Read Gothic Charm School Online
Authors: Jillian Venters
Gothic Charm School (24 page)
What are the basic cosmetic products no makeup-enthralled Goth should be without? The following is a list of what the Lady of the Manners considers essentials, along with some recommendations for the Lady of the Manners's favorite products. But! Be an informed consumer: seek out and read reviews of products, and don't be afraid to ask sales clerks at department stores if they have samples of the products available for you to try.
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Sunblock, one that is at least SPF15 and protects against both UVA
and
UVB. You want one that spreads easily and is non-greasy. The Lady of the Manners favors Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunblock in SPF 70 or 85. And yes, she wears it every day, even in winter.- Â
A good moisturizer to nourish and protect your skin. What works for one person's skin may be a greasy disaster for another, but the Lady of the Manners applies Skin Food by Weleda every night after washing off her makeup. - Â
Concealer, for hiding blemishes and dark circles under the eyes. The Lady of the Manners's absolute favorite concealer is the ridiculously pricy Touche Ãclat by Yves St. Laurent, a product she refers to as “sleep in a clicky-tube.” - Â
Translucent powder. There are all sorts out there, in both loose and pressed formats. Translucent powder is good for “setting” your makeup and helping control shiny patches. The Lady of the Manners is very fond of Aromaleigh's Ultra Resolution Finishing Powder for loose powder and Urban Decay's De-Slick Mattifying Powder for a compact to carry around. - Â
Eyeliner. Pencil, gel, liquidâall have their uses. Pencils are good for a softer line, liquid for crisp and precise one. Gel eyeliner can create either effect depending on how you apply it. The Lady of the Manners prefers both gel and liquid liners and recommends Liquidlast by MAC, MegaLiner by Wet n Wild, and HIP cream gel liner by L'Oreal. - Â
Sealant, which can be used to create liquid liner out of eye shadow and (more importantly) will make other eyeliners more resistant to smudges, rain, and (in the case of an unavoidable emotional outburst) tears. Most sealants can also be applied over mascara with a clean mascara brush. She Laq by Benefit and Weather Everything by Bare Escentuals are the ones currently rattling around in the Lady of the Manners's cosmetic box. - Â
Mascara, partially because eyeliner without mascara looks unfinished and half done. The Lady of the Manners isn't going to give you a mascara recommendation because it seems like she's constantly trying new formulas. - Â
Lipstick, lip balm, or lip gloss. Something to keep your lips moisturized, and (if you prefer) colored. The Lady of the Manners has been on a quest for the perfect deep pomegranate wine lipstick for what seems like all of her life and currently is switching between colors by MAC, Besame, Wet n Wild, and NARS. - Â
Makeup remover. Oh, Snarklings, don't go to bed wearing your makeup. Just don't. In a pinch, baby wipes will remove everything and be kind to your skin.
Now, on to makeup. Summer can do terrible things to most gothy makeup styles. Foundation gets caked and streaky, care
fully applied eyeliner can smudge and run, and mascara can melt right off into unbecoming spots. The obvious solution is to take a “less is more” approach; instead of a full face of foundation, apply only concealer where it's needed and use a light dusting of translucent powder. Try switching to waterproof eyeliner and mascara, or find a cosmetic sealer to apply over your usual brands, which will render them smudge-proof.
When the Lady of the Manners rules the universe, she fully intends to preserve glorious sunny days (all the better for picnics, tea parties, and croquet games), but she will never allow the temperature to rise above seventy degrees.
Winter
Of course, the black-velvet-clad masses face winter-specific problems too. Some of the footwear favored by Goths can't exactly be described as practical; the Lady of the Manners will never forget the first time she discovered that her beloved pointy-toe, multi-buckle boots had no traction whatsoever by sliding instead of strolling down a hill. Then there are pesky facts like almost all
velvet doesn't deal well with rain and snow; long skirts can become quite hazardous when wrapped around your legs by the wind; and an all-black wardrobe can put your life at risk when you walk in the winter gloom after the sun sets. (Yes, an all-black outfit would probably show up quite well against pristine white snow, but the Lady of the Manners still has her doubts about its practicality on a dark winter's night when visibility is limited.)