No matter how hard I try, I am physically unable to pack light for trips. My main weakness: makeup. I always bring way more than I should.
If I were forced to pick just one eyeshadow palette to bring with me on, say, a three-day trip to Las Vegas, that palette would have to be the new Lancome Stylish Neutrals Color Design Artist Palette.
This Friday morning El Hub and I catch a flight to Las Vegas (4:00 a.m., OUCH!) to hang out with my in laws, who are flying over from where they live in Hawaii to meet us there. We haven’t seen them in a while. It’s just a short three-day trip, so I don’t want to bring my entire makeup collection (actually, I do). Lancome’s Stylish Neutrals Palette has everything I should need.
It would be an understatement to say I’m a lil’ obsessed with this palette. I’ve been rocking the colors for a week. Here’s a super easy tutorial of a pink and light purple eye using four of the shadows.
This map shows where the shadow placement should go:
First, prep your eyelids. Apply a few dots of your favorite concealer and blend it thoroughly with a concealer brush. I used Dior Long-Wearing Moisturizing Concealer and Billy B’s Paintbrush #5.
Next, apply MAC Shadestick in Pink Couture to your lids and barely into your crease.
Use warm fingers to gently smooth out the edges.
Now, grab a fluffy rounded edge brush, like the MAC 252 or Sephora Shader brush, and apply Lancome’s Optic eyeshadow (#1), a cool grey shimmer, to the brow bone.
With the same brush, apply Off the Rack eyeshadow (#2), a metallic light pink, to your lids on top of the MAC Pink Couture Shadestick. Concentrating most of the color on your lid, bring the eyeshadow color up into the crease, fading it as you move upward.
Next, still with the same brush, apply a shimmery mauve like Exhibition eyeshadow (#3) into the outer V. It’s a light but highly pigmented color. Go easy on it if you plan to wear the look to work. Be sure to dilute it first by tapping the brush against the side of the sink, or swipe the brush head against a piece of tissue or the back of your hand. Apply the color slowly, one layer at time. It’s always easier to add color than to take it away.
Now, using a stiff angled brush like the MAC 266 (yay!), apply Backstage Pass eyeshadow (#4), a dark matte burgundy, beneath the lash line. I prefer soft lines, so I applied the shadow dry. If you prefer more intense color and defined lines, wet your brush before using it.
Next, grab a small fluff brush like the MAC 228, and blend a little more Optic eyeshadow (#1) just beneath the line you created with Backstage Pass (#4).
To finish the look, fill in your brows, curl your lashes and add two coats of mascara.
For my brows I used a MAC 266 brush with Concrete Eyeshadow, and on the lashes I used the Shu Uemura curler and Shu’s Precise Volume Waterproof Mascara.
Don’t forget your blush and your gloss! Here, on my cheeks I went with MAC Mocha blush, and on the lips that’s MAC Spice lipliner and Chanel Pink Crystal Glossimer lipgloss.
I like this look’s lil’ color punch. It’s not over-the-top and takes my laziness to new and glorious heights. All six shadows and the Shadestick work so well together and in so many different combinations that I can create any of several different eye looks in 10 minutes from start to finish.
I hope you had a mellow Wednesday. Keep on truckin’, girlfriend!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Breezy says
February 14th, 2008 at 12:23 amOoh very nice look Karen and thanks for the mini tutorial, that always helps. I have the same issue with wanting to take all of my makeup with me! I hope I solved SOME of the issue by buying shadow palettes so they take up less space. Also – it may sound neurotic of me but I recently saved this big bubble wrap that a package I got came in, specifically so that I could use it when I take my makeup with me on a trip 😉
alana says
February 14th, 2008 at 4:34 amthe colored illustration is soo helpful please do this more often! beautiful look =]
TUPRNUT says
February 14th, 2008 at 7:43 amGorgeous look, Karen… your tempting me to go out and buy this palette! Ahh!
I’m a horrible packer! My husband always makes fun of me and asks me what my shoe ratio is… how many shoes for how many days our trip is. When I went to California last, I flew standby so I only brough a carry on.. I swear that God Himself packed my bag.
