makeup

AN EYE FOR GLITTER

photos + sponsored post by amy nadine, graphic design by eunice chun

It’s hard to walk the line with glitter… it’s way too fun to pass up, but we don’t want to end up looking like Vegas showgirls when we’re just going out to dinner! Here’s the perfect balance to dress up your eyes in a chic + effortless fashion.

TOOLS: gold + burgundy powder eye shadows, glitter cream shadow, black liquid liner, your favorite mascara, black kajal liner, a crease brush, a medium flat-head brush.

  1. With the crease brush, apply the light gold shadow just above your crease all the way up to your brow bone. Then trace the remainder along your lower lashline.
  2. Using the flat-head brush, apply the burgundy shadow in a half-moon shape just along and above the crease. Then sweep an additional layer along your lower lashline.
  3. Apply the glitter cream shadow all over the lid directly from the shadow stick, building layers until you have a good amount of product deposited. I used Jemma Kidd Makeup Stardust Creme Shadow in Cosmos but Comet is gorgeous too! Smooth out any clumps with your finger.
  4. Line your upper lashline with the black liquid liner, winging it out if you wish. I used Too Faced Liguif-eye Liquid Liner because it won’t feather or disappear.
  5. Apply a couple coats of your favorite mascara. I used By Terry Terrybly Mascara on Carissa because it’s formulated with a lash-growing serum so every day that you use it, it helps grow more lashes!
  6. Finish by lining your inner waterline with the black kajal liner.

    7. By now you’ve probably noticed that we find a ton of our makeup + hair must-have’s on one of our most favorite beauty sites, Beauty.com… so we have to share with you something kinda major! From today until Friday at midnight PST, they are having their annual Friends & Family 20% Off Event. It’s a pretty big deal because when was the last time you got to save on your favorite prestige makeup brands? Um, never! So when Beauty.com gives us 20% off our entire order, we take notice!

makeup

OH LA LASHES

photos + post by amy nadine, design by eunice chun

This fun DIY project is to show you how many options you have with false lashes and the degrees of drama that come with each. You don’t have to buy accent or individual lashes when you can just make your own by cutting them however you wish.

TOOLS: Ardell Demi Wispies False Lashes (those are my favorites but you can use any style), Small Scissors, DUO Lash Glue (I prefer the clear/white shade so it dries clear)

HOMEMADE INDIVIDUALS: Cut them in between any groupings (some groupings have more hairs than others). I used three on my assistant Carissa but you can use as many/few as you like. Notice how with individuals you can flare them outwards more for a winged effect. **TIP: let the glue get “tacky” for 2 minutes so you can literally just stick them on the lashline and they won’t turn or slide.

HALF (ACCENT) STRIP: Cut the strip in half and use either end (I prefer the end that would have been on the inside corner even though you’ll place it on the outside corner). Trace the glue along the band, wait two minutes, place it directly on your lash line then squeeze the false lashes together with your own lashes using your index finger + thumb. Notice how the lashes “sit up” more when they are bound together as opposed to when they are by themselves.

FULL STRIP: Again, let the glue get tacky for two full minutes then place directly on lashline.  Notice how the lashes sit up even more and appear longer when they are all attached on a long strip. **TIP: if the strip is longer than your lashline, hold it next to it for sizing then trim off the excess length. I also went in and trimmed around a few of them to make a few “wispies” longer than the rest.

The possibilities are endless. For some red carpets, I use a full lash strip then add an accent half strip on top of it on the outside corners for extra drama. Have fun!

makeup

SHADOW FOCUS: EYE COLOR

photo: larry busacca, post + design by amy nadine

Customizing your makeup can seem daunting but can actually be really fun if you learn the laws of the color wheel. Of course makeup is a form of expression and you can always choose colors depending on your mood, fashion, occasion, etc., but if you want to know what shades actually bring out the best in your own features, you’ll love our new feature throughout this month on eye colors + their complementary shadow shades. In the color wheel there are primary, secondary and complementary colors but I’ll let your art teacher explain the details of each and I’ll simplify it for you as easily as possible: if you want to find the best shades for your eye color, find the shade that is directly across from it.

