random recent makeup looks.

Sometimes, there are makeup looks that remain on my camera but never make it into an actual blog post. There might have been something specific that I felt like writing about (which ultimately bumped a planned post) or certain makeup photos simply managed to get lost in the shuffle. This post is dedicated to those random makeup looks. Here are a few recent ones. 

fall inspired #FOTD (warm and wearable colours)

There have been a few bumps in the road this month, but the arrival of the fall season has been lifting my spirits. Fingers crossed the rest of the month (and all of October) is much better. For now, it is time to dive headfirst into the promise of a fresh start with a fall inspired #FOTD. This look makes use of a few favourites and a newer eyeshadow palette in my collection.

hilary duff concert look and mini concert review

Hilary Duff is back. The iconic Disney Channel star released her latest album, Luck...or Something earlier in the year and announced The Lucky Me Tour around the same time. As a longtime Hilary Duff fan, it was all very exciting. I purchased a downloadable version of the album for the bonus content, purchased the CD version of the album, and purchased a vinyl version of the album in quick succession. I also bought tickets to one of her concert dates. Let me just say that my inner child has been thriving with the return of this incredible artist. This post is all about my Hilary Duff concert look, including the outfit, hair, accessories, and makeup. There will also be a mini concert review. Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of...

fotd feat. the roaring 20's indulgence eyeshadow palette

Some eyeshadow palettes are more exciting than others. One example is The Roaring 20's Indulgence Eyeshadow Palette from Rude Cosmetics. This 1920s themed release has a fun design, a consistent theme, and an impressive assortment of eyeshadow colours and finishes. It continues to be used often. Here is a recent #FOTD featuring this memorable eyeshadow palette. 

canada day inspired red and white makeup look

July looks like it will be jam-packed this year. There is so much on my calendar in the next several weeks. There is Canada Day (which is today), my wedding anniversary, my fifteen year blog anniversary, a cottage getaway with family, dental appointments, and some long overdue hangouts with friends. Summer always seems to be so full. To start the month off on a positive note, it seemed only right to create a Canada Day inspired makeup look. I love using this date as an excuse to pull together all sorts of red and white makeup products from my collection. On that note, here is a holiday inspired #FOTD...

#FOTD: beauty nostalgia (statement lipstick colour)

Nostalgia appears to be a constant in my life. There is a part of me that aches for the experiences of the past. I love imagining what life was like in different decades almost as much as I love remembering when my own world felt simpler and more optimistic. These days, my nostalgia has even included makeup and jewellery trends from the 2010s. I find myself missing bold statement necklaces and ultra colourful lipstick shades. There was a time that Sephora had blue, green, and purple lipsticks available from all sorts of brands. I loved that time in makeup so much! Back then, beauty was fun and daring and playful. So much of that has been lost to the "clean girl aesthetic" that has become popular in more recent years and it makes me sad. This recent #FOTD is anything but clean girl inspired. It features a fun statement lipstick perfectly suited to my nostalgia. 

shop my stash: coral makeup look

There is something about coral that has been speaking to me lately. While there are all sorts of coral shades, typically, it is something between red, pink, and orange. Some coral makeup products are a little more pink, some a little more orange, and some a little more on the red side. I recently decided to shop my stash to create a coral inspired makeup look. It turns out that coral is supposed to represent joy and optimism. I think this colour has been speaking to me lately because my life has needed an extra dose of joy and optimism! Here is hoping this makeup look will bring all sorts of positivity into my world. 

#FOTD: inspired by kermit the frog (green makeup look)

It's not easy being green...but life seems pretty wonderful for beloved icon, Kermit the Frog. There is a new Muppets themed rollercoaster in the works at Walt Disney World, The Muppet Show special received positive reviews and high ratings, and tomorrow is Kermit the Frog's birthday. Well, sort of. May 9, 1955, was the first time that Kermit appeared on television screens. Since my obsession with all things Muppets remains, it seemed like an appropriate time to create a makeup look inspired by this important character. This Kermit inspired #FOTD post is focused on green, green, and more green.

more beyond the gates inspired makeup looks.

Last summer, there was a post here on the creation of beauty is art. about the soap opera that I watch, Beyond The Gates. I described having an alarm set on my phone each weekday at 1:58 p.m. so I could watch the new episode. Thankfully, that alarm is no longer set, because the soap opera moved to a streaming service in my country. That has made it much easier to access. There is no more relying on an inconsistent antenna signal and I can watch the new episode whenever it fits into my day. While the way that I watch Beyond The Gates has changed, my love of the show, the fashion, and the makeup has remained. Every now and then, I take screenshots of Instagram posts or makeup featured in an episode with the intention of making it my own. On that note! This post is dedicated to even more Beyond The Gates inspired makeup looks.

at the end of the rainbow waited the pot of gold.

How will you celebrate St. Patrick's Day tomorrow? Will you wear green? Will you enjoy a drink and a nice meal with friends? However you choose to recognize the day, here is hoping it will be a positive experience from start to finish. In truth, I have a soft spot for this holiday because my husband and I met on St. Patrick's Day many years back. Each year, there are themed decorations in our home and there is at least some acknowledgement of the day. Tomorrow, I will be wearing a sweatshirt with four leaf clovers all over it and will do something fun and festive with my makeup. In the last week or so, I have painted my nails a bright festive green and have been reading "Irish Parade Murder" by Leslie Meier. I even watched some St. Patrick's Day themed cartoons on YouTube. Life can be stressful and overwhelming, especially with the world the way it is right now, so creating holiday magic has felt more important than usual. On that note, here is a bold makeup look with lots and lots of green.

shaun cassidy concert review and makeup look

There are all sorts of records in my record collection, including several from Shaun Cassidy. My introduction to Shaun Cassidy was partly a result of my obsession with his brother, David Cassidy, and partly a result of The Hardy Boys television series that ran in the late 1970s. (I found the series on DVD many years back, bought it on a whim, and fell in love with it.) I have listened to his records so many times over the years, but never imagined it would be possible to see him in concert. Then he announced The Road To Us Tour. Tickets were immediately purchased. Here is a mini review of the show and a concert makeup look.

