A Purple and Red Eye-popping FOTD (for glasses-wearers)

One of my favourite eye make-up looks is to wear one (at least) shade on my eyelid and another along my lower lashline. Here's a version I've worn a few times to work lately. 

I've been wearing glasses to work since last year, and it's still unsettling for me. I still don't recognize myself and I still struggle to come up with eye makeup looks. My eyesight is poor meaning my glasses are a strong prescription so my eyes look smaller when I'm wearing them, and because I can't see well without them, putting eye makeup on can be difficult. Liquid/gel eyeliner, for example, is impossible to do properly on my left eye when I'm not wearing my contact lenses. I try to find looks that are simple, flattering and help make my eyes stand out behind my glasses.

Anyway, enough complaining and more about the point of this post. This is a colourful but wearable, simple look that make my eyes pop from behind glasses or not.

Here are some close-ups of my eyes.

The products I used for my base are Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in N115 all over my face, with MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20 under my eyes as well as on any areas that needed more coverage. I set it all with a combination of Ben Nye Neutral Set and Pari Mineral Glow. My eyes are primed with Art Deco Eyeshadow Base. Even though this stuff does not work on me, I keep trying just in case it might someday because I hate wasting product. I do find that it does allow whatever eyeshadow you apply on top of it be true, in that it gives it a base to adhere to and in doing so, it's exactly the colour it is in the container. What it fails at is keeping it from creasing. In the photo two above, you can see some fading in my eyeshadow crease. I applied (the amazing) Anastasia Dipbrow in Auburn through my brows to fill them in, give them shape, and to alter the colour to match my hair colour better. 

On my eyes I applied MAC's Heritage Rouge (dirty brown plum) pigment to my eyelids, starting in the inner corner, working across the lid and up into my crease blending it out towards my browbone. I also carried it out into a winged shape on the outside of my eyes.

I kept applying it until I got the effect I wanted. Along my lower lashline, I smudged L'Oreal Paris Infallible in Purple Obsession. The more I blended, the less purple it looked, so I kept adding and blending until I got both a soft, smudged effect and the colour I wanted. 

For some more definition along my lashline, I smudged MAC's Embark eyeshadow, a warm matte reddish-brown colour that adds a touch of definition but doesn't compete with either the Heritage Rouge or the Purple Obsession.

I curled my lashes and applied lots of Givenchy Noir Couture Volume Mascara in Black Taffeta.

On my cheeks I applied a combination of MAC's Stunner and Warmth of Coral blushes to give my skin some colour and to keep it soft so it didn't compete with my eyes.

And for a final touch, I dusted my skin all over with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light, which gives the skin a light glow, and blurs imperfections. 

On my lips, I'm wearing just a sheer lip balm. It's not that I wouldn't and don't wear a lip colour with this look, though I do (usually a MLBB shade). My lips have been chapped and dry lately and lip balm is about the only thing I can wear on them. 

And there you have it - my colourful, my-eyes-are-still-here-behind-these-glasses, fun and simple.

- C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - January 19, 2013

Hello there lovelies! It's been a busy weekend so this Round-Up is getting posted later than usual, but we appreciate your patience mightily. But no more delay, let's show you our links.

• First up, this gorgeous bronzy look from Sam Chapman and Real Techniques. 
• A step-by-step GIF tutorial on how to cover up undereye circles. 
• A very simple DIY anti-aging eye cream using coconut oil, Vitamin E and rose oil. 
• This tutorial makes me wish I had long hair - the soft and romantic Double Gibson.
• Look at this incredible makeup (and outfit) on the stunning Lupita Nyong'o on the cover of Dazed Magazine.
• Elle Canada's never fail eyeliner picks. 
• Karen of the Makeup and Beauty Blog takes a look at Essie's Resort 2014 collection.
• Are you a Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat fan? Have you never heard of it? Read on. 
• Beauty editor picks for their favourite products via Elle Canada.
• The beauty industry and the conflicting social, psychological and economic rewards and penalties of appearance obsessions are examined in a new photo book called Love Me by Zed Nelson. 

Navy Smoke EOTD with Copper and Rose Compliments

This look was inspired by a look I've seen a number of times, typically on women with dark skin. Gayle King was a guest judge on the season finale of Project Runway Allstars which aired last week and had a deep blue matte smoky eye and it inspired me to take a look to see if I had the colours in order to try it out on myself. 

Turns out I don't have a matte deep blue/navy blue to work with but I have some shimmery deep blues and I tried them out. 

This is what I came up with and I like it! It's a great take on the smoky eye and this look would work well on most skintones, particularly on darker skintones and with brown eyes (the navy is a perfect contrast for brown eyes). 

