Best in beauty 2015

"You can only perceive real beauty in someone as they get older."

Anouk Aimee

I looked through a year's worth of favorites, my beauty closet, and a little notebook to gather the most used products of 2015. Happy New Year! xoxo

Skin care

normal to dry skin

Cleanser- Origins Checks and Balances, Sunday Riley Blue Moon Cleansing Balm
Cleansing towelettes- Boots No 7 Quick Thinking Towelettes
Treatments- Sunday Riley Luna, Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, Ole Henriksen Lemon Strip Flash Peel
Acid pads- Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix (also comes in extreme)
Facial oil- Clarins Lotus Facial Treatment Oil, Aerin Rose Oil
Scrub- Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub
Day Moisturizer- Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb
Night Moisturizer- Burt's Bees Intense Hydration with Clary Sage, Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist 


                                                                 

Body care


Body wash- Philosophy Shimmering Snowlace
Moisturizer/oil- Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra Moisture body oil, Tata Harper Revitalizing body oil
Scrub- Fresh Cocoa Body Exfoliant, Pacifica Kona Coffee and Sugar Detox, Lush Ocean Salt
Bath time- Cowshed Spoilt Creme

                    

Hair care



Shampoo/conditioner- Alterna Caviar Repair Rx, Kerastase Chronologiste Shampoo and balm, R + Co Moon line 
Mask- Kerastase Chronologiste
Hair oil- L'Oreal Oleotherapy (second year in a row)
Dry shampoo- Nirvana Black

 Makeup


 Primer- Laura Mercier Oil Free 

 Lightweight foundation- Illuminaire Mattifying Mineral Foundation, Amore
 Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact 

 Full Coverage foundation- L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte 

 Concealer- Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

 Powder- Rimmel Stay Matte 

 Bronzer/contour- I use neither of those. 

 Blusher- Illamasqua Naked Rose, D & G Caramel 

 Highlighter- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone and Pearl 

 Brows- MAC Omega eyeshadow

 Eye primer- Urban Decay Primer Potion

 Eyeshadow- Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise in Marie Antoinette


 Palette/quad- Viseart 01 matte 

 Eyeshadow stick- Kiko Moon Shadows, By Terry Mercure and Black Pearl 

 Eye pencil- L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering 

 Liquid eyeliner- Make Up For Ever Ink 

 Mascara- Guerlain Maxi Lash So Volume

 Lip balm- Lipstick Queen Belle Epoque, Glossier Balm Dotcom Coconut

 Lipgloss- Bobbi Brown Crystal, Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort 

 Lip pencil- MAC Cherry, MAC Whirl

 Lipstick pencils- Bobbi Brown Art Sticks (especially Rose Brown)

 Day lipstick- Marc Jacobs Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Chanel Coromandel

 Night lipstick- NARS Jeanne, Besame Cherry Red 1935, Clinique Berry Pop

 Perfume- Balmain Extatic Intense Gold, Coqui Coqui Tabaco

Time in a bottle: December 2015 favorites

                                                                      

                                                                        Jewelry:

                                                                           

                                                                                

                                                                             

Brooke Gregson | Aquarius 14-karat gold diamond necklace

This has been one of my favorite pieces this year. 

                         
                                         

                                                                       Perfume:

                                                              
                                                          
                                                           
                                                           Keihl's and C.O. Bigelow Musk oils
                                                           Givenchy Organza Indecence (Christmas in a bottle)
                                                           CB I Hate Perfume 7 Billion Hearts
                                                           CB I Hate Perfume -- Winter 1972 

                                                                             
                  
                                                                
                                                                    


                                                             Makeup inspirations: 

The classic look of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. A simple chignon or sleek blowout, and red lipstick. You cannot go wrong with this look during the holidays. 

Products for a Carolyn look: 

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer (the original)
Concealer of your choice, Guerlain Lingerie de Peau, or powder foundation. A clean skin look is the goal. 
Illamasqua Naked Rose blush (the tiniest amount for a little color)
Face Stockholm highlighter in Dignity 
Bobbi Brown Bone eyeshadow, and one coat of mascara. Tightline and define the crease if you must. 
Her three favorite lipsticks were MAC Russian Red, Face Stockholm Cranberry Veil, and Bobbi Brown Ruby Sheer (no longer made). 

