Red Water. A Dark Holiday Makeup Tutorial Feat. ABH + KVD

Twas the night before Christmas and all the house Type O Negative was playing… and this is not your average Holiday makeup.

You guessed it, today I have a dark and sombre Holiday look for you guys using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette and the Kat Von D Serpentina Palette. The inspiration for this look comes from the Type O Negative song, called “Red Water” which to me captures perfectly that melancholy undertone that creeps up this time of year when we think the loved ones we’ve lost and how Christmas was as a child. It can be quite depressing around Christmas, in those quiet moments everyone’s gone to bed and you’re up finishing in the kitchen or wrapping gifts. In those quiet moments, we think, we remember, and nostalgia takes hold. Whether you’re spending the Holiday all alone or surrounded by loved ones, you still feel it to some extent.

I’m very fortune this year, I have my whole little family home for the first time in 5 years and I’m hosting Christmas dinner also for the first time. I’m so happy everyone will be home. My brother and his lovely wife came up from Medellin, Columbia! His wife Alejandra is a fellow beauty blogger among many other amazing things, check her out here:espejosenelatico.wordpress. and over on Instagram @@mirrorsintheattic

Speaking of nostalgia, I’m currently sitting on the couch typing while Star Trek is on TV and my brother is assembling his new Star Wars Lego set and talking about our favorite Christmas when Mama got us all those Star Wars toys and we had a Light Saber battle in the backyard.

Anyway, back to the reason you’re here, the makeup! I went hella bold with a softer red fading into a deep black smoky eye. I included 3 lip options ranging from neutral to bold to full on black.  If you want to see how I created this look, just keep reading below.

I used shadows from the Anastasia Beverly Modern Renaissance Palette and the Kat Von D Serpentina Palette for this look. I just got my paws on the Modern Renaissance palette and I’m having fun with it for sure. Definitely a palette worth checking out. I’ll have a full review with swatches and looks coming soon.

We all know my love of the Serpentina palette and in case you didn’t check out my review: Kat Von D Serpentina Review + Looks

Let’s get started with the look, shall we?

Jumping in first with the ABH Modern Renaissance, I took the shade Tempera as a base all over the lid and to the brow bone. I’ve already primed my eyes and did brows as usual.

For primer, I used the ELF Eyeshadow Primer and ABH Dipbrow in Taupe to shape my brow the adjusted the color using a combination of Warm Taupe and Cypress Umber (deep warm brown) from the Modern Renaissance

Moving on to the transition, on a large fluffy brush, I took the shade Warm Taupe throughout the crease area and right above almost to the brow bone. The all the way to the brow bone on the inner portion. I wanted lots of depth.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Rust

Next, I grabbed the NYX Jumbo Pencil in Rust and applied it as a base all over the mobile part of my lid below the crease.

This step doesn’t make a difference in the long run, I was experimenting.

On a flat shader brush, I packed Red Ochre all over the lid.

Then blended Red Ochre into the crease, marring it with Warm Taupe.

Jumping over to the Serpentina palette from Kat Von D, you know I went for Bloodmilk!

I packed Bloodmilk all over the lid with my finger actually to get the most from the shadow. I wanted a true blood warm blood red shade.

Next, I took Ankh into the outer portion of the lid to create some depth and more drama. I went back and forth with Bloodmilk and Ankh until I was happy with the transition.

With ELF Cream Liner, I added a short (for me) wing that is most flattering on my eye shape. Every eye is different so the wing should be done to flatter the eye.

I, for example, have hooded eyes so I need a shorter wing or else the overlap of skin would distort it, but since a good bit of lid still shows I can go thicker with the line.

I set the cream liner with Ankh and smudged out the wing on the outer portions so it flowed into the eyeshadow.

Then I added even more of Ankh to the outer corner of the eye to really make it deep and smoky.

On the lower lashline, I took Red Ochre once more on a small blending brush and smoked out the lower lashline heavily.

I tight lined my upper and lower waterline with Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eyeliner in black.

Then I smudged it out with Ankh and added even MOAR depth!

On the inner corner, I used a combination of Primavera (warm golden champagne)  and Vermeer (Frosted very pale pink). I used a combo to create a more neutral shade.

I finished off the eye with another combination of the L’oreal Voluminous Superstar Mascara and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara.

Voluminous Superstar Mascara By L’oreal Review and Demo

And that is the finished eyeshadow.

Moving on the rest of the face, I have listed the products I used below with any relevant reviews and commentary.

For primer, this has been my go to lately. I used the Laura Mercier all over my face and the Estee Edit in my areas that need some pore filling and oil control.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer + Radiance

 

Estee Edit Pore Vanishing Stick

 

I did a little color correcting since I was using such red based eyeshadows to take down any redness on my skin. I used the pale green shade and a bit of the green on my cheeks where I have rosacea and around my nose and chin that are always red. If you’re interested in a post on color correction let me know in the comments!

NYX Cream Highlight and Contour Palette in Light

Next, I did a little cream contouring with the NYX Cream Highlight and Contour Palette. I used the lightest palette in the range. I think it’s called Fair/Taupe. I do the cream contouring under foundation for a more “natural” appearance. Let me know in the comments if you would like an updated contour routine.

NYX CREAM HIGHLIGHT & CONTOUR PALETTE Review + Demo

L’oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation in Classic Ivory

For foundation, I used L’oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation.

L’oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation Review + Demo

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly

For concealer, I used Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly. Review coming soon.

Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder in Translucent

I set my undereye and baked with Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder in Translucent

Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder Review + Demo #LockItRevolution

Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana

I set the rest of my face with Wet N Wild Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana because it is so pale I can use it and a finishing powder.

Kat Von D Beauty Shade+Light Contour Palette

For contour, I used Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette. I used a combination of all the contour shades and the shades Levitation and Lyric to swipe away the bake and brighten my undereye.

I used Diffused Light from Hourglass under my eyes and Dim light on the higher points of my face. Then used Luminous Bronze to warm up my complexion.

For blush, I used a combination of Baby Love and I Will Always Love You. Placing Baby Love from Too Faced further back in a draping technique and I Will Always Love You closer to the apples of my cheek.

Too Faced Love Flush Blush Wardrobe Review

Wet N Wild Megaglo Highlighting Gold Bar

Then I hit the high points of my face with Wet N Wild Mega Glow Highlighting Gold Bar and that finishes up the face makeup.

Now let’s move on to the 3 lip options and how they look with the makeup.

First up and most neutral is NYX Liquid Suede in Soft Spoken.

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Soft Spoken

This is probably the most wearable option of the bunch, and what I would wear if I were going to a family function.

Option 2

I decided to try Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Damned with Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Vampira in the center.

Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Damned

 

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Vampira

I liked this combo a lot but perhaps it was a bit too much with the eyes.

Sooo I went with black! Hey, it’s a neutral shade.

I used Maybelline Loaded Bolds in Pitch Black.

Maybelline Loaded Bolds in Pitch Black

Yeah, always back to black. I would wear this one for going out for sure and probably will this evening to an annual Xmas eve eve jam at a local pub.

Which lippie do you prefer?

Happy Solstice! and I hope everyone is having a wonderful time right now and are surrounded by love and warmth.

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Bee Beautiful. Bee You.