Timeless smoky eyes are an all time favorite every season and this season the variation can be seen from classic to contoured.
Here is an easy way to do a smoky eye like a professional. The right colour choices make a big difference and this season one big ‘don’t’ is to match the shadows to your outfit. So go ahead and create an autumn winter eye design that compliments you. This look is best achieved when keeping the eyes a focal point and the rest of the face subdued. Here’s how to get the look:
• Start with eyes so it is easy to clean the shadow dust from under the eyes once the eye makeup is done. Follow with foundation, concealer, cheek, and lip colour.
• Prep your eyelids with a primer. This product helps to keep the eye shadows fresh and ensures the longevity of your eye makeup. Apply with your fingers, a small amount all across the eyelid. Keep it light and sheer.
• Line the upper and lower rim of the eyes (water line) with a black kohl pencil concentrating on the top lash line. Carefully smudge the top lash liner with a small brush or a sponge applicator, side to side and slightly onto the lid.
• Apply a cream shadow in a charcoal colour with a medium size eye shadow brush across the lid just up to the crease and wrap the colour under the lower lash line too. Gray/blue, dark brown, and deep bronze colour cream shadows can also be used to create steamy eyes. For a more intense version and to create dimensions add black eye shadow on the outside corner of the eyes gently blending on the lash line and into the crease of the eye.
• Highlight the brow bone with a light shimmery or satin finished shadow. Starting from under the brows and blending with deeper shadows into the crease, create an airbrushed effect by using a fluffy blending brush. The key to this look is proper blending, so no hard lines are visible.
• Groom the brows and fill if needed, curl the lashes and apply two coats of mascara.
• Once the eyes are done clean any shadow dust under the eyes with makeup remover and prep the skin to show off your artwork. Use a matifying primer before the foundation and conceal the dark circles and any imperfections. Cream blush is applied before powdering the face with your fingers or a sponge and when blended well creates perfect, natural glowing cheeks. Translucent powders are a foundation’s best friend and help to set the makeup so you don’t have to retouch often. Add some sheer shimmer to the cheekbones and finish the look with glossy full lips in a nude colour.
Look HAUTE COUTURE
Be the one who is the centre of attention and in the spotlight by trying out a Chanel inspired red lip look. Red is a strong comeback colour for lip makeup. It is the colour of strength, power, glam, and honestly, what makes a better statement than a well contoured red lip, translucent flawless skin, and a muted eye all paired with your haute couture outfit. Here’s how to get the look;
• Hydrate your skin and lips with a good face and lip moisturizer concentrate around the eyes.
• Begin with a face primer, an absolute must have product, when you opt for a flawless translucent skin. Conceal around the eyes using a peach to salmon pink coloured concealer to eliminate dark circles. Foundation as the word says is part of the basics; the more flawless the skin looks, the more beautiful your red lips will look. Using a foundation brush, apply a liquid foundation, blending around the perimeters of the face up to the décolletage. Avoid overpowdering the skin, as you want to keep a slight sheen visible on the skin.
• This look is all about red lips, so eyes are kept toned down, but not ignored. Neutrals and earthy tones bring elegance to the eye design.
The three step shadow application is easy to achieve by using a medium skin tone colour for the base that extends from the lash line to the brow bone. Blend a matte brown or gentle auburn colour shadow in the crease and under the lower lashes use a champagne coloured highlight on the brow bone and the inner corner of the eyes. Line only the top lash line with a black or brown liner. Paint the liner thicker on the outer corner of the eyes. For a more precise liner look try a cream or a gel liner with a brush and slightly winged out. Here’s a quick tip: adding a vanilla colour eye pencil on the lower rim of the eyes takes away the redness and brightens up tired looking eyes. Groom the brows and focus the mascara more to the outer edge of the upper lashes.
• For warm skin tones use a shade of red with yellow or orange tones. If you have a cool skin tone, go for a blue red. For a perfect red lipstick application that stays fresher, blot the excess balm and contour the lips with a wine red lip liner blending onto the lips. By using a lip brush that gives you control of quantity and texture, apply a red lipstick, carefully blending into the lip liner. Smear or smooching the lips is another “don’t” for the look as by doing this, the lipstick shifts and bleeds into the fine lines around the mouth. Press your lips against a Kleenex and reapply the lipstick only. Avoid gloss on red lips instead use a satin or a cream texture lipstick
• I find the best way to keep red lips looking clean around the edges is using a concealer in a light to medium tone with a small brush and highlighting the top lip line around the cupids bow and the sides of the mouth on the lower lip blending into the foundation. Try it to believe it.
• Blush should be soft and if possible use a bronzer in a matte medium tone – this will compliment your eyes and a pink blush is not flattering when paired with neutral eyes and red lips.
• Dare to wear some false lashes. Go for individual flare lashes to make a statement.
Look GEMSTONES
Shimmery, shiny, playful, yet glamorous – This look is all about luxury and inspiration from gemstones. This colour palette steals the richness of a gem, sheen from pearls and a bit of sparkle from a diamond.
• Prep your skin with an artist’s most favorable product – face primer. This look requires a fresh looking skin with all imperfections hidden away. Maximize luster in your foundation by adding a shimmer powder (not glittery) and blend together before you apply it on the face. Strobe and highlighting creams can be used over the foundation. Use sparingly, as less is more. Creating a radiant skin finish is the key for this makeover. Dust sheer translucent powder over foundation and add some peach/golden blush. Create contours on your cheeks with a matte bronzer and around the perimeters of the face.
• Shimmery eyes are most effective with cream shadows or shiny powders. Apply an eye primer when using cream shadows, since they tend to shift in the crease of the eye. Apply an amber or citrine coloured pearlescent shadow across the lid and blend up to the brow bone. Highlight with pearl toned satin shadow and line the eyes with a garnet coloured liner for a glorious golden makeover. Other options would be to cover the lids with a frosty amethyst (purple) shadow wrapping under the eyes, add a pearl based highlight shadow to the inner corners of the eyes and brow bone. Line the eyes with a sapphire colour liner finishing the look with black mascara.
• Gloss with shimmer or a frosty golden/peach colour lipstick to add the twilight glow of a star.
Top 10 Makeup Products To Compliment The Three Statement Looks From Farah’s Beauty Essential Kit
10 Makeup Products To Compliment The Three Statement Looks From Farah’s Beauty Essential Kit
1. Smash Box camera ready or Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation
2. Makeup Up For Ever Elixir and HD primer #6
3. Benefit erase paste #2 for light to medium and #3 for medium to dark skin tones
4. Cover FX translucent powder or Mac strobe cream
5. Nars Highlighting/bronzing duo
6. Mac Cream blush in Lady Blush
7. Mac eye shadow Rice Paper and Antiqued (for Haute Couture)
8. Make up for ever Aqua Cream shadow in #1 Anthracite (for steamy eyes)
9. Make Up for ever star powder #922 (for gemstone Look)
10. Lipstick in red by Estee lauder in ‘Divine red’, Mac in ‘Russian Red’ and Chanel In ‘Paris’
