So You Don’t Have A Valentine’s Date? The Single Girl’s Guide To Surviving Valentine’s Day

 

girl-rose

image by Brad Olson
makeup by Corinna Cooke

Are you dreading Valentine’s Day?

Although it can be deliriously lovely for those who are in perfect relationships, Valentine’s day can be plain awful for single girls, or girls who’s significant other choose not to celebrate it.

You would be surprised how many girls are facing a February 14th spent alone. If you are one of them, don’t go feeling bad – take the day into your own hands and have yourself some fun!

Here are some ideas to help you make this a fabulous and fun Valentine’s day

The Single Girl’s Guide To Surviving Valentine’s Day

Plan A Girls’ Night Out

Chances are some of your friends don’t have Valentine’s dates. Get the gang together and go out somewhere fun! Plan something girl-centric, go to your favorite restaurant or go dancing – just make it fun.

Plan A Girls’ Night In

Host a girl’s-spa night in with wine and appetizers, have a masseuse, a nail person and a makeup artist come over. Turn your home into the most fabulous spa-zone ever!

If everyone else has a date and you are going to be alone, take the time to celebrate yourself.

Get Dressed Up

Even if you don’t have a date get dressed up for yourself. Buy a pretty dress, do your hair and makeup, and celebrate you!

Get a Mani/Pedi

When your fingers and toes look and feel lovely, you feel lovely. So what if you are staying home with Netflix??

Take Yourself To Dinner

Get dressed up, grab a good book and take yourself out for a fabulous dinner. Who needs a dinner companion? read a great book instead.

Buy Yourself Some Roses

Who doesn’t love flowers? Valentine’s is nothing if not the flowers and chocolate holiday, so as kitschy as it may seem, buy yourself an armful of flowers, a box of chocolates and maybe a demi-bouteille of champagne.

Curl Up With A Good Movie

If all else fails, put on some bold red lipstick (the world is more exciting with red lips on!) put your flowers on the coffee table next to your chocolates and some popcorn, and curl up on the couch with Netflix for a romance movie marathon.

The best bra is one you never think about.

How To Apply The Perfect Red Lip

Have you been to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy of Luca Magazine yet?
I have an article in this issue (just in time for all your holiday parties) that is all about how to apply the perfect red lip.

All images in this post were photographed by Kelly Cappelli,
Hair by Lisa Marie, Makeup by Corinna Cooke

HOW TO APPLY THE PERFECT RED LIP

Nothing says “hello, gorgeous,” quite like a sensational, bold red lip!

Red lips are the perfect accessory for winter. They’re fun and flirty! Once the new year arrives with its bleak, dull, gray days, and spring feels like it’s never going to get here, a feisty red lip adds excitement to your look and your day.

Red lips make such a statement; you barely need anything else. They look fantastic with a pared down makeup look for day, then add a cat eye and structured brow for night. They dress up jeans and a white shirt, compliment an all black ensemble, and pair up perfectly with a party dress and faux fur.

Check out these 5 steps to perfect your pout and wow the world!

1. Exfoliate

perfect-red-lip-rules


Dry, flaky lips don’t look good in red. To pull off a red lip, you need to have silky smooth lips, so the first step is to exfoliate. You can use a store bought lip exfoliator, or you can make one at home. A super soft baby toothbrush makes a perfect lip exfoliator,  as does a warm washcloth. Just remember to be very, very gentle. If you rough your lips up, they’ll still look dry and flaky.

2. Hydrate

EOS-Lip-Balm


After exfoliating, and ideally, a couple of hours before you get ready to go out, apply liberal amounts of lip balm, and let your kisser soak it in. Your lips need to be nicely hydrated so that your red lipstick looks smooth and luscious. Before applying your lip liner, you’ll gently blot the lip balm away.

3. Line Your Lip

red-lip-liner


Red lipstick needs to know its boundaries, and you want to color inside the lines. Use either the lip liner that matches your lipstick or one that’s a shade or two darker, (for a little extra dimension), to give your lip a perfect, crisp outline.

4. Stain and Apply


red-lips


The perfect red lip has more than one layer. Apply your red lipstick, then blot with a folded tissue to help set the first coat into a stain. This step is super important because it stops your lips from looking patchy as the top coat wears off! Now apply a second coat, making sure to stay inside the lines.

5. Get Precise

red-lip-technique


Run the edge of a lip brush through your lip liner, making it disappear into your lipstick while giving your lip a crisp, fresh edge.

My Favorite Red Lipsticks

In this story I use Infared Matte from Smashbox

I’m all kinds of crazy for Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red

One of the greatest blue based reds ever made is MAC Ruby Woo

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Limited

Chanel Le Rouge Collection No. 1

Color me obsessed.

kristen-stewart-chanel-red-eyeshadow

The brand new collection from Chanel’s brand new Global Creative  Makeup and Color Director, Lucia Pica is now available online.

chanel-makeup-creative-director

Pica, who is known for her signature red lipstick, has infused the collection with red, red, red!

There is, of course, a red lipstick. But there are also other red products. Dynamic, exciting, sensational red products.

My favorite is the Illusion D’Ombre Eye Shadow in Rouge Brule.
chanel-red-eyeshadow
I love red eye shadow – in fact I just taught a pro makeup artistry class on how to do red eye shadow. On top of that I just finished shooting 2 separate fashion editorials with red eye shadow. It’s just the greatest thing ever! Red eye shadow brings out the color in green eyes, hazel eyes, blue eyes, brown eyes. It is just stunning. I normally balance it with gold or bronze, but this Chanel shadow has that balance already built in.
In case you a freaking out at the thought of red eye shadow, just know that it wakes the eye up and adds vibrancy to the entire face. It is divine.

Need a little more excitement? 
How about the Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Eros?

chanel-stylo-waterproof-eyeliner
Pica has created a red based eyeliner that is just crazy gorgeous and super, super flattering on everyone. (In the same way as their Rouge Noir Vamp mascara is the greatest thing to ever happen to lashes)

The thought of red blush may feel a little extreme, but it is just beautiful. Refreshingly, tantalizingly beautiful.

chanel-blush

Joues Contrast Powder Blush in 320 Rouge Profond is going to be your favorite new blush.


Le Vernis Nail Gloss in Rouge Radical

chanel-red-nail-polish
This redefines the sexy yet elegant manicure. It’s a see through glossy red polish with just a hint of red. The new way of wearing red polish. It’s everything!

The limited edition collection isn’t available yet at Nordstrom.com
but you can get it at Chanel.com

Verified by ExactMetrics