One of Nick’s friends called to see if I would help him surprise his mom a few weeks ago.
When she flew out to visit him he had a whole bunch of sweet things planned for her. Including a stop at my house to get all glammed up before he took her out for a night on the town. I thought it was a really cute thing for Chris to do for his mom and as soon as I met her I completely understood why he adores her so much. She is one of those people who just lights up a room with her smile and warmth. After the makeover she just giggled and kept looking in the mirror saying “HOW DID YOU DO THAT!?” I loved seeing such a deserving lady so happy and well taken care of.
I went pretty minimal on her makeup because she doesn’t wear a lot normally and I wanted her too look natural.
What I used:
Benefit Porefesional Primer
IIID Foundation + in Pearl Illuminator
IIID Blush in Ruby
MAC Shadow in Brun
Loreal Gel Liner in Blackest Black
Ardell Wispies Lashes
NYX Taupe to line the lips
Soap & Glory Lip Plumper in Punch Bowl
ALSO THE CONTEST WINNER!!!!!! My winner from the colab with MM&L is Catherine Crain! I’m so excited for you Catherine, I hope you love it! Email your shipping address to [email protected] Be sure to watch MM&Ls Video to see who their winner was!
{I’m announcing the JolieMD winner tomorrow!}
I also wanted to add that I am a little behind on comments from last week because I have been suuuuper sick all weekend, so I promise to catch up on those ASAP! Love you all!
70 Comments
cora
February 10, 2014 at 3:57 amAnother awesome job! 😉
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:43 pmThank you Cara!
Liz Tea Bee (@LizzTeaBee)
February 10, 2014 at 4:00 amI loooove this. It looks so natural but also dramatic. The eyelashes really take it up a notch.
Stacie
February 10, 2014 at 5:20 amAbsolutely beautiful!
Miss Viola Swamp (@imaqt209421)
February 10, 2014 at 5:29 amAwesome as usual 🙂 Get well soon!
Ellen Mallernee Barnes
February 10, 2014 at 5:41 amStunning results!! In awe again.
Eve
February 10, 2014 at 6:11 amBeautiful! I love how her skin tone is evened out and she has a glow about her that’s georgeous! Simply beautiful, and I hope she had the best weekend with her son!
Chris Werme
February 10, 2014 at 6:34 amThanks again for doing this for my mom!!!! Tell Christian thanks for hanging with me while you did this and thank Nick for nothing!!!! Hope you feel better. Ill be back in town March 6-9, lets do dinner again.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:44 pmhaha Thanks for letting me get to know your sweet family! We’ll see you soon!
Pat
February 10, 2014 at 6:55 amYou did a fabulous job with both Mary and Liz. I want to come out West to see what you can do with me, Chris’ Godmother!
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:44 pmI’m counting on it! 🙂
laura
February 10, 2014 at 6:56 amshe looks amazing and feel better soon
Natalie
February 10, 2014 at 7:02 amCara poor girl! Seems like you are sick a lot 🙁 You need some Kefir in your life! You should grab some from the grocery store next time you’re in there. It’s a yogurt drink full of like 30 probiotics to build your immune system. It’s yummy and it’ll change your life 🙂 just saying
It’s also been great getting to see your product used on all these different skin types!
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:45 pmThank you! I will definitely get some!
Beth and Beauty
February 10, 2014 at 8:21 amYou did an awesome job with her makeup! If I come to your town, will you do mine…..LOL! Now that would be an awesome dream for me but probably not so much fun for you…..LOL I hope you are feeling better.
Beth
bethandbeauty.com
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:45 pmI’d love that! Thanks Beth!
Donna Holland
February 10, 2014 at 8:24 amWow, she looks beautiful!!!
Anna Belle
February 10, 2014 at 8:41 amI think it’s the eyebrows that make the huge difference? In any case, very pretty!
Angela
February 10, 2014 at 8:41 amYou’re so good! And she looks beautiful. I keep looking at the “after” thinking, “Well, what’s changed, really?” She looks amazing but there’s no one drastic change…no bold eyes or lips or anything. It’s such a natural look but such a HUGE change.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:51 pmhaha I did the same thing actually I just kept thinking the changes were so slight but made such a huge impact!
joana
February 10, 2014 at 9:01 amAw, she seems like a sweetheart. The eyelashes look fab on her!
Joana from villegas
thefurniturefinder
February 10, 2014 at 9:07 amWhat a sweet thing for a son to do for his mama! She looks beautiful and her skin is just glowing!
The Vintique Object
February 10, 2014 at 9:56 amWhat a gorgeous lady! I’d be giggling too, if you could transform me that way, Cara. I need to invent an excuse to go to Las Vegas. 🙂 Wondering if you might be able to show us a bit more about you contour the cheeks. I think you did such an amazing job in this example of making her cheek bones really stand out. I’ve tried over and over to do this on myself and seem to fail every time.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:52 pmI’d love for you to come! What face shape do you have??
