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xturtle
2012-03-09 08:16 pm UTC (link)

So admittedly, I'm late to the party and have only read the first book. But that does make the descriptions fairly fresh, and the Cinna stuff is making me slightly bonkers. The main detail we get for his stylistic bent is that the only augmentation he makes to his own face is a striking application of gold eyeliner.

Now, I'm going to reason from my own experience as a creamy-pinkish person. When I wear gold eyeliner, it creates a subtle effect. One doesn't say, wow, she's wearing gold eyeliner! They say, wow, her eyes really stand out in that outfit (this is my stylistic bent - barely noticeable!). So, in order for the same eyeliner to have a dramatic effect, the skin it is applied to would have to offer way more contrast.

In real time, this made Lenny's casting seem very common sense to me. Unfortunately, common sense isn't all that common. Solution: gold eyeliner for everyone! For SCIENCE!

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	honorh 2012-03-09 08:35 pm UTC (link)
	That's what made me think he must be darker-complected, too. Gold eyeliner just doesn't stand out on us palefaces. I have to use copper or bronze if I want it to be noticeable. (Bronze eyeliner + blue eyes = "Wow, your eyes are BLUE!") Anyway, I support your idea of gold eyeliner for everyone. More gold eyeliner would make the world a better place. nods (Reply to this)(Parent)

	sandglass 2012-03-10 06:45 am UTC (link)
	As someone who doesn't wear makeup, that would have never occurred to me until you pointed it out! That's an awesome touch. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	coffeebun 2012-03-10 11:13 am UTC (link)
	This, exactly! I've always imagined Cinna as being dark-skinned BECAUSE of the gold eyeliner. Gold eyeliner + dark skin makes for a pretty striking effect, and if the first thing you notice about a person is the eyeliner, it stands to reason that it must contrast pretty sharply with the person's skin. /slight makeup nerdery (Reply to this)(Parent)

	mirhanda 2012-03-10 07:55 pm UTC (link)
	Now I seriously want to try gold eyeliner. I'm very fair and I usually wear browns/golds for eyeshadow. Do you think it would work? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	varkias 2012-03-10 08:24 pm UTC (link)
	Gold eyeliner is always yes, regardless. It won't be as striking on fair skin, but it would still be awesome. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	mirhanda 2012-03-10 08:29 pm UTC (link)
	Ok, I'm sold. I'm putting a trip to Sephora on my calendar next week! (Reply to this)(Parent)

mirhanda
2012-03-23 08:51 pm UTC (link)

Following up on this, and I know it's been a while, but I wasn't able to get to Sephora at all. I got the gold eyeliner and it's completely invisible on me. Well, there's a slight hint of gold glitter, but that's it. I did get a fairly cheap one by Hard Candy though, so that might be why.

What I think I'll do next is use my usual brown eyeliner, and then go over it with the gold to give a subtle shimmer. I am having fun playing with it though. I have been sort of stuck in a make-up routine for a while, and doing something new is really fun.

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	varkias 2012-03-23 09:12 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, that sounds lovely! I may have to try that myself, it would make sense to put it over something darker like that, I bet that would help a lot. You must be very very fair then, if it's that hard to see on you - but I always imagine you looking like Eowyn from the LOTR movies, so maybe my mental picture of you is pretty accurate. XD (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	mirhanda 2012-03-23 09:20 pm UTC (link)
	Well, if you only consider skin tone and hair color, yeah, that's about right. I wish I were as pretty as Miranda Otto! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	bienegold 2012-03-11 02:01 am UTC (link)
	I really like it! Gold eyeliner is actually pretty close to my hair color and matches the inner bit of my central heterochromia, so it looks really nice. It makes things pop without looking all "someone set her make-up gun to whore!" like black sometimes does if you're fair. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	full_metal_ox 2012-03-11 02:50 am UTC (link)
	That's part of the fun of central heterochromia, as well as the more conspicuous asymmetric version:; you've got more than one eye color to play with. (Tangentially associated Fun Fact: the word "heterochromia" provides just about the only context in which David Bowie's name is one of the first to be cited in connection with the prefix "-hetero".) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	mirhanda 2012-03-11 05:40 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, I never use black, it's too much for someone with fair skin. I do usually use brown though. I'm excited to try the gold! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	xturtle 2012-03-11 08:15 pm UTC (link)
	Yes! So much this! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	xturtle 2012-03-11 08:14 pm UTC (link)
	I have very deep-set eyes, so I used to use it instead of darker eyeliner in low-light settings and when I wanted a more natural look but still wanted my eyes to pop. You can get various levels of shiny, I suggest a more shiny one if your eyes are deep-set like mine, because it'll catch the light more. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	cmdr_zoom 2012-03-11 11:59 pm UTC (link)
	Neither a HG fan nor one who usually wears makeup, but this whole thread makes me think of Chris Judge as Teal'c, and his gold forehead badge. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	varkias 2012-03-12 04:46 am UTC (link)
	Indeed! (Reply to this)(Parent)

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