This look looks a lot darker and less shimmery in person than it photographs. The flash obviously picks up the shimmer in the eyeshadow. I'd love to try this using matte eyeshadows. 

I used this Lisa Eldridge video as inspiration, though I didn't use the same products. 

The products I did use are:

• Calvin Klein Tempting Glance Intense Eyeshadow in Midnight Blue (shimmery navy blue)
• Sleek Makeup Ultra Matte Eyeshadow in Ink (matte deep sapphire blue)
• MAC Frost Eyeshadow in Deep Truth (shimmery true dark blue)
• Bloom Eye Definer in Black 
• L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black

1. I started by pressing Midnight Blue onto my eyelid with an eyeshadow brush. Since I wasn't getting good pigmentation from it so I added some Ink to it, focusing on my eyelid. I wanted a dark blue, as dark as I could get so I layered and layered. I'll try this look again but using Ink instead of Midnight Blue, which I think is too old and dried out to use, though the shimmer of it nice for this look.

2. With a clean eyeshadow brush, I blended out the edges, making sure I had some shadow slightly above my eye crease. Blending is the key to wearing dark colours and for doing a smoky eye. You have to make sure there are no harsh edges. So blend and add and blend some more until you get the look you want - darker on the lid and towards the lashline and softening at the crease and above. 

3. Once I had the shape and effect I wanted, I used black eyeliner to line my waterline, working it into my lashline and smudging it slightly above. This step is key to a smoky eye look. If your eyes are particularly sensitive or tend to water, look for a pencil designed for sensitive eyes or a water-resistant version. 

4. To add a touch of brightness, I used an eyeshadow brush to apply a bit of Deep Truth to my crease about 1/3 from the inside corner of my eye. I also dabbed it to my lower inner eye. It's subtle but adds a brightness to the look.

5. I curled my lashes using my Shu Uemera eyelash curler and applied three coats of L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black.

6. To compliment it, I filled in my brows with a bit of MAC Wedge (muted matte beige taupe) and Embark (matte reddish brown) eyeshadows and because blue and orange compliment each other, swept MAC Mineralize Blush in Warmth of Coral (coral-peach) along my cheekbones using an angled blush brush. On top of my cheekbones, to highlight, I swirled a little bit of MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb (soft peach nude with multidimensional shimmer).

7. I wanted to keep my lips muted but softly enhanced, so I applied MAC Lipglass in Full For You. It's a MLBB gloss for me and one of the few lipglosses I wear (I'm much more a lipstick girl than a gloss girl). It adds a subtle rosy colour and of course, shine.

8. My base is my usual Sleek BB Cream with OCC concealer under my eyes and on red spots, but I used a dusting of MAC Studio Fix on my t-zone to give me a mattified look rather than my usual loose powder.

Overall, I quite liked this look. It wasn't quite what I was aiming for, but without a deep matte navy blue in my makeup collection, I wasn't going to achieve it. Still, this is a very wearable, fun, flattering, edgy blue-purple smoky eye that reminds me of the makeup looks I used to wear when I was younger. I never used to go out at night without a smoky eye. 

You could do this look with shades of brown or grey if you wanted a more traditional smoky eye. Or try it with purple or green or burgundy. 

Blues on the eyes are fantastic for making brown eyes pop. So take note, brown-eyed guys and gals!

Black liner in the waterline makes all eye colours pop. Without it, this look on me might not be so flattering. The blue of the shadow would overpower the blue of my eyes without the black liner. 

It's a very simple look. I used three different eyeshadow colours, but could've gotten away with just two - the dark blue and the brighter blue as highlight. And a black eyeliner pencil, that's it. This look is all about the blending. It should look soft, with no harsh lines. 

What's your favourite colour to do a smoky eye with?

C.

Beauty Squared Beauty Lessons: The Perfect Red Lip

A reader asked us to do a post about red lips - what products and tools to use and the steps to achieving the perfect red lip. 

In this post we'll look at the products you'll need, including the lip colours, and what you'll need to do to wear a red lip. No major sacrifices, we promise, but the red lip is a powerful thing and must not be worn casually (OK, maybe once and a while it can be). This lesson will focus on doing a classic red lip like Marilyn Monroe or Dita von Teese. 

What you'll need:

• the lipstick (see Step one)
• a lipliner that matches your lipstick
• a clean, dry toothbrush
• Kleenex
• a rich, moisturizing lip balm
• a lip brush

Step one: Choose your product. 

You'll want to choose a matte lipstick in a bold true red, like MAC's Ruby Woo (widely known in the beauty world as a universally flattering red). If Ruby Woo is not for you, check out NARS' Dragon Girl or MAC's Russian Red. 

Step two: Prep your lips. 

