Go-to Glam Makeup Look

A go-to glam look for me is full of neutrals and a little bit of oomph. I typically leave out the eyeliner (it doesn't do anything for this look, to me) and stick to colors that are slightly earthy, but not muddy. One of my favorite things about makeup and Black women is how great tan, brown, and orange looks on our eyelids. These shades give off subtle beauty in a way that other colors don't. A look to command the room without having to do anything. A conversation piece in just...being. That's powerful.

When I was a little girl looking through the pages of Ebony, Essence, and Jet Magazines (my grandmother was a faithful subscriber throughout my entire lifetime...she also subscribed to the National Enquirer LOL) I remember seeing the true beauty of Black women in Hollywood in the 80's and 90's by way of Nia Long, Aaliyah, Whitney Houston, Brandy, Vivica A. Fox, Vanessa Williams, Janet Jackson, Kenya Moore, Lela Rochon, Naomi Campbell, Mary J. Blige, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Queen Mother Iman. Browns, bronzes, golds and every other shade that truly complimented their skin tones and made little Black girls in Oakland and all over the world beam with pride and feel beautiful. I was a reflection of them and they were the standard for me.

Their presence made me feel important in a world that wasn't designed for people like us to feel like gold. I felt it then, and I still feel it now. One of the key makeup pieces for Black women (then and now) is brown lipliner. This has withstood the test of time, and no matter how intricate makeup application becomes with evolution, there is one thing for sure and two things for certain: WE KILL THE GAME IN BROWN LIPLINER, AND IT IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE.

My go to brown lipliners are (of course) Chestnut and Cork by MAC. After I shot this look, I stared at myself for a long time (is that vain?), because I realized that I became the Black woman that I looked up to and I have surrounded myself with other Black women who also reflect this. It wasn't about the makeup or the look per-say. It was about living a dream that was once merely a fantasy for me and being thankful for it in every way imaginable.

Here is what I used for this look:

Skin: Bobbi Brown Skin Longwear

Eyes: Morphe 350 Palette

Lashes: Salon Perfect 614

Highlight:MUFE Pro-Sculpting Duo

Lips: Cork (MAC), xxxEstée Lauder, Tan Lines (Jouer)

BTW...I started a Youtube channel, and you can see how I created this look LIVE.

#HealthBeauty #MakeupLooks