Thanks, Knotties...(makeup, and some hair qs too)

amelisha

In the mail this weekend, I got the Urban Decay "Naked 3" palette that a whole bunch of you recommended to me, and the colours are perfect. Apparently there's definitely enough cool/pink undertones in my skin because the palette looks like true nudes on my face, which is exactly what I was hoping for - super, super natural looking on my pasty blonde head. It's definitely appropriate for the office, which is awesome. Definitely recommended if you're pale/blonde.

I think it's actually a perfect palette for my wedding makeup, too, because the colours suit my skin so well, but I'll have to play with it to get something heavier than I'm used to for everyday so my pudding-face is visible in photos. I'm looking for a good blonde eyebrow pencil (not a gel, my eyebrows are lame and sparse) if anyone has suggestions there too. I look ridiculous when I darken them significantly but as it is they are virtually invisible in photos and from a distance.

side note: I would also kill for some hair ideas because I really, really don't want to have to get a professional and spend a bunch of time hanging out with a random stranger on my wedding day. My hair is very straight, almost all one length, fairly thick (but the individual strands are fine), and doesn't take a loose curl AT ALL (and I've tried everything - hot rollers, velcro rollers, curling irons of all kinds, and a flat iron). Most of the loose, low, wavy styles popular now are super hard to recreate with my hair (because it's either pin straight or goes into full ringlets) so I'm having a hard time coming up with something that looks dressy but not 90s prom queen-y. My dress has, I guess, spaghetti straps? and a sort of v-neck and is very tulle-y and ballerina-princess and all that. 

So yeah. Anyone want to talk makeup/hair/offer up other random thank yous?

lovegood90

Awesome! I've been eyeing the Naked 3 for a while but I couldn't justify it as I have the Naked 1. However I did order the Naked on the Run palette when it came out last week, so I'm excited about that!

For brows, I use a brow pencil as I find it's easiest. I like the pencils from Revlon (has a brow gel on the other end to tame brows), Rimmel and L'Oreal. I also like Benefit and of course the Anastasia brow brand.

It sounds like we have the same hair texture! I like to curl my hair around a clampless iron and then put tons of hairspray on it so that the curls are super tight. That way, throughout the night the curls loosen up to get that wavey look. Do you find your curls fall out too quickly for that though?

theartistformerlyknownas

Could you do a loose side braid? Might need some dry shampoo to texturize the fine strands a bit so they don't fly out, but wouldn't need to worry about curls falling, and could look very etherealballerinaprincess. Would work well with all one length - my hair is the same way, fine individually but a fuckton of it, but I have layers so a braid looks good for a minute then all the little short bits poke out and make me look like a pine cone. 

 Side-braided into a low bun

novella1186

Urban Decay (yep I'm obsessed with them) makes a good brow powder in a blonde shade. I've found good blonde-toned eyebrow pencils at the drugstore in several different brands, like L'Oreal and whatever else the drugstore carries. Make sure you get an ashy blonde tone. The redish blonde tones show up really red/orange in photos. 

To make your brows stand out the best, start with the pencil and do short strokes and fill in the sparse spots. Then go over it with the powder. They'll still look natural but a lot more defined. 

ETF: clarity 

lacqueredlover

Do NOT use an eyebrow pencil.  Use a powder or, my personal favorite, eyeshadow.  I always fill in my brows with shadow and it makes them look so much better!

esstee33

I've been using the Maybelline Expert Eyes pencils foreverrrrrrr. Like no joke for 10 years. I only changed my routine up a little bit this year because Ulta was having a sale on Anastasia brow gels. Now I use the pencil to define certain areas, fill in gaps, and then go over everything with the gel. 

I'm a natural redhead with super light brown/dirty blonde-ish eyebrows, and I've always used the light brown with great success. 

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=830#

novella1186

esstee33 said:

I've been using the Maybelline Expert Eyes pencils foreverrrrrrr. Like no joke for 10 years. I only changed my routine up a little bit this year because Ulta was having a sale on Anastasia brow gels. Now I use the pencil to define certain areas, fill in gaps, and then go over everything with the gel. 

I'm a natural redhead with super light brown/dirty blonde-ish eyebrows, and I've always used the light brown with great success. 

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=830#

I think I've used those pencils before! I can't think of the brand I'm using right now, but I've never found an eyebrow pencil I hated unless it was like a weird color. 

