Were you surprised to find a picture of a person in our newsletter? It is something we’ve struggled with–putting a model on a page may alienate people who can’t identify with that particular model. And the whole issue of Photoshop is problematic. If most cosmetics companies are using Photoshop to alter their advertising images, will we look bad next to them if we don’t? We think smart women know that makeup doesn’t make skin look flawless, Photoshop makes skin look flawless.
We started slowly, by experimenting with employees on our blog. Our real employees (and friends, sisters and daughters) volunteered to go in front of the camera to show how our makeup looks on real people. Not one reader complained that the women we featured were not gorgeous, 14-year-old models with perfect (or photoshopped perfect) skin, so we knew we were on the right track.
Welcome to the first installment of our Naturally Gorgeous campaign!
Our goal with this campaign is to showcase women. Women who have complex personalities and lives, diverse interests and concerns – and none of them need a trunk of products or a Photoshop expert to look Naturally Gorgeous. They are all gorgeous without a bit of makeup on their skin because of who they are and what they do, but we had fun enhancing their natural beauty with Alima Pure. We hope you enjoy meeting them!
Tara is a true northwest girl – born and raised in Washington state and a graduate from the University of Idaho. She lives in Portland where she works in advertising. Tara is an animal lover with an interesting approach – she recently adopted a cat to keep her dog company while she’s away at work. She’s been wearing Alima Pure for about 3 years.
AP: What surprises people about you?
TS: That I don’t really have a problem speaking my mind, or letting my personal views come out. People think I am quiet, but I say what I think.
AP: What inspires you?
TS: Making people proud of my accomplishments inspires me to do better in general.
AP: How do you define beauty?
TS: I think it comes more from confidence than physical beauty.
AP: Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
TS: John Lennon, John F. Kennedy, George Harrison, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and myself.
AP: Wouldn’t you be a little concerned, having both JFK and Marilyn there?
TS: Not at all. You need some drama to have a good dinner party!
AP: What type of music are you loving lately?
TS: I’ve been listening to a lot of acoustic country.
AP: What is your biggest makeup challenge?
TS: Until I found Alima Pure, it was finding a foundation that didn’t feel heavy but still gave me great coverage.
To get Tara’s look:
We applied Beige 4 with a #25 brush, then swirled Soft Plum Satin Matte Blush to the apples of her cheeks and blended it back towards her hairline.
We went with yellow and orange-based shades to emphasize Tara’s gorgeous blue eyes, as if they need any more emphasis! Buttercream Luminous Shimmer Shadow was applied with a #37 brush from her crease to her brows, and Leone Luminous Shimmer Shadow went from lashes to crease with the #39. Brown Sugar Luminous Shimmer Shadow went in the crease with the #36 brush. A damp #33 Angle Liner Brush dipped in Paparazzi Luminous Shimmer Eyeliner lined her upper lashes, and a bit more Leone smudged under her eyes with the #31 Fine Liner Brush.
To finish, we filled in her brows with Brunette Satin Matte Shadow on the #33 Angle Liner Brush. Lips were glossed with Fig Organic Nourishing Lip Balm.