Wash your face and prep with moisturizer. Using a clean, dry toothbrush gently exfoliate your lips in a circular motion. The skin on your lips is thin so be gentle. This step will remove any dry, dead skin.

After exfoliating, apply a rich, creamy lip balm. It will absorb into your freshly scrubbed lips and provide a smooth surface for your lipstick application later. Moisturizing your lips before applying lipstick will also help to keep your lips from drying out.

Step three: Perfect your skin. 

You'll want to have the most perfect skin you can possibly achieve if you want to pull off this kind of lip look. If your skin is good on its own, lucky you! Otherwise, foundation, concealer and powder need to be applied. Take the photo of Dita above as your inspiration as well as this one of Marilyn Monroe.

You want an even-toned, well powdered (but not powdery) complexion. Keep the rest of your look simple and neutral but polished - a bit of eyeliner, some false lashes (if you like), neutral eyeshadow, some light blush or bronzer, and well-groomed brows.

*My favourite way to wear a red lipstick in this classic style is with a line of liquid eyeliner, flicked out at the end, a neutral matte eyeshadow that matches my skin tone but brightens it (IE. MAC Brule) on the lid, a neutral matte crease colour like MAC Wedge, and a soft highlight on the brow (IE. MAC Shroom).  Maybe a little bit of Wedge underneath the eye. Lots of mascara and maybe some false lashes. I'll use a soft, warm blush to softly contour my cheeks and temples or add a soft pink to my apples, very, very lightly. I'll shape my brows into the classic 50s shape (slightly squared off at the start and gracefully arched and elongated).

Step four: 

Line your lips. First blot your lips to remove any excess lip balm. Any excess will make your lips slippery and your liner and lipstick will have trouble adhering. Messy! With a sharpened lip liner line the outside of your lips carefully. The best way to do this is is to smile with your lips closed to draw the skin of your lips as taut as possible. Follow your natural lip line and if your lips aren't naturally even, make adjustments as needed with the liner. Check your work in the mirror to ensure that you've drawn an even line all the way around your lips.

Use a Q-tip to erase any mistakes. Sharpen the pencil if you need to. With a Q-tip soften the edges of your lips if they appear too harsh or if you've drawn outside the lines.

Once you've got the shape you want, fill in your entire lip area with the liner. This will ensure that when your lipstick wears off you won't be left with an outline of red around the outside of your lips.

Step five: Apply lipstick. 

Using a lip brush is very important when you're applying a bright, dark or bold colour. It allows you to have a lot of control over where you apply product and where you don't. You want a small, flat lip brush for this.

Take a small amount of lipstick onto the brush. Start with a little because you want to have as much control as possible applying it. You can add as you need to. Where you start applying is up to you - but it may be easier to go along the outside of your lips and work in. In the centre you can be a little less cautious with your application but make sure to go slowly around the edges. 

Step six: Blot and powder. 

When you've got a layer of lipstick on, you'll want to blot. This has the same effect as blotting the excess lip balm off before applying lipliner. It'll remove excess lipstick and leave more of a stain behind which will make your lipstick last longer. 

To do this, separate a piece of Kleenex into two layers. Press one of these layers onto your lips. Using a brush that's been dipped in powder or a powder puff with powder on it, press powder lightly onto the tissue. A small amount of powder will transfer through the tissue onto your lips but not enough to change the texture or colour. This will make your lipstick last longer. 

Step seven: Apply lipstick. 

Apply another layer of lipstick on top of the blotted and powdered layer. 

Step eight: Blot. 

Using the second layer of tissue, blot your lips again by pressing them against the tissue. 

 

You're done! You should now have your completed, perfect red lip that will last and last. 

*Note: I used a photo of my full face even though I'm only wearing foundation, concealer and powder (no mascara, eyeshadow, brow colour or blush) apart from the red lipstick, to show how I could possibly go out just like this. The red has that much of an impact and it shows how keeping the rest of the face simple (even this simple) is so important. 

There are other ways to wear a red lip, aside from the look detailed in the steps above. You could use the same lipstick and tap it lightly onto your lips using your finger to create a stained effect. You could top it with a gloss to make a high-shine red lip. You could use a sheer red lipstick for an everyday red lip with clean skin.

One of my favourite ways to wear a red lip is with clean skin, a bit of soft gold eyeshadow, a tiny bit of blush, strong brows and lots of mascara. In the photo below, my red lips are NARS Dragon Girl Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. It's a simple, glam look without looking too done.

For some more red lip looks, please check out the posts here and here.

A red lip is not the easiest makeup look to achieve, but it's definitely worth mastering. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below!

Beauty Squared Round-Up - January 20, 2013

The beauty links we thought you should check out for this week...

A great step-by-step eyeliner tutorial.

