Mismatching colors for fun

I love to try new colors for makeup, like purple lipstick or blush. I used to make the mistake of thinking I had to match all the colors on my face, for instance, pink blush with purple lipstick, and maybe even purple eyeshadow too! But I've found I like mixing up the colors much better. Here I am wearing peachy coral blush with purple lipstick. Just the antidote I need for a cool, dreary day.

Don't call them hooded eyes, Part 3

Sophie Marceau

Matte eyeshadows are a beauty tool you can't do without if you have this beautiful eye shape. (French actress Sophie Marceau is another gorgeous example of this.) 

There's no need to swear off shimmer completely, but a calculated use of matte shadows in the crease is really helpful. If you usually start off with eye primer, try a matte one. Or if your primer has shimmer, like the classic Urban Decay (original formula), just put it on the lid and stop just short of the crease. Then take a light neutral matte shadow or even face powder, and dust it all over your crease and above, all the way to the brow. This lays down a friendly base to make it easier to blend everything else. It will also help prevent over emphasizing the large space beneath your brow. If you want a light eye, throw on any light color you like on the lid, add mascara, and you are done.

To make your eye shape look more conventionally molded, take a slightly darker neutral matte shadow, like a light to medium brown, and sweep it in your crease and just above. You can play with your eye shape by either making a rounded shape across your eye, or elongate your eyes by drawing it straight across and just past the outer corners of your eyes.

Add some liquid liner and you have a classic retro/pinup eye. Or if you like to play with color, there are lots of ways to add in some color. I'll post about that next time!

Let's not call them hooded eyes!

Is it just me, or does the label "hooded eyes" sound like an old-lady problem? When we speak of facial features or eye makeup, let's not say that anymore. Let's call them Scandinavian/Asian eyes, since you see them a lot in those populations. Or we could call them Blake Lively eyes, since she has them. And she's not exactly an old lady!

Blake Lively eyes make for all kinds of interesting challenges with eye makeup, but first we have to appreciate the beauty of this kind of eye. It's not a problem to solve, it's just a unique canvas for playing with makeup. And if your eyes started getting this way later in life, you have lots of company, both young and old.

Coming soon, some examples of eye makeup techniques to try!