It's a Le Metier de Beaute Kinda Day

August is already here, and i'm in the mood for some Fall colours, damn it.  Not that i don't love Summer and all, but it's been a scorcher here, and frankly i'm sick of seeing TANS everywhere.
As a Tubercular Irish Wastrel with the pallor of a laudanum addict, i object to such displays.
Also, i can't tan.  I just turn beet-red and then peel for two weeks and then go back to ghostly-white.

So today, i used some rich jewel-tones using LMdB's couches de colours  (video) technique - which is a specific way they teach of blending their eyeshadows in combinations of both cool and hot tones to create an ostensibly endless palette of colours to work with, and to balance out the overall end-result.
The Beauty Professor generously provided their face charts, featured looks and techniques in her post here!  They emphasize that one mustn't necessarily follow their techniques precisely - that it's all about creativity and having fun, which is exactly what i did!  

I used the absolutely gorgeous palette from this Spring, Melange de Couleur.  I know, i know - i'm an evil temptress; i realize the palette has been sold out since about April or so.  However, the resourceful amongst you can still occasionally find it on Ebay, or find a similar match to many of the colours used in their permanent, full-sized line.  

                                LMdB Melange de Couleur palette, Spring 2013

The palette comes with 18 penny-sized shadows, all of which are of superb quality, like one would find with their full-sized shadows.  And this isn't one of those palettes where a company's colours go to die; no, this is a real gem and i'm lucky to have gotten my grubby little paws on it.  

Now,  there have been a couple bloggers who posted regarding dupes of many of these colours to be found in the LMdB permanent line - but Ilse at theultimatemakeup.com did a fantastic one here, which will tell you about the best/closest matches she could find in her LMdB collection.
A bit more about this palette before i get to the tutorial - there is quite literally something for everyone here - and although the shadows are small, they are VERY pigmented, and i don't see myself hitting pan on these terribly soon.

On to my FOTD -

Rowr...

So, as you can see it looks like i've got quite a few shadows on, but for this look i kept it fairly simple (tomorrow i'm going to go a little more all-out, whee!) to give you all an idea of how beautiful these shadows are, and the possibilities you have with this line.   

As a makeup artist, i've always played around with blending colours together to create more dimension and depth and interest, but i think we tend to forget that we are allowed to do this on a daily basis, and still have something wearable and pretty.  

This one's a wee bit over-exposed - sorry 

As you can see, the colours just meld and blend together so beautifully, there are no harsh lines of demarcation, no "safe" monochromatic "matchy-matchy" here (btw i LOVE how Mickey Castillo in the video is also fond of that phrase).  

Below, i've marked out the shadows i used - and i'll go through how i applied them. 

For all over the lid and along the lower lash line, i used Nylon Stocking (#1), pressing the colour in as opposed to swiping it on, for maximum pigmentation.  This is a pretty, neutral-beigey shade which makes a perfect base.
Next, i used Dark Chocolate (#2) along the lash line (upper and lower), in the V and blended up into the crease and out across the upper-lid.  This colour is extremely pretty - it's a cool-brown base with gold flecks.
Finally, i blended Rose (#3) across the upper lid, blending it into the Dark Chocolate and then  carrying it along the lower lash line as well.
I love how these colours are meant to be layered, one on top of the other.  The result is so complex and pretty - and the end result is that the shadows shimmer and change according to the lighting and angle.
Just beautiful.
To finish it off, i lined the entire upper-lid and 3/4 of the lower-lid (emphatically NOT doing a cat-eye today) with Urban Decay's 24/7 pencil liner in Demolition, and Rimmel ScandalEyes Flex mascara in Extreme Black.
On my brows, i used Laura Mercier brow pencil in Fair Blonde, a nice, taupe-blonde shade.

Because i was putting most of the focus on my eyes (as usual), i kept the rest of the face simple:  

On my skin, i buffed on a little Chantecaille New Stick in Cream, just along the T-Zone because it was too hot today for a full-face of foundation.  

On my cheeks, we have Inglot blush in #37 - a pretty rose with flecks of silver and gold (to kinda go along with the Hot & Cold LMdB thing). 

On my lips, i lined first with Chanel lipliner in Praline D'Or, and the lipstick is Tom Ford Blush Nude. 

                                                         Why so SERIOUS?

I think the people at LMdB are right - this technique really makes my eye-colour look amazing!
If you haven't yet tried this company, i highly recommend you do - their shadows are absolutely beautiful - and i can't wait to try a few other things in their line! But i'm on a no-buy right now, so that'll have to wait :)

I hope you enjoyed today's look!  Have a great weekend, everyone.

xo