Just a Small Town Girl: Rock of Ages-Inspired Hair and Makeup

When I think of Summer, my mind immediately jumps to the last couple of months of my Senior year of high school. I was seventeen--nearly eighteen--and drove a bright teal Buick Skylark (yes, the very same one that David Letterman openly mocked just because the steering column could spontaneously combust. Spoiled sport). My house was only two, maybe three blocks from the school, but for the five minutes it took me to drive home, I was completely and totally free. For those five minutes, I had no job, no homework, no chores, no obligations of any kind. I didn't have to talk to anyone, or listen to anything. For five minutes, I could roll down the window, feel the already oppressive humidity dissolve into a cool breeze as I drove, blare whatever music I wanted to (classic rock, thankyouverymuch), and just be.

Sometimes, I still do that.

This has been a week of Fridays. By that, I mean that every day, so far, has felt like a Friday; like it's the end of the week, and freedom is just around the corner. Those are the worst weeks, because once you realize that it's only, say, Tuesday, it completely wrecks your mood. Today, I needed Summer. I needed five minutes of blaring rock music with the windows down. I needed fun. So, I did the best I could, and tried to channel Summer, rock and roll, and freedom into my hair and makeup. It's a weak attempt, at best, at grasping freedom, but it was all I could really muster on a hectic day like today.

I haven't seen Rock of Ages, but I really liked Julianne Hough's hair in this shot I found floating around the web.

I decided to tone it down a couple of notches, to keep it from being so dated. My makeup is more or less inspired by the movie's 80s time period. I went with a blue eye and pink lips and cheeks, but tried to do so in a way that was wearable, and wouldn't be confused for a Halloween look. All told, I really like the way this turned out. What do you guys think?

I did my hair by adding a little leave in conditioner and root volumizer before blow-drying. Once my hair was dry, I spritzed in some salt water spray (I like Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray), then twisted sections in alternating directions and wrapped them onto foam curlers (I like Conair Soft Curlers). Then, I just left them in while I put on my makeup. After I took it down, I touseled the curls with my fingers, then sprayed with an anti-humidity (ha!) hairspray. Ta-da!

Here are the products I used for my makeup:

E.L.F. Tinted Moisturizer in Nude

Buxom Stay There Eye Shadow in Cocker Spaniel (lid and inner corner highlight)

Buxom Stay There Eye Shadow in Mutt (crease)

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Shadow Liner in Blueprint (discontinued, it seems, but they have a Navy that's really, really close)--top lashline ONLY, and flick the outer corners.

Buxom Lash Mascara in Black--top and bottom

E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in Light

Benefit Hoola Bronzer (contour and all over dusting)

Philosophy Lit From Within Cream Blush in Look On the Bright Side (apples)

NARS Blush in Super Orgasm (Sorry, Mom. Apples)

MAC Mineralize Duo Blush in Moon River (discontinued, but it looks like E.L.F. Baked Blush in Peachy Cheeky might be a good dupe. Highlight)

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in Enchanted

Seriously, is it Friday, yet?

Now?

Help me.