Dark Eyeshadow, Done Right

Don't be afraid to use black eyeshadow!

My best friend decided to do what most college girls do for Halloween: dress up as a cat.

When she asked me to do her makeup, I though it would be the perfect opportunity to write a post on how to use black eyeshadow without looking like a hooker. She was going to a concert that night, so darker makeup was appropriate.  There's a fine line between makeup for a night out and makeup for a street-walker; this should help you stay on the right side of that line.

Products I Used:

• Urban Decay Naked 2 palette
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in 03 Skin Tone
• Prestige Liquid Eyeliner in black
• Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner in 261 Noir
• Angled eyeliner and shading brush
• Eyeshadow brush
• Clinique High Impact Mascara in black

1.  After you've applied your base, start by covering your eyelids with eyeshadow base.

2.  Apply your highlighter (I used "Bootycall") with an eyeshadow brush to the inner corner of your eyes and your brow bones (under the arch of your eyebrow).

3.  Apply a silver color (I used "verve") with an eyeshadow brush from the inside to the middle of your eyelids.

4.  Use the shading brush to apply a darker silver/grey color ("Pistol") to the outer half of your eyelids.

5.  Blend in towards mid-lid.

6.  Use your angled eyeliner brush to apply black eyeshadow ("Blackout") to the outer corners of your eyelids.

7.  Use the shading brush to blend.

8.  Use your eyeliner pencil to line your bottom lashes, and use liquid eyeliner to apply a winged line to your top lashes. Finish the look with mascara.

That's it!

Thanks for being my model, Shelby!

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

"Royals" Eyeshadow

I have been crazy obsessed with the song "Royals" by Lorde. Not only is the song catchy, but the makeup in the video is really fun. It's an easy look to copy, so I'll go over it in this post.

If you haven't seen the video, check it out!

We don't care. We're driving Cadillacs in our dreams.

 Products I Used:

• Urban Decay Naked 2 palette
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in 03 Skin Tone
• Eyeshadow brush
• Eyeliner brush
• Shading brush
• Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in 261 Noir
• Eyelash curler
• Ulta Voluptuous Volume Mascara in Black

Note: For this tutorial, I have already applied my base and concealer.

1.  First, apply eyeshadow base to your eyelids.

2.  Use your eyeshadow brush to apply a light nude or pink color to your eyelids. I used the "Bootycall" color from the Naked 2 palette.

3.  Apply your eyeliner along the upper lash line, without extending past the outer corner or your eye.

4.  Next, using your eyeliner brush, make a "v" shape on the outer corner of your eye with your black eyeshadow. I used "Blackout" from the Naked 2 palette.

5.  Using your eyeliner brush, bring the shadow inward along your eyelid crease, and along your eyeliner.

6.  Use your shading brush to blend inward. You can use your eyeliner brush after to make sure the outer corner is still defined.

7.  Finish the look with some mascara, and you're done!

Note:  I curled my lashes before applying mascara to give it a more dramatic finish.

"We're better than we ever dreamed. And I'm in love with being queen."

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Basic Eyeshadow

Sometimes, you want a more "done-up" look, but don't have much time beyond what it usually takes to slap on some eyeliner, mascara, and go.  In this post, I will go over a quick, two-color eyeshadow look.

Products I used:

• Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in 03 Skin Tone
• Eyeshadow brush
• Crease shadow brush
• Prestige Liquid Eyeliner in Black
• Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in 261 Noir
• Eyelash curler
• Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

Note:  As always, feel free to use drugstore substitutes for the more expensive products that I use.  Maybelline makes an "ExpertWear" line of eyeshadow duos that are quite excellent.

1.  First, cover your entire eyelid with the eyeshadow base.  This will help the shadow stay longer and give the color more consistency.

2.  Use your highlighter on both the inner corners of your eyes, as well as right underneath your brows (highlighted on one eye in picture below).  I use the "Bootycall" color from the Naked 2 Palette as my highlighter.

Note: All right, so technically this is a three color shadow, but I don't count the highlighter as a color.  You don't have to use a highlighter, but it gives the shadow a more finished look.

For my two shadow colors, I picked YDK and Busted.

3.  Next, use the lighter of the two colors, YDK, to cover from the inner corner to just past mid-lid with the eyeshadow brush (highlighted on one eye below).

4.  Using the crease brush, use the darker color for the outer corner of the eye, and blend into the crease.

5.  Finish the look with some eyeliner and mascara.

Note: I did put some eyeliner on the bottom lid, using the Rimmel pencil.  When I do my bottom liner, I go along the lash line, from the outer corner to about mid-eye.

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Base Basics

I decided that the best place to start was with the basics.  The first thing most people apply, before any kind of eye-shadow, lip color, etc., is some kind of foundation.

Problems with Foundation

Unless you are going to be in some sort of professional print or film work, you really don't need a heavy base.  Whenever I see a girl with what is commonly called "cake face,"  I can't help but cringe.  If you're not on a set, you should probably just focus on looking like a normal human being.  That mask of foundation is not fooling anyone.

I don't believe in using foundation on a daily basis.  Instead, you can use the following tricks with contouring to highlight your features in a very light way that looks natural.

How to Apply a Base

Products I used:

• Physician's Formula Gentle Cover Concealer Stick, in Yellow
• Physician's Formula Powder Palette, in Beige
• Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette
• A double-ended foundation and concealer brush (you can get these as two seperate brushes, as well)
• A mini kabuki brush (the normal size is too big for contouring)

I tend to use drugstore-brand products that are comparable to high end makeup, but I'll spend the extra on good quality products that are worth the price.  As a splurge, I would highly recommend UD Flushed to anyone that wants an easy bronzer/blush/highlighter combo.

If you're anything like me, as a full-time student who works over 40 hours a week, and has several responsibilities, you probably have those dark circles under your eyes that scream, "I haven't slept in years!"

1.  First thing's first: use your concealer stick to lightly dab concealer in a downward pointing triangle shape directly under your eye.  Blend in using either the concealer brush or with your finger.

2.  Next, use the foundation brush to lightly cover the concealer with a bit of powder.
Note: On some skin tones, you don't have to use a powder to "set" the concealer.  With mine, the yellow concealer blends better with a beige or translucent powder.

Now you're ready to contour!

3.  Next, use the bronzer of the Flushed palette to shadow under your cheekbones, using the mini kabuki brush.  An easy way to find your face's natural contour is by making the dreadful "duck face."  

Then, apply the bronzer lightly to your temples, and on either side of your nose.

Note: If you don't have the Flushed palette, you may use a bronzer of your choice.  Just make sure it is only a shade or two darker than your skin tone, so that it looks natural.

4.  Next, apply blush to your cheekbones, using the mini kabuki or a blush brush.  Start from the apple of your cheek and brush back towards your temple, as shown below.  You can also do a quick swipe across the middle of your nose, forehead, and chin.

Besides the Flushed palette, I'm also a big fan of the blushes in Maybelline's "Fit Me" line.  They are well-priced and easy to match to your skin tone.

5.  Last step to your base look is applying a highlighter.  You can apply the highlighter with your finger, in the areas I've highlighted below:

There you have it!  The idea is to highlight your features without covering them.  Here's a before/after photo without any added mascara, lip color, etc.  It just goes to show what a little contouring can do for your early-morning-sleepy-zombie face!

As you can see, my "before" picture is right out of the shower, and in the "after" shot, my hair is still wet.  That's how quick and easy it is to apply a base.  

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan