The Makeup Box

Fantasy Brights with the 88 Shimmer Palette

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I decided to whip out my 88 Shimmer Palette to do something bright and fun to beat the Monday blues. I’ve had a comment from a reader about having very dark skin, and how looks don’t turn out the same. Do note that depending on your skin tone, you will need to adjust shades to get a similar effect. 

E.g. If I use a pale peach, you might need to look for a stronger apricot or orange-tone to get the same effect on your skin. What is a smoky brown for me might look like a chalky taupe on very dark skin, or very dark on porcelain skins. Always try to adjust a little bit if your skin tone is very different from mine (NC25 thereabouts). If you’re about fair to medium (NC/NW20 - NC/NW40), most looks will turn out quite similar.

If you don’t own the 88 Shimmer palette, just take a look at the 3 shades I used, and you should be able to locate these shades in other shadow collections.

You’ll need:

• a soft peach shimmer
• a bright blue-pink shimmer
• a deep red-tinged brown

Step 1: Pack the blue pink right in the center of the lid first. Allow a little to smudge down onto your lower lash line.

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Step 2: With a soft, bright peach, pack that into the inner corner of your lid. Apply to the lower lash line in the inner corners as well.

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Step 3: With a dark warm brown, apply to the outer 1/3 of the lids and then bring it down along the lower lash line (outer 1/3 only), as well as up along the hollow of the socket line, especially if you need to define your eye contours a bit.

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Step 4: To intensify the rich brown, I ran a metallic brown pencil along the upper and lower lash lines, letting the line get thicker at the outer ends.

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Step 5: Finish by curling lashes and applying mascara!

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The 88 shimmer palette is available from BH Cosmetics and Coastal Scents. Prices vary depending on promotions, so do keep an eye on both sites!

Reverse-Color Lid (88 Matte Palette)

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I did a look a year ago inspired by the Queen of Blending. This year, I’m revisiting the look using different, stronger colors. Do note that you don’t need to use the exact shades I did. Just look for 3 colors that are sort of complementary, and line them up from light to dark.

Just make sure to apply an eye primer so the shadow goes on with maximum intensity.

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Step 1: Imagine an invisible line along your socket. Below the line, you want to pack the palest shadow onto the inner portions of your lid, and along the inner corners of the lower lid. Apply the same color ABOVE the socket line on the outer portions.

Just remember not to pull the color too far out at the outsides or your lids could look droopy.

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Step 2: I accidentally deleted the image I took when I applied the center shade (rich blue), so bear with me and look at the portion I marked out right down the center of the lid.

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Step 3: Using the darkest shade (purple), I applied the color in the opposite areas to the teal at the start. Above the socket on the inner corners and below the socket, on the lid at the outer corners. The color on the lower lids should match what is on your upper lid as well.

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Step 4: Using a fluffy brush, I blended out the inner corners. This is the tricky portion as a dark shade above the socket line at the inner corners can look very tacky and messy if not softened out.

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Step 5: I finished by using a fine brush to apply black kajal along the waterline, and then thickly along the upper lash line. Then curl lashes and apply mascara to finish.

Champagne and Grapes: Gold, Purple and Plum Tutorial (88 Matte/Original Palette)

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This is a versatile, colorful look that works with most skin tones and eye colors, and can be worn for both day and night. for those who are on a budget, or looking for ways to play with your 88 palettes!

The 2 shades I used from the palette are ringed below. The shades are near the bottom center of the palette, but you don’t have to use the exact colors I did since there are so many options.

You just need a soft medium matte purple and a deep plum. Aside from this, I also used a pale champagne gold (Sephora Prisma Chrome shadow in Moon Beam*). Any pale shimmery beige/gold would work fine.

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Step 1: I packed the matte medium violet shade onto the center of mobile lid area (beneath the socket line), leaving just the outer and inner corners bare.

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Step 2: Flip your brush around and apply the deep plum shade to your outer V and draw the color in along your socket line, smoking out the line so it’s soft and nicely blended upwards. 

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Step 3: For highlighting, I just dabbed the pale champagne gold into the inner corners of the lids and gently blended into the purple. Don’t blend it out too far as you want the contrast against the matte purple to stay very strong.

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Step 4: Using black liquid liner (as before I’m using Lime Crime’s Quill) along the upper lash line, ending in a short flick. You can always use pencil or gel if you prefer more control and a softer finish. 

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Step 5: Soften out the black so it blends into the look a bit more by dipping a flat brush into the plum shade in the 88 palette and then running it over the black liner. This will take down some of the harsh black color and allow it to meld into the look.

Then apply black mascara to finish!

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*I got one of the bad batches of the Prisma Chrome Moon Beams, where the color was a champagne gold instead of the opalescent pink it is supposed to be.

Golden Bronze Cat Eye Tutorial (88 Warm Palette)

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My 88 Warm Palette has been in cold storage lately, as tends to happen when you are always trying new things. This is a look you don’t need the 88 palette to create, as there are lots of similar shades in other palettes as well. 

The shades you’ll need to pick are

• A soft beige- or malt-gold that isn’t too far off from your skin tone
• A warmer, stronger amber-gold with some orange in it
• A soft burgundy with a pearl sheen (surprise; this gives the whole look more depth than just sticking with a deep bronze or brown)

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 Step 1: Apply the soft gold all the way from inner corners up to the brow bone, leaving just the outer-most corners of the eye clean. Run along lower lash line half-way from inner corners out as well.

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Step 2: Pack the warm ambery gold onto the outer 1/3 of the lid below the socket, and then extend up to the brow bone. Notice I extended the color inwards more along the deepest part of the socket line. This will give your eye more definition instead of allowing all the bright colors to wipe out your contours.

Run the amber along the outer half of the lower lash lines as well.

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Step 3: Pick up a warm, rich burgundy and pack that right in the outermost corners of the lid, then also lightly sweep the remaining pigment on the brush up towards the end of your brow as well. This will make the look a lot richer and stop the eye look from going too brassy and yellow.

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Step 4: Apply a black pencil along the tightline and waterline, and then use black liquid or gel liner to apply a thick flick at the outer corners. Finish with black mascara.

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The finished effect is polished, dramatic (how often do we wear color all the way up to our brows?), but at the same time not over-the-top because it should work with your natural skin tone. You can choose to pair this with a strong lip, but I prefer just going the natural route with this.

On Rest of Face:

• TheBalm Hot Mama blush (my favorite warm coral blush)
• NYX Iced Honey lipstick (metallic beige/nude)
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef (sheer coral creme)