Tutorial: Super Quick and Easy Smokey Eye

Since I have not posted a tutorial in awhile, I thought I would share this extremely easy and quick look.  It is probably the most fool-proof way of achieving a smokey eye, in my opinion.  You really only need three makeup products to achieve this look.

You will need a cream eyeshadow or cream/gel eyeliner product (I used Stila's Smudge Pot in Brown), a neutral eyeshadow for blending (I used the shade "Tease" from my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette, which is a mauvey-taupe color), and a regular eyeliner pencil in either black or brown (on this day, I used Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Zero).  You will also need two makeup brushes; a flat, synthetic eye shadow brush (a concealer brush will work perfectly if you do not have a synthetic eyeshadow brush) and a small blending brush.  

***This is a side note, but I bought a Wayne Goss flat eyeshadow brush at the Makeup Show last weekend and it is seriously amazing- so soft, and applies product beautifully!  If you are in the market for new makeup brushes, these are pretty nice and are sold in handy kits (eyes, face, etc).***

Anyway, back to to business!

1.  Apply foundation, concealer, complexion products of your choice.  If you are new to the smokey eye technique, you can always start with your eye makeup instead, which allows you to clean up any shadow fall out.  Since we are starting with a cream based product, there really shouldn't be much mess though:)

2.  Dip your flat eyeshadow brush into your cream eyeshadow/eyeliner product.  Using a tiny bit of product, start pressing the eyeshadow color all over your eyelid.  Repeat over entire eyelid and then on the other eye.  Take the skinny side of the brush and the cream shadow and draw a line under your lower eyelids, starting at the inner corner and drawing toward the outer corner.  This does not need to be perfect, since you will be smudging in the next step!

3.  Take your blending brush and start blending all over the eyelid in circular motions.  Blend upward toward the crease of your eyelid, so the color starts looking diffused.  Gently swipe the blending brush back and forth along your lower lash line as well.

4.  Dip your blending brush into a neutral eyeshadow and using a windshield wiper motion, blend the eyeshadow into the crease of your eyelid.  Once again, gently swipe the brush over the lower lash line carefully.

5.  Using your pencil liner, if you wish, line the waterlines of the eyes.  This helps enhance the smoldering effect of the smokey eye look.

6.  Curl lashes and apply your favorite mascara- and groom brows, of course!

There you have it!  Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the products or instructions in this post.  If you try this look, please let me know what you think:)

Tutorial: Violet / Cranberry Smokey Eyes

If you read my last blog post, you saw I just bought a bunch of MAC products including several eyeshadows to fill a palette.  I have never been a huge fan of MAC's eyeshadows, but my recent purchase is leaving a good impression.  The shadows are all very pigmented and do not crease or fade.   Now that I know they are up to par, I put together this tutorial for a smokey eye look with some of the eyeshadows I bought.  You can use any eyeshadow, as long as the colors are similar it should give the same look.

1.  Apply shadow primer of your choice.  As you know, I love Urban Decay Primer Potion.

2.  Use a slightly iridescent cream color on the inner corner/tear duct of your eye.  I used MAC Shroom.

3.  On the inner corner of your eye, apply a light peach-pink shadow.  Here, I used MAC Gleam.

4.  On the middle of the eye, apply a medium pink-purple.  I used MAC Star Violet.

5.  On the outer v of the eye and crease, apply a dark purple.  I used MAC Sketch.  Blend everything with a blending brush with a windshield wiper motion.

6.  Apply a waterproof black eyeliner in the upper and lower waterlines.  Smudge with a q-tip or pencil blending brush.  For this look, I used Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Zero.  

7.  Smudge some of the dark purple shadow into the lower lash line.  

8.  Curl eyelashes and apply lots of mascara.  I used L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Effect mascara.

Thought I would share: MAC Haul

If you are like me, seeing makeup others have in their collection or have purchased is strangely addictive and fun.  I recently renewed my MAC Pro Membership, so I had a little shopping spree.

