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nutty1005 · 4 months ago

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Xiao Zhan | The simpler is more complex

Original Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Zkps0vHvP89ZrMWQIUZ3NA Original Author: JIAWEI This article was originally published on 10 August 2024 on ELLE’s Weixin Official Account 世界时装之苑ELLE.

Xiao Zhan believed that truth brings simplicity. But in performance, he is starting to like multi-sided and complex characters more, or rather, this is the true and real state of human existence. At a time when everything is being simplified, to be willing to admit the difference between people, to seek the possibility of communication, to be sensitive and defend complexity, this definitely requires passion, as well as courage.

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Two black curtains reached the top of the studio ridge, neatly separating the shooting area from the surroundings, there was a need to go through a maze of them to enter the small core space. Pure white, plenty of air conditioning, and the camera shutter sound was high-frequency and continuous.

Xiao Zhan wore black clothes and rarely made any unnecessary movements. For a while, the lights broke down and photography was suspended, so he maintained standing in the dark with one foot on the wooden box; when the staff and the photographer were discussing the photographs, adjusting the styling, he stood alone in front of the display screen, and the weak screen light enveloped his body. Very occasionally, he swayed slightly to the background music, his legs lean but muscular.

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#01 I’m afraid of becoming dull

After entering the entertainment industry, these things quickly became part of his daily life – cameras, spotlights, monitors, and barriers. Because of his career and popularity, he had fissioned into countless “Xiao Zhans”, such as giant portraits on the facades of high-end shopping malls, the projections of an astonishing number of fans, or the appearance of characters in successive movies and TV series.

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Currently, in the dressing room after the shooting, Xiao Zhan was carrying his box of whole grain salad, vividly imitating the scene of meeting director Zheng Xiaolong.

“I was a little bit hesitant, so I asked the director if he wanted me to be thinner or stronger? He said, thin, of course thinner, so good looking, sharp.” After a while, Zheng Xiaolong saw him again while taking final costuming photographs, “He said, hey, you’ve done well.” From then till now, he has lost more than five kilograms.

Xiao Zhan, the source of all of this fission, was presentable and relaxed, to him the glamor seen by the outside world was a supplementary value. Sometimes he even forgot about it and said, “No one really cares about you.” Then he continued to talk about his work.

Recently completed was the 5-month filming of “The Legend of Zang Hai” in Hengdian. The previous film, also shot for 5 months, was the film “The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero” directed by Tsui Hark. This was often the case for large-scale movies and long-running television dramas, it took four or five months once you joined the group. In 2022, his filming work was mainly “Where Dreams Begin / The Youth Memories” and “Sunshine By My Side”, in 2021 it was “The Longest Promise”, in 2020 it was “Ace Troops”, in 2019 it was “Douluo Continent” and “The Oath of Love”.

Endless filming appointments. Hence, it was sometimes impossible to decide whether the interval between filming should be lengthened or shortened.

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In the second half of 2019, during the filming of “The Oath of Love”, Xiao Zhan was filming during the day and recording the variety show “Our Song” at night. Both sides were very challenging. The former was his first time playing the male lead in an urban drama, so he had little experience and was under great pressure; the difficulty of the latter lies in the harmonizing, “I had to memorize all the harmonizing that were different from the song’s tone, and not to be led astray. “

“Then, I thought it didn’t matter. I slept for an hour or two and woke up a good man again. But now, while my mind says it doesn’t matter, my body will make some protests.”

This year he was filming in Hengdian. Later, one day, he discovered that his tonsils were inflamed and it was painful to swallow, but he went to work as usual. Until the director came over and asked him, what happened to your eyes? Only then did he see his own swollen eyes in the mirror, held on until the afternoon, “completely like a frog.”

He had to go to the hospital, the symptoms themselves were very common and could be stopped by taking medicine. What can’t be done was exactly what doctors advised the most: you need to rest.

More importantly, “Perception will become dull. I am really afraid of this, afraid of becoming very mechanical and formulaic.” When saying this, the emphasis was on the word “really”. When he chatted with seniors, “They also said that you have to live life, you need to experience life.”

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The fact is that the life in the limelight is somewhat contrary to the life of ordinary people, but the profession of an actor requires him to be in touch with as many folds of life as possible.

A while ago, he watched a one-man show on a variety show, describing the current workplace situation of contemporary young people. Xiao Zhan had opened a studio and worked before entering the entertainment industry. He could understand the gloom caused by going to work, but the new vocabulary and tools that appeared in the workplace made his sense of resonance weaken. He found himself gradually uncoupling to a certain extent.

#02 The flavor of life lies in the details

In early June, Xiao Zhan took a short vacation and returned to his hometown of Chongqing. He loved walking very much, and one night he walked for several hours, visiting old streets, People’s Liberation Monument, and even around the place where he used to work.

In 2014, the 23-year-old Xiao Zhan graduated from university and worked as a designer in a design studio. Every weekday morning, he transferred from Line 2 to Line 3 at Niujiaituo Station, pushing through the crowds and squeezing onto the light rail, and several times he had been squeezed so hard that his face was pressed against the glass windows.

He simply stuck against the glass and looked at the Jialing River below, seeing the strange rocks exposed in the dry season and various people, including winter swimmers, joggers and fishermen, with a rather optimistic spirit.

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He still loved to observe the people around him——

“Why are you still here so late?”

“People walking in a hurry must be people who have just gotten off work and are rushing back, their behavior is just like when I was trying to catch the subway, when it’s the last train and you want to run, in a panic. Some food delivery guys are rush forward undauntedly. There are also some very leisurely people, sitting there drinking beer, then going home and starting a new day.”

“Everyone has an exciting story happening, and it is everyone’s life that makes up our society. So it is wondrous, everyone is the protagonist, we are all filming our own biographies, how will tomorrow’s story develop?”

At that moment, mixed in, he was like all those who have been busy working in a foreign land for a long time and finally had the time to go home, and discovered that “it had been a long time since I came here, and there had been quite a lot of changes.” “Actually, I’m not particularly happy or have any other feelings. I’m living, that’s all.”

Two and a half days later, Xiao Zhan left Chongqing and returned to Beijing due to work, then rushed to Shanghai, and then in turn to France. This time he brought his parents too. This was a long in coming family trip, within a week, they traveled from France to Switzerland and back to France. Every detail of the trip was magnified, they were happy, bickering, or just walking for a while, “it was all very vivid.”

On the day they parted, they had dinner at a restaurant in the south of France, the car to pick him up arrived and he had to leave first. Before leaving, his mother hugged him and told him to take care of himself. In a rare move, his father also hugged him awkwardly.

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The flavor of life lies in the details.

“I used to think that work was everything and life was not that important, it was nothing more than having a place to sleep, then getting up, going to work, finishing work, and resting. But now, when my parents have grown older, and I have not been with them for a long time, you will feel as if each other’s lives, even your family’s, would become further and further apart. “He especially did not want this to happen.

The way to avoid suspension and regain the real sense of life is not difficult. “When you have time, go out and see more. The important thing is to feel life and feel the world. Even if some of the things are bad and cruel, they are all life, and will burst out with energy when you need it.”

