How to Add Color to a Simple Eye Look Quickly

As we begin to approach the warmer months of spring and summer, we all tend to like to add a quick dash of color to our makeup looks.  I have found a quick and rather simple way of doing this.  One word...eyeliner.

I am the girl who buys the sets of Urban Decay eyeliner whenever they come out.  I like having an array of colors just to give quick pops of color to my eye looks.  I do the same when Tarte comes out with any liner sets.  In particular, I like the Tarte Smolder Eyes pencils and the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On pencils.

In previous blog posts I have told you how much I love to run the Urban Decay pencil in Deviant along my lower lash line during the summer or anytime I feel like my eyes look tired and need to be brightened up a bit.  I still stand by that liner.  It is quick, simple, and gives a major effect with minor work.

Today I did a look anyone can achieve.  If you do not have the same exact pencils or even the shadows, similar colors will still work.

Here are the products I used on my eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
• Urban Decay Naked Pallette (Virgin, Naked, and Buck)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On pencils in Flipside and Junkie
• Tarte Smolder Eyes (chubby pencil) in Violet
• Maybelline Mega Plush waterproof mascara 

After applying my primer, I took a Sigma shader brush (E55) and applied Naked all over the mobile lid .  Then I took a fluffy brush, also by Sigma  (E40), and bring Naked into the crease and blend it out as a transition color.  I then take my all time favorite brush (my Smashbox domed crease brush that JG sent me years ago) and take Buck only into the deep socket, using windshield wiper motions.  I then take a Sigma short shader brush and apply Virgin just under my brow bone and in the inner corners of my eyes.  Finally, I take that same fluffy brush with a small amount of Naked on it and use it to blend out any harsh lines.

Now that the eye shadow is done you can choose 2-3 eyeliners (one for the top lash line, one for the bottom lash line, and one for the waterline if you choose.)  I chose the Tarte Smolder Eyes for my top lash line.  It gave a ton of definition to the lash line and a slight bit of purple coloring to bring out the green in my hazel eyes.  Then I took Flipside and ran it across my waterline. I applied Junkie underneath my lower lashes and smudged it out using a very small smudge brush from Tarte.

Now for the lashes.  I love this part!  I curled them with my Shu Uemera lash curler and gave each eye two coats of the Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara.  I used the same mascara on my bottom lashes.  It did not run or smudge all day!

I wish I had taken a picture before I took my makeup off, but I hadn't planned on blogging about it.  I will however recreate the look and post it soon.  I love pairing any shades of purple and greens.  This combination of plum and teal came out perfectly!

Until next time....

xoxo
Dani

Moving, Allergy Season, and The Great Mascara Search

I found out at the end of December that I had to move.  So, I want to first apologize for my lack of blogs and vlogs.  It was a hectic several months.  I had that horrible virus that is still going around for most of January and I was trying to pack for the move.  I am just now, towards the end of March, getting settled into my new place.  I must say, I am very much looking forward to spring break so I can take advantage of the time to set up the little things like my vanity table, makeup reorganization, etc.

I never really experienced allergies until I was an adult.  Even then it wasn't like most people's severe hay fever and what not.  Even now, my biggest complaint during allergy season is that my eyes burn and water.  

If you have ever had reactions to your environment  you can imagine that moving into a new house with a lush backyard that includes a variety of different flowers and plants can wreck havoc on you.  Since I moved, I constantly find my allergies flaring up.  Especially in the sense that my eyes are so sensitive.

When I found out I was moving I decided to use up as many products as possible.  Unfortunately, the empties I was saving for a vlog got thrown out during the move.  However, I have a few of the sample size mascaras that I tried.

That leads me to The Great Mascara Search.  What a nightmare.  All of the sudden my tried and true mascara (Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes) was no longer working for me.  I found it was smudging constantly.  So I began to try every sample size mascara I had in an old Birch Box container.  I was using several that I had liked in the past, including; Hourglass Film Noir, Josie Maran, Urban Decay SuperCurl, etc.  Anything that had ever been put in a lash stash or any sample that had come with a palette was in there and I tried it.  Nothing was working!

My sweet friend Jackie, who is a fabulous makeup artist told me she was having similar problems with allergies and that she had tried a new mascara and she would text me when she got home to tell me what it was.  She did.  It was Maybelline Falsies Black Drama.  She said that since she had been using it, her eyes were not watering that much and she loved the look.  In my attempt to be cruelty free, I never even ventured into the realm of drug store mascaras.  I was desperate though.  My lashes are non-existent without mascara and I wasn't getting any results from my tried and true cruelty-free options (which we all know are not exactly inexpensive).

So I went to the drugstore with another friend and while he was checking out Mila Kunis on the cover of various magazines, I was thinking long and hard about the choice I was about to make.  Getting a mascara that was not cruelty free but did not hurt my eyes or fore go wearing mascara until (or if ever) my eyes returned to normal.  I will be honest, vanity won out.  I picked up two mascaras initially.  The Maybelline Falsies Black Drama, and Jordana's Best Lash Extreme.  I also picked up a Jordana for my friend Jackie to try.  (Which by the way she loves more than the Maybelline).  Two days later I picked up two other Maybelline products that were waterproof.  One is Lash Discovery in waterproof (for the bottom lashes) and the other was Maybelline Mega Plush in waterproof.

The results?  I like the Jordana Best Lash Extreme, but it flakes a bit on me; continuing to give me dark circles under my eyes.  I love the Maybelline Falsies Black Drama for a few hours and then that smudges too.  The Maybelline Lash Discovery is just "bleh" to me.  it makes my lashes a bit darker, but other than that...nada.  The Maybelline Mega Plush in waterproof is AMAZING when it comes to how it looks and wears.  It makes my non-existent lashes full and long without being spidery, keeps an amazing curl, and lasts all day without smudges or flakes.  However, taking it off at night....it is a total nightmare!  I am interested in trying the regular Mega Plush and see if that wears as well without the pain of removing waterproof mascara and several lashes.

If you have any suggestions for mascara during allergy season...please let me know.  If you are angry with me for using products that aren't cruelty free, I understand, but know it wasn't a decision I took lightly.  It was the right decision for me.  As I respect your opinions, please respect mine.

xoxo

Dani