QuestionQUESTION: Hey there! I usually don't have this issue where I need to be made up in the daytime and then go to a nighttime look. I don't want it to be hard, but could you give me some tips on how to make a slight change from day to night without having to redo everything?? for example, I've heard to put a darker blush on in the evening, but I put a finishing powder over my whole face when I finish makeup, over blush and everything. So if I do that in the daytime, can I put the blush over that finishing powder and then reapply finishing powder again, or just add the darker blush on top or how does that work? Alrighty, hoping for a few tips on how to make a change in the maekup. Thanks
ANSWER: Hi! Thanks so much for your question. This is a common issue especially in today's busy society where more often than not, we simply don't have the time to get home, change and re-do everything before our next function.
Theres a couple of quick tips to ensure your transition from day to night is seemless (& flawless!)
Firstly, in answer to your question, yes you can apply make up on top of your finishing powder, its not an endless lasting application, so by the end of the day, it quite possibly is only present in fragments anyway.
The easiest way to achieve a night look is to darken and intesify the look, so straight away I would look at making your eyes more dramatic, simply adding a steel or black to create a smoky eye will be perfect. Next, we want to strengthen the eyeliner, if using a pencil during the day, perhaps consider a liquid liner for that more dramatic look.
Using a good, thick, black mascara will finish off the eyes nicely. Next we want to darken up those brows also, missing this step can have the effect of them appearing 'forgotten'.
Blush, yes I would agree, a darker shade will give a more defined appearance, highlighting and lifting those cheeks.
Finally, Lips. Now this is an area of much debate, and also, one of personal choice. I am a big believer of picking one area to focus, be that either the eyes or lips. So if going for a strong dramatic eye, I like a more subtle lip, but I also think even with a subtle lip, it most definately should not be a matt base. A shimmer or gloss is perfect for this. If choosing to go for the dramtic lip, I will often pair a matt base colour, with a gloss finish. This gives the added benefit of having the matt 'locked' in and also only then requires me to take my gloss out for the night for touch ups.
Re-apply the finish powder to lock in your look and have an awesome night out!
Hope this was of assistance, if there is anything else I can do, just ask!
Cheers, Caitlin
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QUESTION: Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and great tips. Just one question. Let's say I do a light purple eyeshadow in the day and a highlight and crease. Then how do I convert it into a smoky eye?? can you do that with any color from teh daytime and if you could describe how to do that, it would help a lot. I need to get a black eyeshadow!! Thanks and I will save this for my big day on Saturday!!
ANSWER: Ok, I 'think' I know what you are asking, but not 100%, so I am going to answer what I 'think' you want to know. If I am wrong (and I so often am!!!), just let me know!
Doing a smoky eye is easy with any colour. If you are looking to use the exact same colours as your day look, my advice would be to just use more of each, making them a more defined look. I like to use 3 colours when doing the eye :
1. My lightest colour (usually a light pink, silver or white - anything with a shimmer in it will do nicely) is my highlight colour across the brow bone.
2. The next darkest is the colour I use for all over my eye, focusing in with a bit stronger application in the crease,
3. Finally my darkest is my smokey creator! To do this (and I am hoping to be as clear as I can in putting this in words only!) The outer point of my eye (where my lashes finish, I want to create a sideways V (like this <)That V gives at top half of the smokey eye. Blend this in. You want to have it darkest at the point.
4. Next, we need to do a good line underneath the eye. Run it along the lash line until half way along, Smudge this.
5. Finally to finish, you want to grab your highlight colour and do the same V shape but in the opposite corner (and just to be clear the V would look like this: > this is also then run along the lash line underneath to meet up with your darker colour in the middle, don't smudge this one, keep it clean.
Finally one of my BEST tips to offer is this - (plus gives the best result, everytime) Do the above steps, but don't be too concerned with the 'perfect' V point on the outer lid. Once you are finished with your application grab a good concealer, preferably a solid one (I'm a big fan of Benefit's 'Boing' for this)and run it under the eye and sweep up giving the best V line sweep ever. Blend. People always ask me how I get such clean lines and how they try and can never do it without it falling slightly, ah if only they realised that I cheat!
Now using this method, it really does not matter what colours you use, I have gone from a day pink and browns to re-doing them in the exact same colours, just heavier application for a night look, whenever I have had an unexpected night out from the day. The opposite is true also - I've used blacks and greys for a day look, done simply through light application (hides the walk of shame brilliantly!), Thats the best thing about going about it this way, anything is possible.
Anyway I have my fingers crossed that I have given you the information that you were after. Failing this, as always, please feel free to come back and tell me that I was completely wrong!!! If not, have a fantastic night on Saturday and yes, you do most definitely need black eyeshadow! (& white, Silver - dark and light and every other colour of the rainbow!)