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#03 Stay innocent, stay complex

Halfway through the interview, Xiao Zhan suddenly said that he was ambivalent about long interviews. On the one hand, he was worried that he had not grown up enough and would show ignorance in the conversation, but on the other hand, he wanted to explore some subtle feelings through the conversation because he felt that he was not good at using words to record them.

Observation, feeling, understanding and expression are the essentials of why actors can bring creativity.

“Dialogue is also muscle memory.” Xiao Zhan said, “Although I am very introverted, I am not antisocial. Because I think actors need to learn to express, express your inner thoughts, and digest the content conveyed to you by the other party.”

Before the filming of “Sunshine By My Side” started, he met with the main creators and held several script meetings to deepen his understanding of one another and the characters. In the early stages of “The Legend of Zang Hai”, the producer also mentioned that he would discuss the script in detail and talk about a scene with a lot of his own understanding.

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Xiao Zhan is not an actor with a professional background, when he first entered the industry and filmed “Battle Through the Heavens” and “The Wolf”, he had strong doubts and asked himself, am I suitable? The constant negativity and self-refuting made him lose self-confidence.

Sometimes he would be asked what he would be doing now if he had not participated in the talent show, debuted, or entered the entertainment industry at the age of 23. He had thought about it, but did not look back.

If he was not good at acting, then he needed to spend extra time taking acting classes, review more in the monitors, and ask more advice from his seniors. He put his head down stubbornly, and with hard work, he slowly found the knack.

Later the filming of “Where Dreams Being / The Youth Memories” started, Xiao Zhan played Xiao Chunsheng, a young man from the military courtyard in Beijing, who was completely different from him, and even his accent was completely distinct. He felt insecure. Before filming started for many scenes, director Fu Ning would run over and whisper to him, “Don’t be afraid Zhanzhan, just speak bravely, if you feel it, just say it, the audience actually can feel your emotions and what you want to express.” .

He also gradually gained more self-awareness: “Techniques may not be my area of expertise, I rely more on feelings. Only when I feel it myself then I can have the confidence to interpret it. If I rely solely on some techniques, I don’t think it is sufficiently moving.”

It had been 8 years since Xiao Zhan first acted, and his resume included leading male roles in films and television dramas of various themes. But he still felt that he is a newcomer and hopes to cooperate with more experienced production teams if there is an opportunity in the future.

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He would not think too much, he actually did not know his work plan divided by year. He only cared about the work arrangements for the next stage, rather than “asking about things that are too far away.”

“I still feel like a child now, but in fact I am not anymore. It seems like I am still in high school, but in fact I have grown up.” The nature of a child means curiosity, desire to explore, and power of imagination.

He placed the curiosity and desire to explore into his characters, “I mean, for myself, when I dig into the character’s background and past, I explore the complexity and contradiction of the character as a person, and present it. Only in this way can some of his choices and motivations be understood by the audience, and the work may then be good, and only then can you have the audience you have now, right?”

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#(Q&A)

ELLE: During the break, will you think about anything on the set? Xiao Zhan: Of course, I remember that just a few days after filming was completed, I was still dreaming that I was still filming, and the director and I were still discussing how to say that phrase on set? How to handle that scene?

ELLE: Do you actually miss the atmosphere on the set? Xiao Zhan: I like it very much, because I like the feeling of everyone creating together and working together to get something done.

ELLE: When you first entered the entertainment industry and your popularity grew very quickly, you said you felt it was a bit unreal and magical, but now you seem to be quite relaxed. How did this change occur? Xiao Zhan: Rather than being unreal or magical, after so many years, I feel that I hadn’t had time to adapt to such a fast pace at that time, so when I woke up from sleep, I was like where am I today? What am I doing? I think it is a process, just like when you first enter the workplace, you will be very excited, “Work here I come, please take good care of me”, “My highness is here, everyone get out of the way”, “I can do it, I will do it”. (Laughs) But after experiencing a lot of things, you will feel that it seems that everything needs to be considered in the long term.

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ELLE: In several interviews, you mentioned that you like to play roles that “can convey energy.” Why do you have such a preference? Xiao Zhan: Because I think this is the life of the character. The kind of energy I’m talking about is not just a single, generally understood positive energy, I’m talking about nourishment that can subtly influence and moisturize. I believe that every character has a complete storyline inside, this is what I like very much, and as long as you dig deep, you can move people. I don’t really like to call the villain a “villain”, as it seems to be a bad character from the beginning, but in fact it is not, he may have his own difficulties.

ELLE: It sounds like “transmitting energy” is just a general term, but is it actually about understanding different people through performance? Xiao Zhan: Yes, if you break it down to each character, what they convey is different. But if you want to talk about “good people” and “bad people”, then I don’t think it’s interesting.

ELLE: So do you think performance is a form of communication? Xiao Zhan: Yes, you can say that, I think it’s great to say that, (performance) is a bridge to communicate with the audience. Just like when a drama is broadcasting, I will read some of the audience’s comments and impressions after watching it, and I feel that they have a very rich feelings about the work. When I see some comments that are exactly the same as my thoughts during the filming, I will feel very amazed, as if the bridge is really connected, we don’t know each other in life and have never communicated with each other, but he suddenly understands my thoughts then, I’ll just feel that, oh, acting is a beautiful and magical thing.

ELLE: Do you watch some science fiction movies, TV series, and literary works? Xiao Zhan: Yes, I used to like watching “The Three-Body Problem”, I have actually watched some science fiction movies recently, the American drama “Constellation”, and recently I am watching “Dark Matter”, which is about infinite flow and parallel time and space. Because I think maybe there really is a parallel time and space. Every choice you make will split out a different parallel time and space.

ELLE: Then will you imagine Xiao Zhan in parallel time and space? Xiao Zhan: I will really wonder, for example, is he still an actor? Maybe yes, but is he still filming now? Is he still singing now? Or is he also a designer? Is he an employee or is he his own boss? (Laughs) Really, I will.

ELLE: As for the future, what do you think it will be like? Xiao Zhan: Wow, I feel that the world may return to its original nature when the time comes instead, maybe the world will become a better place, and people will return to very essential communication.

ELLE: This is very interesting. Why do you think so? Xiao Zhan: Anyway, at least now I have a little aversion with this kind of ubiquitous Internet, when we were young, there were no mobile phones, everyone just chatted during meals, my friends would all come downstairs to play, hide and seek, and play various games, I feel that that time was very precious instead.

ELLE: Will there still be an actor career by then? Xiao Zhan: I think there will be. I believe that as long as life goes on, drama will continue. Because everyone needs an outlet, emotional resonance and sustenance, be it images or sounds. So I feel that even if the world is destroyed, as long as there are still people, drama will definitely exist.

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#xiao zhan #xiaozhan #肖战 #sean xiao

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shybunnyminju · 16 days ago

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can you make a one shot of illit's moka × fem reader

autumn in our park (Sakai Moka x fem reader)

illit⠀୨୧ genre fluff pairing no idol! sakai moka x fem reader word count 705 warnings none, sometimes i used translater. autor note is a really short but i hope you like it. <3

Orange-colored leaves were falling that Sunday afternoon, blanketing the park they both knew like the back of their hands. These were the same trees that once witnessed two young women exchanging glances, sharing a sense of longing and a strange familiarity, even though they had never met before.

