The Makeup Box

enunavida asked:

Hi! Could you please show us your take on the brown smokey eye/bronze summer look? Thanks!

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Sultry Evening Bronze

As some folks look forward to spring and summer, it’s a good time to whip out all the warm golden-caramel tones, but then you don’t want to go too heavy for Spring while most people are still looking quite pale from the Winter.

I’d suggest going really bronze on the eyes if you like, but reining everything in with a softer lip, just to keep things light and Spring-esque. This is more of an evening look, as the bronze is packed with more intensity, and the shadow shape is large as well. If you want to wear this for day, just keep the color within your lid/socket area and don’t blend up and out as far as I did.

Bronze can look quite brassy and unflattering sometimes when worn just as a wash over the lids, so I layered a lot of different tones to give it some depth and more richness.

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Step 1: I used a limited edition MAC Cream Color Base (Take Root) from the MAC Me Over collection onto the lids and then spread it up, thinning all the way to the brow bones. If you don’t have it, just try the brown side of ELF Butter Pecan, which is just US$1.

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Step 2: Apply a rich brown-bronze all over the cream base, buffing briskly in small circles to bring out the sheen of the shadow. I used The Body Shop #08 Single Eye Shadow, but a more intense version would be Lime Crime Diva Magic Dust.

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Step 3: Apply a darker coffee brown along the socket line from outer corners along the entire socket, but not touching the innermost corners. Try ELF Saddle shadow or The Body Shop #32. Blend it into the bronze so it’s not an obvious line along the crease, then run the remainder along the lower lash line.

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Step 4: Apply black kajal or gel liner along the tide- and water-lines.

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Step 5: Coat the black liner along water line with a light layer of the bronze brown, and then run the darker brown along the upper lash line.

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Step 6: Apply a sparkling copper over the center of the lids for a spark of warmth. I used MAC pigment in Copper Sparkle.

The finished look should just look bronze overall, but still be very multi-dimensional rather than one flat shade.

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On the cheeks:

I applied a bit of bronzer (MAC MSF in Comfort) along my cheekbones for a little contouring and then topped my cheeks with a shimmery pink (MAC MSF in Blonde).

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For the lips:

Step 7: Apply concealer to even out any varied tones on your lips.

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Step 8: Apply a soft pearly pink like NYX Jupiter (round lipstick) to bring out the bronze (or your tan!) on your face. Go for something sheer and glossy unless you want to look like an 80’s throwback!

Lip Mix: Alternative to Snob? (MAC Pink Nouveau + NYX Power Lipsticks)

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I don’t know why I’ve never tried this before…

If you think MAC Snob is a little too pale or ashy for your skin tone, but you really like the concept of a retro bright, creamy mauve, try this combination.

What you’ll get is a shade that is a touch more vibrant and saturated than Snob (or Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout), which is great if either of those look too grey or dull on your skin. 

The concentrated satin texture of Pink Nouveau thickens up the waxy texture of Power, so that you get a rich opaque creme that wears beautifully and does not settle into lines on your lips the way Power does usually. If you find MAC Satins a little too drying for you, this is also a perfect way to lighten it up.

Lip swatch: Blend of MAC Pink Nouveau and NYX Power without liner or base.

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For touch-ups, I just bring both out with me, and it doesn’t take a lot of blending or tools.

1. Apply a light coat of NYX Power over each lip, and then 
2. go over with MAC Pink Nouveau. 
3. Press your lips together a few times to make sure the color is even on both lips, and that’s about it!

Holiday Gift Ideas #4: The Makeup Addict’s Stocking Stuffer List

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The shelves are stocked with heaps of holiday gift sets and lovely limited edition items this time of year. But what do you do if you need to get a bunch of little gifts that don’t cost too much, because you need to give them to a bunch of people? (Not that we’re cheap, mind you.)

I think a lot of times, when we buy holiday gifts, we’re either paying for a bulk purchase (you buy more than you normally would due to everything being packed in a set) or you pay for a whole lot of expensive packaging. Well, you don’t have to buy “holiday” items as holiday gifts.

Sometimes it’s a lot more fun just putting great items together from your Favorites list, so here’s mine:

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1. NYX Lipstick Trio

There’s no such thing. Pick 2-3 nice shades, tie a pretty ribbon around them (the ribbon might cost more than each lipstick if you’re buying the Round ones), and you have a really great gift for anyone who likes creamy colors. You can buy 20-30 lipsticks and give them to a whole bunch of friends this way without breaking the bank, AND they’re actually mostly nice lipsticks.

