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

Colorblocking: Eyes/Lips

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Layering bright eye shadows, liners and lipsticks can result in a fun makeup look that’s right on trend for the season. Just like colorblocking clothes, there are a myriad of possibilities one can create with makeup as well.

There’s a much-heralded rule in beauty that if you do a bold eye, the rest of your makeup should be neutral. With colorblocking, this rule does not necessarily apply. The bright colors will play off each other and make your features pop.

Throw all traditional “rules” out the window and be creative. A lot of these looks are used in editorial or runway features, to make it wearable stick to only two areas of the face, i.e. eyes/lips, cheeks/lips. Tone down the colors and heavy-handed application for a sheer wash of color. This will create a more modern and everyday look.

How To: Bright Eyeliner

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Bright eyeliner is a dramatic accent with minimal effort. A pop of color can “glam up” a makeup look instantly.

With this look, you want to tone down all other parts of the face. However, if daring enough, my favorite party season look is cobalt blue eyeliner paired with a fuchsia lip. Create your favorite combination with these easy steps.

Needed:

✒ Eye primer (Favorite: MAC Paint Pots)

✒ Matte White Eye Pencil (Favorite: NYX Milk)

✒ Bright Eye Liner (Favorite: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencils)

✒ Matching Bright Eye Shadow Shade

✒ Mascara

How To:

✒ Prime the lids and under-eye with eye primer.

✒ With a matte white pencil, draw a baseline where the bright color will go. (this will inhance the vibrancy of the color and help with the shape of the line)

✒ Trace over the white pencil with the bright eye liner.

✒ For a more dramatic look, make the outside line a bit thicker than the inside and extend it just beyond the lash line.

✒ Optional: Apply the bright eye liner to the lower lashes, keeping as close to the lash line as possible.

✒ Dip the bright pencil into the matching eye shadow and trace over these lines to increase brightness and ensure longevity.

✒ Apply two heavy coats of mascara to add definition and emphasize the look.

This look can be altered depending on preference and eye shape. Experiment with color and thickness of the line. If intimidated: Start by lining the lower lash line with a bright color only and leave lid neutral. Bright eyeliner is a great way to change-up your makeup routine and attain instant drama.

Great color combinations:

BLUE: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil: Flipside & NARS Eyeshadow: Outremer

PURPLE: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil: Ransom & MAC Eyeshadow: Purple Haze

GREEN: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil: Mildew & Urban Decay Eyeshadow: Mildew

TURQUOISE: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil: Electric & MAKEUP FOREVER Eyeshadow: 72

PINK: MAKEUP FOREVER Aqua Pencil: 13L & MAKEUP FOREVER Eyeshadow: 75