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Celebrity Beauty: Taylor Swift Poses for T

By Alexis Wolfer

I’m usually a read and recycle kind of gal. But when T: The New York Times Style Magazine arrived on my doorstep and I caught sight of the stunning Taylor Swift, I knew this would be a cover I would covet and save. That was the first week in December and I still have her fabulously fierce yet feminine face tacked to the inspiration board above my desk.

Let me be clear here, though: while I am a Swift fan, it was neither her sensational singing nor her striking beauty that took hold of me. Instead, it was that makeup! Those bright blue eyes and lusciously lacquered lips were piercingly perfect.

While few women can (and should) pull off such an intense look outside of a photo-shoot or stage performance (or Halloween) that doesn’t mean that a modified version of this look isn’t completely wearable for even the most modest among you. The trick is in figuring out how to tone down the look without losing the impact (and without having to choose between either the eyes or the lips – because sometimes even a conservative girl wants them both).

To modify the eyes, try wearing blue eyeliner on your lower lash line and skipping the bright shadow all together. We love DEX’s Mineral Pressed Shadow in Harlem Nights ($18) which, when used as a powder liner and applied with a liner brush, allows you to closely control the density of the hue. Not bold enough? Extend the liner beyond the outer corner of your eye, like in the picture, and or apply it to your upper lash line as well. Looking for more subtlety? Mix blue liner with your usual black to tone down the shade even more.

If opaque, high-shine, red lips are too tawdry for your taste, try a less-lacquered-on-look with Cosmoholic’s high-pigment gloss in Rockstar Red ($20). Still not sheer enough? Apply your favorite clear gloss with just a touch of red mixed in.

*image from NYTimes.com