5 Ocean-Inspired Eyeshadows

When I think of the ocean, I think of blue, green, and teal all merged into one. Depending on the depth and clarity of the water, you might a really smoldering blue, maybe something closer to blackened blue, and at other times, a beautiful translucent aqua blue. I could have easily chosen five more shades for this topic, LOL! There were so many amazing shades to choose from.

• Illamasqua Burst — matte blue-teal
• Le Metier de Beaute Midnight Sky — shimmering blackened blue
• NARS South Pacific — clear aqua blue
• MAC Freshwater — perfect medium blue
• Maybelline Tenacious Teal — silver-shimmered light-medium blue

What color best represents the ocean in your stash?

5 True Blue Eyeshadows

Blue eyeshadow is such an empowering shade to wear, because it’s so often the, “No way!” shade.  It’s vibrant and intense and there are so many good ones available!  If you’re hesitant to wear blue eyeshadow, try wearing it with neutrals–perhaps a little blue in the crease or on the lower lash line.

1. MAC Freshwater
2. MAC Blue Calm
3. Inglot #426
4. Make Up For Ever #167
5. Inglot #322

What’s your favorite true blue eyeshadow?

MAC Eyeshadow Swatches – Teals & Blues

Here are several swatches of MAC eyeshadows from the green family (mostly permanent shades) that are now part of The Swatch Gallery.

Newly Minted is a green-based teal with a matte finish. It had a Matte2 finish, but it was discontinued. Make Up For Ever #93 comes the closest–it’s a little brighter but has better color payoff.
Shimmermoss is a blue-teal with a silvery sheen. It has a veluxe pearl finish. Milani Teal the Truth is similar in color but a touch darker, while
Aquadisiac is a green-tinged aqua blue with a soft sheen. It has a lustre finish. Make Up For Ever #168 is the only dupe I could think of, but it’s much darker and not so much an aqua.
Aqua is a soft aqua blue with a matte finish. It’s a little powdery and can look chalky on some complexions. Milani Caribbean Sea is similar in color, though a little darker and shimmery. Inglot #345 has a similar lightness but leans greener.
Plumage is a blackened blue with just a hint of green. It has a matte finish. Inglot #340 is not quite as dark, but it is very similar in color and more pigmented.
Prussian is a dark navy blue with a Matte2 finish. It has been discontinued. Make Up For Ever #60 is the closest shade I could think of, but it is much darker and not quite as blue.
Deep Truth is a dark blue with a frost finish. This is a shade with a fair amount of dupes/cousins. Just to name a few: Make Up For Ever #308, Milani Blue My Mind, and Inglot #428.
Freshwater is a bright, medium blue with a veluxe pearl finish. Inglot #426 is similar, a little darker. Make Up For Ever #167 is also similar but a bit darker.
Blue Calm is a brightened, medium blue with a veluxe pearl finish. It is a PRO shade. It’s just a smidgen lighter than Freshwater (and thus is a smidgen lighter than the comparables listed for Freshwater).
Electric Eel is a bright but darkened cyan blue with a satin finish. Inglot #371 is very similar. Urban Decay Electric is slightly less blue. Make Up For Ever #72 is darker.
Sky Blue is a pale, pastel blue with a white sheen. It has a frost finish and was a PRO shade but is no longer available. Make Up For Ever #150 is very similar. Cle de Peau #112 is also similar but a little lighter.
Winkle is a cornflower blue, almost periwinkle, with a satin finish. It is similar to Inglot #369.
Moon’s Reflection is a purple-tinged blue with a silvery-white sheen. It has a veluxe pearl finish. The closest color I could think of was Inglot #429, which leans more on the purple side and has a brighter white sheen.
Atlantic Blue is a deep, intense cobalt blue with a hint of indigo. It has a matte finish and is a PRO shade. Make Up For Ever #159 is similar but has less violet in it, while Inglot #388 is a little darker and has less blue.

MAC’s matte eyeshadows have a drier texture, and they often perform better in actual application than merely swatched on the arm.  Shades like Aqua, Plumage, and Prussian don’t always swatch perfectly but Plumage and Prussian work better when applied.  Aqua is a finicky shade that sometimes works but not consistently, and the product itself seems to be inconsistent–some pans are better than others.

Atlantic Blue is one of the best matte shades by MAC, because it’s so intense.  Shades like Deep Truth, Freshwater, and Electric Eel are classic blues–all three lovely in color payoff and texture.  Electric Eel has all the hallmarks of a matte but it has a satin finish, so it’s easier to work with.  Sky Blue can be tricky to work with, similar to Aqua’s issues.

It’s a shame that a shade like Newly Minted gets discontinued, though, because it’s not a shade you see often.  (Or, for the older MAC fans, Melody!)