It felt like a scene from a movie: the two of them, standing there in the middle of the park, frozen, gazing at each other as if time itself had stopped, as if they were the only two people in the world. Neither knew quite how to begin a conversation. But gathering a quiet courage, you found the words to break the silence, hoping to catch her attention.

"Sorry to interrupt," you said softly, trying to mask the interest in your voice. "But I really love your outfit. Can I ask… where’s your jacket from?"

She was wearing a black jacket over a pink sweater that paired perfectly with her black skirt and matching boots. A bag hung from her shoulder, and in her hands, she held several brightly colored folders. Her slightly wavy hair fell over her small shoulders, moving gently in the afternoon breeze.

“Oh… it’s from Acne Studios,” she said with a shy smile, her gaze drifting over you, lingering just a second longer than you expected. “You look really lovely too…” She glanced away, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

There was a warmth in her voice that you hadn’t anticipated, and it sparked a quiet confidence in you. Gathering courage, you decided to say what had been on your mind since the moment you saw her. “To be honest… it’s not just your outfit. I feel like there’s something familiar about you. Have we met before?”

The question was out before you could stop yourself, and you immediately felt your cheeks redden. You braced yourself for an awkward silence, regretting the impulse as soon as the words had left your mouth. But it was too late now.

She looked at you with a hint of surprise, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. That small hesitation made your heart pound. Had you just made things awkward? You could almost feel the ground beneath you, hoping it might somehow open up and save you from this embarrassment. But to your surprise, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“Actually… I was going to ask you the same thing,” she said softly, meeting your eyes. “But I’m almost sure I haven’t seen you before.” There was a warmth in her smile that made you think, just maybe, you hadn’t completely embarrassed yourself.

Her response gave you a burst of courage. You took a deep breath, reminding yourself that chances like this didn’t come often. “Would you… maybe give me your number?” The words felt tentative, but you pressed on, forcing yourself to look directly at her. “I mean, you’re really pretty, and… even though I don’t know you, I’d love to see you again sometime.”

She looked at you with a kind of gentle surprise, and then a genuine smile spread across her face. “Sure, my number is 81-3-XX-XXXX-X.” You fumbled for your phone, entering the number with a quickness that you hoped didn’t betray how nervous you felt. She adjusted the colorful folders in her arms, still smiling as she watched you.

You wanted to say something else, something that might keep this moment from ending. The trees swayed gently above you, their autumn leaves falling like soft confetti around the two of you. It felt surreal, like the world had slowed just for this instant, as if nature itself were holding its breath in anticipation.

But then, just as quickly as it had begun, the moment was over. She offered you one last smile, and as she walked away, you watched her go, replaying every second of the interaction in your mind.

At least, that’s how you wished it had gone. In reality, you had simply stood there, too shy to say a word, letting her pass by without ever knowing how you felt. You could only watch her silhouette disappear down the path, lost in the daydream of what could have been—if only you’d been brave enough to speak.

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niki-phoria · 2 years ago

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AGAIN YOUR WRITING IS AMAZING 😭🫶🏽🫶🏽 LIKE AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH THAT WAS SO CUTE AND YEA DEFINITELY SHOULD MAKE IT INTO A SERIOUS OR JUST DO PART 3 OF M/R MEETING THE ENYPHEN MEMBERS!!!🫶🏽🫶🏽

I'm so glad I request the Niki x male reader because it's so cute 😍😭 again I know I said this in my last ask but THANK YOOU YOUU FOR WRITING MY REQUEST😔🫶🏽 Like your such an amazing writer 😩

Have a great day 🧸🫶🏽

pairing: niki x idol!male!reader (he/him pronouns) genre: fluff word count: 1.7k

includes: blushy niki, reader is shorter than him, still can't decide if i want reader to be a soloist or part of a group but i'm leaning towards soloist, this was supposed to be meeting enha but it turned into just another date with niki whoops

a/n: i'm so glad you liked the first two parts !! thank you so much, all of your compliments mean so much to me <33 i'm gonna keep going with this as a series until i run out of ideas (i have plans for meeting the rest of enha and a collaboration but if anyone has any other ideas pls lmk !!) i hope you like it :))

PART 01 / PART TWO / PART THREE

requests open !! read my rules first

niki has never been so excited to enter a dance studio before. he plays with his fingers as he pulls his mask further up over his face, greeting the receptionist with a small bow. “hello!” she greets with a smile. “are you here for y/n?”

“yes.”

“he’s in studio c on the third floor.”

“thank you,” niki bows, shoving his hands further into his pockets as he makes his way to the elevator. he lets out a small sigh of relief when the doors close in front of him, leaving him alone in the confined space.

he leans forwards to check himself in the reflective surface. his hair is slightly disheveled and he’s barefaced leaving a few acne scars and natural redness on his face exposed. niki isn’t given any time to overthink his appearance when the elevator dings as the doors open. he tugs at the strap of his bag nervously before exiting.

after passing by a few empty rooms he finally finds it. studio c. he can hear the faint sound of a song playing as he gently knocks on the door.

to niki’s surprise, it swings open just a few seconds later. you’re quick to throw your arms around him, tugging him down into a tight hug. “niki!”

“y/n,” he smiles, catching himself by wrapping his arms around your waist. you’re wearing a random t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants but you still look as handsome as you do on stage. your hair is even messier than his; likely from hours of dancing. without makeup niki can see your face more clearly. he takes note of each mark on your face - freckle, mole, acne, and everything else.

you pull him down to press a chaste kiss against his cheek before you tug him further into the room. niki sets his bag down in a corner before walking over to join you in front of the mirror. “we just finished the choreography, if you want to see it.”

“i’d love to.” niki moves to sit with his back against the mirror to watch you as you watch him with a flustered smile. he raises an eyebrow, a teasing glint just barely noticeable in his eyes. “you can perform in front of thousands of people but you can’t do a routine in front of your boyfriend?”

“you make me nervous,” you admit, avoiding eye contact for a second. your confession makes a small flush spread across niki’s face. he can nearly feel his ears burning red when you smile at him. he doesn’t dare to look behind himself in the mirror and risk seeing just how bad the blush on his face is.

after a few seconds of mentally preparing yourself, you slowly begin the routine. your steps are precise - years of footwork and experience shining through in each aspect of your performance. niki finds himself entranced by you. the effect you have on him through a screen is amplified when you’re standing in front of him; dancing only for him. even in an old t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants he’s sure you would never wear in front of any cameras, you almost lure him in with each step, nearly daring him to fall deeper in love.

from the choreography niki can tell the song is about three minutes long. each step is individually sharp but your motions remain fluid - flowing into each other seemingly effortlessly. he finds himself lost in thought as he stares up at you from the floor, still staring at you despite you having already finished the routine.

“you’re so cute,” your voice pulls him out of his thoughts.

“ah, you can’t do this to me,” niki laughs as he covers his face with his hands. through the cracks between his fingers he can see you kneel down in front of him, coaxing his hands away.

“i’m sorry, baby,” you chuckle. niki’s blush only deepens as you lean forwards to pull him into a sweet kiss. it’s short - barely lasting longer than a quick peck - but it’s still enough to make both of you break out into large smiles. “my apology, for flustering you.”

