Bright Makeup: So Blue, So, So, Blue!

I thought about doing a mix of blue and some other color (was leaning towards purple), but then I thought, “It’s been awhile since I’ve done *all* blue, hasn’t it?” and then this was created. The blues I used almost look like they’re glowing in the close-up photos, which is kind of cool!

Don’t be afraid of color — try it at home! If you don’t love it, you can always wash it off. Also a must? Make funny faces in the mirror if you’re not comfortable with wearing those bright colors. It should be fun, so have fun!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot (neutral beige base), MAC Clear Sky Blue Pigment (PRO) (matte sky blue as a base), MAC Sky Blue Eyeshadow (PRO) (sky blue), MAC Winkle Eyeshadow (matte powder blue), MAC Electric Eel Eyeshadow (matte bright blue), MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow (brightened dark blue), MAC Femme-fi Eyeshadow (neutral highlighter), Urban Decay Deviant 24/7 Liner (blue), Milani Liquif’Eye Silver Eyeliner (silver), MAC Blue Herizon Liquidlast Liner (blue), Chanel Exceptionnel Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Setting Powder
• Cheeks: MAC Prim & Proper Blush (pink-nude)
• Lips: MAC Peachstock Lipstick (peach-nude), MAC Frankly Fresh Lipglass (peach-nude)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Femme-fi = Shroom; Prim & Proper = Tenderling; Frankly Fresh = C-Thru

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 Clear Sky Blue pigment all over the lid area. Using the 239, apply Sky Blue eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply Winkle eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with Electric Eel eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. With the 219, apply Atlantic Blue eyeshadow into the crease, and then use the 226 to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Femme-fi eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Deviant eyeliner on the outer lower lash line with Silver eyeliner on the inner lash line, then Atlantic Blue eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush. On the upper lash line, apply Blue Herizon liquidlast liner and smudge with Atlantic Blue eyeshadow and the 219 brush. Finish by sweeping lashes with Exceptionnel mascara.

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

For lips, apply Peachstock lipstick first, and then layer Frankly Fresh lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Long-lasting Eyeliner on a Budget:  Milani Liquif’Eye

Milani Liquif’Eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencils ($5.49 each) are new for spring and available in five shades: Black, Silver, Gold, Aqua, and Brown. As far as I’m concerned, there is always more room in the world for metallic/chrome eyeliner. These do remind me of L’Oreal HIP Chrome Eyeliners in many ways, though these are a little firmer and more metallic than chrome finish. They’re definitely similar, though.

Liquif’Eye is soft, smooth, and richly pigmented eyeliner. It glides on like my beloved Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Liners and looks just as smooth. I get good wear out of these–no smudging, budging, or migration eight hours later. They don’t look faded either! Surprisingly, they stay well on my waterline, too, for several hours (but I do have a more watery waterline at times), which isn’t something most liners can do for me.

At just $5.49 each, they’re hard to resist. Not only are they excellent in every way–quality, long-lasting liner that is rich in color and smooth in texture–but they’re priced just right. I tried out four of the five shades, and I found each one to be just as good. I hope to see Milani release more shades in the future–how about a green, copper, and violet?

• Black (#01) is a rich, deep dark black. It’s an absolutely smoldering black that’s truly black–there’s no gray here.
• Silver (#02) is a bright and shiny silver with a metallic finish.
• Gold (#03) is a toned down, burnished gold. It’s not a true yellow gold, but it’a step down from that. Little more “antique” gold in it.
• Aqua (#04) is a bright aqua-blue. It isn’t quite as metallic as either the gold or silver shades, but it still has that metallic sheen.

Even the packaging is anything but cheap.  It’s a matte black that looks and feels sleek.  If you blindfolded me, I couldn’t tell you that these didn’t feel like other high-end eyeliners, like Smashbox and Urban Decay.

Have you tried these yet?

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• Product: 30/30
• Value: 10/10
• Ease of Use: 5/5
• Packaging: 5/5

Recommendation: Next time you’re near a Milani display, these are definitely worth a little look-see.

Availability: Local drugstores, MilaniCosmetics.com

See more photos & swatches!