Lauren
February 10, 2014 at 10:07 amGreat job, Cara. She’s beautiful!
I’m hoping you can do a blog post series on how to correctly apply eye shadow to different shaped eyes. I feel like I can never apply it correctly to get that glamorous professional look. I have big open eyes and I feel like it looks weird when I blend shadow into the crease. Thanks!
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:53 pmgreat series idea! So would you say you have a lot of space between your lashes and your brows or big eyes in general?
Lauren
February 11, 2014 at 6:41 amhi Cara! I have eyes similar to Zooey Deschanel – big, blue and prominent. The eyelid is usually visible (so, opposite of a hooded eye?) and there’s definitely quite a bit of space between my lashes and brows. thanks!
diana
February 10, 2014 at 10:17 amwow! she looks pretty and natural! good job! By the way I love your blog title! haha
Geralynne Swensen
February 10, 2014 at 10:19 amAfter seeing her makeup I think I may be a dark. The medium is awesome but I may want to try the dark to compare? Or I’ll wait till the next batch of mediums? Any idea when they will be available? I feel like the medium contour is just right but the highlight is too light! She looks awesome by the way!
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:58 pmI have been surprised on how versatile the dark is, if you are close to her skin tone you will probably love it! The medium still won’t be here for another couple of months:( Which is way too long but sadly the process can’t be sped up any sooner!!
Jaime
February 10, 2014 at 12:16 pmWow. Great work! She looks amazing! Do my eyes deceive me or did you not use any eye shadow on her? I didn’t see any listed, other than the Brun, but I assumed you used it on her brows.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 11:00 pmThank you! She’s so beautiful! I actually used the IIID foundation to highlight her brow and some of the brun in her crease but you can’t see it in the photo, in this one I think the lashes were the star!
Celeste
February 10, 2014 at 12:38 pmThis is really top notch!
Mary Werme
February 10, 2014 at 12:57 pmCara,
Thank you for a wonderful makeover. It made the entire day magical. Your skills are exceptional but it is your tender heart that is the icing on the cake. Thank you for making me feel like a princess. I now have all the products, but not the skill set you have…. cannot replicate but certainly feel much better with my new products. Thank you and hi to the family. (who by the way, are as wonderful as you are!)
Mary
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 11:01 pmThank you so much Mary! I am just in love with your whole family as well, you must be a proud mother:) Thanks for letting me makeup your gorgeous face, I’m sure you do it just as well!
Brooke Williams
February 10, 2014 at 2:50 pmShe looks beautiful!! You really are amazing at what you do 🙂
[email protected]
February 10, 2014 at 2:51 pmI love your mature women’s makeovers. I feel like our age group gets short changed in all beauty and fashion. I would love your advice…I’ve gone from being a blonde to red with shocking high and low lights. Now I’m makeup befuddled. I’m a new bride at 52, moved to a new city and will start job hunting soon. I want to put my best face forward and I don’t know how. I would love your help. Thanks for your wonderful blog.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 11:04 pmOh I bet it looks gorgeous! What color of eyes do you have? and what is your skin tone?? PS congrats on the wedding!!
carla
February 10, 2014 at 2:51 pmThe lady looks younger with your fantastic make up!!!Love it!!
http://styleloveandsushi.blogspot.com
Brooke
February 10, 2014 at 3:51 pmShe’s so beautiful!! 😉 I absolutely love it!
Kelly
February 10, 2014 at 5:49 pmWhat an adorable thing for a son to do!
gingererin
February 10, 2014 at 6:05 pmShe is beautiful in both! You did an amazing job bringing out her beautiful features! I wish you could do my brows, like every morning. Sigh. A girl can dream.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 11:07 pmThank you! I have never seen a brow I didn’t enjoy shaping! I’m totally up for it if you wanna move next door:)
gingererin
February 11, 2014 at 1:17 amOh honey, if I didn’t live in Georgia, I would seriously consider that!
Emily J
February 10, 2014 at 6:13 pmI am new to your site and loving it! But I just have to ask, is there any photoshopping going on there to cover the spots on her face, or is your make up just that good? It is an amazing difference that looks so natural and I just can’t believe it!
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 11:17 pmThank you so much! So as far as my makeovers go I have a no photoshop policy (I do shoot in raw so I enhance the color but whatever I do with the after I also do with the before, just for clarification there) if you look closely some of her spots are still visible, so I wouldn’t say the foundation covered them completely but it does a good job at softening and blurring them. I tend to prefer a little bit of those freckles and dots to show through because I think they are pretty and they help the makeup to look natural:)
catherine crain
February 10, 2014 at 6:39 pmAhhhh I won!!! So excited! Emailed ya!
gingererin
February 11, 2014 at 1:31 amCongrats!
