The Makeup Box

Soft Velvet-Lavender (MAC Crystal and Satellite Dreams)

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After the really bright and acidic looks, it’s time for a break with a softer, more wearable option that you can throw on for work or play.

I dug out some MAC shadows that I forgot about, and the only thing you need to remember is that you can easily soften a bright color for work or school by layering it over a soft tone like I did here.

• Deep smoky brown or grey (I used BH Cosmetics MS17, a soft grey)
• A pale duochrome lavender grey (MAC Crystal) 
• A brighter medium true purple (MAC Satellite Dreams)

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Step 1: Simply ground your look with some definition and shape by applying the smoky grey to the outer 1/3 of the lids and along the lower lash line. It should blend up to the socket line only, not any further as this isn’t a dramatic shape.

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Step 2: On the rest of the lids, and the inner half of the lower lash line, apply the soft lavender grey. If you have deeper skin tones, go for a truer purple because Crystal can end up looking just pure grey on very dark skin tones. 

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Step 3: Now pick up the strongest color, the medium bright purple (Satellite Dreams for me) and just pack that down the center of the lids, over a part of the pale lilac earlier. Without this step, the look can seem almost neutral because of how soft the pale shade was. This is the step that gives the look a little oomph and a beautiful transition from light to bright to dark.

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Step 4: Finish with mascara, and that’s all there is to it. 

L’oreal 2012 Miss Candy Collection Top Picks - Infallible Shadows in Innocent Turquoise and Sassy Marshmallows

L’oreal’s new Summer collection is out in drugstores and after hemming and hawing over the colors, here are my recommendations.

L’oreal Infallible Shadows in 031 Innocent Turquoise and 032 Sassy Marshmallow. These are the 2 out of 3 shades that I find to be more “worth the dollar”. (P.S. I’m not a huge fan of glosses that aren’t intensely pigmented, so I didn’t pick any of those up.)

The swatches of the 2 shadows are as above; Sassy Marshmallow (left) and Innocent Turquoise (right). 

Sassy Marshmallow looks like a straight-silver here but it’s a little more dimensional than that in real life. It’s an icy blue-toned platinum with subtle specks of turquoise and pink. It might not look like it, but this is the most unique shade of the 3, and I recommend you check it out if you can. This shade can be worn translucent (the vari-colored flecks will show up more) or packed on strong.

The second shade, Innocent Turquoise is more of a straight-up bright, shimmery Turquoise. Despite the white and yellow flecks, this just pulls a pure turquoise, unlike Sassy Marshmallow. The beauty is in the fact that this is a true, intense aqua.

Recommended only if you’re on the market for just such a shade and don’t have anything equivalent.