“maybe i should let you fluster me more,” niki mumbles. you laugh again, giving him enough time to quickly lean forwards and press yet another kiss against your cheek.

a few seconds of silence falls over the room as you stare at each other with small smiles. it’s only interrupted when your manager knocks on the door before cracking it open slightly. “oh, sorry to interrupt,” she says, leaning against the door to hold it open. she holds a phone out for you to take. “we want you to go live. we were hoping you could do it now.”

you glance back at niki for a second, almost looking for confirmation. he gives it in a slight nod before you turn back to your manager. “yeah, sure. is it okay if niki joins me?”

“that’s fine,” she pushes her thick rimmed glasses back up against her nose as she flashes him a small smile. “you two have fun.”

“thanks,” you call as she pulls the door shut behind her once again. you walk over, setting the phone up on a table so it’s angled across the room and away from the door. “we can just do a dance live. you know, hang out for a while.”

“that’s fine with me,” niki nods. you open weverse, beginning a live before coaxing niki to walk over to stand in front of the camera beside you. he watches as the numbers quickly rise. tens become hundreds become thousands in a matter of seconds.

“hi everyone,” you smile. “do you want to introduce yourself?”

niki bows slightly as he waves to the camera. “hello, i am enhypen’s niki, it’s nice to meet you.”

his eyes fixate on the comments that scroll past you on the side of the screen. it’s impossible to read each one as they pass by but even so he can pick out a few noticeable ones.

“omg niki !!”

“ynki for the win”

“MY ULTS ARE TOGETHER SJKLNS”

he can’t help the small smile that spreads across his face as he continues reading supportive comment after comment. at some point you stop focusing on the stream entirely, turning your attention to the boy beside you. you’re hyper aware of the camera filming you as you watch him. his small, slowly growing smile, the light flush on his face, the way he unconsciously bites his bottom lip between his teeth.

niki only notices your staring when a comment about it catches his eye. when he glances over at you you’ve refocused on the comment stream once again, searching for a song request. “they want you to teach me a choreography,” you read.

“any specific one?” he asks.

a plethora of song requests flow past him. nearly every song under both of your catalogs is suggested, as well as songs neither of you made nor know the choreography to. “blessed-cursed?” you read. you miss the various reactions people leave as you turn to face niki. he nods, moving away from the table so his entire body is in view. you readjust the position of the phone to make sure he’s in frame before joining him in the center of the room.

“wake up, ije nuneul tteo,” he mumbles as he slowly begins demonstrating the steps. you follow his lead, watching him through the mirror. “gajja chukbok sogeseo, i wanna be, wanna be, on my way, i bet.”

“nal gaduneun gyeonggyeseon,” you join in. niki smiles at you through the mirror as he continues, harmonizing with you. “ne rul ttawin jibeochiwo, i wanna be, way, i bet.”

“that was good,” he says.

you look away with a flustered smile. “thank you.”

“let’s keep going,” he says, moving onto the first verse.

an hour passes by quicker than you expected. then two. and then three.

soon enough, you’re both exhausted. an unspoken agreement passes between you as you lean against the table. niki is quick to rejoin you in front of the camera. he finds himself reading the comments once again as you talk.

“ynki ynki ynki”

“they’re so cute!!”

“they would be so cute together :((”

a light flush spreads across his face as he reads through multiple comments talking about how cute you would be as a couple. you reach over underneath the table to grab his hand, squeezing it in yours. it’s a comforting gesture that makes warmth spread through him immediately.

he looks over at you with a small smile as you wave to the camera, leaning over so your head leans against the side of his. you reach your hand out in a half heart and hold it up as you wait for niki to reciprocate. he does, subtly wrapping his arm around your waist as he pulls you a little closer to him. the action flusters you both as you wave goodbye before finally ending the live.

“can i walk you back to your dorm?” niki asks.

you smile, adjusting the strap of your bag over your shoulder as you nod. “i’d like that.”

you reach over to take his hand into yours, intertwining your fingers together as you make your way back through the hallways to the elevator and out of the building. you tug your mask further up over your face as you lead niki back to your dorm.

you walk side by side in a comfortable silence until you finally reach your dorm. “thank you for today,” you smile up at him.

“of course.” niki brings a hand up to cup your cheek, stroking his thumb against the skin. your smile grows slightly as you lean upwards to pull him down into a sweet kiss. he pulls you into a hug once you pull away, leaning down to press a kiss against the top of your head.

“i’ll see you soon?”

“of course,” niki whispers. “i’ll text you when i’m free. i had a great time today.”

“me too.” you tug him down into a final peck against his lips before you pull away for good. “goodnight niki.”

“goodnight y/n,” he smiles, watching as you slip into your dorm.

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hausofanya · 14 days ago

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“i think i might need to bleach my ears…”

cléo gives the camera a brief but playful grimace. “what goes on in the world of jung yoonah… let’s find our next star and hope their search history isn’t about someone i see on the regular.”

weaving between staff members rushing on their respective tasks, she finds a certain soloist off to the side, already peering curiously at the equipment lugged behind her. when they lock eyes cléo grins, making her way over.

“state your name and reason for being on the premises, please.”

“i am... hero,” he answers dramatically, looking off in the distance before breaking character. cléo snorts quietly. “don't want to be all up in my head, but i think at this point pretty much everyone should know who i am! but i'm the brightest and prettiest star that came from mighty devil! no, really, look at my eyes and you'll see actual stars!"

cléo finally laughs as he got closer to the camera, widening his eyes as much as possible. “it’s good to finally get to meet you! huge fan of your work, truly. what are you wearing?”

with one leg in front of the other one, hero puts his hands in the pockets as he holds the post for a few seconds as cléo looks thrilled, clearly a fan of the dramatics. “i'm actually wearing acne studios! as the official ambassador, i knew that i'd get the best possible from that brand, as i've been admiring their stuff for quite a while. i'm wearing something from one of their recent men's collection!”

“you look great! it’s definitely a style i think only you could pull off—and i say that as a compliment. at least the shoes are keeping you warm!” the camera zooms in on his shoes before righting itself. “now we gotta know the top three things you absolutely couldn’t live without.”

“definitely my laptop, but not for the reasons you'd think! i have all of my songs, both released and unreleased, saved there and i’d fall apart if i happened to misplace it.”

cléo nods in agreement, her eyes widening at the camera. those watching knew how important her own laptop was to her as well, so it was no surprise to see her agree so quickly.

biting his lip, hero thinks of two others. “i want to say my cats, because i have two but i'm also thinking of getting more—”

“pick your cats!” cléo interrupts suddenly, offering a smile at startling those around her. “sorry. i have a cat as well, and she’s quite literally my mini me. i’d pick her namely for my own sanity.”

he shakes his head, “ok for now, definitely picking my cats, but if you mean in the future, then i'll change it to the eternal album by taemin, because i need to have some music there too. plus i'm definitely not leaving that album's photocard collection for anyone else! and if i'm stuck on an island, maybe those ear muffs because i'd hate for sand or something else to end up in my ears. yuck!” he yaps uncontrollably, and finally snaps out of it after two minutes. it’s a wonder no one interrupted him—but she didn’t mind.

“anything monumental happen to you this year?”

