Giving You the Smokey Eye

OK, I meant to show you some "real pictures" of my NYE forays into the world of makeup, but my husband is horrendously sick and was not up to being my photog last night. Turns out, my father got - and still has - this really, really terrible bug and then my mother got it and now Scott has it and it's actually rather scary. I've never seen my husband like this... (Update: He just advised that he believes it is the flu. Flu is serious, you know.) It's like 2008 had to get in one last dig.

Of course, if you know me and you know anything about my legendary germ-phobia, you might imagine I'd be paralyzed with fear right now. I mean, I am forcing my child to put on hand-sanitizer (organic lavender, thank you) every 10 minutes and no one is allowed to touch knobs of any sort, but I'm holding it together. I'm sure you're very relieved for me :-) What a strange holiday it's been.

But I can see this post is going to be like an episode of the Simpson's, starting out on one topic and meandering to 12 others before the denouement.

For starters, meet the smokey eye:


My hands really are that huge, in case you were wondering.

Let me say that it took me 15 minutes to put on the eyes - it was my third time ever, the other two having occurred in the last 10 days. Theretofore, I had only ever worn mascara, when I can be bothered, which is either all the time or never. I actually think I have talent. Just putting on liquid eyeliner is hardcore. When I revealed my look to my friend, Sandra, with whom I was spending the evening outside of the zone of sickness (yes, I left a sick person at home. But you have to understand it was free babysitting on NYE!), her first question was: Why didn't you do the bottom lid?

Um, I didn't know you're supposed to do the bottom lid. I skip over the makeup part in fashion mags.

So she advised that you need to put shadow on the bottom too - and mascara?!? - and she lent me her Dior palette, which I would ordinarily never share but I'd had a glass of wine and I was feeling bad ass. And I updated the bottom lid and I looked smokier!

Update: Sandra called me this morning to advise that she's got an eye infection in both eyes. Seriously. And I don't know if I gave it to her. But so far I'm good. Could 2009 be the year I dodge the flu and makeup-sharing induced eye inflammation???

I told you this post was going to be all over the map.

The punchline is about how I came by the makeup. Well, peeps, I'm an influencer. As I'm sure you know, this means I've been contacted by a third-party agency to "try out and speak about" a particular product. In this case, the product is L'Oreal Paris Double Extension Beauty Tubes Mascara. BTW, I am under no obligation to talk about it. And, should I decide to talk, I can say whatever I like.

I've decided to talk. Influentially. But I think I should save it for the next email. Cuz if I were you, still reading this, I'd probably need to make dinner by now.