Challenge: Wear Colors You’re Afraid Of

I’m actually not technically, technically afraid of any color, but I don’t usually reach for red eyeshadows because I don’t think they work well with me and take more effort than I usually can handle to work.  I’ve had the best success combining it with golds and oranges for a sunset-like eye.  I remember the first time I ever wore a pinky-red eyeshadow; my mom saw me not a minute after I had finished the look and asked if something was wrong and if I had been crying.

Is there a color you’re “afraid” of?  Maybe you can’t find a way to make it work or you really don’t think you can pull it off…

While I don’t think I look like I spent the past hour crying my eyes out, I didn’t love how it came out–the purple I picked for the lid color was too dark, and I think I’d opt for something with some shimmer to open up the eyes more (which is why I ended up adding a shimmery mauve to the inner tear duct area–there was just too much darkness on my eyes).  So, I’m still working on finding a way to wear red eyeshadow that’s not just gold/orange/red (because that combo I can do!).  I almost, almost tried green with Christmas just around the corner but held myself back!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (eyeshadow primer), Inglot #325 Eyeshadow (eggplant purple), Inglot #382 Eyeshadow (red), Inglot #450 Eyeshadow (cranberry), Inglot #420 Eyeshadow (mauve), Inglot #353 Eyeshadow (beige), Make Up For Ever #7 Aqua Liner (purple), Tarina Tarantino Glitter Mist Eyelicity Glitter Eyeliner (iridescent glitter), Hourglass Film Noir Mascara (black), Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (130), Le Metier de Beaute Coral Nymph Cream Blush (peach-coral), Guerlain Les Voilettes Mineral Powder (03)
• Lips: Giorgio Armani #602 Gloss d’Armani (semi-sheer plum)

For eyes, I applied a light layer of NARS Smudgeproof on the lid as an eyeshadow primer from lash line to brow bone with a firm, flat brush.  The first eyeshadow I applied was Inglot #450, and I used a fluffy crease brush to lay down the crease color to help provide a good blended background for the intense red I planned to use.  Next, I applied Inglot #325 onto the lid with a small eyeshadow brush.  With a firm, domed crease brush, I applied Inglot #382 into the crease and blended just slightly outwards so the red would also peek through with my eyes open.  Using a large eyeshadow brush, I softened the crease color with Inglot #353 and applied it to the brow bone.  To lighten the look, I applied Inglot #420 on the inner tear duct with a fluffy angled brush.  On the lower lash line, I first applied Make Up For Ever #7 and layered Tarina Tarantino Glitter Mist on top.  Finally, I applied a coat of Bare Escentuals Buxom to lengthen lashes and then thickened with Hourglass Film Noir.

For face, I applied Make Up For Ever HD with a circular foundation brush.  I blended Le Metier de Beaute Coral Nymph onto cheeks with fingertips and set with Guerlain Les Voilettes.  For lips, I applied Giorgio Armani #602.

Check out more photos!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner ($23.00 for 0.058 oz.) is a new liquid liner that launched recently at Sephora. It claims to be “weather, tear, and sweat-proof color” and “100% waterproof.” There are fifteen shades in total (there is no #2 shade), all of which have been photographed and swatched in this post.

• #1 is a semi-sheer yellowed gold base with gold shimmer.
• #3 is a darkened forest green with olive and green shimmer.
• #4 is a medium-dark blue-teal with silver and teal shimmer.
• #5 is a bright blue with soft silvery-white shimmer.
• #6 is a blackened, cool-toned blue-purple with silver and blue shimmer.
• #7 is a blackened violet purple with blue-violet and purple shimmer.
• #8 is a medium-dark red-based purple with violet and fuchsia shimmer.
• #9 is a bright, neon pink with a soft sheen.
• #10 is a neutreal red with soft ruby red shimmer.
• #11 is a burgundy wine with fuchsia and pink shimmer.
• #12 is a lightened black with a touch of brown.
• #13 is a deep, dark black.
• #14 is a black-brown with multi-colored shimmer.
• #15 is a silvered black with multi-colored shimmer.
• #16 is a colorless base with white shimmer.

It’s clear that there’s a new liquid liner formula on the block, and a lot of brands have taken advantage of it: MAC Superslick ($17.50/0.06 oz.), Illamasqua Precision Ink ($27.50/0.06 oz., only available in Abyss and Glister), Laura Mercier Liquid Eyeliner ($26, only available in Gold Thread), Stila Sparkle Liquid Liner ($22.00/0.05 oz.), and Bobbi Brown Glitter Liquid Liner ($20.00/0.05 oz., only available in Silver and Gold during the holiday). I couldn’t tell the difference between the majority of these when it came to the formula (Laura Mercier’s I haven’t tried; Stila’s is chalked full of shimmer/glitter, so they feel a little different).

Make Up For Ever definitely changed up the formula and tweaked the packaging, which is something I didn’t see in the other brands. The brush is actually more tapered and shorter, though still made out of foam. The shorter length actually enables you to have a little more precision and makes it easy to never have too much product on the brush (this makes these edge out just oh-so-slightly ahead, but the longer applicator is still easy to work with). I also felt like the formula was thinner, almost watery, but it wasn’t watered down, because each liner was intensely pigmented. You also have to shake up these Aqua Liners (you’ll hear something rattling inside when you do) — and this isn’t something common to the other brands.

Aqua Liners are budgeproof, smudgeproof, and waterproof. These don’t budge until you’re ready to remove them, and they removed easily with an eye makeup remover like Lancome Bi-Facil or Make Up For Ever’s Sens’Eyes. MAC’s Makeup Removing Wipes also did a fine job of removing these from my arm. The product will flake off more than it will dissolve, but I didn’t experience any flaking while wearing–only when I went to remove it; the best way to describe it is to analogize it to tube mascara.

Though Aqua Liners have a different applicator and the formula is definitely tweaked (at least, in consistency/feel), but in wear, I’ve found that all of the variations on this new type of liquid eyeliner wear extremely well. Make Up For Ever has the largest range at 15. The two shades that overlap across nearly every brand is gold (for MUFE, it’s #1), though Make Up For Ever’s #1 seems a little darker, less metallic gold, more sun-gold, and plain ol’ black (for MUFE, it’s #15).

P.S. — I’m still waiting for a few Stila Sparkle Liquid Liners, and then I’ll post some comparisons for any shades that do compare.

The Glossover

	Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners Swatches, Photos, Reviews A+
	The color range is amazing--it's exactly what I'd expect from Make Up For Ever and totally useful for liquid liner fanatics. There are fun, brightly colored shades, but also some interesting takes on black. And then it's delivered in a formula that holds on all day, through showers and workouts!
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
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See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners – 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Illamasqua vs. MAC vs. MUFE vs. Stila (All waterproof – this is post-running my hand under a faucet)