The Makeup Box

One Basic Eye Tutorial, Countless Lip Options

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The easiest way to change up your look for different occasions during the holiday season is with lipstick, and as you can see, there are countless options; each one will give you a completely different look just by switching out the color.

I’m throwing in the eye tutorial because it’s really quick and simple. A straightforward neutral eye with a soft wing. 

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Step 1: Just use any brown shadow you have and apply it only on the mobile lid, under the socket line. You don’t want the shadow to turn into a smoky look and you don’t want the brown to be too obvious as well. It’s just there to define your eyes.

Pull along the lid and then fade outwards slightly.

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Step 2: For the liner, just hold your pencil or kajal vertical so it’s pointing skywards, and then set it down on the outer corner of your lid. Pull it inwards and downwards slightly, and you should get a nice line that is thick at the outer corners and thin at the inner corners. 

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Step 3: With a Q-tip or a pencil brush, smoke out the pencil with short, inward strokes. You can extend the outer wing a little, but still do it with INWARD strokes, because I find this gives you controlled and neat lines. Pulling it outwards is ok if you’re used to doing it, but if you’re not, you could end up with one side at a different angle than the other.

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Step 4: Apply mascara just as you would usually, and that’s all there is to it. You can wear false lashes if you want more drama.

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Step 5: On the cheeks, I just kept things very soft with a light pink (MAC Well-Dressed), and it’s barely visible. If you’re going with a darker or brighter lip, you CAN use a slightly stronger blush, but you don’t always have to.

MAC Ruby Woo: Matte Red Lipstick with Glasses and Nothing Else

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Swatches are:

1. Revlon Really Red (matte) - classic deep crimson; this is like Ruby Woo toasted until it’s a little more golden brown.
2. Wet n Wild Cherry Picking (matte) - goes on maraschino-cherry cool red on liht skins, fuchsia on dark skins.
3. MAC Ruby Woo (retro matte) - red-red; no other way to describ it. Zero shine on the lips.
4. MAC Russian Red (matte) - deep red with a base-tone of brown/plum.

Lips in a shade of rich crimson are a perfect accessory for those days when you don’t want to do much else on your face. For days you’re wearing glasses, it’s also great fun to pop on a super-strong lip to brighten up your face without doing anything to your eyes.

This might not be a look for everyone but give it a shot before you say nay.

Some other tips:

• Just apply a bit of concealer where needed, blot your skin (if you like the matte look).
• Groom or fill in your brows if yours are sparse. You don’t want a very strong lip and then barely-there brows. The lower half of your face will look done, and your upper half undone.
• If your glasses are quite big and statement-ey, go easy on the blush and eye shadow (light, neutral tones), or dispense with them entirely if you can get away with it. It will all look a bit too 80’s to have big glasses with colorful shadow, strong blush AND red lips. (You’d just need to throw in shoulder pads and teased hair to complete the look.)

Best Red for You?

There are a few different categories for reds.

There are neutrals (red-reds like Ruby Woo, or deeper tones like Russian Red), cools (cherry or burgundy tones like Cherry Picking or Diva), warms (Lady Danger, NYX Pure Red), and this alone confuses tons of people. The one thing you need to remember is that reds appear different on different people, which is why some people find the shade “Russian Red” looks fuchsia-toned on them, and some people find it looks orange/brown-toned. 

Also, don’t just take it as is when you read or hear about how “warm reds” look good on “warm or yellow toned skin” and “cool reds” only look good on “cool or pink toned skin”. I have very yellow-toned skin but I love both warm and cool reds equally. It all depends on the effect you are going for and what makeup you are wearing on the rest of your face.

Like the most-popular question I get, “I have xx colored eyes; what eye shadow would look good on me?”, I’m going to tell you again - NOBODY can give you a prescribed formula for a perfect red lipstick for you, because you need to factor in your “entire self”, including differences in hair tones, eye colors, blusher/cheek tones, natural lip tone, skin tone changes over the year, clothing, and your personal taste. The best way to understand what tones look good on you is to go to a counter with minimal makeup and neutral clothing (white, black, grey) and apply it right to your lips.

Try it sheer as a stain, and try it opaque like a pin-up lip. If you have very dark and pigmented lips, remember the lipstick will appear different from how it looks in the tube.

In general, if you’re starting out with red, I suggest going for something that is a bit deeper than true red, as true reds can tend to pull a bit orange/pink against different skin tones whereas a deeper red can stand its ground better against various skin tones.