I decided it was high-time I checked out eye shadow primers. Being the budget-minded gal I am, I hopped over to my local  drugstore to grab L’Oreal’s De-Crease Eye Shadow Base.

First up, I wanted to try a swatch test before I actually went crazy creating eye makeup looks. The photo below shows seven eyeshadows of various brands, colors, and finishes. The top row is on my arm bare (no primer) and the bottom row is applied over De-Crease.

Click the image below for a full size photograph comparison (it will open in a new window/tab).

Shadows shown (from left to right):

• Nixie Professional matte pink shadow (unlabeled in my palette)
• Bobbi Brown Royal Blue (from the Brights palette)
• Purely Cosmetics Purple Diamond
• Milani’s Clover
• Coastal Scents’ Hi-light Violet
• Spell Cosmetic’s Aurora
• Milani’s Storm

As you can see, the primer helped to up the impact on most of the shadows (Milani is so pigmented I don’t think it helped too much), but what I really noticed was the staying power. All of the shadows stayed locked on my arm all day. When I showered, I had to scrub and then use eye makeup remover to get them off. If you’re looking for staying power ladies, this is it!

On another note, isn’t Coastal Scent’s Hi-light Violet gorgeous? I really need to use this color in an upcoming look. It’s perfect for the spring “metallic lid” trend.

If you’d like your own bargain tube of L’Oreal De-Crease, it’s only $7.95 at Drugstore.com.

And now… it’s share time! Do you use shadow primers in your daily makeup routine? Just occasionally? What’s your favorite brand?

Some days a girl just needs to have fun… I have all these amazing eye shadow colors sitting around begging to be used in a bright and fantastic way. So today, trends be darned. I did my own rainbow lip look!

And a big THANK YOU to IowaGirl for the inspiration!

Would Dorothy be proud?

Colors I used from left to right:

• Upper lip: Nixie Professional matte lime green, Nixie Professional matte ‘burnt’ salmon, Bobbi Brown Brights Royal Blue.
• Lower lip: Purely Cosmetics Purple Diamond, Nixie Professional bright matte pink, Bobbi Brown Brights Blue Denim.
• I topped it all off (very carefully) with Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Ultra Soothing Lip Tint in Melon.

Continuing my Halloween makeup series… I created this look on a whim. And that’s pretty much what it is… whimsical. Many years ago, I was Poison Ivy (from Batman) for Halloween and did a look similar to this. It’s adaptable for all sorts of costumes- fairies, princesses (use pinks and blues with no vines and more glitter!)- only limited by your imagination.
I just used colors I had on hand, so switch in whatever you have in your collection. The vines could be brown with orange, black, yellow and purple flowers for a “Autumn Princess”. You get the idea. Just do what you like.

Click the photographs to see a larger version (opens in a new tab/window).

For more photos and the full tutorial, makeup colors used, continue readin’…

The goal behind this look was a sort of “dirty” natural. Like an elf who had been playing in the forest all day. So I chose my makeup colors and application techniques to suit that. Don’t be too perfect with this look. It works out better if you are free and quick. Let the glitter fall where it may!

Here’s a list of the makeup I used. In the photo, I numbered some of eyeshadows so I can refer to them below during the tutorial.

Blush: Clinique’s Blushwear Cream Stick in 06 Very Blush. It’s a gorgeous matte color. Perfect for fall. The application is just amazing as well. Super blendable and highly pigmented, so this stick will last me a looooong time!

Lips: L’Oreal HIP’s lipstick in Gutsy (or your local drugstore). A brown with slight shimmer. Another great fall color.

Eyes and Face Art: Milani’s eyeliner in Antique Green, Nixie Professional eye shadows (but just use what ever colors you prefer, I just had these on hand and knew they were highly pigmented, so they’d show up well). Not pictured… (sorry ladies…) L’Oreal’s HIP eye shadow pigment in Tenancious. This color is an extremely glitter copper color. So pick any copper, bronze neutral type shade. Just pack on the glitter factor.

Brushes: Of course a brow brush to groom (mine is by Sonia Kashuk), a small smudge brush (tiny, tightly packed bristles) and a slightly larger (but still small) eye shadow brush). I think these are both by L’Oreal. Just any cheapy is fine for Halloween makeup.

