[Requested] Simple Glamour: Smoky Brown Evening/Prom Eye (a la Bruno Mars “Just The Way You Are” Music Video)

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Perfect opportunity for me to combine 2 requests; one for a dark brown prom-makeup done using the 88 Matte Palette (the Warm palette has the same shades needed), and one for the smoky eye look worn by the gorgeous model in Bruno Mars’ Just The Way You Are video.

Dissecting the Look

The lighting in the video is extremely orange/yellow and the moving images aren’t crisp and clear (you can click on the images for a closer look at my screen grabs). From what I can tell, she is wearing:

• a matte chocolate brown smoky eye
• an eyeshadow shape that wings straight out, and emphasizes the outer halves of her socket line
• very defined and thick black liner but it’s not a very hard and precise line (i.e. does not look like liquid liner)
• full false lashes that are a “rounded” shape, longer in the center instead of at the outsides

It’s a very straightforward and flattering look as long as you can get the shadow shape correct, and it doesn’t matter if you have mono-lids, hooded eyes or double lids; blue, green brown, hazel or grey eyes. But in real life, it probably works better for an evening out clubbing or at the prom than to school.

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[Requested] Olivia Palermo Eye makeup: Tips for women with thick lids and/or deep sockets

Olivia has got to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, in my opinion. She reminds me of Penelope Cruz, Heather Graham and Shania Twain all rolled into one.

I didn’t want to do this post initially, because Olivia’s makeup looks the way it does largely due to her natural eye shape (more common among Indian and Mediterranean women).

• Very deep and defined sockets
• Huge, rounded eyes, slightly down-turned at the outer corners
• Very thick double-lids
• Medium lid space (probably the only thing I have in common with her, in that her brows are not very far or very low and close to her eyes)

The makeup is quite straightforward and there are no restrictions for skintone. But if your eye shape is very different, it will NOT look like hers, The good news is, everyone with a double lid can wear this makeup.

Not recommended if you have mono-lids or very hooded lids, because this is a shape that emphasizes the visible fold and lash line.

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Spring Flings: 10 things I’m obsessed with these past weeks

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Here’s a quick summary if you don’t want to read the full post!

1. Stila Color Balm Lipsticks in Betsey and Elle
2. 1920s scents: Shalimar and Bois des Iles
3. Light coverage: MAC Face & Body, Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream
4. Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder #12 (flash-back)
5. The Body Shop Colour Crush matte eyeshadows
6. Strong bright blushes
7. NYX Yellow pencil
8. LUSH Rockstar soap
9. Revlon Colorstay Concealer in 03 Light Medium
10. The art store

More details below!

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Revisiting: The Creamy Salmon-Pink Lip

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Want a color that pretty enough for Spring, but still bright enough that it’s not a wishy-washy pastel? 

This is something that showed up on the catwalks about 2 years back, but is still gorgeous today. You take any fuchsia pink or coral you have, and you mix it with a flesh-toned concealer shade. What you get is a highly-pigmented salmon-pink (fuchsia lipstick) or milky-peach (coral lipstick) that takes on a bright pastel hue and really pops against your skin. 

Perfect on a sunny day OR as an alternative to the usual nude lip with smoky eyes!

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