Assorted eyeshadows (Shroom, Gleam, Star Violet, Sketch, Carbon, Woodwinked, Soot, Plum Dressing, Sumptuous Olive), liquid eyeliner (Boot black), lipstick (Heroine), Chromaline cream liner (Black), mixing medium, glitter (Gold), lipmix (Clear Gloss), and powder puffs.

This is what I bought.  I actually love the eyeshadows and lipstick a lot.  The rest I have not yet tried, but since they will be going into my freelance kit, I am sure they will come in handy.  Just thought you might like a peak!

Urban Decay Naked 2 Tutorial (and new hair!)

I wanted to share a quick and easy tutorial using the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette.  If you do not have the Naked 2 palette, any range of neutral eyeshadows should work.  The palette is definitely worth the money if you are in the market for new eyeshadow, just putting it out there:)

My new hair color and the makeup look in the tutorial:)

1. Apply complexion products as you prefer. I applied my normal moisturizer, Bareminerals foundation, concealer under my eyes and on red spots.

2.  Apply bronzer (Nars Laguna is my go-to) around the hairline, cheekbones, jawline and down the nose.

3.  Swirl on blush of your choice.  I almost always use Nars Orgasm, but since the rest of the look is pretty neutral, any pink or peachy shade should work well.

4.  Prime eyelids with a primer you like.  I always use Urban Decay Primer Potion, since it is the BEST for keeping shadow in place all day.  I also recommend putting a little on the lower lash line too.

5.  Using a shader (flat) brush, apply Suspect (a light shimmery beige) to the inner corners of the eyes to about a third of the way across the lid, blending it slightly toward the tear duct.

6.  Next, apply Snakebite (a medium bronze) to the remaining two-thirds of the eyelid.  Then use a eyeshadow blending brush to lightly blend the colors together.

7.  On the outer "V "of the eyes, apply Busted (a deep burgundy) with a pencil blending brush.  Again with the regular eyeshadow blending brush, blend all three colors together in a windshield wiper motion.  When blending, you should make sure the shadows look like a gradient rather than three separate, disjointed colors.

8.  With a pencil blending brush, apply Snakebite to the lower lash line.

9.  Apply black eyeliner of your choice to the upper lash line.  I chose MAC Fluidline for this look.

10.  Line waterline of lower eyelid with a brown eyeliner (softer than black, but still makes eyes look sultry).  I used Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Whiskey.

11.  Curl lashes, apply mascara, and groom brows.

11.5.  Totally optional, but add your favorite pink lip color.  I used Bite Beauty lipstick in a fuchsia shade.

And there you have it:)  Please let me know if you have any questions or comments about this tutorial or anything else!

New Year's Eve Makeup Inspiration!

I know it is a little last minute, but I wanted to share my NYE inspiration for tomorrow evening's party look!

Beyonce looking gorgeous, a model rocking some serious liner, and Leighton Meester.

The dress I am wearing (ordered from Rent the Runway for the first time, btw!) is silver and black, and instead of going with the typical smoky eye I am going to rock the classic red lip and cat eyeliner look.  I may even add a pair of full false lashes to bring the look to the next level.  My top choices for the evening: MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack and Rouge Dior Lipstick in 999 Ara Red.  

I promise to update this post with a photo of me from tomorrow evening.  Maybe even a tutorial

perhaps?!

What makeup look are you planning on rocking tomorrow evening?  Please feel free to comment below:)

Update / photo from NYE:

Me and my husband being goofy at the photo booth:) 

A Peak Inside My Vanity

I posted this photo on my Instagram account a couple days ago, and it seemed to draw some interest, so I figured to share it on the blog as well:)  This is my vanity drawer!