Recommended Round Lipstick shades: Paris (soft mauve pink), Haute Melon (lustrous coral), Chic Red (va-va-voom crimson), Power (lavender nude), Tea Rose (warm blush-nude)

Recommended Black Label Lipstick shades: Cancun Pink, below (hot blue-based pink), Dusty Rose (my lips but better)

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2. [Splurge] Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector

A small but wonderful splurge for the people who are never without their lip balms. I’ve been using this for years, since before they changed the packaging. I love the warm vanilla-sugar scent and its cushy but not overly-thick feel.

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3. Mineral Eyeshadow Kit

You don’t have to splash out on Bare Escentuals, MAC, etc unless the person receiving the gift is a fan of the brand itself. Aside from skincare claims and other mambo-jambo proprietary ingredients (which are nice to have but not necessary), minerals, are minerals, are minerals. Check out brands like ELF, Everyday Minerals and a whole host of other online mineral sellers for a huge array of beautiful, affordable loose shadows. Match a few with some NYX lipsticks in a little mesh bag, and you have a really nice customized kit.

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4. Viva Glam

It’s not often that you get to treat someone - or yourself - while doing good.( All proceeds for this go to the MAC AIDS fund, if you haven’t heard by now.) Regardless of whether your intentions for getting this are 100% altruistic, it’s STILL going to a good cause. 

And now, while Viva Glam Gaga 1 is back, stock up your stockings!!

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5. A sigma brush, or two. Or three.

High-quality brushes at affordable prices? Yes, please. I’ve pretty much stopped lemming MAC brushes after discovering these.

[Pic source: talkingwithtami.com]

Soft Golden Ocean (120 Palette - 2nd Edition)

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A soft pale golden-beige is an extremely useful color for softening out stronger shades and making everything look more day-appropriate.

This is a soft eye look that you don’t have to limit to evenings. Just ditch the false lashes if you want to wear it to school or work.

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Step 1: Pack a soft champagne gold onto the inner 1/3 of the lids. Pale beige would work just as well. (This shade can be found in the same row as the black and greys if you’re using the 120 Palette 2nd Edition.)

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Step 2: Apply a soft sky blue to the rest of the lids, and run lightly along the socket line as well, to color the contour. 

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Step 3: With a deep blue, very gently color in the outermost corner of the lids, then run it along the lower lash line as well.

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Step 4: Apply black pencil along the waterline, and then black liquid liner along the upper lashes, extending outwards.

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Step 5: I’m applying dramatic, full lashes here, but feel free to just use mascara if you want to keep the look softer and more fuss-free. If you want to go for the lashes, it’s an option to apply them nearer to the outer corners to give yourself a doe-eyed effect. (The lashes end lower, so your eyes don’t tilt upwards.)

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To keep the focus on the colorful eyes, I kept the cheeks and lips very muted.

Other products used:

Base: Dr. Jart Silver Label BB Cream

Concealer: I Nuovi Undercover 3Y

Blush: NYX Angel

Lipstick: NYX Circe

Nails: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in #13 Celeb City

Fall Evening: Cherries and Violets (NYX Chic Red Round Lipstick)

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Rich, crimson lips can brighten up your complexion, and you don’t necessarily need to pair it with pale, neutral eye makeup or kitten liner. For nice Fall evenings (or just any night out on the town), you can pair colored eye makeup with strong lips if the application remains soft and smoky.

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Step 1: To soften the overall look if you have dark hair, lighten your hair a tad  with a light-colored brow mascara. I didn’t have any so I applied clear mascara, and then used a disposable wand to apply a metallic beige pigment over the coated brows. 

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Step 2: I  wanted to keep the look smoky so I chose a smoky purple instead of a bright (that would look too 80’s). Try The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette 07 in Ruby, which is a shimmery eggplant.

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Step 3: Apply a deep purple metallic liner along the lash lines and water line as well. To keep the lash line dark, apply liquid liner along the tide line (under the upper lashes) to cover up any white underneath. Skip this if you have runny eyes.

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

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For a little extra pop, you can always add a bit of brighter purple right in the inner corners. 

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There are many great dark red lipsticks, but one of the best and most affordable deep crimson shades that is not too orange, not too plum, not too brown, and not too black, is NYX Chic Red. It’s highly-pigmented, very creamy, and just a hair cooler-toned than a true scarlet, which makes it flattering on most skin tones.

For this look, I skipped powder and used just a bit of deep rosy blush (NYX Dusty Rose) because when I’m wearing a lot of stronger colors, dewier skin keeps everything from looking too old-fashioned.

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On the nails: Bourjois 1 Second Nail Enamel 7