Get the look - Valentine's Day!

You always want to look incredible on a day like Valentine’s Day because it symbolizes love, affection and intimacy!  You want to feel beautiful, look sexy and exude passion.  How come everyday isn’t Valentine’s Day?

If you have a hot date on V-Day or maybe you are going out for a girl’s night, you can’t go wrong with smoldering eyes and glossy lips.

The Pro’s want to help you get the look and it’s easy when you use products from Eve Pearl's cosmetic line! Check out our link to Eve's great Valentine's Day makeup offer under our Pro Tips and Tricks section below!

Step 1 – After you cleanse your face, properly prep your skin with Eve Pearl’s Priming Moisturizer with Astaxanthin.  This product is incredible for anti-aging and contains natural sunscreen so you won’t be worried about flash photography!  It also is an essential step that will help your makeup apply smoother and last longer - don't skip it!

Step 2 – decide if you plan to apply your eye makeup first and then your foundation or apply your foundation and then the rest of your makeup.  We recommend applying the eyes first because you can clean up any fall out from the shadow and not ruin your foundation or concealer.

Eve Pearl’s Diamond Eyes palette is perfect for achieving a smoky eye look.  It contains 6 of the most dramatic, pigmented and gorgeous shades in the gold and silver family, which when blended together will make your eyes sexy and seductive!

 

Start with a combination of the deepest shades and apply all over the lid up to the crease.  Using a clean blending brush, blend only in the crease area – as if you are fading the color into that crease and diminishing any lines of demarcation - do not blend the lid – you still want the deepest, darkest hues to be along your lash line area and on the lid.  Take these same shades and run them along the lower lash line and blend, creating that fading effect.

Take a small amount of either the light gold shade or silver shade and pat that color right in the center of the eye lid – which is the most moveable part of your eye – this will act as a highlight.  Don’t forget to take that it shade and apply to the inner corner of the eye too.  The Pro’s like to keep the brow bone completely bare, but you could use the highlight color along the brow bone too. 

Line the upper and lower water line with Eve Pearl’s Kohl Eye Pencil in Blackout and apply at least 2 coats of the Glamour Lash Mascara in Jet Black.

If you are feeling extremely playful, a set of Absolute Eyelashes 104 will really make your eyes pop!  Now, clean up any fallout with a wipe and reapply a tiny amount of the Priming Moisturizer under the eye area – dabbing with your ring finger and begin foundation.

Step 3 - remember foundation comes before concealer.  Many times a great foundation with a medium coverage will cover skin imperfections eliminating the need to use concealer and minimizing the amount of product used on the face. 

Eve’s product line also contains two options for foundation – pressed powder foundation or cream foundation or if you want to apply your makeup like the Pro’s do, then you will want to have both types in your arsenal.

Begin with the HD Dual Foundation in your shade – most people will fall into the Medium category, but Eve’s line makes it easy to find the shade that exactly matches your tone because you will receive two shades in one compact for mixing and matching.

The Pro’s like to use Eve’s method of applying foundation and below is a how-to YouTube video of Eve demonstrating proper foundation application.  Once you have applied and blended your cream foundation using a sponge, brush or fingers, it is time for concealer.

Step 4 – Salmon Concealer & Treatment is the only concealer that the Pro’s use because it will completely erase all signs of dark circles and it applies silky smooth to the under eye area without caking. Eve makes it easy to find the shade that matches your skin tone!

We like to apply this concealer with our fingers and then blend into the skin using a small, tapered, fluffy blending brush (like a crease brush normally used for eye shadow application). You can also spot conceal any blemishes or discolorations at this time.  

The Pro’s use a very small, pointed eyeliner or lipstick brush to conceal small pimples – this is to ensure precise coverage of the blemish and the area around it.

Step 5 – set foundation using the HD Dual Pressed Powder in the matching shade to your HD Dual Foundation cream.  This step will eliminate shine and prep the makeup to receive powder products.  

BONUS – this powder is also a foundation and can be used wet or dry.  If you prefer the light feeling of a pressed powder foundation, this product delivers buildable coverage that adjusts from a sheer to medium to full when applied with a damp brush.  When used dry, this product will create natural highlights and contours of the face for a flawless finish.

Step 6 – it’s time for cheeks!  Using Eve’s Bronzing Highlighter Trio, which are three colors that are ideal for every skin tone and a “fan” brush; sweep the color over the apples of the cheeks.