First off, I applied the HIP shadow pigment in Tenancious with the small eyeshadow brush (again, any copper or bronze shade will work) across my entire lid, up to the eye brow, under the eye (don’t be too neat) and outward toward my temples.

Next I lined upper and lower lash line with the Antique Green liner.

Continue to use the green eye liner to draw vines and flower stems flowing out from your eye. Throw in some twists and branches. I also made a few leaves by drawing hearts close to the stems.
Keep going til your hearts content. Be sure to leave at least 3 stems “open ended”- this is where you’ll add your flowers in a bit.

Then I added 4 dots of eyeliner right by my outer eye corner. Two above and two below the vine/stem.

Finally it’s time to add the flowers…

Using the small smudge brush, load your brush up with the white color (color 2) and place white dots at the ends of each of your stems or any place you want a flower. Be sure to reload your brush with white after placing each dot. You want the white to really “pop”.

Using the small shadow brush, apply white shimmery eye shadow (number 2 in the photo) to the inner corners of eyes. Blend it out a bit.

Pick up the smudge brush again, and dab it into your first flower color. I’ll be using a deep matte purple (color 4 in photo above). Dab the brush around your white flower center, creating 5 petals. Reload your brush as needed and really press the color into your skin.

Wipe the color off the brush with a tissue and repeat with your remaining colors. I used a bright matte pink (color 3) and a fluorescent lime green (color 5).

For the final art step, fill in your “leaves” (the hearts you drew previously) with a deep green color (color 1).

Finish your face with a matte blush on cheeks (you can be a little heavy handed here, it IS Halloween after all). Add some blush to your chin and forehead as well. Remember, we are going for that “I frolicked in the forest all day” look. Lips get a coat of L’Oreal HIP lipstick in Gutsy (or similar deep brown lipstick).

What costumes could you use a similar look for? Have you ever created anything like this for Halloween?

Happy Hauntings!

As promised on Wednesday, here is a look using Nixie Professional eyeshadows that is a little more “everyday” friendly.

I took my inspiration from the famed “Stormy Eye” from New York’s Fashion Week. I used a brown-based deep purple Nixie eyeshadow for this look. Starting with a medium, slightly floppy shadow brush, apply the shadow all across your lid and blend, blend, blend into the crease and just past it. Blend until the color fades into your natural skin color.

Take a small shadow liner brush (stubby stiff bristles) and line your upper and lower lash line with the same deep purple shadow. Finish with mascara. The look is low-key but dramatic enough to cause a stir about your eyes. If you’d like more impact- simply blend the purple with a deep brown (such as Milani’s Java Bean – read Bionic’s article) for a truly stormy effect.

I received my new mineral eyeshadow palette from Nixie Professional and had an incredible time playing with the pops of colors.

Here’s a photo of the colors in my palette:

As you can see, some of the eyeshadow colors are a bit out of my normal range. There’s (clockwise from upper left) an Olive green with slight shimmer (has a very neutral brown undertone), pearly White (almost matte), bright Pink (very slight shimmer), deep smoky Purple (bit of shimmer, based with brown undertone), day-glo matte Green (this reminds me of the eighties), and a deep Fuchsia with red undertones.

Swatches in natural light:

With summer on the brain and heat in the air, I had watermelon on the brain. These bright colors helped inspire my confidence and experimenting attitude.

I started with the pearl white across my entire lid and up to the brow (to highlight). I then used the lighter bright pink (upper right corner of the palette) on my lid and blended it into the crease.

The darker red/pink (fuchsia) went into the outer V of my eyelid. I blended really well with a medium sized and soft shadow brush.

With a small, slightly stiff shadow brush, I lined my eyes (upper and lower lash line) with the bright green.

Granted, not a look for everyday, but it was fun to walk around the house and neighborhood. I felt daring and confident!

Stay tuned on Friday June 13th for a more subdued “stormy” eye using this same palette.

These shadows have incredible pigmentation and go on so smoothly you barely feel them. No smudging or creasing through an entire day (at 90 degrees).

Nixie Professional Eyeshadows can be purchased online at the Nixie Cosmetics website. Shadows are available in 4 finishes (matte, matte/suede, suede and ultra-suede) and available in a plethora of shades for $15 a piece. A trio of colors will run $28 for a small palette.