“Can
you hear me?”
BANG.
Timothy
jumped, his heart in his head and his glasses slipping down his nose. Stumbling
over his own briefcase, he pushed them back up his nose and stared back at the
murky water which piled high like fog behind the glass. Shaken, he desperately
attempted to murmur something again. But he had forgotten to breathe and all
that emerged was a nonsensical spluttering.
But
the creature in the tank was listening.
The
water ricocheted back off the glass like an internal current, making the tank
shudder as though it would give way.
“Maybe
that’s what you want...” Timothy whispered, his eyes fixated on the spot where the
monster inside had shocked him before. He pricked up his ears, listening
intently for any kind of sound, but anything in the water had ceased movement;
his quickening heartbeat the only thing ringing in his ears.
A
cruel idea crept into his mind. An idea that could get him killed, or worse,
fired.
He trembled
to think of the reaction he would receive if he came home without a job.
But
he had to know.
He
raised his hand, formed a fist and gently touched the cold pane.
“Can
you hear me?”
KNOCK.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
The
creature hit the glass so hard that it cracked and Timothy felt his body surge
as he hit the floor. He looked up and gasped. Her shimmering, sad eyes met his
own and he was immediately entranced.
It
was a woman. But it wasn’t. Her skin was smooth and pale, her lips glittering
under the light of the halogens. She had her fingers pressed to the glass, her
hair swimming circles around her skull. As he arose, he rose his hand again, slowly moving it towards the glass. She stared at it as it got closer and closer.
But when barely a finger tip had made contact, she vanished back into the dark, her glistening fish tail slipping away behind her.
I'm well aware that perhaps the pictures don't really match up to the darker style of the story, but I really wanted to write it and there's hardly anyway for a girl to get a hold of a human-sized fish tank nowadays. Ridiculous, right?
I made this post because I love shimmers and sometimes when I apply them they remind me of the glittering scales of a mermaid's tail. So I imagined what I thought a mermaid's makeup would look like (provided that under the sea cosmetics stores are a thing. Fins? Superreef?).
I knew I wanted to make a natural, pale look, as a mermaid is, after all, a mythical creature, associated with the natural sea. I also suppose she wouldn't spend too much time in the sun.
I started by applying the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer to my nose, chin, forehead and around my eyes, to even out skin tone and to create more of a glow, followed by the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Fair' in these same places.
For my eyebrows, I use Benefit's Browzings to naturally shape my brows. Next I brush the Bourjois Poudre De Riz De Java all over to set the base. Lastly, I dust the Revlon Powder Blush in 'Racy Rose'
over my cheekbones up to my ears.
Onto the most important part...the eyes. I use the first highlighting shade from my Makeup Revolution Iconic 3 Palette under the curves of my brows and in the corner of my eyes, followed by the Bliss Eyeshadow from Ofra. This is pretty much one of the most beautiful gold shimmers I have ever used, and I use this all over the lid up to the brow.
On just the lid, I use the 6th shade from the Iconic 3, which is a coppery shimmer. The last eyeshadow is the Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in 'Foiled Again', which is a vibrant loose glitter powder. Because you need so very little, I used my finger to apply along the lashline and create a gradient upwards...like waves if you will!
I chose the Vintage Cosmetics Company's False Eyelashes in 'Gracie', mainly because of the way each individual lash separates. I think there is something mystical about them; they're natural but mythical at the same time.
On my lips is the L'Oreal Collection Privee in 'Barely Golden'; one of my favourite all time nudes. The gold undertone goes beautifully with all the shimmers.
As a professional mermaid princess wannabe, I hope I made you proud with my interpretation. I wanted to create a fairy tale look that could be worn all day, even on the land where fins are less compatible. I know that it's better down where it's wetter, but I guess we all have to make compromises, am I right?
