The Makeup Box

Plum Pastel Eyes with Ballerina Pink Cheeks and Lips

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Step 1: Pack a matte pastel aqua over the inner half od the lids (MAC Aqua).

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Step 2: Apply a soft shimmery pastel mauve (MAC Lovely Lily limited edition pigment but there are plenty of soft shimmery purples around) over the outer halves of the lids.

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Step 3: Apply a deeper grey-violet (MAC Circa Plum pigment) to the outer halves of the socket line. 

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Step 4: Apply a metallic green liner (Bourjois #44 Golden Grey Session) right to the inner corners of the eyes, and a deep metallic plum (Rimmel Exaggerate in #220 Perfect Plum) along the outer 3/4 of the upper and bottom lash line. Do a thicker wing towards the outer half of the upper eye. 

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Step 5: Finished with mascara.

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Everything else is kept soft and sweet.

On the cheeks: 

• Essence Blush Souffle in 01 Ballerina Pink
• MAC MSF in Blonde

On lips: 

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

Violet and blue smoky eye

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This isn’t a butterfly makeup look. It’s just that the blue reminds me of butterflies’ wings. The makeup itself is a standard smoky cat-eye that is flattering on most eye shapes, and the lips and cheeks are kept a pale luminous pink to stand up to the strong, matte eyes.

Step 1: Apply a good base on your lids, and then pack on a strong matte blue shadow on the inner half of upper lids, and along the inner half of the lower lashes as well. 

Step 2: Repeat with a strong, matte purple on the outer halves.

Step 3: Important step. Smoke the edges out into a smoky wing, past the outer corners of the eyes.

Step 4: Add definition by packing a matte black along the upper lash line as liner.

Step 5: Apply black mascara on top and bottom lashes to finish the eye look.

On the rest of the face:

• Use a soft eyeshadow blending brush to apply pale pink shimmer to the brow bones and cheekbones, then apply a pink blush normally. I used MAC Porcelain Pink for highlights and NYX Pinky on the cheeks
• Apply a pale baby pink lipstick lightly (Barry M Baby Pink #100), and top with an opalescent pink gloss (MAC Cha Cha Lipglass)

Product Rave: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Porcelain Pink

I’m not one of those Mineralize Skinfinish collectors who hunt down limited edition products on eBay and pay oodles of money for off-season and discontinued products. I’ve owned only one of them (Comfort - a warm bronze with amber shimmer) since they’ve been launched years ago, and I admit I hardly ever use it because I prefer matte bronzers that are just slightly deeper than my skin tone.

Also, I felt I could find so many cheaper products that gave exactly the same finish (try any mineral eyeshadow, for one…) that I couldn’t justify the price MAC was charging for these (especially here in Asia).

Then while I was repurchasing my beloved Patina eye shadow a couple of days ago, I came across a Mineralize Skinfinish tester sitting in a bin along with some other random off-season products, and it was the most gorgeous light peachy-pink with shots of pale gold veining.

Now I’m a fan of pale blushes (shades that can almost pass for a highlighter) because they add a barely-pink hue to your cheeks and give you a really pretty glow that doesn’t actually look like visible blush. It’s different from wearing a standard highlighter (gold or champagne shades) because many have a pale sheen that can look like greasy skin in many lights, or when over-applied. 

Porcelain Pink caught my attention the moment I rubbed it onto my hand because the glow it casts back is a soft salmon color with a pink opalescence, and just a trace of gold sparks. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t capture how multi-dimensional it is on camera.

On the cheeks, it evens out some uneven-ness (possibly due to its salmon base-color), has just enough of a sheen to look like great skin, but at the same time muted enough not to shine like grease, and just peps up the face. 

As an Asian with a very “cool” skin tone (no red at all), I can sometimes look sallow without blush. Pink Porcelain allows me to skip cheek color while looking like I have a very natural lit-from-within glow. The best thing is it’s not too shimmery or glittery, so I can wear this in the day without looking like a grease-ball.

MAC Pink Porcelain brushed along cheekbones over pink blush.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this product is available in stores any longer (my local MAC had just a few leftovers), so you might have to keep your eyes open at CCOs and online stores.

I had to run back today to get a backup just in case I never see it again. While I’m not about to convert into a crazy MSF collector, I do admit to being a little bit - just a little - obsessed with Porcelain Pink.

Face of the Day: Dark Chocolate Eyes with Angel Lipstick

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[Pic taken literally before I stepped out the door. Excuse the messy hair.]

It’s the weekend, and I wanted to do something neutral, but still intense rather than stick to the same soft day-time browns I use for work.

I kept the shape simple (no winging… no reverse liner…), skipped shading and multiple colors, and just made one neutral color really strong by layering a paint pot, shadow, AND liner in the same shade. 

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This is so simple to do that I won’t even bother with a tutorial. Just slap these on:

1. MAC Constructivist Paintpot all over lids (including lower lash line) up to hollow of socket, but not extending past that.

2. Coastal Scents Hot Pot S35 all over the paintpot. You can use any dark, rich metallic brown that is slightly cool toned. MAC Satin Taupe is a good one. 

3. Line the water line and upper lash line with a chocolate brown gel liner. I used Maybelline Lasting Drama #02.

4. Apply black mascara. I’m loving Revlon Grow Luscious at the moment.

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Cheeks and Lips:

I just dusted on bronzer (MAC MSF in Comfort) and then slicked on Angel lipstick. 

Fresh Water Eyes with Pale Orange-Nude Lips

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I wanted to do an eye that would contrast with nude creamsicle lips. You can pick any strong royal blue, like MAC’s Fresh Water, but I just something from one of the 120 palettes and foiled it for extra intensity.

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Step 1: Apply a metallic black base over the lids. I used ELF’s Duo Eye Shadow Cream, which is affordable and accessible.

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Step 2: Begin to pack on the rich blue over the inner 2/3 of the lids, and then apply a black matte shadow to the outer corners and down long the lower lash line.

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Step 3: Trace the metallic blue along the outer edges of the lower lash line, just outside of the matte black. Then apply a navy liner like MAC Blooz along the water line.

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Step 4: Apply false lashes to finish the eye look.

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Cheeks: I applied a slightly pearly bronzer today as it passes off as a tawny blush as well. Try MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Comfort.

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Lips: Paint on a pale nude cream shade that borders on peach/orange. I used Lime Crime’s Cosmopop opaque lipstick, and then dabbed gently with fingers to even out the pigments.

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And that’s it!