S E O U L D I V A

Confession: I was REALLY not going to do the New York Fashion Week Makeup Challenge (#NYFWMUC) this season.  It’s been a very challenging and stressful summer and work has been particularly excruciating, so I didn’t think I had the creative gumption to do it this season.

But I woke up this morning, and it was like the Fashion Week Fairy had sprinkled her magic on me overnight.  I was filled with the spirit of Fashion Week!  Yes, it’s a full week of exhaustion, running around in painful heels, long days & nights of being super smiley and “on”….but at the end of the day, it’s a full week of CREATIVITY and being around the most incredible makeup talent in the world.

SO, bishes…#NYFWMUC is ON (like popcorn!)!!!!!!

DAY 1: Fabulous Feline!

Today’s suddenly cool weather puzzled me. So I pulled out my sleeveless turtleneck shirt…which lead to the hair being slicked up in a “femme fatale” sorta way…which lead to a cat-eye…NATURALLY.

• MAC Face & Body in C3
• Strobe Cream (obsessed)
• Superslick Eyeliner in On The Hunt (from Fabulous Felines)
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in By Candlelight (on the cheeks)

Let #NYFWMUC begin!

What can I say???! This is the LAST DAY of my NYFWMUC. Of all the seasons, a part of me wishes I didn’t take this challenge on…this was particularly brutal on the mind and body.

But in order to celebrate, decided to go with a purple smokey eye for the last look:

• MAC ES in Blu Noir
• MAC ES in Parfait Amour
• MAC Pearlglide in Black Russian

Yesterday was a marathon day – had to cover 4 bacsktage shows:  Badgley Mischka, Malandrino, Philsophy d’Alberta Ferretti and finally Baby Phat.

Baby Phat is always a challenging show, solely because of the backstage space.  Held at the Roseland Ballroom, hair & makeup is crammed together in a very narrow space, with a LOT of photographers & cameramen, models and “curious minds” wandering around.  In a word: CHAOS.

But luckily, James Kaliardos was the key makeup artist.  He is one of my FAVORITE makeup artists during NYFW because he is infinitely creative, yet always has the best attitude and disposition backstage.

For Baby Phat SS’10, he created a Morroccan-inspired extended, smoky eye.  But James being James, he used a deep, navy shimmer for the top, with a more deep purple shimmer on the bottom. I loved the dimension, but subtlety of the two-toned smokey eye.

I tried to pathetically recreate the look using the new MAC Style Black collection:

• MAC Powerpoint in Engraved: used to draw in the shape of the eye, and gave me something to anchor the eye shadows
• MAC Style Black Mineralize Eyeshadow in Blue Flame: a blackened navy with cobalt blue shimmer.  Love how deep it is and ADORE the subtle blue shimmer underneath it.  Used this patted on the lid over the liner, and blended the edges
• MAC Style Black Mineralize Eyeshadow in Young Punk: Patted across lower lash line over the liner with the #219 Brush

Final Look:

After a fashion week’s night out at the Marc Jacobs/V Magazine After Party and getting home at 1:30am…it finally happened.  I overslept!

I’m afflicted with “15-minutes-early” syndrome.  I’m almost never late, always early.  So when I leapt up at 7:21am for a 7:30am call time…I was kicking myself for ever starting this #NYFWMUC. How the heck was I supposed to be creative when I was already running late??!

SO, the inspiration:  When I was backstage at Jeremy Laing the other day, I saw one of the designers’ staff wearing this beautiful pearl color on the inner rim of the eye.  I’ve been dying to do something with White eyeshadow for the longest…so this was my lazy, “Damn, I overslept” look:

• MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF 15
• MAC PRO Pigment in White
• MAC Powerpoint in Engraved on the bottom waterline
• MAC MSF in Shimpagne
• MAC Viva Glam VI Special Edition Lipglass: a nice, pinky mauve

Since I have 3 shows to work today, then the Marc Jacobs/V Magazine After Party tonight…I though I’d continue my love of MAC Lipmix today.

I remembered this amazing Spin Magazine Cover with M.I.A., where she was rocking two colors on her lips: orange & pink.