The Glossover

	MAC Eyeshadow Swatches - Teals & Blues B+
	MAC does some really great blues, like Freshwater, Blue Calm, Deep Truth, and Electric Eel. Veluxe pearls are some of their smoothest and most pigmented shades, while mattes can be harder to work with.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Newly Minted Eyeshadow

MAC Shimmermoss Eyeshadow

MAC Aquadisiac Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Plumage Eyeshadow

MAC Prussian Eyeshadow

MAC Deep Truth Eyeshadow

MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow

MAC Blue Calm Eyeshadow

MAC Electric Eel Eyeshadow

MAC Sky Blue Eyeshadow

MAC Winkle Eyeshadow

MAC Moon’s Reflection Eyeshadow

MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow

5 Great Blue Eyeshadows

Here are five of my favorite blue eyeshadows!

• Hourglass Lagoon Eyeshadow Duo
• Make Up For Ever #20 Aqua Cream
• Urban Decay Dashiki Eyeshadow
• Illamasqua Alluvium Pure Pigment
• MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow

What are your favorite blue eyeshadows?

Bright Makeup: Let’s Go to the Tropics with Yellow, Green, & Blue

I was getting a little tired of pink and purple, so I had to go with something totally different but still fun! Happy Friday all!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot (neutral beige base), MAC Stacked 2! Pigment (light gold-green), MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow (sunny yellow), MAC Bio Green Eyeshadow (grassy green), MAC Shimmermoss Eyeshadow (teal), MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow (blue), MAC Electric Eel Eyeshadow (bright blue), MAC Nylon Eyeshadow (white-gold highlighter), Make Up For Ever 7L Aqua Eyes Liner (electric blue), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Korres Tinted Moisturizer (#2)
• Cheeks: Benefit Sugarbomb (peachy pink)
• Lips: MAC Victorian Lipstick (pinky coral), MAC Gold Dust Lipglass (sheer orange gold)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Going Bananas = Bright Sunshine; Victorian = See Sheer; Gold Dust = Instant Gold

For eyes, start by applying Soft Ochre paint pot as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. With the 239 and water-based mixing medium (or water), apply Stacked 2! pigment (light gold-green) all over the lid area. Using the 239, apply Going Bananas eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply Bio Green eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Lightly layer Shimmermoss eyeshadow on the middle-to-outer portion of the eyelid. Darken the outer third of the lid with Freshwater eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend Electric Eel eyeshadow, with the 226, on the outer corner and lid. Lightly tap and brush Going Bananas eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Nylon eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying 7L eyeliner on the lower lash line and Going Bananas eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sugarbomb blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Victorian lipstick first, and then layer Gold Dust lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Colorful Makeup:  Green, Teal, & Blue

I envisioned a green, teal, and blue combination, and I really went from there for this look. I’m also trying to work on using permanent or recently released products in my looks, so, even though it was unplanned and totally coincidental, this look is very much like the theme of Build-a-Quad: “The Tropics.”

Happy Monday! I usually love Mondays, but it’s my first day back at school since I’ve been on winter break for the past two weeks… sigh. It’s so hard to get back into the swing of things, you know? Boo school!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Teal Pigment (teal base), MAC Juxt Eyeshadow (soft spring-y green), MAC Shimmermoss Eyeshadow (teal), MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow (blue), MAC Deep Truth Eyeshadow (dark blue), MAC Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow (green-toned gold), MAC Femme-fi Eyeshadow (neutral highlighter), Urban Decay El Dorado 24/7 Liner (gold), Chanel Exceptionnel Mascara (black)
• Face:  Kiehl’s Tinted Moisturizer (medium)
• Cheeks: Benefit Sugarbomb Powder (peachy-pink)
• Lips: MAC Freckletone Lipstick (peach-toned nude), NARS Orgasm Lipgloss (sheer peachy-pink shimmer)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 217 (fluffy blending brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Femme-fi = Shroom

For eyes, start by putting a drop of water-based mixing medium (or water) on your brush, then apply Teal pigment as your eyeshadow base all over the lid with the 249. Using the 239, apply Juxt eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply Shimmermoss eyeeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with Freshwater eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Next, define the crease by applying Deep Truth eyeshadow with the 226. Lightly tap and brush Gorgeous Gold eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. With the 217, gently apply Gorgeous Gold eyeshadow above the innerlid and towards the brow bone. 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 sweeping lashes with Exceptionnel mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sugarbomb to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Freckletone lipstick first, and then layer Orgasm lipgloss for a glossy lip look.

Check out more photos!

Freshwater, Shimmermoss, Juxt, Gorgeous Gold