Ever since I started doing different makeup looks for the #MBBInstachallenge, I dunno… Something cool happened. My mind has been opened to different ways to wear makeup, and not just in the traditional sense — like whether I’m going to wear a smoky eye or light color on the lid/darker color in the crease. I feel like I’m thinking outside the box a little more than I used to.
I love looks that are “traditionally pretty” (air quotes), and I have for years, but I feel like I’m more open to trying edgier looks now and wearing them in, like, everyday life.
I did a look today using products from the new MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics Collection: James Kaliardos Spring/Summer 2017 (there’s some info about the launch, swatches and pics of some of the products down below if you’re interested), and, basically, this look is very much my current style. There are classical elements to it, but it also has an edgy twist.
I feel like I’m entering a new phase in my makeup life where I still like classic makeup or “traditionally pretty” (there are those air quotes again) makeup, but there’s also something unexpected or surprising about it.
Let me walk you through how I did the eyes because, really, that’s what this look is all about.
Start with your basic winged liner
I didn’t do anything fancy with the liner. It’s just a thin line along the top of my lashes with a flick at the end.
My lids, I kept simple and clean, but you could skip eyeshadow altogether. I used MAC Soba Eye Shadow (a MUST HAVE from the permanent line), my favorite satiny golden brown in the whole wide world, and applied that as a wash all over my entire lid, concentrating the color near the lash line.
Then, I took the Jumbo Rapidblack Penultimate Liner from MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics James Kaliardos and dotted it between my lashes to create an illusion of a thicker lash line before drawing my wing using MAC Into the Well Eye Shadow in Midnight Tryst (a dark matte burgundy brown). It’s a powder eyeliner that you apply with a wet brush, and it’s really good when you want liner with a soft, diffused edge.
Incidentally, I’m wearing the MAC Full Face Kit: Moons of Saturn on my cheeks and MAC Lustre Lipstick in Almondine on my lips, both of which are also from the James Kaliardos sub-collection (there are also two other sub-collections in the MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics collection. Together the three sub-collections comprise the 50-piece release, and each one is a collab with a different MAC makeup artist. In addition to this one by James Kaliardos, there’s one by Diane Kendal and one by Kabuki.
At this step, this is a look you could wear every day, right? It would be fab for running errands, going to school or going to work.
But let’s kick it up a notch! 🙂
Time to strategically place some sparkle and shine
I used two of the Pressed Pigments from the James Kaliardos collection to do this. First, I applied Light Touch, the light pinkish beige, and packed it into the inner corners of my eyes with a wet flat eyeshadow brush.
I wet the brush because I wanted to intensify the shine and make it VERY reflective.
Once that dried, I buffed out the edges with a tapered blending brush so that the pigment looked like it was concentrated in the inner corner. I wanted it to fade out as it moved up toward the inner part of my brow (I did my best to keep it out of the lid area).
Next, I dotted the darker pigment, deep shimmery grayish purple Black Grape, along the center of my lower lashes and purposefully left it messy, because I wanted it to look grungy and imperfect.
Lastly, I threw on a couple coats of mascara, and that’s it!
Just a little cray…but not too cray
When you see this look from afar, I don’t think it looks totally cray… I mean, you can tell that it’s a little different. It’s not your typical everyday makeup, but I think it’s still fundamentally a classic makeup look. It just has a little bit of an edge to it.
The MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics Collection James Kaliardos Spring/Summer 2017
The James Kaliardos collection is one of three sub-collection in the 50-piece MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics Collection (which is out right now, BTW).
Modern renaissance makeup man James Kaliardos has been around the high-fashion world for a long time. Not only does he do backstage makeup for major fashion houses and magazines, but he also has his own theater troupe (say what?). And, yes, he acts in it.
In my mind, he’ll always be the guy who created Madonna’s Ray of Light boho makeup. His sub-collection has a couple of face kits, lipsticks, glosses and a mix of sparkle and matte. You can find it now, along with the rest of the MAC Make-Up Art collection, at MAC counters, stores and online.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
LindaLibraLoca says
Oh, I love makeup with a grungy touch! Sadly I don’t think I can wear it to work, but I may try something similar for the weekend.
Kiss & Make-up says
Now that is sparkly! Looks cute. And your eyeliner…duuuuude, it’s SO perfect it’s ridiculous!
Jane says
I love this look on you. Lately, I have been using a wash of shadow on the lid and a dark grey-brown liner. I think it is the easiest look for my lifestyle. I don’t do the winged liner, it just seems too much work. I think it’s a better look for a younger woman (inntheir 40’s). I do like a little “grundgy” eye. I can use the colors I have to make it work for me. I just got a smokey liner brush and am going to attempt to do a smokey brown eye look today.
Agata says
I love this look and your complexion looks so perfect!
Chris25 says
That eyeliner is award-winningly sharp!
Indya says
Ohhh I love this, especially the dots on the bottom!
Kim says
You look like a mermaid, or bird of paradise, or something that’s sparkly and lovely! 🙂 Thinking about the glitter on me is making my eyes water but I’m sure lots of people could wear it well – and comfortably!
PS I love how you’re all “oh, just a kitten flick, no bigs”. Just that part would take 2 hours of my day and would NEVER look that good at the end. HAHA!
Fran says
Karen, I love the look you’ve done here, especially the eyes 🙂 I *want* those pressed pigments!
Holly (aka nightowlchef) says
I just read about plaving dots under the eye somewhere (Refinery 29, I think). I haven’t tried it yet but I love the look you created. The best thing about the #mbbinstagramchallenge is how it’s encouraged me to look at the cosmetics I already own and to use them in a different way. Not just in creating different looks but in where and how I apply them. For example, I mixed up my own shade of nude lip color from a matte lippie and an illuminator. That never would have occurred to me before! It might not last very long on my lips but that’s not the point.
Becky says
I LOVE the look you’ve created! It is really beautiful… just the right amount of edgy! AND MAC Soba is my all time fave MAC shade-I’ve just written an ode to it as it happens!
Chelsea says
This is cute! I’ve seen this before but never tried it.
Bea says
Hi Karen! What lighting did you use here to give the circular eye effect?