While we generally, wholeheartedly embrace bursts of color during the playful spring and summer months, I challenge you to give your fall routine a little shake up-wake up and introduce faint streaks of color NOW!without flash/ with flash

Here I am sporting a flash of NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Abbey Road on my upper lash line and MILANI Blue My Mind haphazardly smudged on the bottom. It’s a very subtle introduction of color….and a great way to accent your eyes without loads of color on the lid – which sometimes requires more artful blending than this busy beauty maven has time to implement.

So for a quick and easy flash of color, try this!

Fear not color this fall.

]]> http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2012/02/fall-color-nars-abbey-road-milani-blue-my-mind-pow/feed/ 4 http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2011/11/make-the-effort-%e2%80%93-do-your-makeup/ http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2011/11/make-the-effort-%e2%80%93-do-your-makeup/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:17:01 +0000 Felicia http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/?p=9849

Oh how I tire of hearing women complain, “makeup is too much work”. True, the application of makeup requires effort, but we need not turn it into a monumental task.

Start by deciding on your “focus feature”. This is the one area that makes you feel polished. Despite the fact that I’ve gained lots of attention for my bold crimson lips, “lips” are the last thing that I tend to focus on in my makeup routine. Actually, I can take or leave “lips”. ..I’m fairly comfortable with the natural tone and look of my lips so it’s not an area of focus when doing my makeup. Instead, I focus on eyes.

In my opinion, I have slightly hooded lids that have the tendency to bring down the shape of my face. So this is the one area that I pay attention to before leaving the house…and, as you’ll see in the pictures below, it makes a world of difference!

Here’s how I do my eyes in jiffy…a brief picture narration:

Start with what I call a “benign” shade. A neutral tone on the lid that cancels out any darkness and gives your liner something to adhere to. I like the above palette from Guerlain.

Quickly apply to lid.

My go-to liner: Guerlain Terracotta Khol Kajal

Apply top.

Apply bottom.

Coat with mascara.

VOILA!

BEFORE/ AFTER

What’s your “focus feature?…perhaps brows?…perhaps under eye concealer? What’s the minimum that you can do to pull it together for a polished appearance? Makeup is fun…and really need not be a burden

Share!

Do you think you need professional makeup brushes to create beautiful eyes? Well think again. In this video, I demo how you can great beautiful sultry eyes with your fingers. Yep, no brushes required!

The bloggers are coming, the bloggers are coming. MAC’s Bloggers’ Obsessions collection has landed and here’s your first look at the goods. I was able to get my brightly manicured fingertips on “Hocus Pocus”, and well, big surprise — I have an opinion. Watch:

Complete collection rundown:

Hocus Pocus Dark sooty grey with silver pearl (Satin) (The Makeup Girl)

Jealousy Wakes Seething emerald green with teal and gold pearl (Veluxe Pearl) (Temptalia)

Parisian Skies Muted grey-blue (Satin) (Lipstick Powder N Paint)

Sparkle, Neely, Sparkle! Deep rusty brown with champagne-colored sparkle (Velvet) (Beauty Blogging Junkie)

All of My Purple Life Deep purple/grape with subtle sparkle (Afrobella)

Caqui Persimmon orange (Beauty Maverick)

Evolution Revolution Warm peachy pink with subtle purple, green, blue micro glitter (Makeup and Beauty Blog)

Nitro:licious 2046 Intense shiny red (Nitrolicious)

Sonoran Rain Deep coral-red with gold and silver pearl (The Shades of U)

Available now, online only, U.S. and Canada www.maccosmetics.com

Photo: TheMakeupGirl.net

I previously wrote about the soon to launch SEPHORA COLLECTION Color Play 5 in 1 limited-edition palette inspired by Shopbop’s forthcoming “Faces of Fashion” editorial look book….and provided you with a first look:

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a press preview, touch, feel, and swatch the product in person. Here are my first impressions:

New York Color (NYC) aims to take the guesswork out of flawless makeup application. Products like IndividualEyes shadow palettes are designed for specific eye colors and include a primer, illuminator and four expertly coordinated colors to intensify eye color. There are three shades available, Union Square for brown eyes, Bryant Park for blue eyes and Central Park for green eyes.

On a recent outing I decided to wear Union Square 9the palette for brown eyes). As I picked up the palette for my brown eyes, I remembered Miss ThisThatBeauty herself, Felicia, telling me that  NYC Moody Blue waterproof eyeliner pencil also works well for brown eyes, so, I decided to throw it in the mix.  I finished up the eye look with Maximum Boost Volumizing Mascara . The hardest part of the whole process was figuring out a way to get a good close up shot of my eye.  The complete look is shown below.

The pigment in IndividualEyes shadow is good, though not the creamiest powder shadow that I have used.  The primer does make the shadow more true to the color seen in the palette, so, I suggest you use it.  Shadows contain vitamin A & E and green tea extract to help nourish the delicate eye area.

