Tropical Inspiration: Aqua Eyes

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Bold, turquoise green eye makeup is a perfect summer look. Tropical inspiration from ocean blues and palm frawn greens will make any eye color pop. This color family come in all sorts of textures and consistencies, choose from metallic, shimmering or pastel shades.

Aqua eyes is great look for both day or night. Start with a vibrant turquoise or shimmering green powder or cream eyeshadow and apply all over the lid. Build for more color or leave for a sheer wash. If you don’t want color on the entire lid, try a simple liner. Draw a thin or thick line on the upper or lower eyelid. For true vibrancy, first line the eye with a white pencil and go over with your favorite kohl, liquid or gel liner. This will bring the color to life.

Brighter colors tend to have more pigment and last longer on the skin – so less is more. It’s easier to build color if more is needed,  but harder to remove color if you put too much on.

Here are a few of my favorite tropical-inspired products.

Dior ~ Croisette Edition: $60.00

NARS ~ Shimmer Eyeshadow in Tropic: $24.00

Make Up For Ever ~ Aqua Eyes in 7L – Turquoise: $18.00

Urban Decay ~ 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Siren: $19.00

YSL ~ Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Waterproof in Majorelle Blue: $30.00

MAC ~ Fluidline in Waveline: $15.00

Maybelline ~ Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow in Tenacious Teal & Edgy Emerald: $6.99 (each)

Smashbox ~ Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow: $19.00

How To: Quick Smokey Eye

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The key to any smokey eye look is proper blending. The goal is to achieve a gradient effect, dark to light. Standard black is not your only option, experiment with color. Here’s how:

NEEDED:

⋄ Cream Eyeshadow that matches skintone or Eyeshadow Primer

⋄ Powder Eyeshadow that matches skintone

⋄ Kohl Eye Pencil

⋄ Powder Eye Shadow that matches Kohl Eye Pencil

⋄ Pencil Brush

⋄ Q-Tip

⋄ Mascara

HOW-TO:

1. Apply cream eyeshadow or primer over eyelid to create a smooth base. Apply matching powder eyeshadow to set.

2. Use kohl eye pencil to trace top lashline from the inner to outer corners (this does not need to be perfect).

3. With pencil brush – start smudging. The goal is to have the darkest line close the lashline as color fades up.

4. Dip pencil brush in matching eyeshadow and blend the color up and outward from the pencil liner. (the higher you take this on the eyelid the more dramatic the look).

5. On the lower lashline, use kohl eye pencil to create tiny dots between lashes.

6. With pencil brush – start smudging. Dip pencil brush in matching eyeshadow and smudge to set.

7. Use Q-Tip to clean-up. Finish with two heavy coats of black mascara.

Optional: For more drama, line upper and lower waterline.

Tip: I like to finish this look by sweeping a light soft brown eyeshadow in the crease. This will warm-up the entire eye area.

The Minimalist: Becca Eye Tint in Baroque

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What I look for in a cream eyeshadow: ability to stand alone, crease-proof, and coverage.

BECCA Eye Tint in Baroque covers all of these and more. The color is a pale mushroom beige with golden undertones. Perfect for all skintones, this color gives off the perfect sheen. The lightweight formula has a cashmere-feel that glides onto the eyelid smoothly. Water-resistant, this product will not smudge or gravitate into creases or wrinkles. Long-lasting and perfect for on-the-go application, using just fingers.

BECCA Eye Tints combine the easy and even application of a cream with the matte finish of a powder. It can be used alone or as a base, layered under powder eyeshadow. Any shadow placed on top will be more vibrant and true to color. It also acts as camouflage for fine veins and thin translucent skin on the eyelid.

TIP: Shake tube before using, formula can break-up inside applicator.

Conceal It: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Concealer

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bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Concealer

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Concealer is a mineral-based miracle powder that can be used in many different ways.

As a concealer:  This powder can be used to neutralize redness or applied directly to blemishes, brown spots, broken capillaries and other skin imperfections.

As foundation: The multi-tasking powder is finely milled to provide deeper coverage. It can be added to the foundation powder if heavier coverage is needed or to lighten or darken the exsisting color.

As an eyeshadow base: Use this powder as an eyeshadow or eyeshadow base to alliviate any oils, veining or discoloration on the eyelid.

As an under-eye concealer: This powder will mask dark circles and brighten the entire eye-area.

The multi-tasking powder is available in five shades. Free of preservatives, talc, waxes, dyes, oils and fragrances –  it will not irritate skin.

In my opinion, this is one of the best concealers on the planet. It erases every imperfection flawlessly and in just one step – no setting needed. I do not use this product as an under-eye concealer, as it is a bit too drying for my skin, but it does work as a fantastic eyeshadow primer and color.

TIP: Spray concealer brush with setting spray or a little water to deepen the coverage and create a paste-like formula that applies flawlessly on dry skin.

Single Sweep: bareMinerals Eye Shadow in Bare Skin

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bareMinerals EyeShadow Bare Skin

bareMinerals Eye Shadow in Bare Skin is my go-to shade when rushed for time. With a single sweep, this color looks as though you have spent a great deal of time on your eye makeup.

The rosy-taupe color adds radiance and surprising definition to the eye. When applied from eye lid to brow-bone, it looks as though two to three colors have been added and blended together. Bare Skin casts a shadow at the brow-bone, instantly contouring the eye.

This is a universal shade that looks beautiful on light, medium or dark skin-tones. Application can be daunting, due to it’s loose powder-form, but the eye shadow blends seamlessly.

bareMinerals eyeshadows can be used dry or wet using a “foiling technique.” Foiling is the process of mixing water or mixing medium with any powder eye shadow pigment to bring out the metallic base color. This will not only look amazing but will cause eye shadow to last longer.

Spend less time on your makeup this summer and more time having fun-in-the-sun, and find a one-sweep eye shadow that works for you.

Fine Line: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

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Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

Gel-based eyeliners provide the look of liquid-liner but apply with the ease and control of a gel formula.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners are my pick in this category. They are extremely pliable, long-wearing, water-resistant and are available in an array of 14 beautiful colors.

This award-winning liner feels light and silky on the skin. The texture is smooth, slippery and glides on the eyelid gracefully. This liner lasts all day, no flaking and stays put.

Like most gel-liners, packaging comes in a pot-form. This product does not dry-out as fast as others and will last a very long time because only the tiniest amount is needed. Use with any brush that you are most comfortable with. I prefer Chanel’s Pinceau 13 ultra fine eyeliner brush, it provides ultimate control and accuracy.

This product is truly in a league-of-its-own and once you have tried this eyeliner, it will seem very hard to use anything else.