Cheers,
Caitlin
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QUESTION: Not only are you good, you are awesome! You answered both my questions. 1) you told me how to do the smoky eye and 2) you cleared up my answer on how to go from daytime look to night with the smoky eye. Now just some of my own "stupid me' questions!! With the V, the way you showed it < and > that was for the left eye correct?? So on the inner part of the eye, the pointy end of that V where the two sides join, is sticking out or in of the eye?? Is that the part that is going to hit up against the nose??? I got your idea with the concealer, but when you say a solid concealer, you're talking about like a stick right??? NOw i've just got to find my right shade.. How do you find your right shade of concealer?? Nice trick thanks!! And with the lining of the eye underneath, the black is what goes on the outer end of the lower line and the light color is on the inner middle side of that line, right??? I think I've got ya now, now I just need you to come to my house to show me :-))) Next time, when I give you a breather, I've got a question about mascara and blush. With mascara I'd love to knwo how to get the long lashes, I' never get good build up. And with blush, I've heard lots of people say they put it on the apples and others they put it under the apples!! Thanks
AnswerThanks for the lovely comments, glad I got it right!! Also, not sure when you sent this question as I was sent no notification, I saw it only as I was thinking of you & decided to log in to see if you had read my previous answer! So as I know you are heading out on Sat night, its 10pm Sat night here in Australia, so I am hoping this finds you before your big night!
Ok to clarify some points: For clairty sake for now I will be talking about the LEFT eye the angles would be, the outer smokey point (the black) the V would be < now for the inner eye (and yes, I am talking about around the tear ducts the V would be a >. You are correct this would be going up against the nose. But we don't want to take it onto the nose (would look slightly silly!) We want to do a fine line (and remember we are using the colour we used on the brow bone here - white, silver or anything very light with shimmer) and run this along the bottom lash line to meet up with the dark colour we did on the other side until the middle (In line where the pupil of the eye is)
For the RIGHT eye we need to do the opposite, so on the outer portion the V would be > and on the inner portion it would be < following all of the above steps.
To be honest, a REALLY good smokey eye takes practise, if you are not 100% confident, I would suggest trying to do the outer portion of the eye (the darkest) and perfecting that, then as your confidence grows and practise increases, start experimenting with the inner portion.
Also another point I did not mention about is brushes. I am not sure what sort of collection of make up brushes you have, but it would be most beneficial if you looked at having at least these on hand to ensure a seemless smokey finish. I NEVER use those fooam applicators that come with eyeshadow, I hate them.
1. Angle eyeshadow brush - this one is a MUST. This is my go to brush for all eyeshadow application, so easy to use, control and apply. If you have no other brush GET ONE OF THESE. It is often a sable brush, but can be made using all types of hair. It doesn't need to be expensive, but get one.
2. Firm pointed eyebrow sponge - This on looks a bit like a foam pencil tip on the end, great for smudging.
3. Thin liner brush - used for liquid eyeliner application, so perfect for getting those faultless lines under the eyes.
These 3 brushes will make life LOADS easier for application.
Next - Concealer:
Yes a stick concealer is a form of solid concealer I was referring to (although, to clarify, the one I recommended - Benefit, is not a stick, its a cake) For looking at the right concealer, I'm not a big fan of the greens and yellows (I find them very dated and the fact that you need to use a ton of foundation to conceal the concealer irritates the hell out of me)
I prefer to use the heavier foundation types available. Depending on what it is you need to hide, just going for a concealer in a colour that pretty much matches you foundation is a good point of reference to start.
I use liquid concealer for the most part (Mary Kay is a fave, along with Benefit's liquid one - its discontinued, so a little hard to find now, hate when they do that to me) but for the action for the smokey eye, I go for the solid one. Point of note - often the solid ones are the more 'industrial strength' types!!!
Yes, you are right in your thinking on the smokey eye - dark on the outer, light on the inner - reason?: We are adding depth and definition on the outer, we want to lift the inner, making them appear bigger and brighter, takes years off the eyes also - huzzah!
I'd love to come a do a demo for you, once I get enough ratings up to be able to put a donation box up, simply deposit my airfare and I'm all yours! :p
Mascara? If you aren't getting good build up, use a different type. My faves? Maybelline Telescpoic or Benefit They're Real are 2 of my most used ones. Andd before you ask, no I don't work for Benefit (although I'd love to!) I just love their make up range, think it's awesome!
Blush? This one is a personal choice one, but for me I like putting it on the apples and sweeping it up. If I am feeling particuarly talented, on occassion I have been known to do a sweep below the apple in a darker tone and do the lighter one above it to create deeper definition.
Well think I have covered it all (was going through your question on each point to really get the full intention of each answer) but if something isn't clear or you arent sure, make sure you give me a holler to sort it out.
Finally - PRACTISE! Do it at home when you aren't going anywhere, use the techniques I mentioned for the day looks and do it for work or school each day. Practise makes you awesome at this and don't be put off if the first few attempts don't work out, keep going, perservere and before you know it, everyone will be asking you how you do it!
Take Care,
Caitlin :)
