Happy Independence Day!
(I took that photo last year in Chapel Hill, NC. The South loves its fireworks.)
Now that I’m writing a dissertation on Renaissance English literature, few people know about my past life as an obsessive American-history nerd. Around the age of sixteen, I decided that I wanted to be a professor of history, specializing in the American Revolution and the early republic (roughly the last third of the eighteenth century). Alexander Hamilton was my particular preoccupation, and on July 11, 2004, the bicentennial of the Hamilton-Burr duel, I performed an elaborate predawn candlelight ritual to commemorate Hamilton’s death. No, I didn’t have many friends in high school, why do you ask?
(It still blows my mind that Burr committed murder while he was Jefferson’s vice president, and escaped murder charges in New York and New Jersey by returning to Washington, D.C. to serve out his term. The next year, he began plotting to establish his own empire in the Southwest. Narrowly acquitted of treason, he fled to Europe, tried unsuccessfully to get hired as a British intelligence agent against the United States, and kept a diary detailing his many encounters with prostitutes. This is as good a time as any to recommend Gore Vidal’s brilliant novel Burr.)
The Milton course I took in my first year of college won me over to seventeenth-century England, and I ended up majoring in English. But my fondness for American history and political thought has never entirely vanished, and July 4 always calls forth my 1776-loving teenage self.
So I thought it was only appropriate to put together an Independence Day FOTD (and NOTD, for that matter). Predictably red-lip-focused, but national holidays are about tradition, no?
On my eyes, two Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadows: a base of Tough as Taupe (matte grayish taupe), with an overlayer of Audacious Asphalt (sparkly gray). Audacious Asphalt is very dry and stiff, but workable as an accent applied over a smooth base.
Illamasqua Zygomatic on cheeks; Maybelline On Fire Red on lips. I should wear this lipstick more; it’s a perfect shiny cherry red. I think the last time I wore it was last July 4…
On my nails, one coat of Topshop Brazil over three of Zoya Storm (black with holographic shimmer).
I was going for a fireworks effect, but today is dreary and overcast and the glitter doesn’t sparkle as fiercely as I’d hoped, while the holo shimmer is all but invisible. Still pretty, though!
Finally, in case you haven’t heard, Zoya is offering three nail polishes for $12 until July 6. The official phrasing is “FREE…plus special shipping and handling,” but come on: it’s three for $12. Despite the deceptive phrasing, this is a pretty great deal: Zoya polishes usually retail for $9 each. Plus, Zoya is cruelty-free! I own just three of their polishes (they’re hard to come by in stores), but they’ve all impressed me with their quality.
So, uh, there went my no-buy July. (It rhymed so nicely, too…) But I ordered some gorgeous-looking colors yesterday! Despite my usual preference for creme finishes, I always end up buying shimmers from Zoya. No mainstream brand does them quite as creatively, in my opinion. Here are some images of the ones I chose, from the Zoya website:
Zara:
Neve:
Yara:
Go forth and sparkle!
Auxiliary Beauty 
Thanks for the American history bits! The gifs are hilarious. I got it the second time. ;pI'm amazed to see how Audacious Asphalt look so different on you. I haven't really thought about adding it on top of a cream base, either. And Zygomatic connects perfectly these rather strong lip and eye colors. Quite beautiful!And I'm a fan of Zoya polishes, too! The formula is the best considering that it is 5 free, and they make some of the most uniquely beautiful shades.
LikeLike
Special YAY for Zara and Neve – can't wait to see how they turn out if you do a review! They look like polishes that I need in my life, but Zoya requires some extra effort and expense to get here, so you get to be my guinea pig. Congratulations! I know you're feeling honoured right now (although you're the one with the pretty polishes, not me :-P).Happy (belated) Fireworks and BBQ day! I hope you set fire to at least one thing, although that could just be my inner mad scientist talking. Love the bright lipstick, and those beads! Despite also being a history buff (I have an entire four year degree in Egyptology rattling around in the brain-attic; anyone need someone who can read hieroglyphs? No? Oh well ;-)), I knew almost nothing about American history until I started regularly listening to the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast. I still don't actually know that much about the Independence Day type stuff, since it's an American podcast, and I'm guessing that part *is* something you get in history class in the US.We get the Treaty of Waitangi. EVERY YEAR. It is an important thing to study, but it's not like they consider different aspects or deepen the knowledge. They just repeat the same stuff… *grumble*Also, I think I forgot to comment to this effect on the appropriate post, but you get high fives from a fellow non-driver (who is two years older than you!). :-DThus ends a really random and bitsy-piecy comment! Huzzah!
LikeLike
Unsolicited history lessons are kind of my thing. I'm glad you enjoyed. 😀 And yes, Zygomatic really comes in handy as a neutral, \”nothing\” shade that goes with everything but still gives a bit of definition. It's the only blush I've been wearing recently!
LikeLike
Well, it was a bitsy-piecey post, so all is forgiven. :PHooray, a fellow non-driver! San Francisco is a small, walkable city that also has extensive public transportation, so I had no need to drive when I was growing up. And after that, well…I just never got around to it. I'm actually pretty scared of learning at this point! I actually thought of you when I ordered Zara. It's a very Syl color. Alas, no fireworks for me–it was cloudy and gloomy all day. And I know nothing about NZ history or Egyptology, so we're even!
LikeLike
AHHHH I wanted to major in history, too, but my parents were a bit \”UMMM\” about it so I did not! Granted, I do not know a boatload about American history—just world history and a bit of Asian history—but wow. This makes me miss actually learning about this stuff during lectures!Great look! 🙂 I love how you didn't go the typical red-white-blue route but still managed to look festive and cute 😀 I wish I could go try Zoya esp. with this promotion but alas, shipping problems. Maybe when I go visit the States in Sept, I can find a few colors I like in-store. 😀
LikeLike
I was lucky that my parents didn't care what I majored in. My father flunked out of his first college, became a full-time musician, and didn't get his bachelor's degree for another decade, so the bar wasn't set terribly high for me. 😛 Do your parents approve of your being an artist?Oh, and where are you going in the States? How exciting! The only brick-and-mortar store where I've seen Zoya sold is Ulta, which seems to be more common in the Midwest and the South than anywhere else.
LikeLike