what if you just don't suit vintage make up?

[book_lover]

I wore smokey grey eyes and red lips at the weekend - looking back at the pictures it did me NO favours at all. Not so lucky to be able to wear any colours, like some can. My eyes are really yellowy green (hazel but very piercing with it - am not making them sound nice at all am I, lol) and the colours just clashed terribly (there are pics as proof in my hair/dress thread).

So is anyone else in the same boat? I'm going to avoid red lips from now on (I can do plummy shades though). Also I am going to try and find out what eye colours I should stick with. Anyone know a source of info on this?

cheers!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I'm a firm believer that anyone can wear red lips if you find the right shade to suit your skin tone! If you are cool toned like me (check the back of your wrist, are the veins bluey or greeny? Blue = cool, green = warm) you need a more blueish toned red. Your lippy in those pics looks more orangey. Well to me at least. I tend not to wear any noticeable shadow with my red lips, maybe a touch of a very pale, neutral shade, like a goldish light brown. I also have hazel eyes. I found a good guide to colours on this site. Though of course that's not a vintage makeup site, but for me I'd rather have makeup shades that suit me than those that look strictly "vintage". But then I am far from a vintage purist!

 

[Elaina]

Bcause of a few problems with my own face (and heredity), and a family that forgot to move forward in fashion: none of the women in my family wore red lipstick. Ever.

We've always played up the eyes. And red lips tend to look garish (not to mention the lips are naturally purple toned and try wearing red with that, you get an odd color. Or a clown look.) http://www.return2style.de/homepage.htm is a good source (in German, but you can understand Lippenstift is lipstick, or google and translate it). Just because it wasn't a "hot" color in an era, doesn't mean that colors before weren't also used.

Another resource is old folk's homes. Go visit and talk to the women. They'll sure tell you more then you ever wanted to know about style, and enjoy the trip down memory lane too.

 

[book_lover]

Fleurre I think that is the problem, thanks for pointing it out and now you have, I'm almost sure that the red is too "warm" and orangey. I have VERY blue veins on the back of my wrist. Do you have a reccomendation for a lippy shade which is cool?

Also I think you're right, the eyes with the lips was all too much, I felt like a "painted lady".......

Will have a look at both websites you've recommended - thanks girls, I am going to persevere but like you Fleurre, would rather look "right" than fully authentic.

Cheers ladies!

 

[CherryRed]

I don't think the red lips look too bad, but if you are uncomfortable, do look for a different shade. Aslo, with green eyes try using brown shadow, which is also authentic but will go better with your eyes then the gray.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I have blue/green eyes (they change between the two), and I tend to not do smokey eyes with my normal vintage look. I do use brown shadow, with -maybe- a bit of darker brown shading in the crease. No eyeliner...just lots of mascara...

Then its not so overpoweringly -made up- looking.

All the other ladies have great suggestions about finding the right red..

 

[~landgirl~]

All the other ladies have great suggestions about finding the right red..

Miss Neecerie - what colour red are you wearing in your photo there? I think that would quite suit me!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

That is Besame Cherry Red. They have samples so you can try it out, although I dont know if they ship to the UK.

If you find out that they don't, Please Please PM me and I can send you a wee bit of mine to try out, so that you don't end up with a whole lipstick that doesnt suit.

 

[~landgirl~]

Yes they do ship here as I bought the Besame Red and it is far too bright for me! It's hardly been touched at all - worn twice. Shame I can't swap it for a cherry red - unless anyone would like to??? I don't mind how worn it is!!!

 

[book_lover]

good idea cherry red and miss neecerie - I WILL go for brown next time, I think my eyes stood out in a really lurid way (which you can't see in those pics due to the red eye lol!). I love different shades of browns, coffees etc. and know how to make those work with my eyes, so that's what I'll stick with next time. You both look fab with red lips btw!

xxx

 

[Elaina]

I have coke bottle green/aquamarine eyes and I wear a yellow-beige undertone and contrast that with purple or dark brown in the crease. Then a ton of eyeliner and mascara. My lipstick is a nude gloss during the day and a mauve gloss at night. I found a color to tone it down, then a contrasting color to make the eye 'pop' and match what I'm wearing.