                              

Pardon the resolution, but it was not a decade of HD. 

                                                                            Hair care:

                                                                     Oribe Gold Lust 

                                                                     Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Color Finity

                                           

                

Skin care and gadgets:

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil

Origins Checks and Balances Frothy face wash

Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (comes in a giant 16 oz bottle)

Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water 

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration night cream

Clarisonic Mia 2 

Body:      

  

                   Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter 
               Clinique Deep Comfort Body Butter  
  Cowshed Spoilt Bath Creme
                Cowshed Knackered Cow body lotion
                                               Aromatherapy Associates Relax Deep bath and shower oil
                                                          Dr. Teal's Relax & Relief Pure Epsom Salts in Eucalyptus Spearmint

                                                              

Foundation: 

Guerlain Parure Gold 

                                                            

                                                                     

  Concealer:
MAC Studio Finish 
Maybelline Dream Lumi in Radiant

Powder:
Rimmel Stay Matte in Sandstorm

 Blusher:
Illamasqua Naked Rose

                                        

           

 Highlighter:

Tata Harper
RMS Living Luminizer
Face Stockholm Mystik

  Eyeshadow:

Bobbi Brown Bone, Ivory, Slate, and Smoke. 

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in 24 Karat (for parties)

  

 Eyeliner:
Make Up For Ever Ink liquid liner
Bobbi Brown Long Wear pencil in Jet 



Mascara:
L'Oreal Voluminous in Blackest Black

                                      

Lipstick: 
L'Oreal Exclusive Blake's Red #402
Bobbi Brown lipstick in Burnt Red 
Bite Beauty High Pigment pencil in Tannin
Face Stockholm Cranberry Veil

Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Sunset Orange blotted and topped with NARS Cruella.
This creates a perfect coral red from the 50's. 






Lip liners:

MAC Cherry

Lip balm:

Aerin Rose Lip Conditioner

 Nail Colour:

Smith & Cult Regret the Moon- nails
OPI Chick Flick Cherry - toes

Cate Blanchett's makeup in Carol

Cate is wearing Chanel Rouge Allure #96 in Excentrique, mixed with #97 Incandescente and #98 Coromandel (depending on the scene). The lip liner used in some scenes was MAC Red Enriched. 

Start with a good skin care routine so your skin is prepped. 

I am using products from my own collection and many that were used on the set. 

Base:

1. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer for a flawless base. 

2. Estee Lauder Double Wear or Make Up For Ever Ultra HD, depending on the coverage you need. Spend extra time on the base to make sure it is blended well. 

3. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage for any spots, and Nars Creamy Concealer under the eyes. 

4. Shu Uemura Sheer Face Powder to set. 

5. Dust a little MAC Pink Swoon or Benefit Sugarbomb onto your cheeks. 

6. Cate's makeup artist Morag Ross did contour and highlight, but I feel like that might be too much in real life for my skin. On camera it looks fantastic. That's up to you. LeMaqPro Fard Creme in 117 was the contour and C1 was the highlight. 

Eyes:

There are two options for the eyes. The liner and mascara remain the same. 

1. Prime your eyelids and sweep Bobbi Brown Bone Eyeshadow from lid to brow, blend well. 

Define the crease with a light touch of Bobbi Brown Taupe Eyeshadow.

2. Laura Mercier Sheer Eye Colour in Blue Suede across the lids. Kate Super Sharp Liner A in BK 1. 

3. L'Oreal Voluminous Black Brown mascara

Lips:

1. Apply Chanel Excentrique, Incandescente, or Coromandel with a lip brush in light layers until you achieve the depth of color you desire. Define the edge and slightly fill in with MAC Red Enriched lip liner. You can mix a few or all of these, but just one is enough to pull off the look. 

Nails:

Chanel Lilis #647

All makeup by Morag Ross. A complete list of the makeup is here. 

Modern Grace Christmas gift guide 2015

Modern Grace gift guide 2015 

Click here for the list with direct links.   

Merry Christmas!

Christmas specials of years past.