I have to use pencil mainly for my left eyebrow lol. It has a random sparse spot that the powder just doesn't cover. The pencils are good for filling in spots like that. The powders are good for definition. 

amelisha

All of this is super helpful and exactly what I was hoping for, so thanks again! I think I'll be forcing myself to actually go into Sephora when my $20 reward shows up in a couple weeks and picking up a bunch of different brow options to see what looks most natural because everyone's opinions seem pretty varied.

I'm going to sit around and mess with my hair some night this week so I'll try to post some photos. I want to decide on something soonish so I can practice it a bunch of times and wear it out of the house to see how it holds up for a night out. Because we're getting married in Vegas I want something I can do relatively quickly so I don't have to spend the whole day getting ready - I want to be able to sleep late and brunch with FI and all that, not just spend the whole morning trapped in our suite with people fussing with me. I will probably be in full panic attack mode if I'm stuck in a chair having all that stuff done to me.

esstee33

What are you trying to do with your hair? Do you care about up or down or half-up? There are lots of easy styles you can do yourself that won't involve people fussing all over you. 

amelisha

I'm not really sure what to do with it, honestly (although the pictures lolo posted are both pretty and might actually work in my hair.) I probably don't want to wear it down or even half-up because Vegas in May is pretty warm, even though we'll be inside mostly, but other than that I just want something that's not scraped-back and prom-y looking and that will work with my completely textureless hair.

emmaaa

I would definitely use a powder for your eyebrows. I know they make powder specifically for eyebrows but I just use a longwear eyeshadow without any shimmer. It looks so much more natural if you are fair.

novella1186

amelisha said:

I'm not really sure what to do with it, honestly (although the pictures lolo posted are both pretty and might actually work in my hair.) I probably don't want to wear it down or even half-up because Vegas in May is pretty warm, even though we'll be inside mostly, but other than that I just want something that's not scraped-back and prom-y looking and that will work with my completely textureless hair.

I'm always a fan of a simple bun or braided bun. Whenever I see someone with their hair like that, whatever the occasion, I think it looks pretty. I also really like the braid lolo posted! 

esstee33

amelisha said:

I'm not really sure what to do with it, honestly (although the pictures lolo posted are both pretty and might actually work in my hair.) I probably don't want to wear it down or even half-up because Vegas in May is pretty warm, even though we'll be inside mostly, but other than that I just want something that's not scraped-back and prom-y looking and that will work with my completely textureless hair.

This chick has a TON of tutorials that I've been eyeballin'. http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/hair/

It looks like her hair is mostly very straight but takes a curl well, so maybe one of the more straight styles would work for you? 

esstee33

Oooh, or The Freckled Fox, like this one! http://www.freckled-fox.com/2014/06/wedding-hair-week-wrapped-chignon-by.html

theartistformerlyknownas

esstee33 said:

Oooh, or The Freckled Fox, like this one! http://www.freckled-fox.com/2014/06/wedding-hair-week-wrapped-chignon-by.html

I have such a girlcrush on her. You know she has FOUR KIDS. I want to be her when I grow up. I mean, not 4 kids probably, but hell I want to look like that NOW.

plainjane0415

I'm a big fan brow gel.  Benefit's Gimme Brow has different shades (i'm pretty sure there is a "light" or "blonde" one) and it has tiny miniscule fibers in it that will help thicken up the brows while also lightly tinting them.  Plus, one swoop and you're good!  Major time saver.

My favorite brow gel right now while I'm growing my brows out is Anastacia's tinted brow gel.  It's amazing.

I used to use powders and pencils, but I never could get them to work right for me.  Brow gel has been the best thing where my brows are concerned.

novella1186

plainjane0415 said:

I'm a big fan brow gel.  Benefit's Gimme Brow has different shades (i'm pretty sure there is a "light" or "blonde" one) and it has tiny miniscule fibers in it that will help thicken up the brows while also lightly tinting them.  Plus, one swoop and you're good!  Major time saver.

My favorite brow gel right now while I'm growing my brows out is Anastacia's tinted brow gel.  It's amazing.

I used to use powders and pencils, but I never could get them to work right for me.  Brow gel has been the best thing where my brows are concerned.

Thanks for making me break my vow not to buy myself anything till Christmas shopping season is over. Cuz also Benefit is my most favorite brand (besides UD) so now I need that Gimme Brow stuff.

larrygaga

I don't know how to help you with blonde eyebrows, but let me tell you about red pencils. THEY ARE FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND.

http://www.pinterest.com/helenamae/updos-formal-hair/

A lot of these have tutorials!!! What you need is some pretty bun thing that you can shove a million pins into and you don't have to worry about curls!!!!

I'm buying the original naked pallate for my wedding day!!!