Smoky Christmas Eyes 2014

 

Glam up t-shirts with smoky eyes!

I used to work in a makeover studio, as a stylist-cum-makeup artist where I designed various looks for patrons – hair worn down, hair worn up, sporty, glamourous… You get the idea.

The girls who came in tend to wear little to no makeup in their daily lives. Hence they are usually quite horrified when they see themselves with smoky eye makeup – complete with false eyelashes – for the first time. And we always placate their nerves by telling them the lights in our photo studios are so bright they’ll look washed out if colours are applied with a light hand.

Well, I reckon it’s just a matter of getting used to your new smouldering look – plus they are the ideal match to the Christmas nails I had previously demonstrated. And when everyone is ooh-ing and ahh-ing over how glamourous you look, get ready to reap not just the compliments but also the extra glow of confidence that just welled up from within – knowing you pulled off a look you had previously never considered and a makeup job well-done.

Practice is key to perfectly executed smoky eyes, so whip out your brushes now and follow my step-by-step instructions.

You’ll need:

• Bobbi Brown’s holiday edition Mini Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick Trio (in Espresso Bean, Smokey Topaz and Pink Sparkle – respectively, a dark brown, bronze and light pink all sprinkled with a light dusting of shimmer)

• Lancôme’s Hypnôse Doll Eyes (mascara) in So Black!
• M.A.C.’s Lipglass in Impossibly Sweet (appropriately named, I might add, because of its bubble gum scent)

 

• Eyeshadow brush – the brush head is rounded and is about the size of the pad your small finger.

I love that the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick glides on without tugging and dries to a shimmery finish. Plus, the Pink Sparkle doubles as blusher – saves you the trouble of fumbling around for it during touch ups, and toting another brush.

And I adore that the Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes curls lashes like magic – no eyelash curlers, no lash abuse!

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Swipe Smokey Topaz across your lid, close to the lashline, and blend upwards, forming a domed shape.
2. Next, swipe Espresso Bean in the outer corner of your eye in a horizontal V. Then blend with fingers, or use the eyeshadow brush for a more polished look.
3. Line outer third of lower lashline with Espresso Bean, and follow with Smokey Topaz for the next third. Or right up to the inner corner for more definition.
4. Apply two coats of Hypnôse Doll Eyes to eyelashes.
5. Swirl Pink Sparkle on the apple of cheeks, and blend. Yes, the Bobbi Brown cream shadow stick is versatile that way!
6. To give definition, swipe Smokey Topaz twice very lightly under cheekbones, and blend with fingers.
7. No lipstick, your eyes are the focus. Just smear Impossibly Sweet in middle of lower lip, and with the residue on the lipglass wand lightly dab upper lip.