I had to take a break from neutrals today because…some days you just gotta wear something colorful! It’s been sunny and warm here in the North Bay Area, and that always puts me in the mood to wear summery, bright eyeshadows.
Orange and purple — a combo for errrr-one, but particularly peeps with blue or green eyes
A single bold color on the top and another complementary shade on the bottom makes for one my favorite ways to wear bright colors, because 1) it’s not too complicated, and 2) you can really bring out your eye color.
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My eyes are brown, and when I wear a combo like this one, I think the makeup really stands out, because it’s not just brown upon brown upon brown (although I do love me some browns!).
By the way, if your eyes are blue or green, try an orange and purple combo like this one. On the color wheel, orange sits on the other side of blue, so the “clash” between the two makes blue eyes STAND OUT. and purple is on the opposite side of green, which is why plum and purple POP on green eyes.
I also think this duo would pop on hazel eyes, too.
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El Hub’s eyes are hazel, and although I’ve begged him to let me do his eyeshadow many, lots of times…he still refuses. I guess this isn’t surprising, considering how years ago I told him that I wouldn’t marry him unless he let me curl his long, lush lashes with my lash curler. He said, “Sure, knock yourself out,” but I have yet to curl his lashes, LOL!
One of the tricks to keeping colorful eyeshadow combos wearable: choosing matte finishes
If you’re going to try a colorful, but absolutely wearable, combo like this one, you might want to use something similar to the Wahala palette by Juvia’s Place, which is what I used in this look. There are 20 bright eyeshadows in it, a lot of of them matte, which I think is one of the keys to making colorful looks like this one a little a lot more wearable, because the matte kinda reins in the potential for it to look cray-cray/over the top.
The Wahala Palette, by Juvia’s Place
Playing with levels of shimmer for contrast
Also, if you’re wearing matte eyeshadows on your lids, try patting a high-beam highlight in the inner conner to contrast with the flat finishes on the lids and lash lines.
You know I looooove me some contrasting finishes!
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Another thing to consider: play with the levels of shine on other parts of your face, too. For the past few years, highlights that you can see from space have been so popular, but I think it’s cooler to do a low-level sheen on the high points of the face (upper cheekbone, down the bridge of the nose, and atop your Cupid’s bow), especially when there’s one bright focal point on your face already.
I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way.
Makeup worn in this look
EYES
Juvia’s place Wahala palette — Unsilenced on lids, Woke on lower lash line, stand up in the inner corners
Cargo black pencil liner — upper lash line
Covergirl easy breezy Brow and Maybelline Tattoo studio Brow Tint Pen in medium brown — brows
Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara — lashes
CHEEKS
Clinique Sunset glow Blushing blush Powder blush — blush
Hourglass Radiant Bronze Light and Laura Mercier Candleglow — highlighter
LIPS
Laura Mercier Velour extreme Matte Lipstick in Vibe
BASE
First aid appeal Ultra repair tinted moisturizer in Tan
Estee Lauder double wear instant fix Concealer in medium Deep
Kevyn Aucoin incredibly natural Concealer in medium 06
Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,
Karen