#FOTD: warm makeup look featuring maybelline products

It is fun to find random drugstore makeup items at Winners. The discounted prices make it possible to put all sorts of different items to the test. More recently, there were some Maybelline products added to my cart, like a warm toned blush and lipstick. Ready to take a closer look at the drugstore makeup products? Check out a recent #FOTD? Keep reading for all the details. 

holiday #FOTD: red and green makeup look

Each year, it seems there is a different colour trend that takes over the holiday season. Frosty winter whites and blues, pastel candy colours, and sometimes, even silver and gold. However, it is nice to stick to the classics. Red and green are commonly associated with this time of year. Traditionally, these colours were tied to winter solstice traditions, with red holly berries and green leaves, but these colours have also been known to represent blood and eternal life. Whatever the reason...red and green are easily the most recognizable Christmas colours. That is the reason this holiday themed #FOTD focuses on both.

#FOTD: sparkle and shine featuring lise watier stardust

The holiday season is steadily creeping closer...and I could not be more thrilled. Though it is still November, there has been Christmas music playing in my home on a regular basis. (I like to start as early as possible so I can soak up all of that seasonal magic.) In addition to Christmas music, many of my recent makeup looks are seasonally inspired. For example, I have been putting the Stardust Glitter Liner and Shadow from Lise Watier to use. Most years, my mom gifts me the Eye Glitter Liners from the brand for my birthday, but this year, it was the Stardust Glitter Liner and Shadow in the shade Opale. Here is a #FOTD.

#FOTD: black lipstick look (spooky season makeup)

October is such a fun month. There are still several weeks until Halloween arrives, but my home is in full blown spooky mode. Decorations are everywhere, pumpkin scented candles are lit regularly, my Halloween themed t-shirts are in rotation, horror movies are playing on my television, and my makeup is a little more dramatic than usual. Check out this recent #FOTD. 

my chemical romance (concert review and makeup look)

Black nail polish, a worn out My Chemical Romance hoodie, and tens of thousands of fans. Ahh...bliss. Right before my husband and I went to join my family at a rented cottage, we spent the evening seeing one of my all-time favourite bands: My Chemical Romance. I first started listening to them back in my university days and have been a huge fan ever since. When the Long Live The Black Parade tour was first announced, it was a no brainer to look into concert tickets. Though the prices were high (thanks to dynamic pricing), the decision was made to treat myself to a set of terrible seats in an absolutely massive venue. Logical? Perhaps not, but The Black Parade is my favourite album from MCR, and all logic seemed to disappear. Was it worth the price? Did the show meet my expectations? Keep reading for a mini concert review and makeup look.

#FOTD: burgundy makeup look

It is always interesting to see what colours will be popular when a new season rolls around. During a trip to a nearby shopping mall recently, there were all sorts of burgundy pieces lining store windows. From fast fashion to higher end brands, there was burgundy all over the place. I can understand why. It is a beautiful colour that fits in well with the fall season. Given the popularity of this colour, it seemed only right to look through my makeup collection and create a #FOTD that highlighted this warm seasonal shade. Ready to take a look? Here is a #FOTD featuring some items from my makeup collection.

shop my stash (smokey summertime look)

When thinking about the makeup look I wanted to create for a get together with an old friend, the vibe was immediately clear: smokey summertime. Despite the fact that summer is still underway (with the high temperatures making life more difficult)...my heart is longing for the fall season. Warm colours, vampy makeup looks, and all the rest. So, for this smokey summertime look, I wanted to take darker, richer colours, and combine them with something a little bit brighter. 

debbie gibson concert (makeup look and concert review)

Concerts can be an awful lot of fun. Unfortunately, the price of concert tickets seems to increase dramatically year over year, so it is necessary for me to be a little choosy. When I heard that Debbie Gibson was playing a show not too far from me...it was a must. I have been a fan of Debbie since I was a little kid and still have her cassette tapes in my collection. I was originally looking for tickets in the back section of the venue (because of the cost) but my husband surprised me with floor seats. I decided to use an 80s inspired eyeshadow palette, pull out my hair waver, and create a look that was fitting for an evening with an 80s pop icon. This blog post is all about the makeup look that was created - and some of the concert highlights. 

psyduck (pokemon) inspired makeup look

Pokémon is not something that I have meaningfully engaged with over the years, but my husband plays all sorts of Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch. Every now and then, there will be a cute character that catches my eye. (Some of the characters are ridiculously adorable.) That is what happened with Psyduck. I saw this cute little duck character waddling around and holding his head. My husband informed me that Psyduck gets headaches and holds onto his head until he releases tension with his strong psychic powers. I was immediately enamored with this character, from design to personality. So, my very thoughtful husband ordered me a little Psyduck plush. He arrived fairly quickly and has been keeping me company ever since. There are a handful of yellow eyeshadows in my makeup collection that I have not used all that frequently - and the arrival of Psyduck seemed like a good reason to put them to use. Here is a makeup look inspired by this adorable Pokémon character.