Posts Tagged ‘makeup’

What Lip Color Suites Smokey Eyes Best

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010

How to make your smoky eyes even more impressive? By choosing the perfect color for your lips. It has to be sexy. It has to be trendy. It has to be flattering. Let’s see which trends deliver it all?

But first: one advice that never changes whatever the current trends are. Simply ask yourself: do I look good in it? With that prerogative in mind let’s look at our options.

The nude lip is the sexy addition to a dark, sultry eye. Although it looks amazing on catwalk and magazine covers, it might not work in real life. Nude lip is high-maintenance although it seems not to be. Let me uncover two secrets to looking great in the “smoky eyes/nude mouth” design. Secret 1: sculpt and define your face with makeup: you can find the easy way to do it in my article about smokey eye makeup Secret 2: choose a nude lipstick with a bit of vibrant hue in it. It will make you look much prettier than a pure, colorless one. For inspiration browse through some of Kate Moss’ smoky looks: she does nude mouth like no other.

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Nude mouth with peach undertones is becoming a classic. The reason for its popularity is that it adds warmth and life to the face. Actually, Victoria Beckham has been pairing dark smoky eyes with a slightly peachy nude mouth for ages. And now it’s becoming a trend. Charlize Theron looked positively amazing in ultra-black smoky eyes with a peachy-nude mouth at Dior’s Fashion’s Night Out. The look was finished off with an expert application of both bronzer and blush.

When in doubt, go for soft pink lips. They are a fail-safe smokey eye companion. They give the smokey eyes the “innocence” factor, thus making the overall look even more tempting. Diane Kruger often completes her smokey eyes with this hue. She usually opts for a satin finish with a bit of sheen. A more vibrant pink can be a good idea too, especially with a warmer skin tone. Natalie Portman wore blue smokey eyes and a rather intense pink mouth at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Until recently the universal advice was to complete smokey eyes with understated lips. But the trend has shifted: now the approach reminiscent of silent movies era is on. More and more we see a strong, even dark mouth with smokey eyes. Autumn and winter are perfect seasons to accomodate these slightly heavier looks.

The biggest trend this year is a plum mouth. And it’s cool to make it part of smoky eye makeup. It looks fabulous with charcoal smoky eyes: I saw this combination on Iman at the Met Gala where she looked like a vision from 1930′s. For an inspiration check out Lancome’s latest look “French Coquette”: Aaron De Mey created sizzling smoky eyes combined with a rich, plum mouth. A note: the lighter your skin is the lighter your lipstick application should be. On the other hand, warm-skinned women can apply lipstick boldly, without fear of looking over-made up.

And finally, the eternal dilemma: is it ok to combine red lips and smokey eyes? Apparently yes, this season. It is not a look for the faint-hearted and requires confidence. Be inspired by the ad for Rouge Pur Couture: the new line of lipstick by Yves Saint Laurent. The images of black/grey smokey eyes with a very red mouth are striking. Variety of textures and finishes is key to making this look modern and fresh. An easier take on the red mouth is to combine it with a softer smokey eye in bronze, brown or grey.

This season you have two options. To complement your smokey eyes with a pale mouth. Or to pump it up even more with a dark, glossy mouth. Both looks are on-trend. It is up to you to choose the one that makes you look great.

Make your eyes look incredible with this ultimate free report about choosing the right color of smokey eyes . Get more of Ewa’s advice on looking amazing in smokey eye makeup .

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How To Look Amazing In Purple Smokey Eyes

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Purple smokey eye has been a major trend for two seasons already. This Autumn 2010 it is still hot. Mysterious. Stylish. Surprisingly wearable and flattering. Let’s give this look a try.

Start off by checking if you look good in purple. And remember that there is a plethora of shades: from intense purple to misty mauve and many more in between. To make sure that you make the most of your eye color read my detailed report on finding the perfect shade of smoky eyes

Once you decide this color is right for you, see how professionals use it. In short that means: looking at the work of artists who apply makeup on celebrities and who create new eyeshadow ranges for cosmetic companies. These lessons are very educational and I have put together a comprehensive overview just for you!

Let’s start with Kim Kardashian. The purple smokey eyes she wore a few weeks ago were a perfect look for autumn. The whole area around the eye socket was expertly sculpted with two shades: purple neutralized with a hefty dose of charcoal. As a result the color was quite subdued yet still packed a punch. It goes to show that this look does not have to scream with color.

A different take on purple was seen recently on Emmy Rossum. It was purple all over her upper lid “smoked out” with some black eye pencil. (Brown liner might work too for a softer look.) Delicate blush and warm nude mouth made sure the focus was on the eye. And there were coordinating clothes: a purple pattern on her dress connected with the purple smokey eye and created harmony.

Let’s stop for a second and think about “sculpting”. It’s an essential technique when doing color in smokey eyes. Otherwise you just end up with a colorful eye and nothing smokey about it! You need two or three shades to make it work. But what colors should they be?

To find fabulous color combination check out the best makeup palettes around. By seeing what the makeup houses offer for Autumn 2010 you can realize what the “hottest” color combination and smartest ways to wear purple are. Below we check out what Estee Lauder, Dior, Guerlain and Giorgio Armani makeup ranges do with purples. Even if you don’t plan to buy any of these you can learn lots from them, just by looking and reading.

