If you’ve ever watched any Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video, you know what it means when someone wants to achieve an “I like looking cold” makeup look. This could mean adding more pink blush than anticipated on the cheekbones and over the bridge of the nose, or applying a frosted white highlighter on the tip of your nose and eyebrow crease. While it is a chic way of adding a more frozen flare, , the cold will naturally do the blushing for you, especially when walking the campus here at Syracuse. However, that is not to say you can’t experiment with different powders and creams because if there is one thing about the snow, it has the best lighting for pictures. 

The evolution of blush has grown immensely since the early 80’s. From powder products only to a variety of creams and liquids offered by all major beauty brands today. Blush is one of the most flexible makeup products we all have been blessed with. For me, I love “Cloud Paint” from Glossier, a liquid blush in shades Storm, a burgundy finish, and Haze, a sheer fuschia. These blushes offer an easy to use application that leaves a fresh, clean and dewy cheek. And of course, the fan-favorite, Rare Beauty liquid blush by Selena Gomez, in shades Encourage, a soft pink, and Happy, a bright pink. But, what goes more with blush than a highlighter? 

Although I’m not the craziest fan of powder highlighters, Fenty Beauty gets it whenever it comes to making the best and most reliable highlighters in the makeup game. If you really want that girl look go for the “Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter” in shades of Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal. Both shades are effortlessly pigmented and blend beautifully on the skin. This product may be a bit pricey but you get your money’s worth when it comes to buying anything Rihanna. Another highlighter I strongly recommend to really achieve that flushed look is once again, Rare Beauty liquid highlighter in shade Enlighten, a champagne finish that enhances the cheekbones perfectly.

As the leaves start to fall and the sun goes down, it’s time to start getting ready for the long-awaited winter weather. You may be thinking to yourself, why would I even want to try to apply makeup when I’m not going to even leave my dorm room or apartment? Well, think again. For most of us, the winter can be dreadful and this time of the year, the season tends to bring a dim to our lives but, it’s important to remember makeup can bring us out of that “slump” and make us feel better about ourselves! Even if you apply a little eyebrow gel or even if you get up to go make a cup of tea, that’s enough. Each day is progress and you will get through it. Embrace the cold and the pink blushes and cherish the memories you make with your friends this winter. Stay warm and look good doing it! 

“If I could send a note to the Glossier community, I’d say, ‘You look good exactly as you are. You’re just perfect, and don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise.”

Olivia Rodrigo for Glossier.

As some of you may know, or should know, Olivia Rodrigo has been running through our minds ever since her release of her iconic and influential album “Sour” and can’t seem to escape us, but who’s complaining? Not only has she already won three Grammy’s at the the age of 19, she has also made a prominent impact on the way young girls and boys express themselves. Through her angst yet elegant style, Olivia has mastered the look of a fresh and eye appealing makeup look through the eyes and masterful minds of Glossier; my go to as well.

Personally, I have always loved learning and watching the different ways actresses, singers, and even models apply their makeup. Some have a 5 step routine and most, even myself, have a deliberate routine that takes time and patience, and a couple of shuffles of our Spotify playlists. Quality over quantity, right? Anyways… I discovered Olivia’s makeup routine through watching “Beauty Secrets”, a segment on Vogue YouTube, and I was just so, so obsessed. I was already a big fan of Glossier, (go check out my Glossier post), but after watching Olivia talk about how Glossier makes you not only look good but feel good, I was even more hooked.

“When I look in the mirror, I see someone who’s striving to be better and do better, who likes to take care of herself and people around her. That always looks good–when you’re taking care of yourself on the inside.”

Olivia Rodrigo for Glossier.

On April 19, 2022, Olivia announced to her millions of followers and fans her collaboration with Glossier and like many of those fans, I was ecstatic when I saw her campaign for Glossier. “I always feel best when I’m in makeup that I feel enhances what I have naturally”, said Olivia when explaining what it means to feel emotionally gratifying. Makeup is not just for looking good but feeling good. You should never feel obligated to cover your face with pounds and pounds of makeup, it should be your choice to do so. I, like Olivia, have found products that enhance my natural features, not only by the way I apply them and the way the product is made, but through the way I feel in them. To feel is so important when it comes to Makeup because if you don’t feel it, don’t wear it. You are you, and there’s no changing that.

Talk soon xoxo

Here are Olivia’s Favorites:

Want to know more about the products? From Glossier:

• Boy Brow: fluffy, natural-looking brows in seconds flat. “I love a good eyebrow. I always feel best when I’m in makeup that kind of just accentuates my natural features.”
• Ultralip: buildable lip color with a three oil-blend and Hyaluronic Acid, pairing the comfort of a balm with the sheen of a gloss. “Makes me feel glowy and shiny.”
• Pro Tip: Olivia’s go-to liquid eyeliner. “I love eyeliner. Winged eyeliner is my favorite thing in the world. I think I’m getting better at my winged eyeliner game too. I just try to do it every day and statistically, I have to have improved at least a little.”

Doniella Davy is the mastermind behind the unique and intelligent makeup looks in the HBO series, Euphoria. Makeup is a piece of artwork, that helps the public understand someone’s image in an authentic and an exceptional way. Every single character in the series has an aesthetic look to them, whether that means having rhinestones layered along the cheekbone or having pigmented eyeliner along the eyelids. Doniella has inspired people across the world to express themselves however they please by using makeup in a clashing illustration.

Doniella Davy with Jules Vaughn, played by actress Hunter Schafer.

As you watch the series, you will realize that throughout each episode, Kat, Cassie, Rue, and other characters wear and portray themselves continuously in different ways. There is never a moment where you see a character articulating a look the same way twice. Seeing the process and watching videos of the makeup artists tackling ways to emphasize the advanced and rare makeup looks is truly amazing to witness. One thing that I love about Doniella’s taste is, how each characters style is separate from the rest. Personally for me, I am in love with Maddy Perez’s style and makeup looks (Maddy is played by actress Alexa Demie). They’re bold, fierce, striking, and daring, everything that a makeup artist should present to the public and media’s eye.

Doniella Davy once said in an interview with Allure Magazine that, “it was the opposite approach from what typical makeup departments use for television. Usually, so-and-so has their everyday look, and that’s just their look. This was completely different because Sam (creator of Euphoria) wanted the makeup to be its own full expression of what was going on with the characters. If they’re experiencing different emotions and circumstances in all these scenes, then the makeup had to be different.”

Makeup is a “whole freedom of self-expression”, says Sam Levinson. Over the years, makeup on television has not been depicted in a creative way like, the series Euphoria does. Witnessing the artistic wonders of the makeup looks Doniella Davy and Sam Levinson generated in the show, motivated me and thousands of young teens, who are experimenting with makeup, to go beyond the regular standard of how makeup should look. From now on, before I leave my home, I will no longer just wear mascara, I will apply glitter to my eyelids and rhinestones to my cheeks.