Tailgate Pin-Up Makeup

Down here in the Deep South, football is a religion. With the first strong breeze of Fall (in this case, a brisk tropical storm. How refreshing?) come pep rallies around bonfires and fight songs bellowed throughout the local college campuses (we have a few, actually). Barbeque grills take their rightful places in the beds of 4X4s, and fans belly up to the bumper for surprisingly gourmet meals served on Chinette.

I can't stand football, but I do love a good tailgating party.

In high school, I went to a football school. I marched in the band for a year, but it wasn't really my thing (before you ask, I twirled a flag; I have no musical ability apart from singing). After that, I just hung out at football games to catch up on gossip, flirt with cute boy o' the moment, and show off how cute I could look when not in an ugly school uniform. As it was the 90s, turns out, not that cute. Oh, well. Oversized men's coats with antique brooches, anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Anyhoo, now that I'm older and wiser, my taste has somewhat improved. I try to dress more to show off my assets, and that includes makeup. I'm a sucker for pin-up-style looks, since they tend to make my small eyes look larger and accentuate my mouth. Plus, I'm pale as a ghost, and that works with this style. Score! Mostly, though, I feel like it's a sweet throwback to the innocence of yesteryear. There's just something about this look that makes me think of cheerleaders and sockhops and milkshakes at the diner. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

P.S. Ignore the hair. Actually, the back is really cute. It's in a high ponytail with a bun wrapped around the pony. Unfortunately, it's a million percent humidity, and no amount of hairspray/frizz serum/prayer can touch it. 

Okay, I went for a softer pin-up look for this, since it's for daytime, outdoors, and a super-casual atmosphere. I wanted pretty and polished, but not overly done. To me, pin-up is all about the lashes, liner, and lips, so I left everything else pretty bare. My favorite thing about this look is how easy it is. Very few brushes, very few products, and application only took a few minutes. Easy peasy.

You see how the liner is just barely winged out? And how I sort of matched my shadow to my jersey? And how messy my car is? Yeah...all of that, except the liner, was totally unintentional...

Alrighty, let's get into the products used:

• Primer: Touch in Sol Feels Like Honey Moon, applied with fingers.
• Foundation: MAC Studio Sculpt NW15, worked into the skin with hands to keep from looking too makeup-y.
• Concealer: Benefit Erase Paste in Medium
• Eye Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
• Base Shadow: LORAC in Sand, lid to brow.
• Crease Shadow (and Lower Lash Liner): MAC in Hocus Pocus--discontinued, but any charcoal gray will work.
• Liner: Buxom Insider Liner in Onyx
• Mascara: Buxom Lash in Black
• Blush: MAC Cream Color Base in Virgin Isle, lightly applied to apples with stippling brush.
• Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent, in T-Zone and under eyes only.
• Brows: E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium
• Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

Here are a couple of close-ups of the eye. Pay no attention to the brows in desperate need of shaping. I'm holding off until next week, when I have a function to attend.

Thanks, and have a great evening, guys!