I'm going to be venturing out, solely so I can show off my newly-perfected Vivian Orth smoky eyes.
The tools?
A lip brush (yeah, sounds bizarre, but once you've done your eye makeup with a lip brush, you won't go back), an eyeliner brush, an angle brush, and an eyeshadow brush.
Other stuff...
Eye primer - I use Bloom, but you might like Napoleon, or something else. Foundation, powder, a nude eyeshadow (the lightest colour in the Prismatic Eyeshadow Quad #13 is a treat, as is the lightest shade from the Revlon ColourStay Quad in Blushed Wines), a black eyeshadow - and I mean black, black cake/liquid/cream/gel liner, black mascara, and the eyebrow enhancer of your choice.
What do I do?
Well, first you're going to prime the skin on your eyelids, foundation and powder them up, and then sort out your eyebrows (strong eyebrows are your friend). Apply the nude shade all over the lid and up to the browbone (there's nothing like nude under the browbone to make you look awake. Except maybe some E, and I don't advocate the use of illicit drugs to improve your appearance). Use your eyeshadow brush for this. Next, create a fine liquid line along the top lash - whether it's with gel, cream, cake, or straight liquid. Just make sure it's fine. Practice makes perfect. You may end up looking like Amy Winehouse the first few times. Don't worry - we've all been there, just get your average practices out of the way before you debut this in public. Depending on how confident you are with your liquid lines, you may like to create "flicks" at the outer corner of your eye, but only do this if you're absolutely sure you can replicate the look on both eyes.
Now, use the lip brush pressed in black eyeshadow - really pack on the shadow, we want it to be BLACK, and apply black eyeshadow carefully to the lid. You must be especially careful not to get carried away - keep the black to the lid only, but use heaps. Make your lids super-black. At the outer corner, follow the natural shape of the eye as a guide to how winged you want to go. The focus of this look is on the black lid, not how far it extends past the corner of your eye, so be careful! Step back from the mirror and take a deep breath before making your decision!
Blacken the lower waterlines (and upper, if you can stand it. It makes me feel sick, so I never do it) using either a pencil or cake liner, then pack on the black shadow with an angle brush. Smudge the tiniest amount of black shadow along the lower lashline using your angle brush, paying judicious attention to the inner corner of the eye - no shadow here looks weird, and too much looks like, well, Adam Lambert.
Finish with the most mascara you've ever applied - but make sure it doesn't clump!
The intensity of the black in this look means the rest of your face should be minimal. Go for a flawless foundation base (best applied post-eyes, simply to avoid dropdown and hence, grey cheeks. Jess Gilby-Todd knows what I'm talking about!), powder, and a bit of bronzer. The best thing I ever learnt off Jerrod Blandino? Always put a touch of pink under your bronzer, to avoid the muddy look. My pick is the pink from Benefit 10, or the lightest pink shade from MAC Mineralize SkinFinish Trio in Smooth Merge. If you know how to contour with bronzer, go for it - otherwise just apply it to the areas the sun would naturally hit. Step back from the mirror frequently, and don't be afraid to run around your house, checking your look under different light. I do it every weekend.
If you're a low-key kinda girl, you can get away with a clear gloss or even lip balm to complete the nude face. Personally, I conceal and powder my lips, and apply a peachy or nude gloss (Chanel Levres Scintillantes in #96 is my personal fave) - but this is an option that requires constant touch ups. Alternatively, ignore everything I just wrote and try Clinique's Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Glamour-Full. You won't be disappointed - just remember to lick (daintily and as inconspicuously as possible) your wine glass or flute before drinking from it.
If all else fails, just have a few too many drinks, and a great night!
Happy new year, babes! xo
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