Girl with a habit
February 10, 2014 at 7:30 pmShe looks great! You do such a great job!
Ashlee
February 10, 2014 at 7:42 pmAre you using the dark because you are out of the medium, or is her skin tone actually for the Dark IIID foundation? I am unsure what shade I am but I am naturally tan.
Stephanie
February 11, 2014 at 10:29 amI totally agree and would love to hear your answer to this comment. I thought I was a “medium”, but if this woman is a true “dark” shade then I probably am too. Came across your blog a few months ago and I check it everyday! Thank you for all the tips and effort you put into helping other women show their true beauty!!
Gurleen
February 11, 2014 at 4:24 pmI agree. I think I should have bought a dark shade too if she is using the dark. In the medium for me, the contour is hard to see and the highlight is a little light. I feel like the shades should be renamed. The light should be fair, the medium should be light and the dark should be medium. I feel like there would be less confusion.
Cara
February 10, 2014 at 10:51 pmI’m workin on it:)
marisa
February 11, 2014 at 12:12 amWhy this aggression. Just why. This is so uneccessary. That said I would love to see your makeover videos. Could you do one demonstrating how they aren’t that hard? Thanks in advance!
Ms. T.
February 13, 2014 at 10:11 amYour wording is just as aggressive without it being in all caps. Showing courtesy and respect for others is a better approach than unnecessary hostility, here and anywhere.
Kellie The Shoe Diva
February 11, 2014 at 5:02 amWow! She’s gorgeous. Chris’ mom actually looks like Mary Lynn Rajskub when she’s made up.
lehcar90
February 11, 2014 at 6:59 amAnother gorgeous makeover! I love how natural you went with it. And how do I not own MAC Brun yet. Ordering today. It’s only the entire foundation of your long-time brow regime, and I keep thinking, “oh, I’ll get around to that”. Now that I’m coloring my hair even darker tomorrow, I’ll definitely need it to balance out my look a little.
Jenna
February 11, 2014 at 9:47 amIf you are unhappy with the free information that Cara is working her butt off to give to you, perhaps you’d be better off paying someone to teach you. Please be kind.
Miss Manners
February 13, 2014 at 10:25 amYou are being incredibly rude on a very lovely, feel-good website. Instead of spewing hate at strangers, take the time to look into better managing your misplaced anger.
Kelly M
February 11, 2014 at 10:00 amI like it when the makeovers don’t have videos. That way I can quickly check them out at work!
Himani
February 11, 2014 at 4:18 pmThat’s totally fine too. All I’m saying is for the people who want more info can watch the video and for those who don’t can just quickly read the blog. That’s how every other youtuber does it. I see your point, I just like watching the application part 🙂
nancy
February 11, 2014 at 7:16 pmThe after pic reminds me of Michael Scott’s wife on “The Office”. She looks beautiful!!
Kara Cottrell
February 12, 2014 at 4:03 pmwow thats absolutely stunning. I’m glad you made her so happy! By the way, my name is Kara too! But with a K 🙂 Your URL is so adorable hahaha
BlameKara
Jade
February 12, 2014 at 4:36 pmI love you Cara but pleeeeease proof read! The spelling mistakes kill me!
Jen
February 12, 2014 at 9:52 pmYour before and after are ridiculous! I wish you can do one for my mom!
Jenny
February 12, 2014 at 10:01 pmOk, ok you’ve just convinced me! I want this product!! I was going to wait for the medium to come in but think I might be able to wear the dark! One question though, I love the jem color for the blush but I have acne scars. Do you think this color would bring them out more? Recommendations?
Angie Smith
February 13, 2014 at 4:26 amWow! This is one of the best transformations I’ve seen! So natural and beautiful! What a sweet son to want to give this to his mom.
Elaine jones
February 24, 2014 at 7:20 pmThank you Cara and Mary for sharing your photo’s, I may have found a product that will even out my uneven skin tone from sun damage? I have not been comfortable going too dark, and now I think I am ready for the plunge; I usually like mineral powder, but Mary looks nice and evened out, dew kissed even. I wish I could send pictures for tips? I have uneven tone closer to my ears lower cheek area, bilaterally. Thank you for sharing again, the splotches have left me so self conscious, maybe no more!
Sylvianna Palmer
March 30, 2014 at 2:28 pmI love this look. As we age, I feel we sometime need better coverage, but worry about makeup settling into our fine lines. This is a great look, Simply beautiful.Love the colors used.
bree
January 22, 2015 at 11:52 amShe looks beautiful! I would love to see a makeover Monday/ the IID foundation on somebody with acne.