The Moody Blue waterproof pencil will definitely be used again because it glides on effortlessly and the color is very vibrant. There are seven shades of waterproof eye pencils, I’m looking forward to trying the teal. The mascara did add a bit of volume to my lashes but didn’t experience the “maximum boost” as advertised. The Mascara is available in Black and Blackest Black and contains Pro-Vitamin B5, which is said to moisturize the lashes.

IndividualEyes is retail priced at $4.99. The waterproof eyeliners and Maximum Boost Volumizing Mascara retail for $3.99 each.

New York Color has a full line of cosmetics for face, eyes and lips.  They also have nail polishes and a line of beauty tools that include sponges, applicators and makeup brushes.  To learn more about the brand, their products and to get tips from their resident makeup artist, please visit New York Color website.

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This post is written by ThisThatBeauty Contributor, Christene Carr. For more: @CNicholaC,  www.christenecarr.com, and www.hairandskinjunc.com

Ask any makeup artist the most requested look from their clients and I am willing to bet my last dollar the response is “Smokey Eyes”. Everyone wants it but few feel they possess the skill to accomplish it without ending up with what resembles a black eye.

Well Three Custom Color Specialists (one of my fav brands…search ThisThatBeauty for over 20 posts featuring the brand) offers a step-by-step tutorial on achieving the ultimate smokey eye. Listen up!

Step 1:
Apply our Crème Concealer/Foundation with our Concealer brush below the eyes to eliminate any darkness and onto the eyelids to create a smooth base. Pro Tip: This step helps shadow wear longer.

Step 2:
This modern smokey eye features a gradation of color that’s deepest at the lash lines and blended out. First, use our All Over Eye Shadow Brush to apply Cool Black Eye Shadow along the upper and lower lash lines. Next, apply Cool Smoke Eye Shadow and blend the shade up towards the brow bone. Apply a small amount of Champagne Eye Shadow near the tear duct and under the brow bone and blend. Pro Tip: For the daring, two-toned look featured on some runways, layer on a brighter shade. Try Peacock Eye Shadow or Warm Lilac Eye Shadow.

Step 3:
Using our Eyeliner Brush, line the inner rims of the eyes, and the upper and lower lash lines with our smooth, water-resistant Opaline Crème Eye Definer in Aurora. Blend the crème eye liner into the lashes with a small eye shadow brush with densely packed bristles, such as our Contour Brush. Pro tip: For that intense, rock star glam look, line the eyes again!

Step 4:
Finish the eyes with a coat of mascara and groom the brows with Tinted Brow Gel. Pro tip: A groomed eyebrow is essential for a smokey eye to look polished.

Step 5:
Apply Kiss My Apricot Crème to Powder Blush to the high points of the cheeks. Use Shane Sheer Lipstick for an enhanced, but sheer lip tint.

Pro tip: The eyes should be the main focus here, so keep everything else minimal.

Ever want to try out a new look before committing to the purchase? PÜR MINERALS’ virtual looks application allows you to instantly transform before your very eyes!

Go bold…Experiment with hues…Practice application techniques for your eye shape! purminerals.com is your destination for eye shadow experimentation. The interactive site lets you try out an array of Pür Minerals shades from the comfort of your own home. It’s as simple as:

1. Select your eye color
2. Choose the brush you want to use (eye shadow, crease or eyeliner)
3. Pick the shade you want to apply

The virtual brush lets you layer on shadow exactly where you want it, allowing you to create a multitude of eye looks. If you love your creation, Pür Minerals lets you add individual products to your shopping bag or buy the look with a single click.

WHERE TO FIND IT:  www.purminerals.com/pur-virtual-looks

Are you in search of a miracle makeup for your eyes? Well according to Smashbox – the wait is over! With the launch of Halo Hydrating Perfecting Eye Shadow Duo, Smashbox has managed to infuse anti aging benefits into eye enhancing shadows. Halo Hydrating Perfecting Eye Shadow Duos are multi tasking shadows with the science of skincare built into the  formula. By converting a pressed powder into fresh, fine, loose shadow, Halo Hydrating Eye Shadow improves the appearance of fine lines and crepiness around the eye area. This innovative treatment and makeup in one contains goji berries to provide antioxidant protection, 48 bio-available minerals, Hydrolized Wheat protein, and Smashbox’s patented hydrogel technology for sustained moisture release. The product also contains collagen and a host of powerful peptides.

The eye shadow packaging allows you to twist the top and dispense the perfect amount of product to create both your base shade and crease color. The duos are oil, talc, fragrance, and paraben free and come in five matte shades:

• Soft Peach/ Cocoa (ThisThatBeauty’s fav for a classic everyday look)
• Pewter/ Smoke
• Bisque/ Almond
• Petal/ Plum
• Buff/ Ivy

Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Eye Shadow Duo is retail priced at $36.

Available at Sephora, Ulta, and Smashbox.com