From left to right: Assortment of makeup brushes (mostly from MAC, but a couple are Smashbox, BareMinerals, and Sigma); Eyeliners and lip liners (MAC, Urban Decay, Marc Jacobs, Tarte, Nars, Stila, NYX Cosmetics, Tom Ford, Smith's Rosebud Salve); Complexion products, eyeshadows, mascaras, primer, etc (Naked 2 palette,  Benefit Dallas Bronzer, Dior Glow Blush, Nars Orgasm Blush, Nars Laguna Bronzer, Buxom Bronzer, BareMinerals foundation and tinted moisturizer, Aquaphor, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Potion, Nars Concealer, YSL Touche' Eclat, Bobbi Brown Concealer Stick, MAC Omega Shadow (brows), assorted mascaras (L'Oreal, Buxom, Dior). 

Obviously, I have a bit of a product problem:)  However, I use most of these products and what I don't end up using either is given away or makes its way into my freelance kit.  The greatest thing about makeup is that it is relatively inexpensive (depending on the brands of course) and works so well as an accessory to any outfit.  It is always helpful to look at reviews, pins on Pinterest, Instagram, etc, but find what works for you and go with it.  Makeup should enhance your own features, rather than making you look like another person.  Buy and use what suits YOU and rock it!

If you have any questions about any of the products seen here (or anywhere else), please let me know in the comments section. 

 *I also wanted to mention that I am not given any free products to review (I am not big time enough yet!).  If I mention something I love, it is something I have actually purchased and use.  

Inspiration of the Week: Dramatic Cat Eyeliner

So, if you know me (or follow me on Instagram or Pinterest), you probably are already aware of the fact that I am OBSESSED with cat eyeliner.  Right now, I am into a even more dramatic cat eye with little eyeshadow and flawless skin.  I tend to go back and forth between a felt tip liquid eye liner (try Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner (prestige) or Prestige Cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner (drugstore)) and a gel eyeliner (try MAC Cosmetics Fluidline or Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Gel Liner with a stiff angled or pointed brush (like Sigma's E65 Small Angle brush).  Liquid and gel formulas give a more precise, defined line, than pencil formulas.  Try resting your elbow on a table or vanity while you draw the line, which helps keep your hand steady.  Getting the perfect line and flick takes practice, but once you learn, it is pretty simple.  Something else that makes this look easier to achieve?  Pointed cotton swabs and some eye makeup remover to help clean up any mishaps and make the cat eye flick as precise as possible.

All photos from Pinterest (original sources unknown) and collage created in Pic Collage.

Oh, and don't forget to fill in those brows!

Inspiration of the Week: Brown smokey eyes

This week I have been forgoing my usual cat eyeliner and instead have been really into a simple brown smokey eye.  It is a great way to enhance any eye color and can be done pretty easily, as long as you have a good black or brown eyeliner and a brownish eyeshadow.  You can decide if you prefer the shadow to be shimmery or matte, and you can smoke it out as little or as much as you want. Top with mascara, groom your brows, and you are good to go.

All images from Pinterest.  Collage via Pic Collage App.

Product love: Tarte SmolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner

I have been using Tarte's SmolderEYES liner on and off for awhile now, but seem to always come back to it when I am in the mood for a simple, lasting smokey eye.  This Tarte eyeliner comes in a jumbo pencil with a smudge applicator on the opposite end.  The waterproof formula is creamy and easy to blend, and comes in a variety of colors.  The best thing about this product is you can create a smokey eye in 2 steps, and who doesn't love that?! Normally when I use this liner I start with Urban Decay primer on my lids, then quickly swipe on a similar shade of eyeshadow to the liner.  You can DEFINITELY use the liner as a shadow, but I think it blends better with powder shadow underneath it.  Then just line your upper and lower lash line, smudge with the smudge brush, and apply mascara.  

AND the Amazonian clay and minerals contained in this product prevents flaking, keep skin nourished and makes the color extra-vibrant.  

A quick phone photo with the liner...please note that the makeup was applied about 8 hours ago!