Start by looking at the blue “slice” then find the slice directly across from it, it’s orange. So if you want your eyes to look as blue as possible, find a variation of orange and your eyes will really pop. For last night’s MET Gala, I was lucky enough to do Mad Men’s Jessica Paré’s makeup and knew I wanted to make it all about her blue eyes! So I choose rose gold, copper + gold to do the trick while still being elegant, and I’m so happy with how it turned out! With a dampened brush, I used Chanel Eye Quad in Eclosion with the copper shade along the top + bottom lash lines, the rose gold shade on the lid and the gold shade from the crease all the way up to the brow bone (you can just do the crease, I wanted extra drama because the MET Gala is like the Oscars for Fashion!). Then I anchored the metallic shades by rimming the inner waterline with black (to really frame her baby blues) and finished with a strip of wispy lashes.

Next week: BROWN EYES, my all-time favorite color to work with!

makeup

TBD STUDY: THE WATERLINE

photos + post by amy nadine, design by eunice chun

I wanted to do this particular experiment to show you how the laws of shading apply to the waterline as well: lighter colors reflect and open up areas by bringing them forward while darker colors absorb and close up areas by pushing them back. So once again my lovely assistant Carissa loaned me her baby browns so we could capture the three looks and report the differences.

WHITE LINER: This definitely opened up the eyes and made them appear the biggest, but in a more obvious way as one can see the white liner. But who cares as it’s a chic throwback to Sixties, especially if you were to pair it with a liquid winged liner and contoured crease. I used Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Liner in Blanc because its color payoff is unmatched.

NUDE LINER: This also opened up the eyes, making them look larger, but in a very natural and undetectable way. I seriously doubt anyone would notice you took the extra 5 seconds to rim them with liner, but they’ll notice your eyes look bigger. I used Stila Kajal Liner in Topaz.

BLACK LINER: This closed up the eyes and made them look a little smaller, but in return, they look way more piercing, as if they could look right through someone! That’s worth giving up a little in size, I think. And call me crazy, but somehow it makes her eyes look a little further apart from each other, don’t you think? Hmm… interesting… anyway, this is a must for nighttime fun as it completely changes your look. I used NARS Larger Than Life Longwear Liner in Via Veneto because I know it really lasts and won’t wear away after an hour.


makeup

TBD OBSESSION: JEWELMINT

photos by jewelmint, design by eunice chun, sponsored post by amy nadine

As a makeup artist designing looks for my clients, I always get my inspiration from what they’re going to wear (like we all do!). Sometimes I do the classic pairing (red dress with a red lip) and other times I like to rebel a little against the obvious (red dress with a pink/orange lip). Really it’s all about our moods that day… and the same goes with jewelry. Accessories are the perfect way to further your form of expression and can really make an outfit come alive. And jewelry is another amazing source of inspiration for your makeup and can be tied together the same way you’d match a red shoe with a red bag or clash a lace top with spiked earrings. Here are our latest four obsessions from Kate Bosworth + Cher Coulter’s Jewelmint line and how you can make a statement together with your makeup:

BRIGHT STATEMENT EARRINGS (MATCH IT): This is an occasion where you’ll want to match it with your lip color. It doesn’t have to be the same color, it just also has to be bright. Try these fun Thunderbird Earrings paired with a bright matte hot pink lipstick, then balance the lip with a soft gold shadow.

BOHEMIAN RING (CLASH IT): Yes the colors are bright but the feel is hippie and boho, so don’t match the colors but clash it instead by understating your makeup. Keep everything light + airy by swapping foundation with a tinted moisturizer and add a sweep of bronzer for a “I’ve been hanging at SXSW all day” kind of look, perfect for this Dahlia Blossom Ring.

ART DECO NECKLACE (MATCH IT): Here’s another case where I’d match the retro necklace with retro makeup for a chic + timeless look. So wing that liner and really fill in your brows for a strong look perfect with this Shanghai Eclipse Necklace.

MIXED METALS RINGS (CLASH IT): The obvious choice would be to pull the gold + silver from the Yves Rings and match it with your eyeshadow. But something about that feels a little too contrived… so leave the lids bare and highlight your lashes instead by using a natural-bristled mascara wand for a full and soft look. Then add a peachy glow directly along your cheekbones to keep everything earthy yet ethereal.

Haven’t signed up for Jewelmint yet?! No worries! They’re offering 20% off the first purchase for new members by clicking here! xoxo