K.I.S.S. - Keep it, simple sweetie,

My mom drilled those words into the heads of my sisters and me, she referred to the K.I.S.S. system often. Way before Marie Kondo she was a master lister, organizer, and quiet drill sergeant. In fact she even won a contest for her organization skills. To this day I hate lists and cringe at the need for the blasted things. Until a decade or so ago I could keep everything in my head and never have to rely on a list. Today I find myself taking "notes" which is just my alternate name for the blasted list.

This image is from an article, The 3 Lipstick Colors Every Woman Needs by Women's Health beauty editor Jill Percia. She states there are shades of lips that work for almost any woman. I don't agree. As a Colorologist and makeup artist I use and apply color daily.

Fact: In order to look the most naturally beautiful you must wear the proper undertone colors for your eyes, face, and lips. Otherwise your color is just ok, not fabulous. Even the softest wash of color should brighten and enhance.

With that said Mom had a good point. The offspring of Depression-era parents she was pragmatic, thrifty, organized, and tidy. We were taught to appreciate quality over quantity and to take good care of everything we have. We were taught to care for our bodies as assets, clothing, shoes, and vehicles in a maintenance-based and longevity-based manner.

the K.I.S.S. system - If Mom were alive today she would most likely define this method as:

an organized, more efficient, more effective, faster, and/or simpler working method. An efficient method resulting in preventing wasteful use of a particular resource.

While I rejected the list these lessons were valuable and kept my business and personal investments afloat even in times of caution.

I run my businesses, elea blake cosmetics & ebhues using the K.I.S.S system. It's one of the reasons I created my own color system and have color theory tools and cosmetics. I believe that color is to be used intentionally with power and purpose and not only viewed as pretty colors.

Let's take lipstick for example. Lipstick should enhance your face without any makeup on. It should stand alone on its merit. Be it my lip but better or a full pin-up girl look.

When it comes to makeup the more the merrier is not necessarily a good thing unless those colors are purpose-driven and designed intentionally for your desired intention for the day or moment.

Every color of the rainbow is important and each one has a different intention that can be used to empower you for whatever your desired result is for the day, month, year, or moment. There are basics to consider and this is where many people struggle.

If you wear makeup you must have your perfect:

• foundation (aka base),

• concealer (aka under eye)

• cover-up (aka spots and dot cover - which should be your foundation).

• most natural eyes

• cool pops for eyes

• warm additions for eyes

• warm lip/cheek

• cool lip/cheek

These musts typically include these colors:

• orange - everyone is orange. This is the color of your skin. Your undertone and the specific hue, value, and chroma of orange must be determined for your skin so you look the freshest and healthiest. Your foundation (aka base) represents the color orange learn more here.

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• red (warm)- is your most natural lip and cheek as it is next to orange on the color wheel. Reds come in specific hues, values, and chroma so a red can look pink or peach as well as brown or plumesk. John the Math Guy gives an example of reds.

• magenta (cool) - is your more dramatic yet adorable alternative to red. It's considered more dramatic as it is more contrasting to your skin's orange. This hue segment also comes in specific hues, values, and chroma and can look almost pure purple to very berry or deepest plum to berry burgundy. Wikipedeia

This does not mean that you must have baskets and bins of makeup. Your makeup can be very streamlined and look like this.

Below represents two different creme de la creme makeup palettes for those who like creamy washes of color. Each palette represents eyes, lips, cheeks, and a contour color that can be used for face, eyes, and even to toast the lip.

Keep it Simply stunning - find out why you are drawn to this palette...because I know you are.

Below features a lip palette with stick and gloss options, and seven eye color options that can be used for all over, liners, contours, and pops. This is an example of a moderately cool red, the collection is called Riveting Rosie. Warmer and cooler red options are available at eleablake.com.

Below features a lip palette with stick and gloss options, and five eye color options that can be used for all over, liners, contours, and pops. This is an example of a magenta on the slightly warmer side, not the warmest, the collection is called Flagrant Flamingo. Warmer and cooler options are available at eleablake.com.

Home base - your oranges. These represent both my daughter, Elea's hue and mine S417. Tolerant Treasure eye colors. we have the warmest skin in the hue segment of orange. There are cooler oranges available.

Home base includes your foundation. Liquid, mineral powder, or both. It all begins here. If your foundation is off you will never be your cutest. I am a Strength 417 the goldest of all the oranges, the one that has the most yellow. Here I am wearing my strength colors and power colors on my eyes, lips, and cheeks.

"Don't be a weed, be a WILDFLOWER" a t-shirt from Blue Ridge Botanic. A quote and company I totally support. Meet Nina.

Keep it simple sweetie. Less is more. This principle is the concept for my business and life, and while my company focuses on options and lots of them they are *options with purpose. The wiser I become I realize that you can do more with less when the less is specific and focused.

*I'm an enneagram seven. Having options is my modus operandi.