Category Archives: Makeup looks

Try Something New: Neon Makeup

Posted on by
1

url

I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t neon sort-of, or almost- over? Isn’t neon a thing of the past two summers that we occasionally, inappropriately, spot on a scarf or rain boot in the dead of winter and cringe? Well, kind of. Neon has had major bursts of popularity over the past few seasons and while you may want to store your over-the-top neon orange or pink, gold hardware-detailed satchels for a June beach day, there are still threads of the trend that work. And they work right now. My favorite, of course, related to makeup.

If you are tired of the sorry old smoky eye that everyone has been talking about and trying to achieve since I was in high school (which was, ahem, a while ago), it’s time to open your pretty peepers to something new and bold. A thin (or thick!) line of neon on the eyes or a pop of neon shadow can bring your look to the next level, even if your outfit is head-to-toe black, a simple white dress, or an otherwise blank canvas.

swatch_limecriminal__77135_zoom

Neon nails also do the trick but I prefer a neon flair nail against white, cream, navy, or pastel on the other fingers to keep things classy. And then, there is my new favorite… the neon lip!

geradium2__84106_zoomYes, girls, you are hearing (reading) my lips correctly. One of my personal favorite funky makeup brands, Lime Crime, has just come out with their officially brightest lip color to date. It’s called Geradium and it’s a neon coral that really pops. I swear, you need nothing else on your face if you rock this color. Plus, it’s just your lips, so your style statement won’t be so bold as to offend, even in an office environment.

What makeup trends are you most looking forward to — and mostly planning to avoid — this spring?

Makeup Looks: Rock Red Lips Right

Posted on by
Reply

Thank you, ELLE, for the photo.

Ah, red lipstick. How I love thee. How I question your ability to stay put, and flatter my pout, without being too much…

Red lips are classic, bold, feisty, and fun, but they can be a hassle. To pull them off well, you must remember the rest of your face; red lips with crazy eye makeup is just too much. That said, if you have blemishes or undereye circles, you need to wear some makeup aside from your lips or the red will just bring out the imperfections. Sigh!

I have a Revlon hue that I really love, so I set to work building a makeup look around it that would make my eyes pop and conceal any skin problem areas while still letting the lips do the talking. We were headed to a Fashion’s Night Out in Dallas, a somewhat glam but not over-the-top event. I wanted the lips to look good, but not to overpower the dress, of course.

I was having a particularly bad skin day, so I prepped my face by applying a light oil-free moisturizer first and letting it dry. Then I applied Clinique Acne Solutions liquid foundation to my entire face, a bit heavier on the trouble spots. For maximum coverage of the blemishes, I used Diorskin powder foundation in place of concealer. I finished off with this great MAC blush to warm up the cheeks. I personally find that bronzer + red lips is a bit much.

Then I used a mix of brown, gold and cream eye shadows to brighten up my eyes without a seriously smoky effect. To make them pop, I added a narrow line of black liquid liner to the tops and a surprising punch of blue liner to the lower lids for something extra. I finished off with two coats on top and bottom lashes of this high-gloss mascara from Maybelline.

The finishing touch, of course, was the lipstick. Apply red lipstick from the center of the top lip out, making sure not to go outside of your natural lip area. If you create an uneven line or go outside your lips, clean up with a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover. Easy! I like a creamy lipstick like this one with plenty of pigment; it is not drying like a matte stick, but it has serious staying power for kissable red lips that last all night.

The look:

The toolkit:

From top: Eyes by Design shadow palette in Bronze, it Cosmetics powder brush, Revlon Super Lustrous Creme lipstick in Fire & Ice, Christian Dior’s Diorskin powder foundation (used as concealer), CVS brand shadow brush, Essence metallic eye liner #5, MegaEyes liquid liner in black, Maybelline Turbo Volum’ Express in black, Chanel soft touch eye shadow in Blazing Gold, MAC Office Hours blush in Rosy Outlook, Clinique Acne Solutions liquid makeup.

The on-the-go kit:

Who has room in her purse for a million products? Streamline a look by bringing just the essentials– in this case, the same blak liner, red lipstick, and mascara I’d used prior in case anything rubs off. Also, the Clinique foundation to use on spots as they emerge throughout the night, and I toted an Estee Lauder cream shadow for easy application on-the-go.

The late-night shot:

I was pleased that the look held up for a good three hours with no need to touch up. Even after a few of those delightful complimentary champagnes :)

Makeup Looks: A soft approach to 80′s color

Posted on by
Reply

I was meeting the little bro for margaritas and business (yes, we find it easier to assist each other with our respective work challenges over a frozen cocktail. So shoot me). In the stifling early evening heat, I threw on a black eyelet mini dress and my Frye boots. My hair was straight and flowing loosely from having been bound in a topknot all afternoon. My GOD, did I look like the 70′s! So, I decided to skip the obvious (brown shadow, pale lipgloss, and go) and try a fun take on an 80′s inspired makeup look to vamp up the outfit for night.

I wanted to keep the look soft and pretty but with an unexpected punch, so I decided on bold purple eye shadow and pink lips. First, I prepped my combination skin with Clinique acne solutions makeup, which is a Godsend for anyone who gets the occasional tough pimple. Then I colored in and brushed my brows with the Brow Power (I LOVE this product… it looks so natural). In order to define the arch even more, I applied the mally shadow primer all the way up to the base of my brows. This product helps to keep your shadow in place all night.

Then I applied a heavy dose of the MAC shadow with my finger tip. After lining the eyes and before applying mascara to top and bottom lashes, I took a wet q-tip to clean up wherever this opaque shadow was uneven or too bold. I finished off the look using all three colors (warm brown, shimmery bronze, and cool pink) in the it Cosmetics bronzing palette, and smeared on a healthy few layers of the Cover Girl bright pink lipstick. Ta-da!

The tool kit:

Clockwise from bottom left: MAC eye shadow in Shock – a – Holic, it Cosmetics Brow Power pencil, Rimmel London Scandaleyes mascara, Cover Girl lipstick in Temptress, Clinique acne solutions makeup in shade 2, Wet n’ Wild Mega Eyes liquid liner, it Cosmetics makeup brush, mally for QVC shadow primer, it Cosmetics bronzing palette.

The look:

Notice how the purple shadow is soft and not super-dramatic like true 80′s makeup? There is a time and a place for intense color, but I thought that a more subtle application worked well for this look. The bright pink lips certainly helped too– when you’re wearing black, you need a little color on the face. I also really suggest taking your time to apply mascara evenly while extending the lash length. My lower lashes pop here, making the eyes appear bigger and eliminating the need to line the lower lids.

The late night shot:

Okay, I am not even kidding but this photo was taken four hours and two drinks after I left the apartment… and the lipstick was left over from the initial application. $7.99 on soap.com, girls. Get yourself a stick today!