Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by NEUTROGENA® I only recommend products I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions (FTC) guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. Some of the products mentioned were purchased by myself AND/OR some were provided by NEUTROGENA® for this post. 
Today's post is brought to you by Leonardo da Vinci and his masterpiece the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda). One of my favorite paintings of all time happens to be the Mona Lisa and I've been in love with the work of art ever since I can remember. I have always been so fascinated by the mysterious woman with the cherub face and the iconic faint smile, there's just something about the whole painting that really appeals to me. When I decided to take part in the #NeutrogenaFaceOff challenge I knew I had to do something different and I thought "this would be the perfect time to become the Mona Lisa." This particular makeup look does require a lot of makeup but one Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelette from Walmart is enough to remove everything from my face.
Here are some of my tips when it comes to recreating a look based on a painting. You will add many layers to achieve the look that you want. Layers and layers of products went on my face, starting with three layers of glue to conceal my thick brows. Blending is also the key when recreating a painting, especially a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece that is known for the sfumato technique. There should be no harsh edges and one area should blend in seamlessly onto the other, so it's absolutely crucial to make sure that all the edges are as soft as possible. Another tip when creating the chiaroscuro effect is to remember to work from light to dark. When you start layering product and build up intensity, then you'll achieve a more dramatic contrast between the light and shade.
Watch my transformation into the Mona Lisa! Make sure to stick around till the end of the video to see me take it all off with just one Neutrogena Cleansing Towelette. I think this is a #NeutrogenaFaceOff challenge for the books!
As a little bonus I decided to include pictures of my love for the Mona Lisa. The first picture (left) was taken in 2008 during my first visit to the Louvre. I was so excited to see the Mona Lisa but since I was in a wheelchair I couldn't really see the painting. A museum employee saw that I was being blocked off by everyone else, so she asked me if I wanted to go past the velvet rope to see the Mona Lisa up close. As you can imagine I was beyond ecstatic to see my favorite painting up close and I spent a few minutes staring at the masterpiece in awe. That moment instantly became the highlight of my first trip to France.
The second picture was taken at the French department store, Galeries Lafayette, on the 3rd day after I arrived to Paris in 2011 (the beginning of my study abroad year). My parents came along to "drop me off" in Paris so I got to be their Parisian tour guide. I had limited knowledge of where to take them since I had only gone once before, but one of the places I remembered was the Galeries Lafayette. This little cutout happened to be near the terrace so I just had to go and take a picture. My mom has always referred to this picture as the Mona Laura.
The third picture (right) was taken on the same day as the previous picture. It turned out that my parents wanted to squeeze in the Louvre on that same day! We went during a Friday evening when things were very quiet. Usually there's a sea of people taking pictures of the Mona Lisa but this particular time it was pretty empty so I managed to take a great picture with my favorite painting in the background. Look at that Mona Lisa smile, someone has definitely practiced that smile a few times before.
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