Bringing Bold Back! Fall/winter makeup tips
Looking to experiment with some bolder makeup looks this season? Here are some tips on perfecting statement eyeliner, smoky eyes, and deep lipstick – the mainstays of the holiday party!
PROPER LIP PREP
Saturated lipstick hues and matte textures are popular in the cooler months, so dry peeling skin is a definite no-no. To exfoliate the lips, generously apply an oil-based balm (good ol’ Vaseline works well). Next, hop in the shower and let the heat do its thing (thicker balms won’t rinse away too easily, so your skin will have time to soften a bit). Toward the end of your shower, take a CLEAN damp washcloth and gently buff the lips in small, swift circles. Don’t drag the cloth so hard that you abrade your skin, but scrub thoroughly enough to remove the flakes of dead skin. You may need to do this a few times over the course of a few days, but you’ll notice a dramatic difference, especially if you follow your shower with consistent moisturizing.
You can also buy (or make) a lip scrub – Fresh Sugar Lip Polish is one of my favorites, but granular sugar mixed with honey, olive oil, or lip balm also makes a great DIY lip exfoliator. Give the lips a gentle scrub before applying makeup – this step is especially a must for matte lipsticks and stains, which are dry-looking by definition!
DRAWING THE LINE
The key to mastering eyeliner is a quality eyeliner brush. You can choose an angled, flat, or pointed tip – whatever feels easiest to control. Armed with this tool, you can apply cream or gel eyeliner (which mimics the look of liquid but is much more forgiving to apply), you can create a more precise line using the brush to apply a pencil liner, and you can also use eyeshadow as liner (giving you a variety of color & texture options!)
Brand new to lining with a brush? Try a flat-tipped one and simply press it right against your top lashline – you’ll leave a perfect stripe of pigment and you can walk the brush along the eyelashes until you get the effect you’re looking for.
Definitely experiment with a variety of colors – black and brown are classic, but coppery shades are gorgeous against blue eyes, aubergine tones will enhance green eyes and as for brown, take your pick of jewel tones – they’ll all create a gorgeous, striking contrast, which is the key to enhancing eye color (and makes a fashion-forward statement to boot!)
SMOKE SIGNALS
The smoky eye is one of fashion’s mainstays, and my clients are always asking how to achieve one that makes a statement but is still wearable. First, remember that you can achieve a smoky look with any color – it doesn’t necessarily have to be a black or grey (in fact, soft taupes, warm browns, and dusky plums are often much more flattering) – as long as you concentrate the darkest shade at the lash line using eyeshadow or a soft kohl pencil, and then blend, blend, blend out to nothing to achieve the signature dark-to-light gradient.
Did I mention blending?? Smoky eyes should never have a harsh line in the crease of the eye where the color stops. Apply the color with one brush and then blend with a clean, soft brush to keep from adding too much additional pigment as you work. Use a shade of eyeshadow that is close to your skin tone to diffuse the edges and achieve that perfect gradient.
Photography: Bri Johnson
Hair & makeup: me, of course!