Let’s start with a vibrant purple eye made with different shades of this color as suggested by Estee Lauder. Their “Surreal Violets” palette of five eye shadows gives you three purple hues from mauve, vibrant violet to deep aubergine. Plus a soft gray and shimmery vanilla for highlighting. This is a look that is intense on color and audacious. Apart form the great selection of colors there is also a very clever variety of finishes: aubergine and gray are matte which is perfect for sculpting and the pastels are shimmery to give lightness. It’s a beautiful and surprisingly wearable palette created by famous makeup artist Tom Pecheux.

If an all-over purple smokey eye is too radical for you, mix it with pink. Look for inspiration with the latest offering from Dior called “Pink Design”. This selection of five colors consists of two beautiful purples: matte black-tinged plum and shimmery vibrant purple as well as two pink shadows and a highlighter. Depending on your taste you can go quite purple here or soften the look with pink. The result would still be trendy but less extravagant.

You can also use purple selectively. Build the smokey eye with neutrals and spice it up with a strong purple. Take cue from Guerlain and their “Champs Elysee” palette for Fall 2010. The purple eye shadow is accompanied by five neutrals: black, grey and a selection of taupe- tinged browns. You create the bulk of your eye design with these and just add a splash of bright purple. This look can be quite controlled and completely wearable.

And last but not least: you can anchor your purple smokey eyes with black only. This approach is elegant, confident and crisp. And the Giorgio Armani palette “Twilight Hues” is a perfect example of how to do it. It has three pure colors: mauve, vibrant aubergine and black. Depending on the intensity of color you desire you can use more of either the dreamy mauve or lively aubergine. Sculpting can be done just with the two purples or with purple and black (used lightly).

And a note on the finishing touch: mascara. Black always works. But there has been a new trend: some reputable makeup artists have been championing purple mascara. It does finish off purple smokey eyes splendidly and it strengthens the purple effect.

I am sure that at least one of the above tips will help you achieve that mystic purple smokey eye you want. It is trendy. It is flattering. And, from my experience, men quite like it. So get your purple eyeshadows out and start practicing. Good luck!

For the perfect sultry eye get this ultimate free report about choosing the right color of smokey eyes . Get more of Ewa’s advice on looking amazing in smokey eye makeup .

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Look Great In Black Smokey Eyes By Learning How To Define And Highlight Your Complexion

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Jennifer Lopez is definitely my smokey eyes hero. She wears it so well. Dark smokey eyes make her eyes so rich and defined. And her overall appearance is always healthy and natural-looking. How does she do it? Apart for being very attractive and having great skin, she totally understands the importance of making up her face correctly. There are several do’s that make black smokey eyes look great: getting the shape right, blending, controlling how intense it is. And you can master these tricks in my ebook about smoky eyes . But face: this is where it all comes together.

I will show you six key steps that will help create a perfect and sculpted canvass for your dark eye makeup. In short they are: conceal under your eyes, apply foundation, bronze, blush, highlight and blot.

Step 1: make sure to use an under-eye concealer. It gives that awake look and creates beautiful contrast with the dark eye. Kim Kardashian is a big fan of under-eye concealer: especially when she is wearing smokey eyes. There are three things to keep in mind here. Use it very sparingly: this delicate area should not be caked with product. Make sure to blend: you don’t want to give yourself white under-eye circles. Choose a shade lighter than your foundation.

There are exceptions to this rule, but usually bare face and strong eye makeup don’t go well together. A strong eye demands foundation. And by that I don’t mean a thick layer of foundation. As with most cosmetics, foundation also goes by the rule that less is more. But do use something even if it is just a colored moisturizer. And a few tips on applying foundation. The color should be as close to your skin color as possible. Apply it mainly to the areas that need it: usually the chin and the center of the face. Finish it off with powder (loose or pressed) to take away the shine.

The modern way to use bronzer is to sculpt your face for definition and a healthy glow. That’s why it should not be too dark nor too shimmery. A sheer and rather matte formula would be perfect. When applying, think of two 3s facing each other and encompassing your face. Do your hairline, continue under the cheekbone, then below the chin. As with all cosmetics: harsh edges need to be avoided. Bronzer should be felt not seen.

For a pretty and flattering result make sure to add a hint of color to liven up the dark eyes. Most makeup artists swear by the powers of a blush. Avoid blush that is too dark or too bright, especially with smokey eyes. The classic way to apply it is to smile: the cheeks lift and it’s easier to dust it on the side of the apple of your cheek.

After creating the base, defining and adding color, it is time to highlight. Highlighter (sometimes called illuminizer) is a relatively new type of a cosmetic that is all the rage now. It can come in cream, gel or powder. As the name suggests its task is to highlight certain areas. Although there are many great ways to use it I will focus here on enhancing smokey eyes. Highlight the very top of the cheekbone just above where you put blush, towards the temple. Some makeup artists advise to take it further onto the temple itself: I do and it looks great. Also highlight your brow bone. Another great trick is to dab some highlighter in the inner corner of your eye. It refreshes and enlarges the eye.

Shiny face and smokey eyes: these do not make a good pair. Smokey eyes, especially dark, definitely require that the face stays matte. But using your powder compact too often to keep the shine at bay might result with a powder overload. That’s why blotting papers are such an amazing find! And it’s not just me: gossip says that Heidi Klum never faces the camera without blotting her face first. That’s quite a recomendation, isn’t it?

By cleverly combining coverage, definition, color and light you can look amazing in your black smokey eyes. Put these easy strategies into action and attract attention immediately!

If you need that perfect smokey eye get Ewa Linsey’s illustrated ebook on smokey eye makeup : it’s complete with smokey eyes know-how that works time and time again. Also grab more tips about black smokey eyes : the key look when you want to be noticed!

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