Pucker Up! ( ' }{ ' )

Lips Lipstick!

Models from Costello Tagliapietra and Nina Ricci respectively. Photos courtesy thereof. 

Is the name of one of Koko the signing gorilla's kittens. But it's also how I now plan on broaching the subject of the loved and dreaded "statement lip" and facial balancing. To begin let's get a little technical. Best to get that bit out of the way, right? As the great Kevyn Aucoin classified it, there are four face balances. 1: a neutral eye and lip (a natural look) 2. A dramatic lip but neutral eye (good for slightly more formal events) 3. A dramatic eye with a neutral lip (equally formal as 2) 4. Dramatic eyes and lips (good for very formal events, a full face.) If you want to try a red lip this fall or winter as seen on the runway at the shows of Oscar de la Renta, Emporio Armani, Marc by Marc Jacobs or Zac Posen, then you need to be able to balance your face to a face 2. 

Start with light shadows in neutral families that are only a shade or two removed from your own skin tone. Try not to venture into anything that will make your eyes look either frosted, tanned or mega colorful. Try using a single color rather that say a whole palate kit that comes with three or four. Use only one to two coats of mascara and if more length or fullness is desired try lash corners or demi lashes to open the eye without pulling focus. One does not necessarily need eye liner with this look though a thin cat eye with either liquid or pot liner would be fine, just make sure the line you create is closer to the thickness of angel hair spaghetti than fettucini ;) 

Ok onto the lips. start with a little primer to keep everything in place. Just like the rest of your face your lips should be clean and moisturized. You can use chapstick but blot well afterwards to prevent your lipstick moving too much. In life one does not always need to line one's lips, however with red lipstick, I strongly recommend it. If there's one color you really don't want creeping anywhere, it's red. Nude or red liner will work. Use the natural shape of your lips as a guide. Avoid the Lucy Ricardo "smear" or the Kelly Taylor "twin peaks."  

Ok getting technical again. Let's return to that pesky color wheel once more. 

To select a red that is flattering to your skin tone you must acknowledge there are a great many different shades of red. Pass any nail polish display and you'll see that reds come in a dizzying array of hues and tones. If you happen to have a favorite shade of red nail polish that's actually a really great starting place. That means that without breaking it down, your eye and brain have noticed that a certain shade is exceptionally flattering to your coloring. Feel free to take that shade with you, or perhaps wear it, when you select a lip color.  

Look in the mirror. GORGEOUS!!!!!!!! Ok after a few hair tosses and a blown kiss, get some good lighting going on and take a look at your skin. Peruse the name of the foundation you have selected. Are the key words like olive, yellow, peach, rose, pink? Do you tan like a little berry in the sun or burn like a vampire? 

When you get sick (so....clearly when you're looking your ABSOLUTE BEST!) Does your face get ruddy red and blotchy, or pale and sallow and jaundiced? 

If you're a burner and a blusher you most likely have a good amount of red in your undertones, if you tan easily and look sallow when pale then there's a good chance you have more yellow in your skin tone. Now most people are a combination, few are straight up one or the other, but one will be more predominant. 

It's this color that will help you pick your lipstick. For those with more red in their complexion a red that has warmer undertones will be a wise family to start testing. 

These are reds that have sort of orangey and yellow family undertones. For those that have more yellow, try reds that have a cool background. these are reds that have blues and purple tints to them. 

Feel free to try, try, and try in the store. Grab those testing swabs and go to town. The best way to select a color you like is to play around with them. You can always start by buying something at the drugstore like CoverGirl to get an idea of what you like and then seek out similar color families from upscale pigment rich brands like MAC and Makeup Forever.  This season is not huge on shine but you can of course sample red glosses if you wish to dip your toe into the red deep end in without going all the way in. Sephora actually has good store brand glosses in a large display that makes shade selection quite fun, there are so many. Once you have your lipstick, just fill into the lines you have created with your lip liner. Most people blot but I'll let you in on my dirty secret. I hate blotting. I hate losing rich pigment to a tissue. However, to prevent against embarrassing teeth smudges, take a clean finger, pucker up, place it in your mouth and then pull it out. like an astro pop. I know, I know it's seems like your making a slightly sexual gesture, but I promise what happens is the color just on the very inside area of the lips comes off but not the rest of it. Try working matte shades this season to add texture to your look. And have fun! There's no point in red lipstick if you don't wear it out!

