Beauty Icons and Drawing Inspiration

Who are your favorite beauty icons? Current television, movie stars and musicians? Models? Reality show stars?

Where do you draw inspiration from?  Current trends seen on television or in magazines? Online blogs, YouTube, or other online sources such as look books? Celebrities? 

ICONS

I can admit that current beauty trends from magazines and celebrities do influence me, and every now and then I do find certain aspects of today's celebrities to be displaying those trends.  While I would never say I leaned towards a completely classic look before, I would say the most influential beauty icon in my life has always been Sophia Loren (and later in life, other Italian actresses from that time period who had a similar style in the way they wore their makeup.) To this day I am still inspired by Sophia's look. 

I find that the contemporary beauty icons that I am drawn to tend to all have similar looks for the most part, which is a smokey eye and nude lip.  That would be Mila Kunis, Kirsten Stewart, Reese Witherspoon (at least on last months cover of Elle).  I also like the look of a nude eye with a lot of lashes and bright lip such as Megan Fox wears.  I think it is all planning for the occasion because any of the people I listed above are looks I would wear going out or on the weekends. I also like to experiment with color on the weekends.  My favorite combo being purple and green thanks to one of my BFFs.  For work I would wear something more similar to Nina Dobrev or Torrey DeVitto from the Vampire Diaries or perhaps even Sarah Michelle Gellar from Ringer.  

Inspiration

I began finding inspiration to try new looks with makeup that was different than what my friends wore in high school.  I would have to say the look I was going for was a modern version Sophia Loren that included a natural eye with dramatic black liner and a bolder lip.  Shannen Doherty who played Brenda on the popular 90's series made this look popular in it's second season. So I packed on more lipstick, mascara, and liner. I had Brenda hair for most of high school. Extremely long, with bangs. (YIKES) At the same time as 90210 was gaining popularity, Cindy Crawford was on the cover of every magazine and I incorporated a lot of her staples into my looks as well. Cindy was about easy glamour back then and where I grew up it was hot.  So during the summer, I hate to say it was easy to get a tan, put on some mascara, a dark terracotta blush, and some lip gloss or balm. 

I was also a fan of the the two color eye look during high school. I believe this inspiration came from all people....Leeza Gibbons.  In the 1990's she had a talk show and her eyes seemed so big and bright.  Looking back she had from what I can remember a relatively stark white from lash to brow with a pink that blended into the crease and softened the harshness of the white, without taking away from the brightening effect.  Her skin was also very matte and flawless.  Not knowing at the time what contouring truly was, I chalked it up to 'wow she just has a gorgeous face.'  I have seen her in person and she does have a gorgeous face, but she also wears some contour...but who doesn't? Ha!  


It was a very popular look, particularly on daytime TV during the summers and as I previously mentioned, it was very hot where I grew up so people spent peak hours inside or by the pool.

Now I find inspiration everywhere I look.  I find a lot of inspiration from friends in the beauty community, from companies that I enjoy, blogs, some magazines, and obviously television.  I can also look at pictures of a flower or a landscape now and say "Hmm...I want to do an ocean themed look! or I want to do a monochromatic desert look."  I also get inspiration simply by walking through Sephora or Ulta and looking at all the pretty colors.  It is like a playground for people who love cosmetics.


I would love to hear who your beauty icons are and where you draw inspiration from.