Okay, I was trying to do this whole horizontal placement thing, and it just doesn’t work well with my eye shape, I don’t think! When the eye is open (as it most often is), it just didn’t look right, so I had to fudge it up a bit to make it more my style (this is the result). Could have used some more blending at the top, but at least the lips rocked! And the colors were bright

I used Pink Pearl pigment on lid (PRO), Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow on lid, Parfait Amour eyeshadow in crease, Contrast eyeshadow above crease, Thunder eyeshadow above Contrast (LE), Nylon eyeshadow on brow, Royal Wink fluidliner on upper lash line, Lovely Lily pigment on lower lash line (LE), Graphblack technakohl on lower waterline, and Plushblack plushlash mascara on lashes. I wore Don’t Be Shy blush (LE) on cheeks. I had Show Orchid (PRO) lipstick with Cult Fave lipglass (LE) on my lips.

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It’s prom season, and I’ve been getting more and more requests on what to do makeup-wise! If you know me, you know I’m an advocate of coordinating your eye makeup with your clothes, and the dress is no exception.

This vibrant multi-colored dress should help inspire you when thinking of appropriate makeup to pair it with. I love the idea of doing a mermaid inspired eye (#2 shown) with a purple twist (perhaps having some Parfait Amour or Contrast eyeshadow in the outer crease/lid). But because the gown has so much blue and purple, you can easily opt for an all-purple eye or even all-teal eye. To downplay the colors, you can go for a subtle smoky eye that has a little bit of blue or purple accents to help tie everything together.

Check out details for the looks suggested: one, two, three. Dress is available at Nordstrom.com for $286.00.

What MAC summer launch are you most excited over? Naughty Nauticals got you all caught up? Dying for a dose of Cool Heat?

Many of us use only one facial cleanser, but is it doing a good job? Put your favorite cleanser to the test! After using it, take a cotton pad with a liquid makeup remover on it (like Lancome’s Bi-Facil), and see if your cleanser left any makeup behind. Now, look at the cotton pad: what do you see?

If you found that after half of your face, you really needed a second cotton pad, that is a very bad sign. Some of you will find that you do see residual dirt/makeup (especially foundation), and it may shock you to realize how much product you have left on your face every night. Did you find nothing on that cotton pad? Congratulations, you are getting the most mileage out of your cleanser (and be sure to share it in the comments, so other readers can benefit from your experience!).

Reason to Use More than One Cleanser

• You wear a lot of eye makeup–whether that’s intense shadow, heavy mascara, or waterproof liner. Lots of eye products can be difficult to remove with a typical cleanser, simply because there’s a lot of it, and many products are waterproof and break down best with oil-based cleansers. Additionally, pigmented shadows can stain lids without targeted removal.
• You wear foundation–if you’re good about application, this means that you get close to your hairline, and you get a little on your jawline/underneath your jaw (sort of on your neck). This area is easy to miss when you’re cleansing and rinsing your face (honestly, how many of you cleanse your neck every night?). I know that when I’m rinsing my face, I no doubt miss spots near my hairline!
• You wear lipstick/lipgloss–it may not stay on when you’re eating and drinking, but using a regular facial cleanser doesn’t always break it down.
• You’re acne-prone–you want to be sure you remove any dirt and residue from your face to reduce acne, especially when you know your cleanser does leave something behind.

What to do when your cleanser fails:

Makeup Remover Wipes–these are available through an assortment of brands from drugstore to high-end. A cult favorite are MAC wipes (there is a special fondness for their scent, too), but you can go the drugstore route and come out okay.

• Pros: Remove a lot of makeup at once
• Cons: Can tug more at eyelids and skin

Makeup Remover (Liquid, Gel, Mousse, etc.)–think Lancome Bi-Facil, MAC Cleanse-Off Oil, etc. These are products that are specifically geared to take off your makeup, and they are tested to truly break down makeup products. Some products you can apply and lather, others are meant to be used in conjunction with cotton pads, swabs, etc..

• Pros: Removes makeup very well, leaves minimal residue behind
• Cons: May leave a residue behind, feel oily, sting eyes

Change Your Routine!–we all love that one product that can do it all, but maybe it’s just not cutting it. Maybe that stubborn acne isn’t worth it and could be cleared up with more stringent cleansing habits! Let me share with you what I have found really works well…

• Makeup Removing Wipe: when I wear something really, really heavy for eye makeup or still have the majority of my lipstick/gloss on, I use a wipe to take it off. I go gently, don’t tug much, and never try to remove it all using just a wipe.
• Facial Cleanser: After using the wipe to get off the initial bits and bobs of makeup, I’ll use my normal facial cleanser, which does a pretty good job of breaking down makeup, but it just isn’t perfect.
• Makeup Remover: I take one cotton pad and tap some liquid makeup remover (I use Lancome’s Bi-Facil right now) then go along my face, paying attention to the hairline, jawline, skin underneath eyes, and around my nose (any crevice that might be susceptible to makeup buildup or being missed during cleansing).

How does your cleanser hold up? What cleanser are you using?

What is your favorite work-friendly look combination? We have a ton of readers who rock the work look during the week, and I know they’re always on the look out for new ideas, so share yours!