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Tutorial - Tropical Paradise (Green, Teal, & Blue Eyes)

Tutorial: Tropical Paradise (Green, Teal, & Blue Eyes)

Here’s a tutorial for a look I did a couple of weeks ago! It’s a good mix of bright, summery colors — this combination of colors always reminds me of tropical paradise. The sun, the sea…

You will need the following…

  • Eyes: Make Up For Ever #910 Star Powder (springy green base), Make Up For Ever #304 Eyeshadow (shimmery yellow-green), Make Up For Ever #93 Eyeshadow (matte aqua-green), Make Up For Ever #168 Eyeshadow (shimmery teal), Make Up For Ever #159 Eyeshadow (matte blue), MAC Nylon eyeshadow (yellow-gold highlighter), Make Up For Ever Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow (black), Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Lash Mascara (black)
  • Cheeks: Make Up For Ever #5 Blush (matte coral-orange), Make Up For Ever #153 Blush (shimmery peachy-gold)
  • Lips: MAC Overrich lipstick (pinky-coral), Make Up For Ever #403 Gloss (sheer orange-coral)
  • Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush), 165 (highlighting brush)

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply #910 Star Powder all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, pack #304 eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply #93 eyeshadow to the middle portion of the lid. On the outer lid and crease, apply #168 eyeshadow with the 226. Darken crease with #159 eyeshadow using the 219, and then blend out with the 226. Sweep MAC Nylon eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight with the 217. Apply 12L Aqua Eyes Liner on lower lash line. Smudge lower lash line with #304 eyeshadow with the 214 brush, pressing into lower lashes. Finish with Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow on on the upper lash line using the 208. Apply Aqua Smoky Lash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with #5 Blush using the 129, then highlight with #153 with the 165. Apply MAC Overrich lipstick to lips, and then top with #403 Gloss for color and shine.

Get step-by-step instructions…!

1. Begin with a clean/makeup-free eye area. Make sure any moisturizer you’ve applied has been fully absorbed, otherwise it might reduce the effectiveness of your eyeshadow base/primer.

2. Apply a neutral eyeshadow base like MAC Soft Ochre paint pot with a flat, firm bristled brush like the 249. You can also use products like Urban Decay Primer Potion or Too Faced Shadow Insurance.

3. You’ll want your eyeshadow base to cover your eye area from lash line to just before the brow bone.

4. With a flat, lightly fluffy domed brush, apply Make Up For Ever #910 Star Powder with water-based mixing medium all over the lower lid.

5. Pull the brush outwards so that the color covers the whole lid.

6. This is how the color should look once it has been deposited. You may need to go back and add more to get an opaque base without any sheer areas.

7. With an eyeshadow brush like the 239, apply Make Up For Ever #304 eyeshadow, which is a chartreuse shimmer shade, all over the lower lid.

8. This is how it should look. Layer additional eyeshadow over it to even out the color or intensify it as necessary/desired.

9. Using a fluffy eyeshadow brush like the 239, apply Make Up For Ever #93 eyeshadow, a bright apple green, to the middle of the lid, pulling downwards towards the lash line.

10. This is how it should look now.

11. With a fluffy eyeshadow brush like the 239, apply Make Up For Ever #168 eyeshadow, a shimmery teal, onto the outer third of the lid.

12. This is what it looks like now.

13. With a fluffy, tapered crease brush like the 226, apply Make Up For Ever #159 eyeshadow, a matte royal blue, into the outer half of the crease.

14. Pull the brush outwards, and then drag slightly downwards towards the outer corner.

15. This is what it looks like now. You can go back and intensify the boldness of your crease color if desired.

16. With a large fluffy brush like the 224, apply your choice in highlighter (I chose MAC Nylon eyeshadow, which is a soft gold shimmer) to your brow bone. Start on the inside and work your way outward.

17. This is what it looks like at this time!

18. With a stiff, defining brush like the 214, apply Make Up For Ever #304 eyeshadow, a shimmery chartreuse, to the lower lash line. Repeat but use Make Up For Ever #159 eyeshadow, a matte royal blue, on the outer third of the lower lash line.

19. Add a green-teal eyeliner like Make Up For Ever 12L to the lower lash line and black mascara to finish the eye look. Apply Make Up For Ever Aqua Black Cream Eyeshadow on the upper lash line with a stiff, angled brush like the 208. For blush, try matching with corals, like Make Up For Ever #5 Blush and Make Up For Ever #153 Blush. For lips, try a coral shade as well. I used MAC Overrich lipstick with Make Up For Ever #3 gloss (a sheer coral-orange).

Here’s the finished product!

34 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
Christine Avatar

Thanks, Holly! In this look, I am wearing Make Up For Ever HD Foundation. Skincare wise, I’ve been using Kate Somerville’s Deep Tissue moisturizer AM/PM, Mario Badescu Acne Facial Cleanser in the AM, Darphin Waterlily Gel Cleanser in the PM, and Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion (it’s a toner) in the PM.

Evening Star Avatar

I *like* this tut! Thanks a bunch for sharing!

But I did notice that in steps 16-19, all the pictures are the same. 🙁 I’m really curious as to how you placed the colors on the lower lashline.

daphne Avatar

I thought I remembered in your past tutorials you’ve always used your neutral base, like Soft Ochre, all the way up to the brow. Why have it stop before in this one? (I always use my base to the browbone because that is where the color fades first on me! My highlighter colors never stuck around until I started using paint pots…)

Carmen Avatar

Christine, Your tutorials are wonderful, and your looks are so nice. You have gorgeous teeth, btw! Anyway, I just have a quick comment – again, I LOVE your tutorials: I realize that these are showing more sophisticated m/u applications, but I find them sometimes a bit complicated, or not simple. Do you have any where you use less eye shadows and less steps, perhaps? It’s only because I don’t have the time to go through so many steps nor to use so many shadows every day. I use maybe 2-3 shadows max. That being said, I love to see yours and learn different methods of applying products, esp. shadows.

Thanks much!

Christine Avatar

Hi Carmen,

I definitely have a few in the archives. It’s really the same application, and you can always minimize the steps by using the lightest color over the inner half of the lid, the medium/dark color on the outer half of the lid, then your darkest in the crease. (Instead of say, light, medium, dark, and darker!)

holly g. Avatar

I have been trying for a long time now to do my eyeshadows really elaborate and creative, it looks pretty good when I leave the house but either falls off after a while, clumps up or cakes up.
I even made my own mixing medium with 3 parts purified water and 1 part glycerin. Do you think if I buy a primer it will really help? And if I use my mixing medium with a loose powder from Mac rather than pressed shadow do you think this will help it look better? Thank you.

April Avatar

Oh, Christine, water-based mixing medium all over the lower lid, ok my question is how to get this because of where I live, especially the Pro Stores ;( Do any other brands make a water-based mixing medium? Please help

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