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The Daily Face - May 23, 2012 - Steel

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: Tom Ford Noir Absolute For Eyes

eyeshadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Strut

eye brows: MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Fling

eye lashes: L’Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara

For this look I applied Benefit shadow in a steel grey shade using my finger, from the lash line to the crease.  I like to concentrate the pigment near the lashes and toward the outer corners of the eyes, leaving the product on the inner corners of the lid lighter.

Next I applied Tom Ford Noir Absolute with MAC 263 brush as a winged liner and lightly in the lower lash line.  I’m totally sure why this product is called Absolute Noir because the product is definitely a very dark blue, not black. 

I finished the look with mascara.

The Daily Face - January 11, 2012 

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: NARS Liquid Eyeliner Pen

eye shadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Busy Signal

eye brows: MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

I really love Benefit’s Creaseless Cream Shadows.  They are all great colors to use alone if you’re looking for just one go-to shadow. Plus it takes about two minutes to apply and it lasts all day without creasing. 

For this look I applied the Benefit shadow with my finger to the lid from lashline to crease.  This stuff dries quickly so it’s important that you work fast, since after it dries it’s difficult to blend. 

Next I applied NARS Liquid Liner pencil lightly to the outer corners of the top lid for definition.

Last I applied lots of mascara, as usual.

This entire look took about 7 mintues to apply, good for if you say, accidentally woke up late and need to rush out the door…. something that never happens to me.

The Daily Face - November 21, 2011 

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

eye shadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Strut, Make Up For Ever Flash Color in Silver

eye brows: MAC Eye Brow Pencil in Fling

eye lashes: Dior Blackout

After Thanksgiving it officially becomes holiday party season and my favorite thing about this time of year are metallics.  Really if there is any time of year when glitz, sparkles, sequins, glitter, and all things shiny are appropriate, it’s now!  This is a great party look because it’s dark, goes with anything, and feel festive without being over the top.  Yeah, you don’t need to wear green eyeshadow and red lipstick to get the point across that you love christmas.

First I lined the upper and lower inner rim with Blacktrack, using a good amount of product.  Next I lined the top lid with Blacktrack, starting the liner from the inner corner of the eye and winging the shadow into pretty dramatic cat eyes.  Remember, I always do cat eyes, because that is personally how I like to wear my eyeliner, but that doesn’t mean you have to.  Wear your liner how you feel it looks best on you.

Next I applied Benefit’s Creaseless Cream Shadow with my finger to the lid from liner to crease, blending away an edges.  I also applied it to below the lower lash line and around the inner corner of the eyes.

Using a small flat brush I applied the metallic silver Make Up For Ever Flash Color close to the liner on the top lid and directly under the lower lashes, blending as I applied.  I also applied this around the inner corners of the eyes.  The dark grey shade should be visible diffusing from underneath the metallic silver color.

I finished the look off with lots of mascara on the top and bottom lashes.

The Daily Face - November 7, 2011 

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: Benefit Eye Pencil in Gem-In-Eye

eyeshadow: NARS Duo in Eurydice

eye brows: Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes pencil in Taupe

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

This is a look that’s easy to do and doesn’t require a steady hand or the precision of gel/liquid liner.  It’s supposed to be a little messy.  I began by applying the Benefit Eye Pencil in moss green around my entire eye in a back-and-forth motion; think shading in a pencil drawing.  I smudged the edges of the liner with my finger so it blends almost like shadow.  Be sure to really get in between the lashes on the bottom lash line so there isn’t skin showing.  Don’t be afraid to go heavy on the liner here since you’re not going to put any other makeup on your face.

Next I applied a light layer of the purple shadow from the Eurydice Duo to the top lid from lash line to crease.  Then I layered black shadow from the same duo on top of it.

No cheeks or lips.  Easy, right?!

The Daily Face - August 30, 2011 

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: MAC Blacktrack

eyeshadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit, MAC in Satin Taupe, NARS Eye Pencil in Hollywoodland

eye brows: Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes pencil in Taupe

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

cheeks: NARS in Penny Lane

lips: NARS in Dolce Vita

For this look I started by applying the Benefit shadow all around my eye.  That means, top lid from the lash line blending above the crease, the lower lid beneath the lashes, blending through the inner and outer corners so the shadow is connected all around the eye.  Next I applied the MAC shadow close the the lash line, also all around the circumference of the eye.  This will make the area directly around the eye slightly darker.  Next, using Blacktrack I lined the inner rim of the upper and lower lid.  Then I applied the liner all around my lid, smudging with my finger as I go.  You don’t want to apply all the liner and then try to smudge it because chances are the liner will already be dry, making it very difficult to smudge.  Instead, apply a bit of liner and smudge, a little more and smudge, and so on.  To finish off the eyes I used Hollywoodland on the brow bone and also blended it into the outer edge Benefit shadow all around the eye.  The effect of this look is for the product to go from dark to light as it moves away from the eyeball. 