“would it be cheesy to say being the host for ficfest awards?” cléo laughs as he cheekily smiles, “i got to meet so many artists and i had the opportunity to talk to some of them. hopefully we'll be able to collab in the nearest future, but it all depends on their labels and if they're keen to it!”

he then hums, as if he remembered something, “also, it hasn't happened yet, but the most insane thing that will happen is my first ever world tour! can you believe that i haven't gone around the world since my debut? that is the most insane thing!”

“make sure you get your tickets, ‘cause i definitely will. and i’m not above boxing a fifteen year old for a good spot.” cléo points two fingers at the camera as hero laughs. “but anyway… how do you feel about any of the nominees? i heard you were nominated! congrats!”

tilting his head, he took a moment to think about the answer, “honestly there's probably one group that i feel like they didn't deserve the nomination but they're gone now, so... oops!” he laughed mischievously as cléo peers at him curiously, “but i mean, other than them, everyone else deserved all the nominations they got. i know i did!”

“now what could you possibly mean by that…” cléo tries her best to pry for answers, but he remains stubbornly calm with a smile on his face. “nothing? nothing? booo… okay. how about the weirdest thing a fan has ever done to get your attention?”

“well... one time a fan swung their bra in the air to get my attention.” cléo grimaces as his look turns conflicted, divided between feeling weirded out or impressed. “in the end it turned out that she just brought an additional bra and still had hers holding... her girls in place, so luckily no flashing happened!”

“the epidemic of fans throwing undergarments need to be studied in a lab.” she points at the camera, “you guys need to be lobotomized.” she then pauses before adding, “you might need one too if your search history is alarming. what’s the weirdest things you’ve ever googled?”

“usually i'm very nosy and like searching other people’s net worths or scandals they've been in.” cléo’s brows raise as he continues, “weirdly enough, sometimes i get an inspiration and it might help me write a song or two. i bet you didn't expect that answer, did you?” he winked with a smirk present on his face.

“….yeah. someone schedule that lobotomy. quickly.” cléo feigns a scared look at the camera before settling back to an easygoing smile. “maybe with your new and improved brain you can write even more pretty songs—and memorize even more lines. and speaking of lines… have you ever dreamed of taking up acting? if so, what’s your dream role?”

“well, i've always wanted to act.. pretty much in any kind of genre—i'm not that picky! but i'm not sure if i have the talent for it, you know? the best i can do is act out for my music videos and stuff, but an actual movie role? i think i'll need practice for that. lots and lots of it.”

he then continues, “i wish i had a range that ralph fiennes or christian bale have. i loved the american psycho...” he randomly said the last sentence as he trailed off in thoughts.

“would it be a compliment if i said you’d make an excellent patrick bateman? you’ve got such an unnerving quality to you—and i mean that in a good way, i promise!” cléo rushes to explain as the staff behind the camera laughs. “you seem the type to be very particular about fonts and etchings. can we recreate the business card scene? i just want to see something—”

cléo looks up as someone motions for her to get back on track, the noirette offering an apologetic smile in response. “maybe later. one final question and we can find a chainsaw—is there anyone special in your life you’d like for us to know?”

“oh god now. well, there used to be someone, but i don't see myself going forward with it. for now there's only place for my cats in my heart.” cléo offers a silent nod in agreement. that she could definitely get behind.

“maybe taemin or seungyoun-hyung, because he is my darling after all~” he sends a cheeky finger heart to the cameras as cléo laughs. “hopefully you're watching this from the military, buzzcut-seungie!”

cléo snorts as she ends the interview and says her goodbyes, offering a mini salute to the camera.

“thank you for your service!”

you can find hero at @anqelblccm ! thanks for joining the event !

#this was supposed to be out on friday i’m so sorry 😭🙏🏽#fictional idol community #fictional kpop community #fictional idol oc #fictional idol addition #fictional kpop oc #fictional kpop idol

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mileapo · 1 year ago

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Apo Nattawin and Mile Phakphum generated a combined media value of 628 million baht at the latest Paris Fashion Week, trailing Kylie Jenner and Zendaya.

Still making waves at Paris Fashion Week for two actors. Apo-Nattawin Wattanagitiphat and Mile Phakphum Romsaithong from Be On Cloud, the latest online platform and top fashion PR agency Industry icon Lefty and Karla Otto released figures on the media value of stars attending the Paris Fashion Week season. Spring/Summer 2024 has just passed. Both are in the top 5, trailing only Kylie Jenner and Zendaya.

Apo Nattawin ranked 3rd in media value creation with a total of 9.7 million dollars or approximately 358 million baht from posting 11 content during the time of going to see the show. Spring/Summer 2024 of Dior as house ambassador, while Mile phakphum is ranked 5th, generating media value of 7.3 million dollars, or approximately 270 million baht, from posting 12 content. The total amount of the couple is 628 million baht.

As for number 1, Kylie Jenner earned $22.6 million, or approximately 834 million baht, from posting 6 content during her Acne Studios and Schiaparelli shows. Zendaya came in second with a media value of 15.3. Millions of dollars or around 564 million baht from posting 3 content while going to see the Louis Vuitton show where she was the house ambassador.

However, the fact that Apo Nattawin and Mile Phakphum were able to create media value to this extent is considered to reinforce the reputation of Thai star artists on the world luxury stage once again, which is rising to the same level as other countries. In Asia such as South Korea, China and Japan, it was evident that during the past Paris Fashion Week, major fashion media outlets such as Vogue, USA and WWD reported more on Thai stars. At Business of Fashion's BoF 500 event, Apo Nattawin and Mile Phakphum were also one of the highlights of the event.

#mileapo #mile phakphum #apo nattawin #dior #mileapo x dior #article #translated by google #power couple

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911style · 2 months ago

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Hen Wilson | 7x07 Ghost of a Second Chance Acne Studios Klace Cotton Blend Crewneck Sweater In Pink & Gold $620 | no longer available

#911style #*7 #7x07 #hen wilson #acne studios #sweatshirt

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ibuprofen-exe · 1 year ago

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WIP Introductions Part Two

Nuclear Fanfare

This is the second of several posts dedicated to introducing my dearly beloved original characters so that I may talk about the more in the future.

Part One

Warning: The post below the cut has mentions of car accidents and medical malpractice. There isn’t anything particularly graphic, but please stay safe.

Status: planning

Medium: script

In an America where creative expression is stifled and monopolized by self-serving corporations, breaking into the scene as an independent is no small task. Tank Kim O'neel, along with his band Nuclear Fanfare, must navigate the perils of the entertainment industry with only the music in their hearts.

Characters:

Tank Kim O’neel, demigender (he/him, zey/zem), bisexual, disabled (Deafness and autism), Korean Irish American, Buddhist (4033-40??)

She’s A Rebel by Green Day Tank held a steadfast dream of becoming a musician, even after being blacklisted from the industry for hosting an alien parasite. He founded Nuclear Fanfare with the intention of realizing his dream with like-minded individuals. Fact: Tank has had cystic acne on zeir face since zey were a teenager. He used to hate himself for it, but has come to terms with his appearance.

Siren Rosenberg, demigender (she/her, they/them), bisexual, disabled (mute), Black American, Jewish (4032-4???)

Art-I-Fical by X Ray Spex Siren had long been an independent visual artist, but after a corporation experimented on her comatose body without her consent, she vowed to cause as much trouble for them as possible. She joined Nuclear Fanafre after tagging Tank’s studio, thinking it was an abandoned building. Fact: In their youth, Siren was a part of a fairly infamous graffiti duo.

