Tag Archives: eyeshadow

Tips and Techniques, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Cat Eye in Neutral Tones

Brown Cat EyeThis is one of my all time favorite looks.  It’s simple yet dramatic, clean, and looks good on everyone.  Furthermore, it can be worn with any lip color.

These are the steps I took and the products which were used to create this eye for you.

1.  Laura Mercier Linen Eye Basics, eyeshadow base all over.

2.  Smashbox Oyster eyeshadow, pressed on with a flat, not fluffy, eyeshadow brush,  just under the eyebrow to highlight the bone.

3.  Studio Gear Barely There matte eyeshadow from lash line to crease.

4.  Laura Mercier Cafe Au Lait eyeshadow very softly applied to the crease.  Please refer to my post “The Salt Analogy” here.  Less is more and the brush you use matters.  I used my Bobbi Brown eye blender brush,  because I just wanted a soft shading in the crease.  Sort of an enhancement of the natural shadow created by her brow bone.  The darker color in the outer color is not Cafe Au Lait, it’s step 6.

5.  Laura Mercier Black Ebony cake eye liner applied with a pointed eye liner brush.  I started at the outer corner of her eye and did the little wing bit first, by pulling the line up slightly.  I didn’t want an extreme cat eye; I was going for something that would elongate the eye when opened and look relatively natural.  From there I picked up my brush and began a new line, extremely tight to the lashes, about 1/4 of the way out from her inner corner.  I pulled the line out to meet the furthest tip of the wing, gradually allowing the line to get thicker as I reached the outer corner.

6.  Laura Mercier Coffee Ground eyeshadow applied carefully and gently to the outer corner of the eye.  I used this deep tone to give depth to the look.

7.  Laura Mercier Brunette brow pencil.

8.  Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Black applied only to the outer upper lashes.  This application furthers the effect of the “cat eye”.

I apologize for for the quality of the photos today, but was working with a very unruly model.  …ahem…

Happy painting!  Let me know how it goes!  S

 

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Tips and Techniques, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Green?

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Plum and green might not sound like the most natural of combinations, but they are.  Red and green enhance each other, they’re opposites on the color wheel…suffice it to say, one makes the other pop.  So, if you have even the slightest hint of olive in your beautiful brown eyes, any eyeshadow with a little red in it (think plum, reddish brown, copper, etc.) will enhance the green in your eyes.

If your eyes are already green, or blue for that matter, colors with a red undertone should be a staple in your eyeshadow collection.  I added a bit of green to this look to further the effect of bringing out the green in her eyes, and also because I just think the colors are really lovely together.

Regardless of your eye color, this is a look that works well on pretty much anyone.

1. Laura Geller Eye Spackle Primer

2. Laura Mercier Platinum Metallic Creme Colour all over.

3. Laura Mercier African Violet lash line to crease.

4. Laura Mercier Black Caviar Liner blended into upper lashes.

5. Urban Decay Mildew Eyeshadow smudged into Caviar liner and around entire eye.

6. Laura Mercier Black Turquoise Kohl Eye Pencil on the water line (inside lower lashes).

7. Laura Mercier Brow Pencil in Brunette.

8. Maybelline Great Lash Marcara in Black.

 

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Product Reviews

Makeup and Little Girls

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I submit to you that makeup is not for little girls.  Neither is red nail polish, nor short shorts with “volleyball” or whatever written across their backsides.  …in my humble opinion of course.  Having said that, there will come a day when your pre-teen wants to start wearing makeup.  This post will feature a few age appropriate products.  I believe this measured yielding to her powerful girlie will may help you stave off a full on black eye liner driven revolt.

Start her off with skin care.  Mario Badescu has a line of cleansers, toners, treatments and moisturizers that are plant based, effective, and best of all inexpensive.  Sit with your daughter and read through the product descriptions online, the two of you can make an informed purchase together based on her needs.  Having your little princess begin a skin care regimen now sets up a great life long habit and will help her avoid problems in the future.  In addition, she’ll feel a bit more “grown up”, which is really what all this is about, isn’t it?

When it comes to actual makeup, I’d make the trip to the cosmetics department alone.  There are far too many bad decisions to be made and potential arguments just waiting to be had if you make the trip together.  Think of what some of the makeup artists look like and what your daughter may think is “cool”.  Almost certainly NOT age appropriate.  Surprise her with a little goodie bag of your choosing.  If she never saw the sparkly blue eyeshadow and black lipstick, she won’t be disappointed with what you bought.  In fact if she didn’t even know you were going, she’ll be thrilled.

Sephora makes a gloss called “Fresh Gloss”.  It’s perfect for a young girl.  Sheer, shiny, pale and shimmery.  This is a color that will look good on any complexion.


Mascara is honestly something I would try to avoid.  Grown women who can’t help but touch their eyes look like a hot mess at the end of the day.  Imagine your pre-teen, after P.E.  Not exactly the sweet fresh faced look we’re going for here.  Instead, how about a little bit of a soft brown eyeshadow, like Cork from MAC, smudged into her upper lash line?  She’ll be able to see the color and it will enhance her lashes.

I would leave it there on the makeup front.  How much more does she need really?  A couple of other things you might want to throw in her little goodie bag to distract her from the lack of makeup are perfume and nail polish.

My daughter is absolutely in love with Harajuku Lovers Fragrance by Gwen Stefani.  The packaging is fabulous and the fragrances are lovely and varied.

OPI makes a great long wearing nail polish.  For the name alone, Prinesses Rule! is one of my favorite colors for a young girl.

So there you have it!  Put everything in a cute cosmetic bag and hand it over.  She’ll be thrilled and hopefully you’ll have kept her a little girl, for at least a while longer.

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