You can also use the colors individually to create more sculpted cheekbones or as a highlight around the orbital bone area.  The Pro’s use a fan brush to apply this product because the shape of this brush will ensure we do not apply too much color.

If you want a more pop of color on the cheeks, try Eve’s blush trio in Sassy Cheeks, which contains 2 great matte shades that are the perfect pinky and peachy tone and an illuminating bronzer.  Tip: remember if you are rocking that smoky eye using the steps above, then you will want to keep your cheek more neutral or you will look overly made up!

Step 7 – you have got to reach for Eve Pearl’s Pearlicious Lip Gloss Set!  Every girl needs some Foreplay, Climax, Striptease and Ménage in her life and Eve’s set delivers!  Whichever shade you choose to wear, you will have the perfect kissable color on your lips!

If you want to create more definition to your lip line, try using the Kohl Lip Pencil & Brush Combo in Cosmo, which is the perfect natural lip shade that applies creamy.  Fill in the entire lip area and viola!  You have a gorgeous, nude lipstick shade!

Step 8 – step back and look over your entire face.  Now is the time to adjust, add color or blend more.  You may also want to use Eve’s Smudgeproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black Pearl if you are seeing the band from your false eyelashes.  Decide to fill in brows if they are sparse and brush them into place.  The Pro’s use the matte powder eye shadow from the Au Natural palette and a stiff angle brush to lightly feather color into the brows.

By now you should be feeling and looking like a million bucks! Don’t forget to toss your lip color and pressed powder into your handbag for touch ups!

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

Pro Tips and Tricks:

Eve has great makeup specials for Valentine’s Day – check out her YouTube promo below and get shopping! Click here to go directly to the Eve Pearl website!

Smoke Signals!

Smoldering, sexy, alluring, sophisticated, classic, that is this Pro's definition of a Smoky Eye! In the world of professional makeup artistry, the request for a smoky eye is made daily by my clients no matter if it is day or night. Probably the most popular eye makeup look of all time both on the runway and in real life, the smoky eye has past the “trend” label and become a “staple” look for most women.

You don’t need to attend a red carpet event or concert to rock this look, but what you will need is a little…attitude, which seems to come naturally when you wear a smoky eye. Your demeanor will change and don’t be surprised if you turn heads more than usual! Whether you are in the boardroom or ballroom, this look commands attention and will get you noticed (in a good way if you follow instructions).



There is a “standard” smoky eye look and there are “unconventional” smoky eye looks and this Pro is a lover of them all. Society tends to think that you have to be a rock star, actress or diva to wear this look and that the everyday women could not or should not try to pull it off! This Pro says, step outside of your comfort zone and give “them” something to talk about!

Done right, this look will make your eyes “pop” and speak to the world louder than your words ever could! The smoky eye is like the “bad boy” for women and I often wonder who created this movement. Maybe it all started with “ladies of the night” or witches or vampires. No matter, whoever created it should win an Oscar for their achievement in makeup artistry!



This look can be tricky, messy, frustrating and can make you appear older if you don’t follow the “rules!” Traditionally, the look is created using heavy black, charcoal, silver and purple colors, but cosmetic lines have branched out creating deep tones of blues, browns and greens to bring the consumer a variety and help to make this look acceptable for daytime wear.

This post is going to take you through the steps to create a smoky eye for both day and night, but first you need to gather your tools:

* Eye Shadow Primer
* Tweezers
* Eye Shadow
(4 colors) light, medium, dark and a base color (neutral vanilla shade).
* Eye Liner
(cream, gel, pencil – your choice – in black or coordinating color)
* Brushes
(2 flat eye shadow brushes & 1 each of a fluffy blender, sponged smudger, stiff crease, large powder brush)
* Translucent Powder
* Cosmetic Wipes
* Black Mascara



Here is the how-to for day:

1. Begin with the skin prep (moisturizer, primer, eye cream). Now, apply your eye shadow primer and blend. Give the skin 10 minutes to absorb product and “blot” with Kleenex to remove excess. Analyze your eyebrows and use tweezers to clean up issues. A polished eyebrow is essential for this look!

2. Do not apply foundation or concealer yet – we are doing the eyes first. Take translucent powder and heavily dust the under eye area with product – you want to see the powder under the eye – do not blend in. This technique will “capture” any fall out eye shadow and you will be able to whisk it away after application is complete.

