Best Makeup Looks 2009

In an uncharacteristic move I spent half of Sunday clearing out my extraordinarily tall stash of magazines. Yes it is true, I have always had a magazine fetish. I simply find it hard to part with every page of every mag instantly after it’s done. And my living room is worse for the wear because of it. Let’s not even mention my hubby’s magazine stashing problems. All tolled I must have recycled over one hundred magazines… and that’s just from the last few months! In any case there are always issues that I can’t seem to part with at all and it takes me up to a year or more to toss them.

Then there are the issues that I tear out page after page and make my own personal style books, hair and makeup books etc etc with. Honestly half the time, I never look at them again, but on those special occasions when I feel like cleaning off a shelf or drawer I am endlessly pleased and inspired all over again. In any case, sorting out the stacks is barely a chore, rather is brings a delight that I can barely express. So after perusing the pages of all these magazine I have happily compiled some of what I thought were the best makeup looks of 2009. Yes, I know I am obsessed with sending out the decade on the tower of lists (if you have read my last few posts you know what I mean) So here they are the looks that flattered for the year.

Red Lips:
Kate Bosworth did this look so perfectly at the Costume Institute Gala that it made me want to run to my stylist for an bleaching overhaul and find a plastic surgeon to turn back the clock. This is a red lip at it’s finest, not over or underdone….everything is soft and pretty with that perfect pop of color.

Pink Lips:
Bubble gum bright pink lips were all over the red carpet this year, much in part I suspect thanks to Katy Perry and her makeup artist for creating this Grammy look which reminded me of Mad Men meets the 80’s. The bronze shimmery eye and pink pucker worked like magic on Ms Perry. Drew did the look just as well but in a kinder gentler way at the Golden Globes.

Soft Smokey Eyes:
J Lo did smokey eyes to perfection at the Premiere of “This is It” the smouldering brown gray combo looked sultry but not overdone paired with a wisp of bronze on the cheeks and a bare lip.

Smokey Smokey Eye:
Kim Kardashian takes the cake here with an ever revolving “smokey” eye parade. This is a makeup artists dream to have the perfect and willing canvas to create not one, not two, not three but an endless array of “smokey” eye looks like the Vegas a la 60’s look or the inverted smokey (pale) eye at the Emmy’s. So let’s face it they really aren’t smokey eyes after all but each one is a darn good look that the public coveted so much that Kim went sans makeup for a few tutorials of her own.