Last, I applied Penny Lane to the apples of the cheeks and Dolce Vita to my lips.

The Daily Face - August 8, 2011 - The Swinging Sixties

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: Blacktrack, Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow in Strut

 eyeshadow: NARS Duo in Jolie Poupee

eye brows: MAC in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

false lashes: Mattesse

cheeks: NARS in Penny Lane

If I could have one wish, it would be that I could travel back to London in the Sixites.  I truly believe I was born in the wrong era.  Since time travel isn’t an option yet, I’ll have to make do with sitting in my apartment in crazy Sixties makeup, wearing an Asian inspired robe, smoking from a long cigarette holder.

For this look I started by applying seriously winged eyeliner.  I was pretty heavy handed with the liner, the line shouldn’t be thin.  I also lined the inner rims of the eyes.  Next I applied the light, matte purple in the NARS duo to the lid.  In the Sixties, shimmer shadow wasn’t a thing yet, so to get an authentic feel it’s important to use a matte shadow.  Any color will do, but aquas, purples, and yellows were really popular. 

Next, using a thin liner brush and Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow I drew a line from the inner to outer corner of my eyes following the natural crease of the eye bone.  The photo below will give you a better taste of what that looks like.  This line should meet the tip of the liner wings.

Last I applied false lash strips to the top lid and drew in lashes on the lower lid with Blacktrack.  I filled in my brows and added light pink blush to the apples of my cheeks.

The Daily Face - August 1, 2011 - … and I’m back

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: Blacktrack

 eyeshadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow in Strut, NARS Duo in Cordura, NARS in Blondie

eye brows: MAC in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

Long time no see!  The past couple weeks have been crazy busy and it doesn’t look like it’s letting up any time soon.  So, an apology in advance if I’m not able to make a large number of posts in the next few weeks.

For this look I started by lining the inner rims of the top and bottom lids.  Next I made large wings that originate from the outer corner of the eye and swoop upward.  On the top lid the liner should flow fluidly from the lash line about 45% of the way in from the outer corners of the eyes.  Next, I applied a wash of Blondie over the lid from lash line to crease.  I shaded the corners and crease slightly with the lighter shade in the Cordura Duo.  I also applied that same color under the lower lashes to create a drop shadow.

The Daily Face - July 18, 2011 - Heat Wave

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eye liner: MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating (white)

eyeshadow: Benefit in Taupe-aztic, NARS Duo in Scorching Sun

eye brows: MAC in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

 lips: NARS in Heat Wave

Summer in New York City, hot but also great!  Why not feel hotter (in beauty not temperature) in bring red lipstick?  On my eyes I first applied Benefit cream shadow in a light gold color.  Next I applied the shimmery orange shade in the Scorching Sun Duo to the crease, outer corners of the eyes and all the way to the inner corners of the brows.  The brow bone should be the only part of the eye sans makeup.  I also applied the orange around the outer corners of the eye on the bottom lid, extending underneath the lower lashes.  I lined the inner rim of my lower lid with a little bit of white pencil, which makes the eyes look slightly larger, and applied many coats of mascara.

I finished the look with some seriously red lips.  Heat Wave is my favorite red shade because it has an orange base instead of blue.  Orange is pretty in this season, and tends to be brighter and more flattering to a wider array of skin tones.

Stay hot, but if need be I highly recommend cooling off with an Arnold Palmer from Cafe Cluny.

The Daily Face - July 13, 2011 - Bronze

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: NARS Liquid Liner, MAC Blacktrack, Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Busy Signal

eye brows: MAC in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

If you’re not really into eye shadow, liner layering is an interesting way to add color to your look.  Here I started by lining the inner rims of my lids with Blacktrack.  Next, I made a thin line from corner to corner with NAR liner, without wings.  The NARS liner pen makes it really easy to make super thin lines because it comes to such a fine point. 

Then, using Benefit Cream Shadow and a small angled brush, I created a second line above the black liner.  I started the bronze liner from the inner sides of my iris, blending it fluidly from the NARS liner.  This second liner can be as thin or as think as you wish, but I chose to make a dramatic winged eye.  Once the bronze liner is in place I lined the bottom side of the wing with a thin sweep of the NARS liner; this should originate directly from the corner of the eye and come to a point with the tip of the bronze wing.

The Daily Face - July 1, 2011 

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: MAC Blacktrack

eyeshadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Strut

eye brows: MAC in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

Happy 1st day of July!  I started off this look by lining my top lid and inner rims with Blacktrack.  The wings on this liner come right from the outer corner of my eyes and wing out and upward.  Next, using a small smudge brush I smudged the liner from the lower inner rim under my lash line to create a shadow.  Then I applied Strut to my lids from the liner blending up to the crease.  I also add a bit of the shadow to underneath my lash line.