Then I remembered that Sharon Dowsett created the same look for the Ungaro Fall/Winter 2009 Runway show last February.

With 2 such incredible endorsements, how could I go wrong?

• MAC Strobe Cream mixed with Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF 15
• MAC ES in Bright Sunshine
• MAC Lipmix in Orange
• MAC Lipmix in Fuchsia, layered with MAC Dame Edna Lipstick in Gladiola

Yesterday’s #NYFWMUC involved a lil MAC Lipmix in Orange-action.  I have to say, one of the things I love about Lipmix is how LONG it lasts in a beautiful, matte finish, without being overly drying!

So today’s looking like it’s going to be another long day.  I have to work 3 backstages, then go to the Gareth Pugh installation at MAC & MILK.  Another job for MAC LIPMIX!

• MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF 15
• MAC Powerpoint Pencil in Engraved
• MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
• MAC ES in Shroom dusted over the lid
• MAC MSF in Petticoat (I don’t know WHAT I’m going to do when I run out of this…)
• MAC Cremestick Line in Cranapple: I LOVE this liner because it’s a very pinky-red shade. When I’m looking to carry less in my makeup bag, I carry this liner because I can swing it for both my pinks & reds lipsticks….
• MAC PRO LIPMIX IN RED:  LOVE LOVE LOVE this color.  It’s a very tomato, orange-red: bright & vivid.  It’s kinda like Lady Danger in Lipmix form.  LURVE!

Last night, I had more sleep than I’ve had in 3 weeks – a whole 7 hours!!  Plus yesterday, I ended up following around James Kaliardos through all of his shows: Ruffian, Preen, Luca Luca and Nicole Miller.

RESULT: Feeling VERY inspired this morning for my makeup!!

Inbetween the travels, I peeped a Twitpic by MAC Sr. Artist Luc Bouchard that revealed what was being used to get the look for Twinkle:

←MAC PRO Orange Lipmix!

Then, at Luca Luca, James Kaliardos created this beautiful, soft extended liner, but that only went halfway across the lid.  Here’s how it looked on the runway:

Here’s my “inspired” look today:

• MAC Powerpoint in Industry
• MAC PRO Sculpt Powders on the lid
• MAC MSF in Shimpagne
• MAC PRO Orange Lipmix

Woke up the morning and felt like a “MAC” truck hit me.  LOL.  It was one of those mornings where you showered with your eyes closed because it hurt too much to open.

Didn’t have much creative energy in me, so I opted for a lazy makeup today: the smudgy black liner:

• MAC Powerpoint in Engraved: to outline the eye
• MAC Eyeshadow in Nehru patted on over the liner with…
• MAC #219 Brush
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Petticoat

In honor of @JanelleMonae’s appearance at the MAC Soho store tonight for Fashion’s Night Out, I thought I should rock some Style Black for my #NYFWMUC today.

I have on:

• MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner in Black Russian, blended out with the #219 Pencil Brush
• NEW MAC Style Black Mineralize Eyeshadow in Cinderfella: HEAVEN – much more pigmented than previous Min ES with the most divine grey shimmer.  Blended out with my latest obsession, the #224 Brush
• Liquidlast in Point Black on the lower lash line
• MAC PRO Shapers in Warm Light, mixed with Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne on the cheeks.

If you’re in NYC for Fashion’s Night Out tonight, come by any participating MAC location to be able to purchase the new MAC Style Black collection 2 WEEKS before it’s out on counter!!

For participating locations, check out:

www.fashionsnightout.com

(If you’re in Soho, come by the MAC Soho location @ 113 Spring Street and say hi! I’ll be there, and so will @JanelleMonae!! She’ll be signing free copies of her Metropolis album!)

Here’s my feable attempt at a “makeup” look today.

I came to the realization this AM, that if I had a magical elven helper, I would have him wash my makeup brushes for me every day. I need to wash my brushes before NYFW…in a BAD way!!

This is what I used on the face:

• MAC Powerpoint in Industry
• MAC Eyeshadow in Smoke & Diamonds
• MAC PRO Sculpt in Warm Light
• MAC Clear Lipglass
• 5 hours of sleep – to help get those lovely puffs under the eyes!!