Glosslizard says
February 14th, 2008 at 8:01 amWhat a beautiful, bright look! It would be so much fun to work in your office and get to see you coming in with a stylin’ look every day! 🙂
I too have terrible makeup packing troubles! I always look at palettes and think “if I get this, I won’t have to bring anything else!” Of course when I actually pack it’s “oh, but I’ll need this, this too, and these!” Heaven forbid I travel without the means to create any look from subtle to smokey and without an army of brushes to apply it! Oh well, at least I look good carrying all my extra luggage!
Have fun in Vegas, hope you can make it into the Vegas Sephora! 😀
Dao says
February 14th, 2008 at 8:04 amVery pretty! Yeah, I invested in a palette some couple of years ago just to take out for travel. It’s from VS and is discontinued (boo!) but it’s very cute: has 4 eyeshadows, 3 cream highlighers (which can be used as e/s when I’m in a rush), and a double-ended brush. Needless to say, that palette is reserved for traveling only since I have so many single eyeshadow pots at home.
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 8:54 amHi Breezy,
That is really smart. I always have bubble wrap around so I think I just might use some to pack my makeup up before I leave! 🙂
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 8:55 amHiya Alana,
Sure, girlfriend! It was my first time doing a “makeup map” like that so I’m glad you found it useful.
How’s your day been so far?
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 8:58 amHi Turpnut,
LOL! You and me both, sister! Everyone makes fun of me because even if I’m only gonna be gone for two days, I will stuff the bejeebus out of my suitcase. If there’s room in there, then something’s going in. My big thing is I like to have options. Sure, I might never have to wear that ball gown that I packed, but just knowing that I have the option to wear it makes worth hauling it around. 🙂
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 9:04 amHi Glosslizard,
I hope I make it to the Sephora, too. I am keeping my fingers crossed and really hope they have the brands I can’t find SF – Paul & Joe, Becca, Anna Sui! If they do carry those brands, I’m gonna have to win big, LOL!
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 9:06 amHi Dao,
Bummer your palette was discontinued. But hey, at least you still have it around (I have the tendency to lose makeup, it’s heartbreaking). In general I’m a big palette fan. I like how they take the thinking out of putting colors/looks together. Yes, I’m a lazy beast. 🙂
Hope your day is going well! 🙂
Glosslizard says
February 14th, 2008 at 10:13 amThat’d be the way to do it! Hit the jackpot, then hit the Sephora! Ha! Good luck!!!
Aleks says
February 14th, 2008 at 11:45 amHey!
I love this look. I’ve seen you wearing MAC’s Spice lipliner in a couple of pictures and every time I see it I want to buy it 🙂 Lookin’ good!
I forgot to comment on Laura Mercier last time.. I’ve heard of the brand but never actually been able to check ’em out.. I’m not sure if they’re sold in Sweden (where I visit quite often, in Stockholm to be more precise). Thanks for the tip, will check if they have LM there next time! 🙂
Oh, and happy Valentine’s day!
Amanda says
February 14th, 2008 at 12:14 pmThat’s beautiful! Your eyes are glowing. and I also love the colored diagram. While I have tons o’ eyeshadow I have trouble more than 2 colors+liner at once. I will have to try your inner crease/outer V method soon (and I still want the 252!)
Have a great trip in Vegas-I hope you eat somewhere fab, see a cool show, and do some shopping.
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 1:10 pmThanks Glosslizard, Send me some good luck vibes, will ya? 😉
Karen says
February 14th, 2008 at 1:14 pmHi Aleks,
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too. 🙂
MAC Spice is a good staple lip color. Another one is Subculture!
Oh, and have you ever tried the cream version of MAC’s lipliners, the Cremesticks? They are fantastic. They glide on smoothly and don’t tug at all, which I love. A few of my favorite Cremesticks are Beurre, Honey B. and Sublime Culture (from the N Collection.)
LM is really great for powders, foundations especially. Their color line is very pretty; a lil’ bit more punch than Bobbi Brown, a lil’ more subtle than MAC. I hope ya get the chance to check ’em out. 🙂
Aleks says
February 14th, 2008 at 2:27 pmThanks! I hope you’re enjoying the day with your husband! 🙂 Mine wasn’t that exciting as I’m single, but in Finland we celebrate it more as a “friend’s day”, so it was okay.
