New Year’s Eve Makeup: Golden Berry

I wanted something simple but still festive for New Year’s Eve, so I went with a modified version of this look, just to make it a little softer. I thought I’d also try using Cuddle shadestick under a lot of frost-finish shadows while I was at it, too, so I managed to squeeze that into the look!  I was already running late, and the boyfriend had that look on his face (you know, the one that says “If you spend more than fifteen minutes on your makeup, I’m leaving without you!“), so I didn’t want to experiment too much!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Cuddle Shadestick (soft gold base), MAC Goldmine Eyeshadow (gold), MAC Gleam Eyeshadow (golden peach), MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow (berry), MAC Fig. 1 Eyeshadow (eggplant), MAC Femme-fi Eyeshadow (neutral highlighter),
  Urban Decay El Dorado 24/7 Liner (gold), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Benefit Sugarbomb Powder (peachy-pink)
• Lips: Guerlain Gems Rouge G Lipstick (shimmery coral), Chanel Maline Glossimer (golden bronze)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Cuddle = Baselight

For eyes, start by applying Cuddle shadestick as your eyeshadow base all over the lid with the 249, then even out with the 217. Using the 239, apply Goldmine eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply Gleam eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with Cranberry eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Next, define the crease by applying Fig. 1 eyeshadow with the 226. Lightly tap and brush Gleam eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Femme-fi eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying El Dorado Liner on the lower lash line, and then sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sugarbomb to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 129.

For lips, apply Gems lipstick first, and then layer Maline glossimer for a pretty pinky-coral lip look.

Check out more photos!

MAC Shadesticks: Relaxed, Warm & Cozy, Nurture, Cuddle

MAC Warm & Cozy Collection: Shadesticks

MAC is definitely bringing back shadesticks with a vengeance, don’t you think? With five limited edition shades from Sugarsweet and four new (but still limited edition) shades from Warm & Cozy, it makes me wonder if we’ll be seeing more of these in 2010.

• Relaxed is a deep, chocolate bronze with a soft frost finish. It has the least frosty finish out of the four, but it’s still noticeably shimmery and has that frost edge associated with frost textures. I thought this was the most pigmented and smoothest of the bunch as well.
• Warm & Cozy is a burnt copper shade with sparkly glitter particles. I actually felt like this had a very chunky, gritty texture–it wasn’t a winner for me. Shadesticks should be smooth, and I didn’t find that this one was nearly as smooth as I’d expect. It felt like a lustre eyeshadow almost, with the way the glitter flecks were so obvious.
• Nurture is a pink champagne with a neutral feel. It’s not a bright, nor pastel, pink and it looks very fleshy-pink-beige in a way. It has the same frost finish appearance as the other shadesticks in the launch.
• Cuddle is a frosty white-gold with yellow daffodil feel. It definitely has a frost finish, and since it is so light, yet covers well, it would make an excellent base as well.

See more photos and swatches!

MAC Shadesticks: Relaxed, Warm & Cozy, Nurture, Cuddle

MAC Shadesticks: Relaxed, Warm & Cozy, Nurture, Cuddle

MAC Shadesticks: Cuddle, Nurture

MAC Shadesticks: Warm & Cozy, Relaxed