Muhammad Lestari, transgender (she/her), heteroace, disabled (type one diabetes), Indonesian American, Muslim (4033-4???)

Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me! Ever since Lestari was young, she understood that fast fashion had no intention of catering to people like her, so she sought to create her own fashion brand to express her style. She joined Nuclear Fanfare after Tank commissioned custom clothes from her. Fact: Lestari’s dream is to own her own boutique on the coast.

Yu Mi Lee, cisgender (she/her), lesbian, disabled (autism), Korean American, Agnostic (4032-4???)

Kiss Them for Me by Siouxsie and the Banshees Yu Mi was raised a Hollywood starlet, acting in films alongside her brother Howard, but a series of increasingly demanding projects wore down her health, forcing her into an early retirement. She joined Nuclear Fanfare after answering a call for a cinematographer for the band’s music videos. Fact: Yu Mi loves goth music and dances at goth nightclubs to unwind.

Howard Truman, transgender (he/him), biace, disabled (autism and ASPD), Korean American, Agnostic (4032-4???)

Hollywood by Car Seat Headrest Howard was raised a Hollywood starlet but from a young age rejected the lifestyle, eventually culminating in him stabbing a director and being blacklisted for his attitude. He joined Nuclear Fanfare after Lestari convinced him to try music as an outlet for his frustrations with the entertainment industry. Fact: Howard legally changed his last name as a rejection of his parents, who he views as responsible for his childhood trauma.

Dalisay Fontana, butch (she/her), lesbian, disabled (surgical amputee), Filipino American, Catholic (4031-4???)

Cilantro by Patricia Taxxon After an accident stole her best friend and her dominant hand, Dalisay began to obsess over her artistic work as a way to cope, which earned her a fine arts scholarship and a gallery position. She learned of Nuclear Fanfare after a one night stand with Yu Mi. Fact: While pink is publicly her signature color, Dalisay actually prefers teal.

Settings:

Radio Valley

Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles A quiet town in the state of New Mexico that was once a hub for punk musicians. Vibes: long lines of telephone polls, tin barns, fine sand, fresh air, and towering mountains

Thank your for again for reading (⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡

#wip intro #writeblr

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cinemaocd · 7 months ago

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I'm very interested in your thoughts on foundations and products for gen x skin. How I miss the days of college when I would just tamp on a thick layer of Studio Fix powder (wrong shade, always), use a lip liner (Twig, always) instead of lipstick and then hit the town living my best life looking like a dry crusty ghoul. Being young really mitigated a lot of make up mistakes. Wait I got off track there...

Oh wow, I'm so flattered you sent this ask. I'm so sorry because...

Get ready...here it comes...

Insanely Detailed Make up Skin Care for Gen X skin Info Dump

So this is for typical post menopausal skin, which is my situation, and pretty much blemish free (I do get the occasional blemish when I do something silly like use lip balm or lipstick as a blush because they have the same effect as a cream blush, but often have pore-clogging ingredients), running normal to dry with a light medium complexion.

I'm a huge believer in skin prep before makeup. If you don't have your skin right, your makeup is always gonna look like makeup and it's probably going to age you rather than make you look younger. For over 50 skin it's all about moisture. All those bougie make up branded prep products are really just adding moisture. Get yourself a tube of Vanicream at the drugstore and slap a bunch on before you do your makeup. It works just as good as Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream or the ilk at a fraction of the cost.

Skin care routine:

Micellar water: Removes makeup with gentle/sensitive formula (walgreens has a good knock off of the bougie French one in the pink bottle). I use it on my eyes in the mornings because over night oil and dirt build up in that area and it effects makeup performance. It does not irritate my eyes which are very sensitive.

Second cleanse: I Wash with vanicream bar soap in the evenings. Costs $5 and was recommended by my derm. A bar lasts months and I use it as a regular soap in the bath as well. It's just very gentle and moisturizing. I have stopped needing body lotion in the winter since using it. In the mornings I don't second cleanse because I don't need it. I just splash my face with warm water and head right into the next step.

Paula's Choice perfecting gel (a little easier to use than the liquid and better packaging but pricier). Amazing all around face acid, gentle enough to use twice a day even on my delicate little face. Improves almost every skin issue while adding moisture. The GOAT tbh. There is nothing at the drugstore to compare to it, sadly.

Cereve AM moisturizer with SPF. Another drugstore product. Under $15 and Walgreens has a knockoff that's just as good that's even cheaper. My whole family uses this stuff. It works for everyone really. If you want to have good looking skin into old age stay out of the sun and use sunscreen every day, even when it's cloudy, etc.

Vanicream moisturizer (Tube is under $20 and is huge by skincare standards. I buy maybe two a year and just slather it on in the winter). It has a light consistency that soaks in fast and makes layering it over itself easy. This was the moisturizer rec'd by my derm and honestly it's just so great.

Twice a week I end my night routine with the Paula's choice retinol/moisture barrier repair cream. I don't use it daily because it dries out my skin too much. Retinol helps with a host of skin issues, especially if you have acne scars. This formulation is great because it's very occlusive and makes a great last step before bed. You need to be careful not to wear it in the day though because it can make you sunburn. (Also it won't play well with makeup).

Lips: I love the Paula's choice lip balm with spf. My lips get so destroyed in MN winter between wind and UV. It has a slight tint to it that makes it a bit lighter than my lip color which has a plumping effect. (In general paler colors in the middle of the lip will make your lips look fuller). I also use Boodah lip treatment because it's plastic free and it works really well. You can get an unscented one, but it still smells like coconut oil which I like. (Scents in lip balms actually dry out your lips because they cause inflammation. Many lip balms have ingredients that actually GIVE you chapped lips...Burt's Bees I'm looking at you). Also I totally simp for Cereve healing balm. It comes in a small purse sized tube and it's just great for any irritated, cracked angry skin. It even works on diaper rash. Great stuff.

Foundations:

Most of the time liquid foundations are not recommended for older skin because they tend to be drying because the alcohols they use to let the foundation dry down quickly can be drying. For years I formulated my own bb cream by mixing a liquid foundation like MAC Studio fix with MAC Strobe cream. I've tried loads of BB creams but I feel like they never last on me, unless I powder my whole face, which defeats the purpose, my skin just gobbles them up.

I've tried ultralight foundations like MAC face and body, glossier skin tint but because those products are made to be applied and dry instantly they also have loads of alcohols. They are also just better marketed versions of pro air brush foundations, so if you like this category of products, check out air brush foundations. They are usually way cheaper ounce for ounce...

Kosas Revealer: This is ounce for ounce my most expensive foundation but I had a bottle that lasted me a year. It's the closest in texture to the effect I got from mixing studio fix with strobe cream but it comes in a single package with a pump. Applies best with a damp sponge, but I will use a dense brush when I'm in a hurry (The Real Techniques face perfecting brush is a fantastic drugstore foundation brush). Less is more with this as with all foundation. Do thin layers and build up spots where you need more coverage. (Or add in a color corrector or concealer).