BKBTY

Veggies!!!!!

Tis the Season to Roast (and Toast!)

I'd like start today with a little shout out to my Grandma, who, if immortal, would be 102! One of my very first beauty and cooking instructors, she taught me everything about egg salad and banana bread, the magic of paprika,  the importance of "putting on your face," filling in your brows, and how to brush out a roller set. To mark this momentous day, every year, many of the ladies in my family buy a nice slice of chocolate cake, (her fav) to accompany our raised glasses! So before I get to the recipes, I just want to recommend my favorite local Brooklyn bakery. Betty Bakery, (on Atlantic Ave. between Bond and Nevins) has, in my opinion the BEST chocolate cake in NYC. And yeah, I've tried a few.... Now there's nothing especially nutritionally redeeming about their recipes per-say. Not low-sugar, or gluten free, fair trade, or organic, but for that once and a while treat, everything they make tastes like it was made from a recipe book circa 1930-1960. Classic, honest, and delicious. They bake up cakes, cookies, BEAUTIFUL marzipan figures, and much more! Next time you're in the area, please check them out. They're open every day but Monday <3

Ok, now to two simple but delicious recipes for fall veggies! There's A LOT of natural flavor and sweetness in fall veggies, so remember to use a light hand while dressing, and let those flavors really shine through. 

The first is for buttercup squash. At least, that's what I grew up calling it. Sometimes mislabeled as either Kabocha, or Turban (turk's cap) which are two slightly different varieties. Anyway, whatever you call it, it is the beautiful queen of fall squashes. If you thought butternut squash was the winner, I must inform you, it isn't. Dark green, and not nearly as "pretty" as an acorn or butternut, what it lacks in appearance, it more than makes up for with rich, creamy, sweet flavor. To cook a buttercup squash couldn't be easier, honestly. I had childishly assumed that everyone knew the secret of these lovelies, but I can't tell you how many times I've been asked by fellow shoppers what variety I'm buying, and how to eat it. So here tis!

Buttercup Squash

Ingredients:

1 Squash

1 tbsp lipid of choice

S&P to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Using veggie wash and a veggie brush, clean the squash of any remaining soil. The skin is both delicious and edible and washing ensures you can enjoy it! snap off stem if you can, it will help. Or get as much as will break off, off.

3. Using a meat fork, or paring knife, or fondue fork, make holes or slits for steam to escape. I make between 5 and 10 depending on the size of the squash.

4. Take a little oil or fat and just LIGHTLY rub the outside of the entirety of the squash, just to prevent drying out. My personal choice is a little ghee mixed with coconut oil. These two are the most stable at high temperatures but as coconut oil has a very low smoke point, adding a bit of ghee prevents any over browning of the skin.

5. Place in a pyrex or casserole, either glass or ceramic. and bake.

How long to cook depends on how large the squash is. It can take anywhere from 45 to an hour and 15. I'd say 1-2lbs 45 min, 3lbs 1 hour, 4lbs 1hr 15. Over that, I can't say as I don't think I've ever found, or bought, one that large! 

Depending on your cooking time, turn over half way through. ex.) 1 hour cooking time, cook for 30 min, flip, cook for another 30. 

6. Ok this part is important and amazing. Turn off the oven and leave the squash in there for another half of the time; so using the above example, another 30 min. This slow cooling makes it the PERFECT consistency and prevents drying. You are left with a moist perfect squash. To serve, simply slice and scoop out seeds, they come out easily. I like to use a little S&P with just a dribble of the same coconut oil/ghee mixture, and that's it. But honestly, you don't even have to do that, there's so much flavor in these guys. 

The second is for sautéing fresh carrots! I used purple and white (light yellow) carrots because they're pretty and they looked so beautiful with the red wine!!!

Sauteed Carrots with a Red Wine Reduction

Ingredients:

1 bunch carrots (6-8 full size), sliced diagonally

1 tsp honey

1 tsp red wine

1/2 tsp ghee or coconut oil

1/3 cup water

a pinch cayenne

1 tsp cumin seeds

a pinch ground cinnamon

a pinch ground ginger

S&P to taste

Directions:

1. Put all in large sauté pan on high, bring liquid to boil.

2. Cook for 5-6 min. I like a little crunch left, rather than total mush. If you need the mush, cook for 8-10 min. (you may need to add extra water in this case)

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove and plate all the carrots, and continue to reduce the liquid until a couple teaspoons remain. 

