How to Do a Simple Eye Makeup

Want to find out how to create a simple, yet chic eye makeup? Look no further. Makeup artist Tinamarie Fairfax revealed the secrets of making your eyes pop in only four steps.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

STEP 1: EYE PRIMER

Apply eye primer on your upper and lower eyelids before you start your eye makeup. You don’t want your eye makeup to look like a hot mess after a long day. Like a face primer, an eye primer provides a clean canvas for any pigmented products to stick to. A good eye primer can actually prevent makeup from creasing and smudging, and give your eye shadow better color payoff.

** Liuyi Recommends: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

STEP 2: NUDE SHADOW

If you are going for a simple, natural-looking eye makeup, start with a nude eye shadow all over your eyelids as a base color. A nude eye shadow not only creates a smooth surface for the following products to glide on, but also evens out your lid color if you have hyper-pigmentation around your eyes.

STEP 3: CREASE COLOR

Choose an eye shadow that is two or three shades darker than your skin tone as your crease color. A pop of color in the crease helps to define the shape of your eyes. Use a small brush to apply the color to the crease. Sweep the brush back and forth following your natural eye socket. To achieve a softer look, use a clean fluffy brush to blend out any edges of the crease color.

** Tip from Liuyi: For people with monolids, instead of applying darker shades in the crease, pile the color near your upper lash line to enhance your eye shape.

STEP 4: EYELINER AND MASCARA

Line your eyes with black or brown eyeliner with short, light strokes in the roots of your eyelashes. This will give you the illusion of fuller lashes.

** Liuyi Recommends: Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner

Always curl your lashes before applying mascara. A set of curled and full lashes will finish the look.

About Tinamarie Fairfax:

Time in the makeup industry: 12 years

Favorite makeup look: Smokey

Favorite makeup brand: Every brand has its own unique products and it is really hard to pick one.

What Makeup Brushes Do I Really Need?

Some people say that the best tools for makeup application are their fingers.

True in some cases. But let’s be honest, a good makeup brush makes a big difference. However, there are too many kinds of makeup brushes available out there, and it is just hard to decide which one to choose. What makeup brushes do you really need?

Professional makeup artist Sarah G. Best gave me some great tips in picking makeup brushes, and I would like to share all of them with you guys!

Image courtesy of Teeratas/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Synthetic or animal hair?

Makeup brushes can be divided into two categories: animal hair and synthetic hair. The differences between these two categories do not mainly involve ethical issues (however, sometimes it does cause major debates about animal rights, but we are not concentrating on this topic for today), but how these two kinds of materials function.

Animal hair is better to pick up powder products. Like human hair, animal hair has cuticles covered from roots to tips. These natural cuticles and irregular crests on the hair surface can pick up any powder and pigments very easily.

Synthetic hair on the other hand, is often used to apply liquid or cream products, because it doesn’t have any follicles and it has a rather smooth surface for liquid products to glide through. Also, it does not absorb liquid or cream products like natural animal hair do, so you don’t need to worry about wasting products when using it.

** A note from Liuyi: The price for a makeup brush can range from less than one dollar to more than 300 dollars. Usually, animal hair makeup brushes cost more than synthetic hair makeup brushes. But sometimes a good makeup brush does not need to cost you a fortune. Real Techniques makes great yet affordable synthetic brushes.

Must-have makeup brush(es)?

Bobbie Brown Full Coverage Face Brush. It is a soft, synthetic, all-rounder brush for the face. It is great for liquid foundations or tinted moisturizers, but it’s also great for powder because of its shape and the tightly packed bristles.

More tips from Sarah

Brushes should be spot-cleaned everyday, every time you use them. You can buy those spray-on brush cleansers in Sephora. Just spray some cleansers on the bristles, wipe it off with some kitchen towel, and let it dry. Deep clean your brushes every week with baby shampoo and lay flat on a clean towel to keep them in their best conditions.

About Sarah G. Best:

Time in the makeup industry: 10 years

Favorite makeup look: Bridget Bardot’s look

Favorite makeup brand: Nars

Fall 2013 Makeup Trends

Want to discover the hottest fall makeup trend? Philadelphia-based makeup artist Jeanne Casale gives you a sneak peek of this fall’s sexiest color, texture, and product.

Color

No matter what you are rocking this fall, graphic cat eyes or dark groomed brows, Black will always be the baggiest color this fall. Go bold by filling your brows with brow power or brow pencil, or exaggerate your eyes by lining them with black thick strokes.

Add metallic gold to your eyes, the center of your lips, or even to the high points of your cheekbones. Just remember, less is more.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Texture

Yes you have guessed it. Metallic is back. Previously in the makeup industry, artists used to avoid using metallic on mature women, especially on their eyes. Because of its special light-reflecting surface, metallic colors could accentuate the wrinkles and fine lines on mature skin. But not this fall! With the arrival of new technologies, the cosmetic companies have developed a new metallic that has a sheerer texture, which mature women can also wear.

Hottest Fall Beauty Products

Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelée Powder EyeShodow 

About Jeanne Casale:

Time in the makeup industry: 15 years

Favorite makeup brand: Too Faced

Simple Makeup Look For School

Late night studies and rushing for classes should NOT be the reasons for you looking tired and unlovely. How to look pretty while being school-appropriate? Makeup artist Sara Wren has your question answered.

Image courtesy of stockimages/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Step 1: Use a tinted moisturizer

Toss out your full coverage foundation, and use a tinted moisturizer for a light coverage and hydration. You should let your beautiful skin breath and glow, instead of hiding it underneath a mask of heavy foundation.

**Liuyi recommends: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

Step 2: Cream blush

Again, stay away from powdery and cakey skin product… they tend to give you a more tired look. Try cream blush. Using clean fingers to pick up some of the product. Smile and apply the color to the apple of your cheeks. Voila! There you have it!

**Liuyi recommends: NYX Rouge Cream Blush

Step 3: Mascara

One coat of mascara would be sufficient for your day at school. Use a waterproof formulation if your lids tend to get oily during the day.

**Liuyi recommends: Maybelline Volum’ Express® The Rocket™ Waterproof Mascara

Step 4: Lip gloss

Finish off your ready-for-school makeup look with a touch of lip gloss, and you are ready to head to class!

**Liuyi recommends: Anastasia Hydrafull Gloss

About Sara Wren:

Time in the makeup industry: 10 years

Favorite makeup look: dewy skin with natural eyes

Favorite makeup brand: Stila