It’s personal preference whether you apply liner first or shadow first.  I always apply my liner first because it acts as a guide for where my shadow should go.  If I end up muting the liner with shadow, I just touch up the liner after all the shadow is applied and before I apply mascara.  Also this way, if I make a mistake applying the liner I can fix it without messing up the shadow.  This is how I do it, but if you prefer to apply shadow first and then the liner that totally works too.  There isn’t a “correct” way to do it.

The Daily Face - June 21, 2011 - Sunrise/Sunset

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: MAC Blacktrack

eyeshadow: MAC in Orange, Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Busy Signal

eye brows: MAC in Fling

eye lashes: Lancome Hypnose Drama

cheeks: MAC Harmony

I love orange and bronze colors because they remind me of the sun at like 7/7:30 pm on a great summer night.  These colors can brighten your entire face and will make your eyes pop, no matter what the color.

I lined the inner rims of my top and bottom lids with Blacktrack, but put no liner on top of my lash line.  Next I applied Busy Signal, a bronze color, to my lid from lash to crease, diffusing toward the crease.  I allowed the color to be pretty dark on the lid close to my lashes.  Then I applied Orange to the crease, blending it into the bronze and also up above the crease.  This is so when my eyes are open you can see the orange glow around my eyes.  I then followed the same principle beneath my lower lashes.  Keep the bronze close to the lashes, diffusing outward and then apply the orange blending outward from the bronze.  Make sure you connect the product around the outer corners of your eyes.  It should appear illuminated around your entire eye.

Here’s a tip, once you apply mascara you can always go back in a add more product.  This is the case with any look.  Mascara, especially on the lower lashes, will hide the pigment, so add more.  You want to see the color showing through from underneath your lashes. 

Oh, also, I decided to switch up my mascara because I ran out of the Chanel stuff I had been using.  Don’t be married to a specific product, it’s fun to try out different brands, and just because I use something doesn’t mean you will like that product the best.  Find what works for you.

The Daily Face - April 25, 2011- The 90s Model

under eyes: Make Up For Ever HD Concealer in 325

eyeliner: MAC Blacktrack gel liner, The Body Shop eye pencil in Black, Benefit in Gem-N-Eye

eye brows: filled with MAC fling

eye lashes: first coat: Chanel Inimitable Intense

                   second coat: Fiberwig              

Remember the models of the 90s?!  They were so skinny and looked like they had been up partying for like 4 straight days.  It probably wasn’t the most attractive look in fashion history, but it was definitely memorable.  And honestly, no matter how strung out Kate Moss looked she was still totally hot.

I lined the inner rims of my eyes with Blacktrack and then smudge black eye pencil all around the lid around the lash line.  You can smudge this out pretty far from the lash line.  Don’t worry if you look like a raccoon, this was all the rage in the 90s.  Next I applied the dark olive pencil around the eye, remaining close to the lash line.  You still was black to be the man focus, the green just adds some depth.

I didn’t apply any shadow, blush, or lipstick.

The Daily Face - March 22, 2011- A Dinner Date with Friends

under eyes: Makeup Forever HD Concealer 325

eyeliner: The Body Shop eye pencil in Rich Brown

eye shadow: Benefit creme shadow in Taupe-Aztic, MAC shadow in Satin Taupe

eye brows: MAC eyebrow pencil in Fling

eye lashes: first coat - Chanel Inimitable Intense

                 second coat - Fiberwig LX

cheeks: MAC matte powder blush in Harmony

lips: NARS Dolce Vita

Tonight I’m having dinner with some friends I haven’t seen in a while, so I figured I’d be a little more glamorous!  First I filled in my eye brows to created a bolder, slightly heavier brow.  That’s, in my opinion, the most fun thing about makeup; you don’t always have to color inside the lines. If you want bolder brows, just shade them to be bolder.  Don’t be afraid of creating a look different from what you’re used to seeing on yourself!

Next I applied Benefit creme shadow from my lash line diffusing over the crease and into the inner corner of my eye with my finger.  Using the Makeup Forever 15S brush I lightly shaded the MAC shadow to the outer corner of my eyes from the lash line to just above the crease and under the lower lash line.  Diffusing your eye shadow is going to be your greatest asset, seriously!  My eyes have a pretty strong fold, so I always diffuse the shadow slightly above the crease of my eye, that way when my eyes are open the darker shade peaks out above the eye fold behind my lashes.

Last, I applied a little blush to the apples of my cheeks and one coat of Dolce Vita lipstick.