3. You can either apply the liner (of your choice) now to top lashes only and use smudger brush or wait to apply after eye shadow. Remember, you are wearing this look during the day so your color choices should be in the brown or earth tone hues. Save the black, blue, green or purple for nighttime! Another option is tight lining the eye.

4. Using one of the flat eye shadow brushes, apply eye shadow base color all over lid to brow bone (this is the neutral vanilla color and it acts as a base which gives the shadow good “grab” and color intensity). Take a clean flat eye shadow brush and apply the medium tone shadow from lash line blending upward into the crease (depositing most of the color on lid and lash line) – do not take this into a cat eye effect.

5. Using crease brush load deep color and apply to outer corner of eye creating a “V” shape and blend. Take clean blender brush and blend, blend, blend all color together minimizing hard demarcation edges. Return to the flat eye shadow brush used to apply base color and load lightest eye shadow color applying to brow bone and blend again!

6. Taking medium and dark eye shadow hues move to lower lash line, dip crease brush into both shades and apply. Line the eye from outer to inner corner and smudge. Contrary to popular belief, it is okay to line the inside lower water line for a day look with coordinating eyeliner color – I give you permission, but it will be more dramatic!

7. Analyze eye application and add color if necessary. Fill in brows if needed and apply two coats of black mascara to your upper lashes and one coat to your bottom lashes for definition.

8. Use powder brush to gently whisk away translucent powder, take cosmetic wipes and clean up the under eye area. Now is the time to apply foundation, concealer and complete your look. Be careful not to remove liner or shadow when using wipes, eye cream or other cosmetics.



Pro Tip: It doesn’t matter if you are wearing the smoky eye look for day or night the same rule applies with blush and lipstick/gloss. Use a light dusting of bronzer and highlighter for cheeks and a nude or natural tone lipstick/gloss. Do not apply heavy or very pigmented blush and lip colors because that will “age” and “date” this look and take you immediately back to the future ala Joan Collins on the set of Dynasty and you will arrive there via Marty McFly’s DeLorean time machine! Get it? Good!



Here is the how-to for night:

Follow steps 1 and 2

3. Decide if you are creating a “traditional” smoky look using black, charcoals, etc., or a “colored” smoky eye using purples, greens, blues or metallics. Grab 3 shades (light, medium, dark) and the neutral base color. Apply in same manner as directed above, but you can be slightly more heavy handed and create that cat-eye effect if you wish. Build on the color and play with the look. The messy, slept-in smoky eye is hot right now!

4. Use coordinating liner in a deep hue or black and smudge into upper and lower lash line and in the bottom water line.

5. Analyze look and add color if necessary.

6. Apply three coats of black mascara on top lashes and 1 coat on bottom lashes for definition. This is also the time to use a false lash if you choose.

7. Whisk away translucent powder and clean up eye area same as above.

8. Apply the rest of your makeup and follow Pro tip rule pertaining to cheeks and lips.



Here is a list of this Pro’s must have smoky eye products that are rich in pigment with exceptional blendability:

Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow



Tricia Sawyer Beauty Smoke and Mirrors



Make Up For Ever



Nars



Urban Decay



All product listed above can be purchased at your local Department Store or Sephora.

PRO TIPS & TRICKS:
This Pro just read a very valuable tip from InStyle Magazine and Pro Makeup Artist, Linda Cantello. She says, “the biggest mistake people make with a smoky eye is using a lighter shade of shadow to blend in the darker color – it takes away from the richness of the look!” So basically that means, if you feel that you applied too much color, clean off your blender brush and blend the color in more. That way, your pigmentation will stay true and not change because you added your lighter color on top of or over your darker color.



So ladies, if you think you are too old to smoke out those peepers here is a shot of what 42 years old looks like with a smoky eye!! Grab yourself a "venti" sized helping of self esteem and rock this look like I do and because this Pro is all about changing the conventional image, I will even go one step further and show you how incredible this look can be on a much older woman! Take a gander at the gorgeous Carmen Dell'Orefice, she is working that smoky eye at almost 78 years old!!






STAY TUNED:
Up next on IMPO: Tween to Teen - this Pro has been blessed with two amazing daughters and you can imagine how much they love makeup because of my chosen profession. IMPO's next post will focus on everything you need to know about skin care and makeup for the younger generation!




*face chart courtesy - Wendy Whitelaw, Pro Makeup Artist and some photos courtsey of Haper's Bazaar