Lyn Lynch

If a concert was makeup: Muse

Last night my husband and I went to see one of my favorite bands, Muse. He can't exactly figure out why I like them so much because they're not really like a lot of my other usual faves. Maybe it's because they're British (so of course I'd like them) and the lead singer Matthew Bellamy is skinny with spiky hair (just like Thom Yorke, yeah, yeah... and damn you Kate Hudson!!) But I really think it's because they RAWK. Their music is just pure, bombastic, over-the-top, rock.

It was the first concert we'd seen at the Prudential Center in Newark ("Helllooooo.... New Jersey!" has a funny ring to it) and I have to say it was one of the best concerts I've seen all year. My passion for seeing my favorite bands play in concert is probably only rivaled by my love of makeup, so I got to thinking, what makeup would just sum up this concert? Given that the first song, "Uprising," was performed with each of them perched atop tall skyscraper-like platforms and several songs were accompanied by seizure-inducing laser light shows, all I could think of was glitter. Lots of glitter. Like these, from Make Up Forever.

You really never can have enough glitter, especially when you're going for over-the-top. I love to finish a smokey eye with it, either all over the lids or just at the lash line. Sephora even sells a really cool gadget that helps you get the glitter where you want it, and not flick it all over your cheeks (unless you want it there, too). I especially love mixing glitter with my lipgloss - everyone always asks me how I did it and it's ridiculously easy. With the holidays coming up, it's the best way to add a little rawk to your look. 

Now go listen to some Muse. "Map of the Problematique" and "Undisclosed Desires" are my favorites. How about you? 

I'm melting! I'm meltinnnnggg....

Summer, while arguably the best season (what can I say? I get my powers from Earth's yellow sun), can nonetheless cause a multitude of makeup mishaps. Especially if you live in a climate where humidity is as predictable as that hot summer sunrise. When I lived in California, I remember it being hot, but rare was the day when humidity made my face feel like it was melting off and my pores' oil production would put an oil derrick to shame (aw, isn't that image sweet? I think it's pulling up grease for those excellent McDonald's fries). Now, living in New York, I realize I'm not the only one who is having issues. I've gotten quite a few questions lately about how to keep makeup on your face and looking fresh - a few from local gals and one all the way from Japan (thanks, Summer - and great name, by the way).

First off, you must, MUST use a makeup primer before you put on any foundation, tinted moisturizer, whatever. It will literally save your face and keep any complexion items from moving around. I like Fresh Rose Face Primer and Make Up For Ever All Mat.

Next, consider your foundation formula. 'Tis the season for mineral makeup, because it's temperature-adjusting and holds up well in heat and humidity. I wear Laura Mercier's minerals because they're a perfect combo of luminous and matte, but there are other choices too - Urban Decay, and Bare Escentuals, which also just came out with a matte version of their famous mineral foundation. MAC also makes an excellent mineral foundation.

If you find yourself getting sweaty, how you handle it can also help. Carry some blotting sheets around to sop up oil, and have some tissues handy and press - don't wipe - any beads of sweat off your face. This will keep you from disturbing your makeup job.

Finally, makeup setting sprays are a good idea in the morning, but you don't have to spend a lot of money on them. Make Up For Ever makes a great fixing spray and I also love Caudalie's Beauty Elixir.

Whew! Here's to fresh faces!

Alter Ego, get ready

I haven't been this excited about a brand in a really long time, and I think it may be my new fave. Sephora just launched UK brand Illamasqua on its Web site today, and will be exclusively carrying it for a few months at the new Times Square store that opens later this month. Billed as "Makeup For Your Alter Ego," Illamasqua is an amazing collection of really pigmented, beautiful colors that my daytime smokey eye-wearing self is just going to take to like a duck to water. It's a little bit goth, a little bit fetish, a little bit rock-and-roll. Oh rapture, oh joy - something new to obsess about. At least until New Moon comes out in November.

Polished perfection

I remember when Avon first came out with the idea of a nail patch a few years ago, and for some reason I never took the leap to try them. I mean, they sounded pretty good - nail polish in a sticker, no drying time, no smudging, easy breezy. I guess I was just skeptical, as I tend to be about many newfangled beauty inventions. Besides, I hardly ever paint my fingernails because I work so much with my hands, it seems like a waste since they chip so often anyway. I think it took Sephora jumping into the fray to really capture my attention, so I finally tried them recently.
All I can say is, WOW. What took me so long? These have to be the coolest invention of the 21st Century. Sephora is by no means the only company making these, but they are really convenient for me to try. The Sephora nail patches come in four colors (I really hope they come out with more soon), and I first tried the shiny pink color for my friend Tammi's wedding (I was a matron of honor, so I thought it would be the best color). They went on in a flash and looked so good, no one could tell they were stickers. After the wedding I took that off (the color removes in a flash) and moved on to a deep chocolate brown color. So far it's been a week and my nails still look pretty good, despite all the typing I do on a daily basis. I've since purchased one more set in each color and I'm going to try the sparkly silver next. I am so hooked.

