Fall Beauty: Bombshell Style

The truth is, each season is not its own isolated event.  The transition from summer to fall is my favorite time of year.  The air is still a bit warm, the leaves are beautiful, my tan (tan is a strong word…color, perhaps?) lingers, and I can dust off my favorite flats and sweaters.  For this transition period, I’m all about a look inspired by one of my favorite vixens.  I typically find the idea of “celebrity inspired” looks at bit tacky, but this doll’s face epitomizes my summer to fall vision!  Dying to know who this mystery lady is?  None other than newlywed, Kim Kardashian!

It’s no secret that Kim loves makeup, and she (ok – let’s be honest – her makeup artist) definitely takes a heavy hand when applying it.  However, the one look she always gets right is her signature soft, smokey eyes with bubble gum pink cheeks and lips.  The bright cheeks give a nod to summer, and the dark eyes – fall.  This look is nothing short of delicious and pretty universal.  I’ve paired it down for an easy, every day look that can easily be pumped up to Kim status come Friday night. 
 
Here’s my recipe:
 
Step 1: Foundation
As we head into fall, it’s important to moisturize your face.  Moisturizing will help prolong the summer glow that you worked so hard to build up and keep your skin from getting chapped and dry as the cold weather rolls in.  For this look, a tinted moisturizer is perfect.  Because the coverage is sheer, your freckles and “natural glow” (cheesy, I know) can show through, which truly complements the pinks and browns of this palette.  To keep your skin dewy and hydrated, do not use a setting powder for this look. 
 
I recommend:
 
Tinted Moisturizer

Splurge: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, $42, sephora.com (a cult and personal favorite)
Steal: Cover Girl Smoothers Face Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, $6, walmart.com

Step 2: Eyes
To achieve the soft, smokey brown eye, you just need a dark brown eyeshadow and eyeliner.  Use an eyeliner brush or q-tip to pat a small amount of the dark brown shadow on your lower and upper lash line.  It does not have to be neat because it will be smudged out to soften it.  Avoid getting any shadow on the inner, wet part of your lower lash line, known as your waterline, because it will make your eyes look smaller.  Then use a q-tip or small blending brush to soften the shadow.  For daytime, it should be very soft and not extend too far below the lower lash line.  For night, you can smoke it out as much as you like!  Then thinly line only your upper lash line with a gel or cream brown eyeliner to give your eyes some definition.  Finish with a black volumizing mascara on both your top and bottom lashes. 
 
I recommend:
 
Shadow
Splurge: NARS Single Eyeshadow in Mekong, $23, sephora.com
Steal: e.l.f Studio Single Eyeshadow in Coffee Bean, $3, eyeslipsface.com
 
Liner
Splurge: Clinique Brush-on Cream Liner in Deep Brown, $15, clinique.com (not too expensive and AMAZING)
Steal: L’Oreal HIP Cream Liner in Brown, $12, drugstore.com
 
Mascara
Splurge: Dior DiorShow in Black, $24.50, sephora.com
Steal: Covergirl LashBlast in Black, $7, drugstore.com
 
Step 3: Cheeks
The cheeks are easy, just use a blush or powder brush to dust a bright, white-based pink blush on the apples of your cheeks.  To find the apples: smile and they are the round bits that form on either side of your nose.  Once you have applied to the apples of your cheeks, you can blend up your cheekbones to give them some color as well. I do not like bronzer with this look.
 
I recommend:
 
Blush
Splurge: NARS Blush in Angelika, $27, sephora.com
Steal: e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion, $3, eyeslipsface.com
 
Step 4: Lips
Before you put any lipstick or gloss on your lips, hydrate them with your favorite sheer lip balm or Chapstick.  This step is particularly important if you are using lipstick, because the color will really cling to any dry bits on your lip and the color will be uneven – NOT cute.  Then apply one thin coat of a blue-based bubblegum pink lipstick.  I love bubblegum pink lipstick, but it can be tricky to find the right one for your skin color.  For medium to dark skin, use MAC’s “Kinda Sexy”.  For lighter skin, use MAC’s “Angel”.  My “steal” recommendation works with all skin tones!  If lipstick isn’t for you, you can just use a bubblegum pink gloss.  For day, however, I much prefer the look of a matte pink lip. 
 
I recommend:
 
Lipstick
Splurge: MAC Lipstick in Kinda Sexy, $14.50, maccosmetics.com
MAC Lipstick in Angel, $14.50, maccosmetics.com (Kim’s FAVORITE lipstick!)
Steal: Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick in Think Pink, $3, drugstore.com
 
Lip gloss
Splurge: NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight, $24, sephora.com (Kim’s FAVORITE lip gloss!)
Steal: e.l.f. Glossy Gloss in Pink Candy, $3, eyeslipsface.com

Here’s my sister Olivia rocking the complete look on her first day of school!

Ok, ladies, that’s how it’s done!  To play the look up for a night out, just make the brown shadow on your lower lash line thicker and darker, go double duty on your mascara, and put some gloss over your lipstick!  Now go work this sexy, sophisticated look! xx