Muse: Jane Birkin

By now, you know that I'm very inspired by free-spirited European ladies who traipsed around France creating beautiful works of art in the 60's and 70's. (If you're a new reader, check out my posts about Anna Karina and Françoise Hardy.) Having said that, Jane Birkin is an obvious addition to my list of muses.

Jane Birkin embodies a lot of my unattainable life goals in a big way. I mean, gallivanting braless around France, being the namesake of a $10,000 Hermès bag, having an impressive career including activism, songwriting, acting, directing, giving birth to talented and beautiful children... whew. She's done a lot in her life. Perhaps most enviable though is her effortless look. I know she's not actually French but her vibe is the quintessence of that French... je ne sais quoi.

Sometimes it can take a lot of work to be so effortlessly chic but Jane's look is easily attainable. To get the same kind of laissez-faire and low-key beauty, you might even have everything you need in your makeup bag already. 

After extensive research, (read: obsessively Google-image-searching) I've found there are two key elements to French beauty: doll-like eyelashes and the look of that natural flush that occurs to your cheeks after you've just made love. C'est la vie! Well, I mean like in movies and other various editorials. (Because really, who looks that good after a romp in the sheets?) That's why for me, Benefit's They're Real Mascara and Nars's blush in Orgasm (see? fitting!) are the cornerstone of this look. I'm getting ahead of myself though, because it really starts with some great skin. 

If you hung out in Cannes all the time, you'd probably have some perfect skin and hair. The sea breeze and sun can do that. Since you probably can't do so, having a great cleanser and foundation will have to do. I love Philosophy's Purity for a simple but effective cleanser and Ultra Repair Cream as a moisturizer. Boots No7 Airbrush Away Foundation is perfect for that Jane Birkin flawless skin and Herbivore's Sea Mist spray will give your tresses that "fresh off the beach" look. Don't forget the blush!

Next, the eyes. You may not have Jane's doe eyes but you can certainly fake 'em. The mascara is the most important thing here. Make sure you pay extra attention to the lower lashes, as they're kind of the stars of this show. You're going to want a super dark liner that won't fade, which is why I love Anastasia Beverly Hills' Darkside liner. It's simple as that: no eyeshadow-- just mascara and a little cat eye. If your brows need some help, I highly recommend BBROWBAR's eyebrow gel.

Last are the lips. Some sheer gloss will do but if you want that peachy-perfect pout, Mac's Cherish gets the job done.

Super simple, no? Definitely going to try this look for myself this week.

xo,

e.m.