Wedded bliss

I traveled to Red Bank, New Jersey today to do wedding makeup for Jamie, one of my beautiful colleagues at Sephora. Not only is she a sweetheart for letting me take a "before" picture of her before I went to work dolling her up, she looked absolutely gorgeous when everything was done. (Click on each picture for a larger view.) I always use some basic, no-fail products when I do makeup that has to last all day, and this day was no exception - Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (I use Make Up Forever All Mat on clients with oilier skin) and Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch (under eyes before concealer and on lids) go on every bride, every time. I did get to apply some fun things too, like Dior's Black Lash Kit (aren't those amazing lashes she has?) and Laura Mercier Mineral Powder (a foundation so exceptional, I use it myself). I also picked up a new product on my latest trip to Alcone that proved invaluable in today's Jersey humidity - Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray. It literally "freezes" makeup in place to resist fading and melting, and it's better than a lot of other "setting" sprays I've tried. I also used Smashbox eyeshadows and Nars lip color.
Congrats, Jamie, you're beautiful, and I wish you all the best.

Mirror, mirror, on my hair

So I can't exactly see anything reflected in my hair as of yet, but I have to say, it's coming pretty close. I got my hands on Frederic Fekkai's new Salon Glaze Clear Shine Rinse, and after using it just once I'm very happy with the results. I'm in that stage where I'm just about ready to get my hair colored again, and this really boosted the color and the shine. I've used some of the color-boost glazes, and this does the trick even though it doesn't actually deposit any color. You could use this every day, according to the bottle, but I'd say it's more like a really great weekly treatment in between colorings. Even if you don't color your hair (is there really anyone still out there who doesn't?) this would probably just make your hair look a lot healthier.

Conceal this

Allow me to pimp my expertise for a second - my friend from California, Leslie Gornstein, has contributed yet another nugget of advice for MyStyle.com in which she interviews me about the right way to use concealer - in other words, how not to look like a reverse raccoon. It's pretty good advice - check it out here.

15 minutes could save you 15 percent...

...all right, so it's not that kind of insurance, but Too Faced's new eyeshadow primer, Shadow Insurance, is currently my latest obsession. And that's saying a lot, because I am a HUGE fan of Urban Decay's Potion Primer. I still love it, but while I was out working in stores this holiday, every store seemed to be out of it, so I was forced to sell something else. I am so glad I tried it. It goes on really smoothly, evens out the eyelid tone, and really locks eyeshadow on to keep it from creasing. Plus, it makes colors really vibrant. I also love the packaging - my only beef with Urban Decay's primer was that it came in this wand thing that made it hard to get out when you got down to the last bits in the container; the Too Faced one comes in a cool squeezy tube. Now, I wonder if my friend Magda, who has a very healthy Too Faced obsession herself, has discovered this latest little gem...

Kissy fit

I am justifying my latest obsession with the reasoning that this lip color is not a gloss, so I am not technically feeding my lipgloss fixation. Instead, these lip stains from Laura Mercier are just about the best thing in my life right now. They're soft and creamy and last significantly longer than a gloss, plus the colors are just gorgeous. My lips are so chapped from the weather in NYC, these are a godsend. I've already treated myself to Mocha, a pretty, deep brown, and Sugar Violet, a slightly purply mauve. Next, I plan to get Mulberry, a perfect deep red, and Peach Glaze, which will be great with all the smokey eyes I've been wearing lately. Aw, now I have a new obsession. Damn.

File under "Completely Unnecessary"

I love this time of year, because all the holiday sets are starting to come into stores. Besides the usual bath/body stuff, you can usually find some pretty cool makeup palettes that aren't available at any other time. Witness the glory that is Tarte's We Wish You Wealth Palette, a motherlode of deliciousness that features no less than 16 eyeshadows, 16 lipglosses, 4 cheek stains, 4 gel eyeliners, 1 eyelid primer, 1 luminizer and 3 lipsticks in the cutest quilted purple case ever. It's like a Swiss Army Knife, but with makeup. You really have to see this thing in person - it is a wonder to behold. The eyeshadows are new colors and this is the first time Tarte has made its cheek stains into solid form. I needed this like I needed a hole in my head, but seriously. How could I resist?