4. Turn off heat and spoon thickened liquid onto plated carrots (see photo at top of page.)

ENJOY!!!

A last note on these guys. If you think this sounds neat, but out of your budget, I paid $2 for the squash and $2 for the carrots. Yup. A $4 expenditure. That's the beauty of eating in season, and supporting local farmers, it really is economical. 

BKBTY

Meooooow!

A Tale of two Kitties ;)

Ok guys, as promised, an entry about how to create this season's cat eye. Different from previous looks, these eyes aren't strictly about liquids or pot colors, and they also play up the bottom line more than the top. Colors are key. Think beautiful fall tones like amethyst and pumpkin. Smokey grays and mossy browns. 

First we're going to do a soft colorful eye like those featured this fall at Jason Wu. For this you'll need shadows and creamy eye crayons. Pick a color that you like. I chose purple like the example photo but feel free to chose a color you feel confident in. We're going to make this look a little more evening accessible than this particular photo. Something you could easily wear to a party or event and not feel like you look like you belong on a catwalk, which can be a little much for social gatherings.

I started by moisturizing and then priming the entire eye area. I then used a little yellow tinted under eye concealer just under my eyes where my capillaries peek through and some blond brow pencil to fill in and lengthen my brows to the shape I desire.

Finally I used a shimmer white mixed with a little shimmer peach just up on the brow bone area to highlight this area. It will help keep the eye lid from disappearing or looking out of proportion with the bottom half of the lid once we apply the color. 

Next; to create the first look take a thick eye Crayon and holding out the corner of you eye with your other hand, draw a nice thick line from the center of your lower eye line to the outer corner of your eye. Then lightly connect it to the inner comer with a very light line. Take a light colored eye pencil or powder like white or silver and apply to your bottom water line. This will both help to further open then eye and help prevent from making this look like you just have bags under your eyes as it widens and brightens. Then with shadow start to go over the crayon line you created. Here's where you can go a little crazy with the colors if you like. Try to keep a little to the lighter/ brighter shades of whatever family you are drawing from. Next take some of the darker tones and start a line from the middle of your upper to connect with the line you created under the eye at the outer corner. Feel free to use your fingers to define the shape of the "wing," that's one of the best parts about using shadow to create a cat eye, it's extremely malleable. Take a pencil eye liner of the same color family you're working with. It's important here to use pencil as liquid and pot are too bold against the shadow line we've just created so you'll end up double lining your eye. Draw a line just at the upper lash line from where the shadow begins to the corner of the eye, not beyond. This is a soft look so we need to keep the shadow being the central focus. Lastly sweep a coat of mascara onto both upper and lower lashes.

The second look is a mock liquid look, which is my version of the "Kenzo" application. Liquid can be used for this though I chose to blend pressed powder shadow with a little water to form a paste. This creates a slightly softer look. I used a moss green mixed with a dark gray for a soft autumnal palette. Feel free to use what works on YOU! Prepping the eyes and brows as before, start applying shadow by putting small amount of creme grey shadow on the outer upper lid and blend out to the brow bone. Then apply a small amount of white shimmer shadow to the inner eye area. Using a fine liner brush create a line from the center of your lower line out to the corner then painting outwards and upwards a centimeter or so to create your "wing." Go over the line a few times to create a thickness you desire. Then use petroleum jelly to lightly coat the entire upper lid, being careful to avoid the liner you have just applied. Take care to dab on in an effort to not disturb the gray we have already applied. Next take a little more of the white shimmer and apply directly to the center of the upper lid, this will increase the effect the vaseline has already started of glossiness. Finally finish with a coat of mascara.

 I hope this inspires you to play around with your eye liner a little! Remember to have patience when trying any new look and know that EVERYONE makes mistakes, that's what makeup remover pads are for! *Music: "Foux Du Fafa" Flight of the Concords courtesy Sub Pop records 2008 and "Everywhere" Fleetwood Mac courtesy Warner Brothers 1987 

BKBTY