I admittedly do a 50's look. If I deviate from it, I do the 30's. (40's brow) I can't get away with the 40's. And what looks the best is the 20's look. Go figure.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I have dark green eyes and smoky gray tones do not look good on me either. I stick with warmer browns and plum tones, which can be applied in a 'smoked' fashion is desired, or as a more subtle wash. I find warm green shades also work well, as do peach tones.

I do suggest using a richly pigmented shadow that is easy to blend (such as Besame or MAC), as this makes application much easier and more natural looking. Shadows that are not highly pigmented, or that are dry and chalky, are a pain to apply and blend and can end up looking overdone and garish quite quickly.

I also believe that you need to try many different shades and formulations of red lipstick until you find the perfect one. I prefer blue-based and true red shades myself, but can work with brown-based brick shades as well. The right color depends on your natural chemistry as well; a shade that may look decidedly brick on me can pull true red on another.

FYI, return2style.de can be translated directly on their site:
http://www.return2style.de/amimakup.htm

 

[Tough Cookie]

Yes they do ship here as I bought the Besame Red and it is far too bright for me! It's hardly been touched at all - worn twice. Shame I can't swap it for a cherry red - unless anyone would like to??? I don't mind how worn it is!!!

From the Besame website:
"WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T LIKE A COLOR? CAN I RETURN IT?
Yes! Color is very important and personal. If you're not happy with a color, you can return it for a full refund, as long as you have your receipt or web order number."

I'm sure they'd be even happier to do an exchange. Give 'em a try, what can it hurt?

 

[~landgirl~]

I bought it back in April though and don't have my order number anymore

 

[jitterbugdoll]

You know what, Landgirl--I have a tube of Cherry Red that I hardly use because I find the color a bit too dark for me. I'd be willing to swap with you, if you'd like

 

[~landgirl~]

That sounds like an excellent idea!
PM me your address and I will post it off to you tomorrow morning!

 

[Novella]

I wore smokey grey eyes and red lips at the weekend - looking back at the pictures it did me NO favours at all.

I did the dark smoky eyes + bright red lips once - paired with the black I was wearing I looked more goth than vintage! Definitely not what I was going for. It took me 7 or so lipsticks, but I did eventually find the right color (a plum-y red did it for my brown hair and eyes and super-white-girl complexion). I also have a sheer red alternative, so when I feel like rockin' red and having a vintage vibe without wearing hello-look-at-me bright red lips when going to the store or classes I have an option (it's L'oreal color juice stick in Cherry Freeze).

 

[mysterygal]

I too believe you can pull off the vintage make-up look...colors are what make you look great but finding them can be very tricky if you have no idea about how to go about it...I'm glad you've found this place since there's really a lot of useful information to be gained.
For eyeshadow I've found that light biege works great for brow bone and a goldish-brown for the eyelid...I also use the brown with an angled brush to use as eyeliner on my lower eyelashes/lid. Then for eyeliner, I use espresso (black seems to be too drastic for me). Lipsticks in red shades, I find look great on me if I should a brick red color.

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

Also I think you're right, the eyes with the lips was all too much, I felt like a "painted lady".......

Will have a look at both websites you've recommended - thanks girls, I am going to persevere but like you Fleurre, would rather look "right" than fully authentic.

Cheers ladies!

Do you wear blush? Although it sound illogic, I think that wearing blush in a shade similar to the lipstick can make your face look less 'painted' and more harmonious... somehow the lipstick doesn't stand out as much.
I like to wear Nars blush in 'Exhibit A' with red lipstick, it's a really vivid retro red blush, but I need to be careful not to apply too much or I'll end up looking like a clown!

 

[book_lover]

thanks girls

mysterygal I do think browns and natural colours just suit me better than charcoals. I have an idea though - there are a lot of browny-taupey colours (which are sort of half brown half grey) I might see how I look in something like that....

ShrinkingViolet I didn't see whether you were in the UK or not (and can't look now I'm in the reply box........) but I'm wondering if you mean something a little bit like "Benetint" which is a plummy coloured liquid which you dab on the apples of your cheeks and rub in..... Benefit do lots of vintage style make up (or at least, it's packaged up that way lol) so maybe I should give them a try. They aren't cheap but there stuff apparently lasts a long time.

Cheers!