The Makeup Box

Driftwood: Seafoam Green and Rich Bronze Look for Day (88 Warm Palette)

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Straightforward does not need to be boring. Here’s a look that you can easily wear for day because I matched a soft seafoam green with a rich brown and soft champagne. The green is almost “faded” in tone so it’s definitely a bit more fun, but not too loud for work or school.

The first shade is located near the bottom left corner of the 88 Warm palette. (You can get this from both Coastalscents.com as well as BHcosmetics.com. I don’t detect any difference in the quality and they’re likely to come from the same manufacturers.)

The Neutrals are near the central column. The first is a deeper cocoa bronze right at the bottom, right of the middle. The champagne comes higher up to the left of the center, a little above the maroon shade near the center of the palette. Both of the neutrals are shimmery, so if you prefer mattes, you can always replace the ones I used with similar shades on the palette.

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Step 1: Start by buffing the seafoam green onto the inner half of the lids.

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Step 2: Now, buff the rich bronze-brown onto the outer half of the lids. (This shade looks quite similar to MAC Bronze shadow, but is slightly lighter.)

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Step 3: Now, pack some pale champagne gold onto your brush and then spritz it with a little water, eye drops or Fix+. THEN pat it gently down the center of your lid, going over and building up as needed, until you get a nice gold sheen.

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Step 4: For definition, I ran a bronze pencil along the inner corner of the lower lid (Sephora Flashy Liner in Flashy Copper) and a dark navy blue to the outer half of the upper lid. I used a discontinued MAC pencil called Blooz, but as with all pencils, you can use ANY similar shade from any brand you choose. As long as the pencil has good color payoff, the brand doesn’t matter.

Then just finish by curling lashes and applying mascara or falsies as needed!

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.

Neo Noir: Dramatic Metallic Look

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I wanted to revisit the classic dark-eyes-dark-lips noir look, but update it a little with muted, mysterious colors on the lids. It’s actually quite a simple look to recreate.

I’m using limited edition crushed metallic pigments from MAC, but you can easily find alternatives in the permanent range. You will need:

• Black pencil
• Bright teal-green (Rain Drop pigment; alternative: MAC Steamy shadow)
• Pale silver-green (Moss Garden pigment; alternative: MAC Reflects Transparent Teal)
• Mascara

Alternatively, you can choose any color as long as you pair a bright medium shade and a coordinating pale glittery shade. Just remember that because you are applying the shadow over a black base, the shades you choose need to be a shade lighter/brighter than you intend them to be. If you’re not sure, just test it over black pencil on the back of your hand first.

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Step 1: I began by applying a very thick coat of black kajal to the entire lid, up to the socket line. Then I ran it along the loewr lash line as well.

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Step 2: Using a finger, very lightly smoke out the edges of the liner so you don’t have any harsh lines. It should just look like a smoky eye.

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Step 3: Laying the first shade; apply the medium shade onto the entire lid, over the black, leaving only the center empty. I used my fingers because that controls crushed metal pigments better, but if you’re using regular pigment or pressed shadow, just use a shadow brush.

When you’re done, just brush or gently smudge the color out at the outer corners to create faint wings.

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Step 4: With a damp flat brush, I picked up the more glittery, pale shade and smoothed it onto the center of the lid. Blend slightly into the first shade, but not too much.

Next, apply the pale shade to the innermost corners of the eyes as well.

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Step 5: Finish by touching up black liner along the water line, and then applying mascara.

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For the lips, I applied a dark liver-brown (MAC Amplified Lipstick in Deepest Wish), then kept the cheeks soft with a very light pink (Bourjois Eye Shadow #15).

Mermaid: Colored Smoky Eye (Navy, Teal, and Gold)

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I was inspired by my new nail polish (ZOYA Crystal, seen on my nails here) to create a more dramatic, colorful smoky eye using very oceanic colors like deep blue, green and pale gold. 

The central color for this look is blue.

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Step 1: I packed a dark navy blue (MAC Flashtrack) into the outer and inner corners using a soft blender brush, going up only to the socket line.

Run along the entire lower lash line as well.

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Step 2: Next, I applied a metallic teal (MAC Steamy) just inside the navy blue. Leave a strip of clear flesh right at the center.

On the lower lash line, dab the same shade right in the center (below).

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Step 3: The final shade is a pale blonde-gold right in the center. I used Vanilla from the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary palette, which is an exact dupe for MAC’s Vanilla pigment and Coastal Scents Elven Gold Hot Pot. 

I did not apply this shade along the lower lash line as that would make the eye look a little puffy and swollen there.

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Step 4: I applied black kajal along my upper and lower waterlines, and then finished with black mascara. 

Touch up the navy and teal if the color has faded by now.

Atlanteal (Aquataenia Palette)

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Welcome to the maiden voyage of the Aquataenia!

The team at Lime Crime generously sent me their new “Mermaid palette” for review, so I decided to give it a test-run via a tutorial instead so you can see and decide for yourself if you like how it does!

More detailed post with swatches to come at a later time.

Disclaimer: I am not paid by this, or any, company to give favorable features or reviews of products. Any opinions are strictly my own!

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Step 1: Apply the shimmery aqua shade (Atlanteal) onto the lid, within the crease area.

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Step 2: Using a smoky black (I just used my trusty Greed Palette from Wet n Wild; any black will do), apply black very lightly along the hollow of the eye socket from outside. Then blend the heck out of it.

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Step 3: With a thin brush, very carefully run the soft coral shade along the inner half of the socket line.

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Step 4: Run black liquid liner from the outside in. (Lay the flick first and then pull inwards in separate little strokes instead of trying to do it all in one single stroke.)

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Step 2: I applied mascara and then an aqua/teal metallic liner (Milani Liquif’ Eye in Aqua) along the lower waterline. This echoes the color of the lid.

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The finished look once again!

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Lime Crime products are vegan and cruelty-free.

The Aquataenia Mermaid palette retails for US$34.99.

Forest: Matte Teal and Metallic Pink-Bronze Cat Eye

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Dark matte teal isn’t a shade that I normally reach for, because green is a pretty dramatic color in many cases. To keep it from looking to flat and heavy, I’m contrasting it with a luminous bronze. MAC Pink Bronze, like its name implies, has an iridescent coral-pink sheen which stands out very well against a deep aqua-green like Revlon Matte Shadow in Tempting Teal.

I paired it with rather dramatic black gel liner so it’s not the typical smokey eye.

Step 1: Apply a dark black-toned base to the lid. This will keep the green very intense and deep.

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Step 2: Apply the deep teal green to the outer halves of lids, keep the inner corners bare. With a soft blending brush, gently spread the color inward along the socket line, and then outwards into a wing.

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Step 3: With the pink bronze pigment (you can use any metallic bronze or copper as well) pack the brighter color onto the inner halves of lids, overlapping the green that you spread inwards along the socket line.

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Step 4: Now the eye lids are done, apply a black gel liner thickly along the upper and lower lash lines, ending in a long, thick flick at the outer corners. The flick should be a straight, upward extension of the lower line.

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Step 5: Apply black mascara to finish.