You are a fortunate woman; great bodies are nice, good skin is a blessing, but gorgeous eyes are unforgettable. So how do you enhance yours?
Since you didn’t specify your eye color, there are a few rules
of thumb. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown has been quoted as saying
that you don’t want to “fight” your own eye color or draw
attention to your shadow – you want to pull attention to your
own shade. Thus, lilac, lavender, and hues of brown (such as
camel and taupe) will make blue eyes appear more blue rather
than a blue in the same shade as your pupils. Green or hazel
eyes follow the principle of “complimentary colors;” pinks, deep
mauves, lavenders, rich plums, and eggplant shades will cause
the green or hazel to appear more vibrant. Brown eyes are the
easiest to complement; any color lighter or darker than your own
brown will attract attention to your brown, even tints of brown
itself. For standout brown eyes, choose shades in blue, steel
blue/gray, plum, and eggplant.
Always begin with a shadow base to hold your color and prevent
creasing. Guerlain offers “Protective Base for Eyelids” ($30 and
hard to obtain), but Elizabeth Arden, Mary Kay, and Max Factor do
the same for less money. For days when you have little time to
apply color, smooth a neutral shade from lashes to browbone,
such as Revlon’s Wet/Dry shadow in “Skinlight” (this also works well as a base shade with other colors) or try Lorac‘s Taupe or
Harmony, a light peach (Lorac’s pots of shadow are $15).
This is the season of vivid colors and glitz, so say the fashion
magazines. To add some “oomph,” play to your heart’s content.
Try Lorac’s “Moonstone” as a base (a softly shimmering beige),
and then use a good brush to add Lorac’s “Reverie,”
“Inspiration,” or Matrix Eyesilks in “Smoked Topaz” (all gilt,
gorgeous hues of brown; Matrix shadows are $10.50 per
container). I gravitate toward Profaces brushes; they range in
price from $10 to $18, but the precision and control they
furnish are well worth the investment. Next, apply a very deep
brown in the crease, slightly upward and outward. This “lifts”
the eye. For a touch more definition, invest in Lorac’s Jewel Box ($37.50 for four glimmering shades of pink, beige, peach,
and lavender) and dab a bit in the center of your lid.
Philosophy Cosmetics offers “little black books” (also about $37) – available in neutral, supercool, or jewel shades. Like
Lorac’s Jewel Box, they contain fascinating holographic colors
to add a bit of luster, as well as matte shades and an
unprecedented color I absolutely love, an intense inky blue
called “Creativity,” which effortlessly functions as an eyeliner
as well as a shadow.
For a totally different look, try Matrix Eyesilks’ “Pink Gold”
or Lorac’s “Pink” or “Lavender Mist” over your entire lid.
Experiment by combining such shadows as Lorac’s “Dreamy” (a
beautiful, lustrous blue-based grey), Matrix’s “Afterdark” (the
same shade minus the gleem), Profaces blue-based grey ($7.50 per
pan), Philosophy’s “Creativity,” and/or Lorac’s true “Sapphire”
or “Eggplant” (a deep plum). The key is to blend so well that
attention is still drawn to your eye, not your eye makeup.
(Profaces offers a chisel-point brush specifically to fluff and
blend.) Accent with a hint of a sparkling pink, lavender, or
blue in the middle of your lid, and watch how your eye opens.
I like many brands of shadows, but I find that Revlon, Dior,
Lorac, Matrix, Profaces, and Philosophy are especially soft,
blendable, and stay put with minimal creasing.
Liquid eye liners can tend to look harsh. Pencil liners often
tug too hard at my eyes, except for Victoria Jackson’s in brown
and Elizabeth Arden’s in “Umber,” a smooth yet seductive brown
($14). Most often, I work with some of my deepest eyeshadow as a
liner, using a brush with tiny bristles for a fine or slightly
smudged look. It is important to remember that liner is meant to
frame the eyes. In order to achieve a subtle effect, line as
closely to your lashes as possible to give the illusion of
thicker lashes. A sponge is helpful to soften and smudge, as
well as correct any mistakes. For extra definition, stipple, or
dot, the liner between the lashes (careful here if you tend to
have dark circles or puffiness under your eyes).
For mascara, Lancome’s Definicils mascara in black separates,
defines, lengthens, and colors (approximately $16). Rimmel’s
mascara (surprisingly only around $3 at WalMart exclusively)
adds body, length, and color. For a situation when you know
you’ll be wearing makeup for many hours, be exposed to the
elements, or view a sad movie, nothing beats Cover Girl
“Marathon” Mascara (also $6 or less). The only item more
important than mascara for me is an eyelash curler. If you’re
not favored with long, spiral lashes, I suggest using one. It
goes a long way toward creating the sought-after “come-hither”
look.
This is the “year of the brow.” Not bushy, as a teenage Brooke
Shields in Endless Love, but more sophisticated and manicured. I
recall a friend telling me long ago that “women should keep the
shade they were born with; natural colors are best.” My friend’s
advice was correct. I only tweeze stray hairs between my brows
or unruly ones on the browbone. Use a pencil in the same shade
as your brows, utilizing tiny, short strokes to fill in any
sparse areas. A colorless brow groomer is important to me; if I
want to truly give my small eyes a more “wide awake” appearance,
I brush upward, and the difference is amazing.
diva | 
01 1st, 2004| 
