If a novel were to be written about the makeup trends from 2010 until now, I’m pretty sure it would be called The Full Kardashian, or, I Contoured My Face Into Oblivion and All I Got Were Bronzer Stains On My Jacket. Influenced by Kim, Kourtney, Khloé, and the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner krew, makeup has taken on a high-definition, perfectly-manicured effect, with alternating stripes of bronzer and concealer decking everyone’s complexion in an attempt to take that flattering Valencia filter into the real world. The abundance of beauty tutorials available at the swipe of a touch-screen make learning and mastering just about any makeup effect easier and more convenient than ever, and as a result, eyebrows remain on fleek with lengthy lashes curled to the gods. Hair trends tend to vary, but in accordance with the “What Would Kim K Do” school of thought, I blew out my hair and worked my curling iron in alternating directions to give my strands a soft wave.
Not surprisingly, the makeup for this look took the longest, and I feel like this is almost a neutral-toned version of the graphic contouring popularized in the ’80s. After a layer of primer, I applied stripes of Marc Jacobs concealer ($32) a shade lighter than my natural skin tone onto my forehead, down the center of my nose, in V-shapes under my eyes, above my cupid’s bow, and on my chin. Tom Ford's creme bronzer from the Shade & Illuminate palette ($77) were striped along the hollows of my cheeks, around the perimeter of my face, and down both sides of my nose. Before blending everything out with a BeautyBlender sponge ($20), I looked a little bit like a rejected understudy from the classic musical, Cats. I used a handful of golds and neutrals on my eyes from the Too Faced Chocolate Palette ($49), applied a sharp wing with Gucci's Liquid Liner Pen ($37), and went hard on the mascara. More highlight was added with NARS' Luxor ($39) through the center of my face and the tops of my cheekbones. To keep up with Kylie Jenner, I traced outside of my natural lip line with Tarte's Universal Lip Pencil ($18), and topped it off with a clear lip balm.
I was a little sad and lost as far as what to do with my hair and makeup after finishing this piece, but also slightly relieved — returning to my normal routine meant I wouldn’t have to get up extra early to tease my hair, nor would I have to dodge weird looks from people en route to the office. Researching old-school beauty trends and techniques ended up being really informative, and I’m actually planning to incorporate a few into my regime. Plus, vintage beauty ads offer no shortage of makeup and hair inspiration. A few things I learned? Never underestimate the power of a bold lip, always experiment with different shadow colors, and most importantly, ’50s-era victory rolls are a great alternative to a ponytail when working with second-day strands.
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