j.r.r. tolkien's the hobbit series #3 - elves simplified

Let me tell you that it is not easy trying to make yourself look as perfect as the elves in Lord of the Rings. They all look absolutely flawless, with glowing skin and hardly any makeup on. Now, as mere mortals, we have plenty of ways to fake it, but damn, is it hard to cover up undereye circles.

This look was based off of Arwen's look, which features a bit more colour than that of Galadriel, who was basically just a shining beacon of light, which was meant to be both beautiful and terrifying. Arwen has colour in her cheeks and lips.

This look was relatively simple and I loosely followed this tutorial by Alle from xoVain. The most work required is perfecting the skin, which is always a challenge. You want to look like you're glowing from within, so use a foundation that looks like skin or has some luminosity to it. Make sure to conceal any redness or unwanted spots. You want to use a highlighter or luminizer on the planes of your face that light would naturally hit: the bridge of your nose, your cheekbones, the Cupid's bow, and just below the browbone. Lightly contour your face if you weren't blessed with cheekbones and a jawline from the gods.

Blush is important here! Just on the apples of the cheeks. The eyes are very simple, with a dusting of an eyeshadow close to your skintone over your lid and some light definition in the crease with a slightly darker matte shadow. I didn't bother lining my upper lid but I did tightline the upper lash line to give the appearance of fuller lashes, and I put a but of a matte taupe liner below the bottom lash line for definition. Give your lashes a quick curl and a coat of mascara, and you're good to go. Also fill in your brows if you'd like, and if not, at least give them a swipe of brow gel to keep them in place.

Pick any lip colour that is close to your natural lip shade but maybe slightly pinker. I did use Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, that cult favourite, but you can use any pinky nude.

I took these pictures while the sun was setting... Before 4PM. That is just not okay. I think I look really silly with filled-in brows and no eye makeup, but maybe that's just me. Also, my eyes are either uneven or I really just like cocking my brows, which is almost 115% the most likely choice. I realised that my eyebrows like to go crazy on a normal basis...

BROWS
Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express brow kit in Brunette
Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel in Granite

EYES
Lid - Urban Decay eyeshadow in Foxy (very light yellow/white matte)
Crease - Urban Decay eyeshadow in Tease (creamy pale brown matte)
Upper water line - Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion (deepest matte black)
Lower lash line - Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Desperation (deep taupe to gray matte)
Lashes - Maybelline Volum' Express the Mega Plush mascara in Blackest Black

FACE
Urban Decay Naked Skin liquid foundation in 1.0
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat foundation in Beige Rose 20
Benefit Fake Up Concealer in 01 Light
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer in Light
Contour - Maybelline Fit Me foundation stick in 235 + NYX Powder Blush in Taupe
rms beauty living luminizer

LIPS
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey