Welcome to I Tried It Month, where we’ll be publishing a new fashion, beauty, or wellness article every day that features a first-person account of shaking up an old habit, pushing beyond a comfort zone, or simply trying something new. Follow along for 31 days of storytelling, including everything from trying new beauty treatments to copying the most risqué runway looks of the season.
I’ll admit it—despite hoarding beauty products, I could do better at actually using them. I’m guilty of quickly buying into a new buzzy release or blush hack that’s being sported all over TikTok, but this year I need to hold back on purchasing and learn to put what I have to use. Although I’m happy with going barefaced on the regular, I do find myself staring at the products on my dresser each morning and have the itch to get creative with them. Luckily, WWW’s I Tried It month came around, so I considered that as a sign to push my personal boundaries.
Since studying runways are a part of my job description, I realized that often, a designer outfit stands out a bit more because of the accompanying makeup look. Chanel’s Spring 2014 show, which featured chunky silver glitter on the waterline, still lives in my head after all these years. I’m already an avid lover of maximizing accessories, so why not treat makeup as one? Though these runway looks are usually done by professional artists, I gave myself some grace and kept it at my level.
Ahead, see the beauty looks I tried and which products I’ll continue incorporating on a regular basis.
For years, I was hooked on contouring and underestimated the true power blush holds. This Pat McGrath one packs a punch, and I was always holding out on it, saving it for special occasions. But if celebrities can continue riding the Barbiecore trend via Valentino pumps and dresses, what was stopping me?
Since the outfit had so much pink, I was nervous upon applying blush. But I was too far in to quit, so I committed and applied a lot of blush. After some blending, a touch of eyeshadow, and lip-gloss application later, my ultra-pink look was complete. Instead of being a bit much like I had predicted, it actually pulled the whole look together.
When I spotted this blue eyeliner at Target, I stopped in my tracks. Was I, someone who rarely wore black eyeliner anymore, able to be a blue eyeliner person? Spoiler alert: the product sat in my drawer for weeks. That is until I put on this outfit and knew the eyeliner would act as the perfect coordination between my bag and shoes.
The result? A shockingly easy yet fun addition to my makeup routine. And proof that sometimes it’s okay to step out of the box, and that you should make use out of the things you buy at Target on a whim.
Metallics have been a leading trend these past few months (as you can see by my handbag) and I realized I owned a few glittery shadows, but only saved them for weddings and formal outfits. Instead of packing the shadow fully on the lid, I focused on the inner corner, a trick I learned from TikTok but never found the time to actually do, until now.
I wish I had more looks to share but after three days of packing on the makeup, my skin needed a breather. And while I won’t be turning myself into a beauty guru overnight (I’ll leave the tips to our beauty editors), I will be bringing a colored eyeliner or bright blush to play with more often than usual.
Next, I Copied Spring 2023’s Most Shocking Runway Looks—Here’s How They Held Up IRL