!  A little colour goes a long way towards brightening your face, and making you feel confidant.
Go for it!!!

I love a smokey-ish eye in something unexpected, like turquoise.  It brings such an inherent sexiness to the look without being obvious.  I have a taupe and gold combo eyeshadow on the lids, and I also have black liner very close to the upper lashes and the lower waterline.  This gives some depth to the eye and makes the whole thing a little Rock and Roll!  For the turquoise liner I used a beautiful waterproof liner from ArtDeco.  I brag about this in more detail here.  I applied a heavy line of the Art Deco above the black on my top lid, and a nice  thick one along the bottom too. This is not the time to be subtle!
Add lots of mascara, a good dose of hilighter along with a pale, shiny lip and Sexy is your middle name!

We all know how much I love Lippy right?  Love the feel, the richness, the elegance!  There is no way I'd discuss NYE looks without offering an option which involves a bright lip!  I went with a fuchsia shade instead of red for a more unusual feel this time of year.  Red is classic, while this feels like a more modern choice.  The best thing to do while wearing a dark or bright lip is prep like a champ!  Too Faced Lip Insurance is an amazing primer!  It gives hours of wear.  A good lip liner is a life saver too!  Make sure it's waterproof, like Sephora's Waterproof lip liner.  Makes a huge difference!  After that, apply your lipstick from the tube, or with a brush.  I'm wearing Lancôme's Colour Design in Fuchsia Clutch.  It's a gorge satiny shade, non? 
All you need to go with this is mascara, brows, and a sculpted cheek!   HOOOOTTT!
Well, Happy New Year Guys!
Thanks so much for all of the support I've gotten from each and every one of you in the past year!  It means more to me to be able to write this blog than I can say, and I couldn't do it without you!
 I wish you all the best for 2014, and I'd love to hear any plans for New Year's Eve, or resolutions for next year!  An Occasional Redhead has a few interesting things coming up!

Donna Xoxo

Fuschia Fever! If There's a Cure, I Don't Want It! ( I'm so lamesometimes!)

Oh my, I love lipstick!
I love it's feel, I love it's look. A lipstick can be the biggest mood booster ever invented. Want to feel sexy? Try a glamorous red! Want to look playful? Go for a bubble gum pink! Sophisticated? Choose a rich berry, or rosy shade!
I spent my afternoon at my brother's pool with his ancient pug Charlie, but had a few things to do first. Couldn't wander the streets looking homeless now could I? How to look casual, but still slightly glam?
Why, a fuchsia lip does the trick!!!
My skin was a tad shinier than I would like, seeing as it's 300 degrees out. However my eyebrows and lips rock!(if I say so myself.)
My favourite lip liners are Lancôme Le Crayon Lip Contours. They are retractable, soft, and have an amazing colour payoff! I always fill in the entire lip if I'm wearing a bold lipstick. It wears much better. The shade of this liner is Berry.
The lipstick in this pic is Lancôme Colour Fever lipstick in Fuchsia Fever. It has, sadly been discontinued. However, it has been replaced by a liquid formula called Le Laque Fever in Electric Pink. After applying any bright, or dark lip, a great tip is to dip a Q-tip in translucent powder and run it along the outside of your lips. This is an extra barrier against bleeding.
As far as the hat goes, in the beating hot sun, function must on occasion win over fashion. It's so cute, but I have a freakishly small head so I had to get a kids hat to fit me! Grown-up ones are ginormous!
Keep cool, and keep SPF'd (is that a word?). If anyone has a lip trick to share, I'd be happy to hear it! You can never have too many after all!

Donna Xoxo