                                                               

1. The X Files- How the Ghosts Stole Christmas
2. The Simpsons- Roasting on an Open Fire
3. Alf's Christmas Special - Long forgotten, but one of the best of the 80's. I've seen it on Dailymotion. 
4. Growing Pains- The Kid
5. Parks and Recreation- Ron & Diane- Jerry's Christmas party is as festive as Pawnee gets. 
6. My So Called Life- So Called Angels
7. 30 Rock- Ludachristmas
8. Laverne and Shirley- Christmas at the Booby Hatch
9. The Office- Dwight Christmas- Who wants to break the pig rib with me? 
10. Prancer- My favorite. 
11. Amazing Stories- Santa 85'
12. Meet Me in St. Louis
13. The Shop Around the Corner
14. The Christmas List- 1997- A little gem about a girl at a perfume counter. 
15. A Smokey Mountain Christmas and Unlikely Angel- Classic Dolly Parton. 
16. Yes, Virginia
17. Twas the Night Before Christmas- 1974
18. Ebbie- Susan Lucci tv movie
19. Little Women- 1933, 1949, and 1994.
20. Ally McBeal- Boy to the World
21. Cheers- Christmas Cheers
22. Friends- The One with the Holiday Armadillo
23. All of the claymation cartoons from Rudolph to The Little Drummer Boy.
24. Scrooged
25. A Muppet Christmas Carol

Autumn reading list

I meant to post this weeks ago, but better late than never.



1. Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury

2. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

3. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier

4. The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

5. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde

6. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman

7. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

8. The Secret History, Donna Tartt

9. The Witches of Eastwick, John Updike

10. Silence for the Dead, Simone St. James

Time in a bottle: November 2015 favorites

                                                                        Fashion:

                                                   

Jessica Choay A/W '15 look book

                                               

                         
                                         

                                                                      Perfume:

                                                        

                                                           

                                                                      Chanel Coco

                                                                                

                                                            Balmain Extatic Intense Gold

                                                                               

                                                              

                                                          

                                             

                             

                                                                Makeup inspiration:

Joanna McGarry for Never Underdressed (now working at Stylist) I discovered her recreated looks after the site closed down, but I had a time digging through Google images. I love to see someone be creative with various looks. 

                                                                      

                                                                  

Cate Blanchett's soft 1950's look in the movie Carol, based on the book The Price of Salt. 

She is wearing Chanel Rouge Allure #96 in Excentrique, mixed with #97 Incandescente and #98 Coromandel (depending on the scene). The lip liner used in some scenes was MAC Red. 

                                                                

                                                                            Hair care:

                                                  Kerastase Chronologiste shampoo and balm

                                                 

                                                        

                

Skin care:

Burt's Bees Orange Essence cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar

Sunday Riley Good Genes 

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration night cream

Sunday Riley Luna Oil (on alternate nights)

Body care:

Thymes Moonflower body wash & body lotion 

Philosophy Shimmering Snowlace body wash 

               

                      

                                                

          

                                                              

Foundation: 
Guerlain Lingerie de Peau 

                 

                                                            

                                                                     

  Concealer:
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

 Blusher:
Stila Convertible Color in Rose
Tarte Natural Beauty powder blush
NYX Rose Petal cream blush

                                        

           

 Highlighter:

Becca Moonstone powder 

Chanel Camelia de Plumes
Tata Harper Highlighter

  Eyeshadow:
Kiko Moon Shadow sticks in Glamour Gold, Mysterious Chocolate, and Attractive Plum. 
 Kiko Long Lasting shadow sticks in 05 Rosy Brown, 38 Golden Taupe, and 10 Emerald Green. 

  

 Eyeliner:
Urban Decay Perversion

     Mascara:
Guerlain Cils d'Enfer So Volume Maxi Lash

                                      

Lipstick: 
I pulled out every red I own to use half of them in November. 

Besame Cherry Red
Burberry Kisses- Military Red
Illamasqua Box
Tony Moly Delight Tony Tint in Red 
Dior  Rouge lipstick in 999
Clinique Berry Pop

Lip balm:
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Plum 

  Nail Colour:

Zoya Sansa 
Essie Beauty Reporter (LE Allure magazine shade)

Smith & Cult No Poem, Filth Noir, and Regret the Moon