No, actually I don’t own any Cremesticks, but I’ve admired them for a while now and thought I’d give ’em a try next time I’m heading to Helsinki to get some more MAC. 😀 My skintone is rather light and I’m blonde so I’d say Sublime Culture and Honey B would be the shades to try. I also like Summerfruit. It kinda sucks to live in Finland as MAC is more expensive here than in the US or the UK. Pretty much everything costs like $5-10 more here.
I’m hoping to check ’em out, too! 😀 I’ll be graduating from high school in May so if I’m lucky I may end up in London (having saved some money, lol), so at least there I’ll get to know the brand. :)I just visited LM’s website and already fell in love with their Lip Glace. Baaaad girl, lol. 😛
hazeldazel says
February 14th, 2008 at 3:10 pmgreat post! The little map showing how to apply the dif colors was awesome, I don’t always grok your written-out instructions. Hey, any chance of doing a similar post on applying primer/foundation/concealer, etc? I’m still trying to figure it all out, especially the applying liquid foundation with a brush thing.
You will luuuuuuurrrrve the Las Vegas Sephora, it’s giNORmous!
Megan says
February 14th, 2008 at 3:16 pmI so visited this palette the other day…and now it’s on my list. I have this quad from clinique that’s purples and greys that i’ve been wearing a lot lately and I love it…Plum something or other…and I think I’m going to be rocking the purple a lot this spring. 🙂 The only thing is that there is this purse I’ve been wanting…and well this quad would be coming out of the purse fund i guess…so I may have to wait a couple weeks… LOL…seriously I need Makeup Anonymous or something…BTW…I am totally in love with the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide mascara now.
ilovecheese says
February 14th, 2008 at 7:38 pmYou look so beautiful, especially with the newly (is it?) coloured hair! Pretty eyes – they look so luminous!
Clueless Cat says
February 15th, 2008 at 1:22 amHi! I stumbled across your blog when I googled “mac buffer brush” – my bare escentuals kabuki brush recently completely came unglued from the lil metal thing holding all the bristles in (I could tell it was cheap the first time I used it, but it came with my Starter Kit!) and I’m looking around for a replacement.
Anyway, just wanted to say that I am already addicted to your blog (and I love the Nine West shoes!), and I’m originally from San Francisco. 🙂 So, hi, and thanks for having such a cool blog! 🙂
Karen says
February 15th, 2008 at 9:38 pmHiya Aleks,
Our Valentine’s Day was mellow, thank you for asking. Didn’t do anything big – I had to do a bunch of work stuff before I left for Vegas so we just stayed in and celebrated with a take out V-Day pizza. 🙂
You will love the Cremesticks! Another color that might be pretty on you is Pink Treat!
Oh, I love London – it’s so vibrant and full of life. I hope you move out there – gotta live in a big city once, and it’s especially fab when you’re young.
Not to feed the fire, but the LM Lip Glaces are fantastic. They are very pigmented, not-sticky and don’t dry out my lips at all. I can’t live without Raspberry Glace. Tis one of my staples.
I hope you are having a good weekend so far! Doing anyting fun?
Karen says
February 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pmHi Hazeldazel,
Cool, I can’t wait! I was going to go today but we were with a bunch of folks, and I didn’t want to have em wait for three hours while I was in there, LOL!
Sure, I’d be happy to do similar maps for basic stuff like foundation and concealer…I’m a visual learner, too 🙂
Karen says
February 15th, 2008 at 9:41 pmHi Megan,
Yay! I’m so glad you like it. 🙂 Isn’t it fantastic?
Karen says
February 15th, 2008 at 9:41 pmHi I Love Cheese,
Thanks, girl…and LOL, I just got my roots done. It was waaaay overdue.
Hope you’re having a great weekend so far!
Karen says
February 15th, 2008 at 9:44 pmHiya Clueless Cat!
