Welcome to Glitterary References!

After years of fielding "how did you do your makeup?" questions, I noticed that a lot of the questions stemmed from people's simple lack of familiarity with the mechanics of makeup.  Despite being heavily, aggressively marketed to, many women don't know how to make their makeup work for them once they've splurged on the fun stuff.  That's just not right.  Makeup should be easy, and it should be fun.  Men should know that cosmetics have things to offer them, too, and get away from the idea that cosmetics mean eyeshadow and pink nail polish.

This blog will serve as a compendium of information about technique, usage and experimentation.  One of the most helpful things I've learned in my experimentation with makeup is the ability to forget about rules and just try things willy-nilly.  Being the child of an artist and a computer geek, I have an appreciation for both mechanical understanding and artistic presentation, so my experimentation takes both into account and - I think - makes makeup accessible and easy.  With this in mind, here's some of what you can expect to see here:

• Tutorials  These will mostly be photo tutorials, covering everything from makeup basics to advanced crazy-pants makeup.  While I like a video tutorial as much as the next girl, I think still photos display technique best, allowing you to really see how I'm manipulating the makeup and tools.  If there's anything you want to see, you can always email me at glitterary.refs@gmail.com.  I'm here to help you master your makeup!
• Product Reviews and Suggestions  I love makeup stores and makeup in general, so I'll be experimenting with lots of new and exciting stuff.  However, I'll also continue checking around for natural and non-cosmetic options for skincare and other uses.  I've found that there are lots of products I used that could be replaced by chemical-free stuff that lived in my kitchen.  I like to avoid chemicals where I can, and sometimes it just doesn't occur to you that they're avoidable!
• Man Stuff  Though this does not seem to have occurred to the cosmetics powers that be, men get issues with their skin, too, and when they do, it often seems like they don't have any options.  But fear not, men of the world: there's not a single reason you should go through life with glaring red zits on your face, creepy calloused feet, or horror movie hands.  I'll serve up plenty of options for men to get cleaner, feel better, and make the most of what the cosmetics industry has to offer you (and even what it doesn't).
• Big Ass Makeup  Sometimes, you just want to go all out.  I'll be looking at the latest and greatest looks from the runway and showing you how to make it happen for yourself, and showing you how to rock some crazy-theatrical makeup.  It's a great way to practice technique, and can help you make a splash when you're out on the town!

Before we get going with this project, I think it's appropriate to start with what I'M starting with.  Everyone's skin and situation are different, so it's important to understand what I'm working with; I'll be taking into account the differences in skin, but this is my default way of thinking about makeup.  Here is my face, without makeup.

As you can see, I'm a pretty pale western-European-grab-bag woman.  At the time of this writing, I'm 28 years old.  I don't usually go to tanning booths, and I usually get one serious, lay-on-the-beach-all-day tan a year.  I don't have wrinkles yet, but I can kind of see where they will be if I look closely at my skin.  I have freckles and a little bit of rosacea in my cheeks.  I tweeze my eyebrows and have since I was about 15.  That's what I start with every morning.  I don't have a lot of skin problems, but I did when I was younger, and that's when I honed a lot of my camouflage skills.

I hope you'll find a ton of useful stuff here at Glitterary References!  Please don't hesitate to shoot me an email and let me know what I can do to help you solve a long-time problem or get ready for a big night out!