Wayne Goss Cream Foundation: I bought this when it launched and I still have so so much left. I apply dots of it with my fingers and spread it with a brush in a stippling motion. It's a fantastic base for a cream blush. It wears like iron when correctly powdered. This is very similar in formulation to RCMA cream foundation which is what Beyonce uses on stage so you know it's bullet proof. It's just mineral oil base with massive amounts of pigment suspended. (This is really the basis of all pro cream foundations going back to the literal grease paint of victorian times) It should never go off. I think I will bequeath my jar of this foundation to my grandchildren should I ever have any. Also doubles as a concealer. (I wish Wayne would put out smaller/cheaper containers of this stuff. Then I could buy a lighter shade for concealing...). The pigment load in these foundations is so high, I actually don't think they are necessary for every day use. It's more coverage than I really need most of the time. I'm not on TV. Camera Ready Cosmetics sells samples of all their cream foundations, so if you want to dip your toe into this world of products without investing I would go there and try the RCMA or the William Tuttle...

Concealers:

I struggled with every concealer I liked being discontinued for a while. I was paying top $ for Lancome Touche Eclat because all of the drugstore knockoffs I adored disappeared. Liquid concealers should be really thin and have moisturizing ingredients. I think it's standard to say avoid them over 50, but products like the Kosas liquid concealer are very good and don't get that dry, cracked look that shape tape and the ilk does on older skin. I've used the Elf camo concealer and I went through many tubes of Maybelline age rewind over the years, but I'm just over them. There may be some newer drugstore alternatives, but I've been living in Bill Tuttle's blissful world of Hi-lite (see below) now long enough that I've stopped paying attention to new products in this category. I don't even use concealer any more...

Color Correctors:

William Tuttle hi-lite: OMG if you have light medium skin this stuff is utter magic. It masks redness and darkness, blending in with the undertone in my skin without flattening me out or making my face too red. I just can't explain it but it even masks my hyperpigmentation spots that absolutely no foundation will cover and many concealers fail with as well. There used to be a maybelline age rewind product that worked but it disappeared and now they only have the one for under eyes. Hi-lite's original purpose was to cover marionette lines for studio lighting which often makes those lines way worse. And it works great for that too, but it's just so amazing as a corrector/concealer for me.If you have a deeper skin tone with more darkness around your eyes, it may not work, but it worth a try. Tuttle has other similar products in different tints that I haven't tried. The jar is under $15 (Jones Road who?) and I have had it over 6 months and it's not even half gone. (Miracle balm is almost $40 a jar and it smells weird after a few months.) Hi-lite'stexture is perfection. You can do light thin layers and spread it out. It just melts in and disappears. Applies beautifully with a finger but a concealer brush is useful because it fits in the jar better. The brand also has a foundation that is $15 a jar as well. Sold at Camera Ready Cosmetics and some pro/specialty stores. William Tuttle is honestly the find of the last five years for me. If you take nothing else away from this post, check out William Tuttle. I lowkey think Bobbi Brown was using this shit as a makeup artist and one day realized it worked great as an overall concealer/color corrector on older skin and decided to make her own version and market it as miracle balm...

Powder:

Despite what Bobbi Brown says in the Miracle Balm ad, powder is a necessary step and actually your friend if you know how to use it. The main thing is to be strategic with placement and actually learn powdering technique that make up pros use and not what you see on on most of youtube.

Controversial take: I bake my under eyes and you should too. Here's why...

Cream products, which are mostly what we're using here, plus moisturizers/sunscreens are going to move around and settle in lines and actually exaggerate them. In the summer they may look shiny when you sweat which isn't great either. Powder will keep it in place and give you that soft focus/glass skin effect. Powder is also blurring. So it's keeping your concealer from settling in under eye wrinkles, acting like the Photoshop healing brush for you face. Another bonus for baking is that if you leave it on while you do your eyeshadow/liner it will keep fallout from sticking. You'll be able to just brush it away. Baking also lightens the color of the skin in the place where it's done. It started in drag as a technique to make highlights pop from the stage. It is so great in the undereye for this reason. No need to get a brightening concealer with bake...

My technique is I apply an eyeshadow base (really like the NYX ultimate shadow/liner primer) from my under eye to brow. Don't skip the undereye! The reason you need a primer is to create a barrier between your eye skin and the powder. (Eye liners and the heavy pigments in dark eyeshadows will absolutely fuck up the skin around your eyes.) Then I color correct with a thin layer of the Hi-lite, then I powder. I use a powder puff or powder sponge (Real techniques makes an awesome powder sponge) and press in the first thin layer. Then I pile it on with a fluffy eyeshadow brush and leave it. I do my eye makeup and brush it away with the fluffy eye brush or a small powder brush. That's it. If you moisturize and prime adequately it is not going to dry out the skin on your eyes. It's all in the prep.

Don't waste money on fancy powders. I bought a massive bottle of RCMA transluscent powder more than 10 years ago and I still have it. I use it every day. I recently bought the William Tuttle powder just because it was cheap and the container was cute. It has a slight pink cast to it, which is really great for the under eye. Coty airspun which is a drugstore classic is great as well. Maybelline fit me is a fantastic "finishing powder" which means it has a little tint and some micas for glow. I use a finishing powder sometimes instead of basic transluscent powder if I want a little more coverage. If you have a lot of acne scarring a finishing powder will be your friend. Wayne Goss and Mel Thompson (RIP) both have amazing tutorials for buffing/finishing techniques. The Wayne Goss Air brush is a god tier brush for this but the RT perfecting brush works great too and is cheap enough that you can have one for creams and one for powders).

Highlight: MAC Strobe cream, strobe cream, strobe cream. Did I mention strobe cream? How I love thee, bougie upscale scented product. Blurring perfection, added moisture, a beautiful soft focus glow that doesn't look like make-up. Mix it with a liquid and foundation and make a bb cream. Throw it on as a last step for a "no makeup" (lol as if) day. You can use it any step in your routine almost and not fuck things up. It's just so great. I use it daily and a bottle will last years. They will pry my strobe cream from my cold dead, gently sparkling hands.

Honorable mention for the Wayne Goss powder highlight which is such a beautiful soft touch glow that doesn't emphasize texture. Absolutely does not look frosty or powdery. Only downside is you have to also buy a powder blush with it, which is a beautiful product, but it adds to the over size and cost of the product. Fantastic highlight for eye shadow as well though...

Contour/blush: I am a big, big fan of cream products for older skin and there such great cream blushes and contours now. One of the best I've discovered is Phytosurgence Skin Spark in Condensate which is a deep burgundy red that works as a contour and blush. It looks like it would be too dark but when it blends out it just works with the underlying redness in my skin to look so incredibly natural. Sometimes I put it on and blend it out and can't tell where my natural flush ends and the phytosurgence begins. Sigma also makes awesome cream blushes, though pricey, they are huge and last forever. I've had a sigma cream blush for over ten years and it's still going strong. The coral shade looks great on everyone. Especially if you are sick or exhausted a coral blush will make you look healthy and awake. If I were gonna do Joe Biden's makeup, I'd use my Bill Tuttle Hi-Lite and sigma coral blush. He might get re-elected.

Eye Shadow:

Controversial Opinion: I wear sparkly/glittery/mettalic eye shadow over 50 and you should too. Here's why...

Life is short. Have fun while you can.

