How to simplify makeup shopping?

January 20, 2016 10:31 AM

I bleached and dyed my hair grey/silver from brown and now I look different. Not only do I not know what colors would look best with my new hair I would also like to branch out from "everyday" makeup. What makeup and colors should I wear now?

This is me. I'm not wearing makeup in this picture and I promise I wasn't driving.

I have read or looked through pretty much every ask.me related to my question and every recent pertain-able makeup article I could find. I am terrible at choices and I like to have minimal options.

I currently own:
- DiorShow Mascara in BlackOut
- Jouer Moisturizing Tint
- Sephora Eyebrow Powder
- Jane Iredale Liquid Eyeshadow in Brown Silk
- Becca Lip Tint in Watermelon & Papaya

I have olive-toned warm skin and green eyes. I wear a lot of green, white, brown, and grey. I dislike going into shops so I don't want to talk to a sephora/nordstrom sales associate. I've been considering MAC eyeshadow but there are so many to choose from and I'm overwhelmed. Another option for eyeshadow I've been leaning towards is Tom Ford's Cocoa Mirage but I don't know if it's worth it or still to basic. I really hate Urban Decay products so please don't recommend the Naked palettes. I would like to branch out into a little more variety then my every day makeup. If you were me, what would you buy?

posted by Marinara to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

Plum! You look like plum eye shadow would work well with your skin tone and new hair color (which is amazing, by the way). I have green eyes and plum is one of my favorites to make my eyes stand out.

Bobbi Brown does a nice plum shadow, as does MAC.
posted by blurker at 10:53 AM on January 20, 2016 [5 favorites]

You look quite a bit like Léa Seydoux. Maybe study photos of her and copy any looks you like.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 11:02 AM on January 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

I am not so terrible as I am uninterested in makeup, but a few years ago stop coloring my hair and now it's white. So I was you and like you, I didn't want to go to a makeup counter.

Without any makeup, I look washed out and exhausted. So I played around and watched a lot of videos.

And then I went out for dinner with my daughters who wanted to go to Sephora and I figured I could get a new mascara.

I know you don't want to hear this, but...

I cannot overstate how great it was to just get advice from the Sephora people. I made my routine really clear and they didn't upsell me any crap.

They pointed me to a really nice moisturizer/BB cream and two different Stila eyeshadows. I have a neutral brown and a shimmery blue one. I wear them with a gray gel eyeliner and a Benefit mascara, stuff I already had. They also pointed me toward a super cheap Maybelline cream blush which makes a huge difference (they don't sell it at Sephora). Lastly, they gave me some samples of Stila lip stain and that stuff STAYS. So I bought them in red and pink.

On days when I don't want to do anything, I wear a bright scarf tied close to my shin and mascara.

I know, I know. You don't want to go to Sephora. But it was the smartest half hour I've ever spent since going white.

Welcome to the awesome hair color club!!
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:12 AM on January 20, 2016 [5 favorites]

If you don't want to go to Sephora, book a makeup application/lesson at a salon. You are then paying for an expert and not getting a free "makeover" at a beauty counter in hopes you will buy product. The salon will probably suggest items, but a good makeup artist at a salon will know your repeat business is more important than selling a few lip glosses.
posted by littlewater at 11:17 AM on January 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

I wear a bright scarf tied close to my shin and mascara.


A shin scarf would look silly. Neck, chin scarf. Ugh.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:28 AM on January 20, 2016 [5 favorites]

The new style looks great! +1 for plum colors and how about this palette from Too Faced? I could see you rocking the orange and the teal quite well.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 11:34 AM on January 20, 2016

Your hair is so cute! Lighter hair can sometimes make olive-toned skin look sallow or washed-out. You might consider adding a blush or warm toned bronzer to your routine. Check out Revlon's creme blush in Charmed Enchanttment. It's a nice neutral pink with minimal shimmer that blends really well. They make a rosier shade as well if that's more your style.
posted by ananci at 12:13 PM on January 20, 2016 [2 favorites]

I came in here to recommend plum and purple tones but I see I've been beaten to the punch. However I would just like to give a plug for my favouritest matte purple eyeshadow, make up forever's artist shadow in M928 eggplant.
posted by mossicle at 12:21 PM on January 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

If you want to play with eyeliner, I'm a big fan of Clinique's quick liners. They go on super smooth (no tugging your eyelid). They're probably not precise enough for winged looks but I wear them everyday. I thought of them in particular for you because they have some lovely plum shades. Their Violet is like if you made purple a bit of neutral somehow and Intense Plum is a gorgeous midnight shade with a touch of sparkle.

The other thing I wondered from looking at your list is if you ever wear blush? I consider it an essential! I think a coral shade would look lovely on you (like Boots No. 7 Coral Flush or the perennial favorite Nars Orgasm). I also think Tarte Amazonian Clay in Dollface is worth a try--it's a true pink which I thought would look horrible and hokey but it's fun and works on lots of complexions. You might want to try mauve shades too.

If you want to branch out, I think highlighter or things with some shimmer would pair well with your hair too. This Make Up Forever eyeshadow has shimmer and staying power but can still be worn to the office imo if need be.
posted by purple_bird at 1:23 PM on January 20, 2016

Though she has dark hair, I think you can rock all of Melissa Alatorre's looks. She has warm olive skintone as well.

If you want tutorials check out her YouTube, which I've never watched. I follow her on Instagram and she does list her products which is great.

I really recommend the ABH Self-Made palette for your skin-tone, great mix of neutral and fun colors. The first LORAC PRO palette is great (the second may be too cool for your skintone, but YMMV), that purple will look amazing on you.
posted by xicana63 at 1:49 PM on January 20, 2016

You could really pull off coral or poppy lipstick if you got the right shade, if you wanted to try something that would pop a little.
posted by limeonaire at 7:45 PM on January 20, 2016

I adore the MAC paint pots. A nice neutral is called Painterly, but there are tons of other colors too.
posted by bookworm4125 at 8:09 PM on January 20, 2016

You look amazing.

I think you can easily pull off a simple arsenal of: Light foundation, eyeliner, brows, statement lipstick. No eyeshadow! Or if any, something matte and totally neutral.

I think a bright lipstick with neutral, simple eyes (maybe winged eyeliner if you are comfortable with making those) would be stunning but not over the top for you. Inspiration here, here, and here. The great thing about lipstick is that it is SO easy to experiment with at counters or drugstore aisles.

And the more I use makeup the more I realise that the first step is great looking skin. You look like you already lucky enough to have a lovely base, so maybe just a tinted moisturiser or a very light foundation (I *love* Chanel Aqualumiere. But a warning, it does have a scent that I personally like but may turn you off if you are sensitive to that.) I have never had a bad experience at a Chanel counter.

And brows! Do not neglect the brows! I have a feeling they will make your eyes really shine.
posted by like_neon at 1:36 AM on January 21, 2016