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Launch Editor ZOE FOSTER

S/S ’11 The sneaky makeup trick Alexa Chung uses to look less perfect and more cooler.

Wed, 22 September 2010 1:36PM

It’s a great little trick, very simple and understated, and a trick I have referenced previously as a sneaky way of looking younger, in fact. ‘Hey, Fosters, why don’t you stop talking about what it is, and start talking about what it is already.’ Alright, alright, keep your salmon-coloured skivvy on.

Here she is arriving at the S/S ’11 Burberry show, doing Textbook Chung: imperfect hair, wispy centre-parted fringe, browny-black lined eyes, dark brows, sweet pink lips and no mascara.

Hang on. Hold the string and can.
NO MASCARA?!?!!
What, is she MENTAL?
Let’s have a look then. I don’t believe you.

Okay, so maybe there is a whisper of mascara in there, but it’s extremely discrete, and works more as a defining tool, a side dish to the liner, rather than an embellishing tool, which is how the rest of us tend to use our mascara wands, to achieve longer! bigger! fatter! flutterier! lashes, and that, dear reader, is integral for ALEXA’s quirky, lo-fi, I-am-not-one-of-the-glamorous-girls-and-don’t-wish-to-be, look.

I remember doing a photo shoot for Grazia a while back and as I sat with my cockalabrashitzupoodle in my arms and sipped my mocha-soy-peppermint-sencha-vodka latte and the make up artist did her work, I demanded false lashes. I was rebuffed ever so politely, and told that the layers of kohl and shadow around the eye would be not only sufficient in making my eyes stand out in the shoot, but that a simple layer of mascara was far more modern and far less predictable and just a way more fashiony in general.

And look, I got a bit huffy, I did, because I am a RBFLF (Real Big False Lash Fan), but when I saw the photos, I got it. She was right. I looked less… showgirl, less over the top, less ‘made-up, more undone. And because I was wearing very elegant black dresses and saturated in frillion dollar jewelry, the less-is-more look was the perfect balance.

The moral to this story is obviously that if you want a slightly less glamorous and ‘pretty-girl’ look, and more of a cool girl who made way less effort look, ditch the mascara, or go for a very natural finish mascara (like Shu Uemera Mascara Basic or Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara) in a brown if you cannot resist. And also that I am a HUGE deal, because I was in a Grazia fashion shoot.

Could you give up mascara? What if ALEXA wrote you a letter asking you nicely?
Me either, but I will tonight and see what happens.

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22 Comments

  • Posted by: jacquieOhhh // Wed, 22 September 2010 01:45pm

    Fab post Ms Foster. Since getting sick a few years back and losing all of my lashes, I’ve not only become a 1 minute eyeliner master, but receive more eye-related compliments than ever before, so I definitely support this new theory of yours. I think big brash lashes can just detract from the natural prettiness of ones eyes; so mad props for sharing Alexa’s secret with us mere mortals

    xo

  • Posted by: Miss Kate Daily // Wed, 22 September 2010 02:10pm

    I love the post too. I’m sure if I could ditch mascara, or even brown-size. (Ha! I thought that was really funny, get it? Down-size.)

    I’ve always felt as a fair, auburn-haired person, that I needed the extra kick. But perhaps I’ll try…

  • Posted by: GlossyAdventure // Wed, 22 September 2010 02:57pm

    I used to be obsessed with bold, long and curled lashes, but lately I prefer the natural look too. The problem is I have very fair lashes & need mascara for the colour otherwise I look sick and I still haven’t found the right natural looking mascara yet.

  • Posted by: LD // Wed, 22 September 2010 03:07pm

    Glossy: easy try tinting your eyelashes. Jemma Kidd makes this amazing mascara/tint that tints your eyelashes for 2 days. Really great for someone like me who doesn’t bother with makeup everyday and hates having to remove mascara.

  • Posted by: Stacey Lawson // Wed, 22 September 2010 03:13pm

    I am one of those gals who would choose mascara as one of the five things i would take with me to a deserted island. Can’t imagine stepping out in public without tending to my lashes but Alexas look so amazing that i may just give it a go (not sure i will make it out in public though!)

  • Posted by: Emma // Wed, 22 September 2010 03:14pm

    I love her makeup, the eye’s are amazing. Thanks for the tip :-)

  • Posted by: Julieow // Wed, 22 September 2010 03:16pm

    Had to demote lashes from wow to blah as got dermatitis on my eyelids. Only thing that didn’t flare them up was wash off mazzie that didn’t need rubbing or m/u remover. Was devo for the 1st while as thought I had some pretty wow lashes and felt lash-nudie & like I had sunken piggy pee holes in snow(and was rocking crusty red lids) but am now hooked on a less is more mascara Mon-Fri ( Clinique Power Lash) but pull out the big guns (Dior Show or YSL Faux Cils)at w/ends. Now if I wore the wow lashes to work I would feel strange & a bit too dolly plus feel way more glam when I amp them up now!