Charlotte Tilbury, Wayne Goss and Lisa Eldridge have spent a lot of time trying to sell you eyeshadow specifically formulated for older skin and they are amazing. They are also really fucking expensive. Eye shadow is some of the cheapest make-up to produce and the mark up is just coo coo bananas. The difference between $20 a pan eye shadow and $1 a pan eye shadow is the fillers, packaging and marketing. That's it. The main thing to look out for is the way the makeup is pressed and what the kind of sparkles it has in it. You want something that is pressed so that you don't pick up huge amounts of pigment sparkles at a time and get massive fallout which just fucks up the area you've worked so hard to perfect. (Don't get me started on what social media did to eyeshadow formulations to cater to influencers swatching on their arms...). You usually want more pearlescent micas which looks softer, but mettalic eyeshadows give me life and I won't give them up. Some less expensive brands that have good beginner friendly/age friendly formulas are The Balm, Colorpop and Karity. These closely mimic the drugstore formulations of the 80s/early 90s which were pretty low on pigment/micas. (Most drugstore formulations now like Elf or Wet and Wild are too pigmented and fillers are just not great quality so the performance varies).

Another reason for wearing eyeshadow is that it makes you look more trendy and youthful, I think. If you get your undereye sorted, you can make your lids look as textured as dragon scales up close and no one will notice or care in real life. I am huge fan of Pat McGrath and I have three 6 pan palettes and I don't think I'll ever need another PM shadow in my life because they last forever. Not a super beginner friendly formula as it is very pigmented. A little goes a long way with Mother Pat but if you are that person that can't go into Ulta or Sephora without slaying and getting compliments from the staff than Pat McGrath is your friend. You'll never get it too look as amazing as it does on instagram though because that's all in the lighting and using a super good camera lens.

Brushes: Look if you want to do eyeshadow you need brushes. I could do an equally huge info dump just on eye shadow brushes but the most basic kit is three brushes: a bog standard liner brush from anywhere in the world, they sometimes come free with eyeshadow you can even use a water color paint brush which is cheaper but will have a weirdly long handle; a flat paddle fluffy blender like the classic Sigma E27 and a dense round pencil brush like the Sigma E42 blender. Those are synthetic brushes, I prefer natural hair but that's a whole area and those get pricey fast. Sigma brushes are pro quality and they absolutely stand by their shit. I've seen them accept returns at their store without a receipt.

Technique: The best way in my opinion is to start with your darkest color and work to the lighter colors, not the other way around. You don't need transition shades. Most of us have hooded eyes by now and there's no transition zone anyway. That is what transluscent powder and highlighter shades are for! Use your liner brush to apply the darkest shade to your lash line. On the upper lash line extend it past your eyeball upward toward your brow. This will counteract the look of sagging skin at the corner of your eye. On the lower lash line go about a third of the way from the outer corner toward the inner corner and stop. Completely encircling your eyes in dark shades will make them look smaller. Use the pencil brush to blend outward, away from the lashline. You want it diffuse and smokey. Go in with whatever the main shade will be for your lid and you can either apply this with the paddle brush or use your finger for metallic shades. Press lightly and then drag very gently to activate those micas. You will get way better shimmer results with your finger than any brush, I promise. I use my pinky to apply my inner corner highlight. I usually do my brow highlight with a paddle brush. Now flip that paddle brush on it's side so the wide part makes contact with the crease of your eye and blend out the edges. If you've got a good powder/primed base it should blend really easily. That's it. It's like three little steps and I can do a basic eye look in under ten minutes. You've probably heard a lot about "hooded eyes" and needing special brushes, techniques etc., but where you fix hooded eyes is with eyeliner...

Eyeliner:

Controversial Opinion: I wear heavy black eyeliner every day over fifty and you should too. Here's why...

Eyeliner is not only bad ass, it is the biggest bang for your buck in the makeup world. Nothing else is so impactful for the time and money involved. It is also an invaluable tool for reshaping your eyes if you want to look younger...

My favorite eyeliners are pencils that can be sharpened. I have one gel eyeliner I love but pencils are my bread and butter. I have so many and I just keep buying more. They last forever. My oldest piece of makeup is from the last century and it's an eyeliner pencil. Favorite formulations of pencil are: Lancome Creamy water proof, Urban Decay 24/7 and melt. At the drugstore: wet and wild, rimmel kohl, Revlon photo ready kohl and NYX epic wear.

I use Rituel De Fille Black orb gel liner, which I've had for over three years and it hasn't dried up. The key with this is very thin layers because it will get crusty and flake off if you use too much product. It lasts all day, makes a terrific black base and smokes out like butter. Also comes in a spherical jar which is so flipping charming. Love this shit. (Actually really wanna try the new trixie mattel gel liners because they look good and lets face it trixie's entire drag is gel liner based...).

Technique: key technique for older folks is tightlining. I usually tightline my upper water line and the outer third of my lower water line. This emphasizes the eye without getting into issues with sagging skin and makes the lash line fuller which is an area that thins out when you age. The effect is kind of subtle, but the way makeup works is layers and layers of subtle changes. :) Pencils work best, but you can do gel with a good brush. The Wayne Goss #8 has no equal for tightlining. I then tightline the lash line all the way on upper lid and use a pencil brush to smoke it out at the edges. Always blend upward in a straight line toward the tip of your brow. (Beginner tutorials have you hold a tissue there or whatever. I don't think it's necessary, just practice.) If you have very hooded eyes, you may not have any real lid space in which case just skip eyeshadow and tightline. It's all anyone can see when your eyes are open.

Lips:

We are almost done I swear. :D

Not that much difference for ageing but life is too short to buy super cheap lipstick. Any decent drugstore lipstick will run you $10 these days and it's worth it. Bougie designer lipstick is the same shit, in nicer packaging and trendier colors. My favorite formulas are basically all of them but I have a fondness for covergirl, the maybelline matte trance (in the skinnier tube) and revlon anything. A little light colored gloss in the middle of the lip even with no lipstick just takes years off your face, I don't know why. I love the fenty gloss bomb and any of Trixies. Lifter gloss at the drugstore is supposed to be great but I haven't tried it. I'm still finishing that gloss bomb I got when it launched, lol. In general a lighter shade in the middle will make lips look fuller. Lining used to be critical when you get little fine lines around your lips, to prevent lipstick from bleeding but these days lipstick formulas really don't bleed much, I think. A dark "nude" lipliner will make your lips look bigger, but keep it to the outer corners.A MAC lip pencil will probably last you the rest of your life if you don't lose it.

Finishing Spray: Everything I said about liquid foundations using alcohol goes double for finishing spray. It's just different kinds of alcohol with other stuff like micas for shimmer, scent, glycerin and water. No other ingredients are really proven for finishing sprays because there's so much water it's like a homeopathic concentration. I make my own by combing a few tablespoons of whatever finishing spray is cheapest at the drugstore, distilled water and a few drops of glycerin. It helps with that powdered tight feeling and I think it does help it last a bit more. The hardest part about making your own finishing spray is finding a spray bottle you like.

And we are done.

Whew.

That was a lot but it was fun to impart.

#this is occasionally a makeup blog #tw: makeup #tw: skincare #don't like make up content don't read #none of this meant to imply that makeup or skincare are necessary or important #but many of us enjoy it and also like being able to shape shift #don't tell the church!#long ass post

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