Pregnancy can take a toll on your skin. 

Here are some tips on how to maintain your pre-pregnancy skin.

Drew Barrymore's new makeup line has launched.

One in five South Korean women have undergone plastic surgery with many opting for 

 bigger eyes, narrower noses and slimmer jawlines. 

Makeup artist Lucky Bromhead shares her favourite inexpensive beauty products. 

Uses for baking soda. 

Tips on making your manicure last and last. 

Do you have trouble making your eyelashes keep their curl? Here's a step you may be missing.

A dramatic cat eye look inspired by Adele. 

Neutral lipstick - how to wear it like a pro. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up - October 28, 2012

Beauty Squared has been really quiet this month and for that we'd like to apologize! We'll be posting lots more soon. In the meantime, here are some more of the week's best beauty links. 

A Great Gatsby makeup tutorial (links as well for Katniss Everdeen and Catwoman makeup tutorials, click through!

Take inspiration from arguably the most iconic video of 2012, Gotye and Kimbra's 'Somebody That I Used To Know' and do a colour-blocked body makeup for Halloween!

Flawless Halloween make-up tips from MAC's Keri Blair.

From Pixiwoo - DIY creepy eyelashes.

Banana Republic has announced a new Mad Men-inspired collection, this time focusing on the newest Mrs. Draper, Megan.

Check out this amazing 60s cat eye look created by makeup artist Kabuki for MAC at The Blond's Fall/Winter 2012 runway show. He's tailored it for both darker and lighter complexions, so this is a look for everyone! Watching him work is fascinating.

Makeup tips for your eye shape!

Do you have a shattered eyeshadow or blush? Don't toss it, fix it. Here's how.

Feeling stuck in your makeup routine? Have products that you never use? Take this idea and spark creativity/challenge yourself. The Pixiwoo sisters create looks using just a handful of random products selected by a friend. 

How to look young, fresh and zingy when you feel old, haggard and cranky.

FOTD: Angelina Jolie (making round eyes look narrower)

Angelina Jolie is one of the most beautiful women in the world, known for her full lips, cheekbones and seductive, feline eyes. 

If you look closer, however, you might notice that her eyes are actually quite round. She uses a simple makeup trick to give herself that seductive, narrow eye shape.

Sam from Pixiwoo did this video demonstrating the technique that Angelina Jolie uses to make her round eyes more narrow. 

I was intrigued and decided to try it out. It's become one of my favourite tricks! I love how simple and sophisticated it is and it does indeed make my round eyes look narrower.

You can watch the Pixiwoo tutorial for the full instructions but here's a breakdown of how I got the look:

Base: Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream in Light/Medium all over my face, applied with a foundation brush. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 mixed with Vasanti Oil-Free Liquid Foundation and Concealer in V1 under my eyes, applied with my foundation brush and fingers. Concealer was also applied to any red areas that needed it with the foundation brush. I applied powder lightly to set it with a powder brush.

I filled in my eyebrows lightly with MAC Sketch eyeshadow and an angle brush, brushing through with an eyebrow comb. Note: I am trying to let my brows grow out a little, so they look a little shaggy.

For the eyes, I applied MAC Vanilla eyeshadow all over my lids, a bit heavier on the lid than at the brow. I used a fluffy eyeshadow brush. For a touch of definition at the crease, I applied MAC Wedge eyeshadow with a crease brush and buffed it out almost completely with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. The eyes should look natural and soft, barely touched with eyeshadow. With a thin eyeliner brush (BDellium 708) I applied MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack to the outer corners of my upper eyelids, starting about a third of the way in on the eyelid and extending it slightly beyond the outer corner. 

I curled my lashes with my Shu Uemera eyelash curler and applied Diorshow mascara in Black, focusing on the outer corners. Then I added corner false eyelashes (MAC) using Duo lash glue and let them dry in place. 

I applied MUFE Aqua Eyes liner in 10L (an antique gold shade) to my waterline, smudging it slightly into the lashline. This helps to give definition to the eye but unlike using a black or dark colour, the soft gold emphasizes but doesn't close the eye in. As Sam explains in the video above, this look works because it doesn't completely circle the eyes. If the liquid eyeliner was extended all the way across the top lashline, it would emphasize the roundness/make the eye look rounder. With the liner just on the outer corners, the eyes are narrowed on the outside, creating an almond, or narrower shape. 

To complete the look, I applied MAC blush in Stunner on the apples of my cheeks, blending it up towards my temples. On my lips I'm wearing Becca lipstick in Estella. It softens the natural pink of my lips and adds sheen without giving me a completely nude lip. This way it's my eyes that stand out.

For comparison, here's another photo of me to show my naturally round eyes. No attempts here to de-emphasize the roundness!