Thanks! So glad to meet you 🙂
So did ya end up buying the MAC 182? I hope you did – it’s one of the best brushes MAC has. I can’t live without it…it’s perfect for foundation application, and makes it look flawless.
Aleks says
February 16th, 2008 at 11:31 amHiya again!
Have I missed out on something since this was the first time I heard about your trip to Vegas..? ;D Lol.
I guess it’s more who you spend your V-day with rather than how you spend it. The company counts more than where or what you eat, at least from my point of view. 🙂 So a take out V-day pizza sounds wonderful.
Thanks for the tip, again! I had to check it out online and I really dig Pink Treat, especially if it looks as nice irl! I think I’ll be heading to Helsinki in a week or two, so I’ll let you know what I’ll have found. 😀
Thanks for asking, my weekend has been rather nice so far. I was shopping today. Well, I wasn’t supposed to (lol), but I did find a little something: a white polo shirt by Tommy Hilfiger, black strappy sandals (they were on sale, only $8) and a Make Up Store lipgloss in “Aura” which is a nude shade (it’s a Swedish brand, I wonder if you’ve heard of it..). So are you still in Vegas?
Enjoy the rest of your day!
Aleks says
February 16th, 2008 at 11:58 amHey *again*!
Seems like I was a bit inattentive when I wrote my reply.. you are in Vegas, right, I should’ve read your latest post before writing this, lol. So is it a vacation there?
I forgot to comment about London. Yes, I love London, too! I’ve been there only once and it was like 4 years ago, but I totally fell in love with the city and I’ve wanted to move there ever since. I don’t know yet how or when, but I’m going to do it. As a matter of fact I’ve been waiting for the day for the past years so I really hope I’ll get to live my life there. I feel at home in big cities, but, ironically, I’m living in a small town of 21 000 inhabitants. Lol. Luckily I’ve been to high school in a bigger city, though.
Okay, the lenght of my messages will reach email lenght soon, so I’d better stop, lol.
Ciao!
Karen says
February 17th, 2008 at 8:13 pmHi Aleks,
I’m on my way home right now; just chilling at the airport waiting for the flight to come in!
The weekend was great. Had a lot of fun eating and hanging out with the fam. I didn’t quite win the jackpot though, le sigh! I really wanted to do some shopping, but I only have one bag with me and it’s already filled to the maximum, so I couldn’t go crazy.
The way you feel about London is the way I felt about San Francisco when I was younger. I am definitely a city person, for sure. I love the energy, the vibe and just city life in general. I’m still plotting to get us to move back there, ha!
BTW, Pink Treat is a fab color and goes with everything. It’s even pretty just on its own with clear Lipglass on top!
Beauty411 says
February 18th, 2008 at 2:10 pmDon’t know if you saw this week’s People mag but you nailed the Christina Aguilera look! Great job! (She is rockin some crazy pink eyeliner look, though; wish I knew what that was.)
Karen says
February 18th, 2008 at 3:44 pmHi Beauty 411!
I didn’t see that issue. I loves me some XTina though, so I’ll go looking for it at the bookstore…
Are you looking for some pink eyeliner? Check out MAC’s Liquidlast in Fuscia-ism:
http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/products/sp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY15101&PRODUCT_ID=PROD9961
Gotta say, though, that Liquidlast is not my favorite MAC liner (I find it hard to work with). If they had this in the Fluidline formula I’d be all over it!
Aleks says
February 19th, 2008 at 2:35 pmHey you!
Been busy with my studies, that’s why it took a while to get back to you! Glad to hear your weekend was great! I wish I could travel somewhere now, too. 🙂
Yeah, cities are so much more exciting and the variety of people makes me smile every time I get to visit one. So far London is my number one fave, but Stockholm’s wonderful, too! I’ve this new penpal from Santa Maria and he’s been rambling about SF many times, saying it’s one of the best cities in the US. 🙂 I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you – let’s hope one day we’ll both be living in the cities we want to. 🙂
You said you didn’t have much space left for new stuff – you must’ve got something after all? 😀
Now I gotta hit the sack.. it’s too late for me to be awake, lol. Enjoy what’s left of your day!
PS. Maybe next time it’s your turn to win da JACKPOT. 😀