what to wear: timeless beauty
I think we can all agree that Dame Helen Mirren always looks fantastic. Whether playing the Queen of England or simply walking the red carpet, she is always the epitome of class and elegance. Let’s take a moment to celebrate her timeless beauty with this stunning night-out look.
Step One: Use a long-wear eye primer all over the lid, lashes to brow. Using a fluffy brush, cover this with a beige- or cream-colored powder shadow. With a smaller eye shadow brush, gently press a warm, shimmery, slightly darker tone all over the lower lid, up to the crease. I suggest trying the Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadow in Rose Quartz. Staying as close to the lashline as possible, line the top lid with a waterproof black eyeliner.
Sweep a little of the same shimmery tone you used on the lid into the lower lashes. If you find you need a little extra definition below, use a soft grey liner, dotted into the lower lashes. This keeps the same great definition black gives you, but doesn’t drag the eye down the way using black on the lower lashes sometimes can.
Step Two: Put on two or three coats of a super volumizing and lengthening mascara. I adore Stila Mile High Lashes for this look. Huge lashes, but not tarantula lashes. If you’d like, you can add a few individual lash flares to the outer corners for a touch of extra flutter.
Step Three: Prime your face with a hydrating primer. We love the Water Canvas Base from Vincent Longo or the Anti-Aging Moisture Primer from Jouer. Using a hydrating primer will not only keep your makeup on, but will also keep your skin looking fresh as a daisy throughout the evening. Tap a little bit of cream or liquid highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones and dab a little under your eyes. Doing this before foundation will help you look like you’re glowing, but not sparkling. Your personality should sparkle…your cheeks should not.
Step Four: Top the primer and luminizer with a long-wear concealer and follow it with buildable-coverage foundation. This way you can layer foundation on to cover your problem spots, but it won’t look cakey! I conceal the under eye first to avoid using extra foundation to compensate for under eye darkness. If you’re more comfortable doing it the other way ’round, go right ahead!
Step Five: Fill in brows with a little bit of brow powder and an angled brush. If you need a little taming, follow the powder with a touch of a brow mousse in a coordinating tone.
Step Six: Swirl a soft pink blush over the apples of your cheeks–give yourself a fake smile in the mirror, and keep the color to the center of the biggest part of your cheek. If you feel you need it, dust the tiniest bit of highlighter over the top of the apple as well. You can use a bit of the liquid luminizer from Step Two, warmed between your ring fingers, or you can switch to a powder, like the Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight or Starlight powders (depending on skin tone). The key to additional highlighter is to keep it subtle. Again–glow, not glitter.
Step Seven: It’s time for lips! Color in your lips with a cool red lip liner for extra staying power, follow with a moisturizing lipstick, and top with a gloss in the same color. For this particular look, I recommend using Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Ruby, Lip Fusion Plump + Shine Lipstick in Moulin Rouge, and finishing everything with Kevyn Aucoin The Lipgloss in Pasiflora.
Top this look with a bombshell blowout, and you are set to be fabulous, wherever the night may take you!