  • Posted by: PrettyFluffy // Wed, 22 September 2010 03:25pm

    My make-up artist at my wedding didn’t use mascara on my bridesmaid’s lashes for this exact same reason.
    The photos looked super lush!

  • Posted by: gemma2468 Enthusiast // Wed, 22 September 2010 06:52pm

    I didn’t know this was a trick but I’m definitely in on it. Most ‘volume’ mascaras I’ve tried flakes off into little black bits under my eyes.

    I use Rimmel Sexy Curves (Just rebought it after I used up the free one in the goodie bag from 6mths ago) It’s not too much and it still gives definition. And it’s inexpensive.

  • Posted by: melmeko // Wed, 22 September 2010 07:39pm

    OMG I went away recently for an important do and when I was getting ready I realized that I left my mascara at home, I felt so naked without it, thankfully the place I was going had plenty of mascara on hand so I was in the bathroom applying my confidence and back to it within no time at all :)

  • Posted by: tiger Enthusiast // Wed, 22 September 2010 07:40pm

    NEVER! I love my mascara <3 Ok… maybe I’ll try it, but under protest.

  • Posted by: lisa // Wed, 22 September 2010 08:05pm

    Zoe you are so funny. I am not sure if I like reading your posts for the beauty info or just for a laugh.

    how about going back to getting your lashes tinted and no mascara? time saver.

  • Posted by: Dai // Wed, 22 September 2010 08:15pm

    *sniffles* I wish that I had anything resembling lashes so that this would even be an issue. But agreed, love the more natural look. Can’t wait to see the cosmetics co’s jump on the bandwagon to bring us more products to give us the perfect natural lash! Love the s’tache Zo-Zo, keep the funny words a-coming!

  • Posted by: MissAbi Newbie // Wed, 22 September 2010 10:55pm

    NEVER!! Sorry Zoe, I love Alexa… but I wouldn’t give up my Mascara for anyone.

  • Posted by: zephyrfaerie // Thu, 23 September 2010 07:49am

    Julieow – I get exactly the same thing and haven’t used mascara for ages because every time I do, I get a bad reaction. Was the wash off mascara that didn’t irritate Clinique Power Lash? Do the other ones you mentioned not irritate your eyes either? x

  • Posted by: KiwiGirl // Thu, 23 September 2010 01:13pm

    If my lashes are freshly tinted, then I can get away with no mascara – but I can’t live without my lash curler! I’ve been doing more of a long defined fanned out lash lately, rather than the layer-upon-layer (must be said with a Svedish accent a la the 80s Sara Lee ads!) thick lash look. So I consider that to be “no mascara”! :)

  • Posted by: Julieow // Thu, 23 September 2010 01:18pm

    Zephyrfaerie- yes thats the Clinique one, also found the Mirenesse one doesnt irritate them either but I prefer Clinique on my lashes + the Mirenesse one dries v quickly. I use he CD and YSL only for big nights out and have found they dont flare up but feel dry and sore after but once I go back to Clinique the next day I avoid flare ups.

  • Posted by: samgeorgeousdahling Newbie // Thu, 23 September 2010 06:07pm

    Maybe it’s just I’m a chronic eye rubber, but I just found at the end of the day I looked – well bad, like black eyed skanky bad and I swear the mascara was causing extra little lines & puffiness on my under eye. Watching the teev one night – a mascara ad came on and turned and said to my man (rather smugly – I give good lash) ‘I’m pretty lucky – I don’t need mascara’ and he said (get this) ‘Love no one NEEDS mascara!’ you other beauty addicts might scoff like I did (men! so naive).The fabulous Alexa might just agree!

  • Posted by: B // Fri, 24 September 2010 10:48am

    HAHA Zoe you are so funny.. actually I’m quite a big minimal mascara fan – it makes me feel more…… model-ly (hmmm I wish!)

  • Posted by: lilpil // Tue, 28 September 2010 10:56am

    my eyes would look tiny without the help of fluttery lashes so I can’t say I’d ditch it.

    I have gone mascara free but that is due to laziness than trying to be low key.

  • Posted by: taryn // Wed, 29 September 2010 02:36pm

    i have been doing this FOREVER…
    you’re right again zo

  • Posted by: Viva La Vicki // Sat, 2 October 2010 03:47pm

    I rarely ever wear mascara! Mostly because taking it off is a pain and worrying about whether it’s stayed in place is a hassle. I just use an eyelash curler and I’m out the door.

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