The Perfect Red Lip

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Every girl needs a good red lipstick. It's sort of a rite of passage into full-fledged womanhood. As a redhead, I have long struggled with this hunt. Nothing was ever quite right...until recently. This time of year begs for a fun red lip so just in time for the last round of holiday parties, I must present to you the result of the search for perfect red lipstick. 

 NARS Audacious Lipstick in Lana

Elle recently published an article about several types of make-up that were perfect for every skin tone. They suggested NARS Audacious Lipstick in Lana as the perfect red for everybody. Considering I have been on the hunt for this shade for years, I ran to my closest Sephora to test it for myself... and helloooooooo orange pout. With just two swipes of this lipstick, my pucker was a bright shade of nectarine- not exactly what I was going for. Luckily, Sephora had other great NARS lipstick options. 

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Annabella 

 

One shade cooler than Lana is Annabella. Eureka! The lipstick is perfection. As a red, it's not too aggressive or overpowering. It just provides a really striking pop of color, much more so than I'm used to wearing, without a crazy red-lips-in-yo-face effect. I can easily wear this lipstick during the day with just a little blush and mascara and think it will be really pretty in the evening with a hint of gold or bronze eye. 

(Insert cheesy selfie of me puckering up to show off my red lipstick)

This time of year, I'll use anything to keep me from looking like Casper! If you've been struggling to find the right red lipstick, give this one a try. The best part about Sephora is that if you don't like something, you can send it back. Do not commit to anything until you've given it a test drive.

Happy Holidays!!

My MAC Makeover

Upon an impromptu mall walking session with my beau, I took a detour to the MAC counter to check out the company's mineral make-up eye shadows. I not only fell in love with the Caribbean shade but maayyyybe a few other things as well. Oops! 

From top to bottom: Teddy Kohl Eyeliner Pencil, Rubenesque Paint Pot, Caribbean Mineralize Eye Shadow, 252 Brush

Dainty Mineralize Blush

KWow Sheen Supreme Lipglass

This palette gives me a really lovely natural look. I think the burgundy and pale pink palette will transition perfectly into fall. Do you use any MAC products? What make-up looks are you digging for fall?

Fresh-Faced Five Hundredth

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It's hard to believe but this post marks Savoir-Flair's five hundredth post! Where has the time gone?? When I think back to when this little blog started, it was just a place to store my favorite images and ideas in the midst of under-employment. Now it's a joke amongst friends ("How do you say it again?? Savoo Flay?"), an escape from the daily grind and a way to interact with sassy creative friends that I've never even met! Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride!

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Now, let's get back to business- the business of beauty! Summertime heat calls for more natural beauty enhancement than any other time of year. No one wants to prance around in 100-degree heat with oxblood lips and heavy foundation. In the winter, that look is chic but, in the summer, it's overdone and uncomfortable. Now is the time to break out the tinted moisturizer and keep your skin as clean as possible. I've gathered a collection of some tried and true favs so that we can all look like Blake Lively. Sound good?

Chanel Lip Colour/ Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish/ Diorshow Iconic Mascara/ Bobbi Brown Beach Eau de Parfum/ Bobbi Brown Navy and Nude Eye Palette

Do you have any summer make-up must-haves?

PS- I've recently become obsessed with the Golden Girls concept. If all my girlfriends and I outlive our hubbies, we're moving into a condo together in Palm Beach where we can go antiquing everyday and get our water aerobics on. Care to join us in 50 years?? 

Low Maintenance Beauty

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

One of the best things about the change in season is tracking the new beauty trends. Frosty and dark exit stage right as bright and natural saunter in for spring. With 5 a.m. wake-up calls and long days at the office, I'm all about a low maintenance beauty routine these days. I'm particularly excited about spring's fuchsia lip. It looks great on all skin tones with the least amount of overall effort required. Just sweep on a little highlighter and black mascara and the rest is all lips! (See Camilla Belle, second photo above.) Make sure you keep your lacquer/pencil/what-have-you with you throughout the day so that you can touch up when your shade wears off. With so much natural make-up on your face, that pop of pink is key to keeping your face flushed with beautiful color. 

Background: MAC lip pencil in More To Love

Clockwise from far right: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Plushest Punch/ Jane Iredale Eye Highlighter Pencil/ L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Lacquer in Infinite Fuchsia/ Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz/YSL Rouge Volupte in Opera Rose

Will you try this spring trend? Is there another beauty trend you are excited about? 

Springtime Beauty

One of spring and summer's biggest perks has got to be the *healthy* sun-kissed glow your skin gets as you spend more time outside. Something about a glowing complexion eases the need for loads of heavy product and you can really downsize your make-up bag and the time spent in front of the mirror. 

If you're looking for a few good spring and summer beauty products, look no further. These lightweight but high-impact products below are sure to help you look your best...by day and by night!

Jane Iredale Dual Highlighter/Jane Iredale DreamTint tinted moisturizer/ Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara/ Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in Rose Opera/ Smashbox Blush Rush in Radiance

 Bobbi Brown LongWear Cream Shadow in Beach Bronze/ Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose/ Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eye Liner brush/ Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

***For day:*** 

-Start by applying tinted moisturizer and concealer if you need it. 

-Add highlighter along your brow bone, the inside corner of your eyes and inside your lower lid to make your eyes look brighter. 

-Swipe two coats of black mascara along your upper and lower lashes. (Sorry, I'm a mascara horse.)

-Use a large brush to add blush on the apples of your cheeks and swoop upward toward your temples. 

-Complete the look with bright lipstick. If it looks too heavy, blot it lightly once and reapply as necessary throughout the day. 

***Into night:***

-Layer on cream eyeshadow for not only glamorous shimmer but also some serious staying power. 

-Line your upper lids and inside the lid with black gel eyeliner. 

-Refresh your facial flush while adding a little more highlight to your cheeks with a light swipe from the Shimmer Brick.

-Reapply your lipstick...all. night. long.

When you're a make-up junkie like me, it's so easy to get sucked into every trend or want to try out tons of products. But, though it's a tough lesson to learn, sometimes simpler is better. Do you have any good make-up tips for spring and summer?