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Copy Cameron Diaz's Captivating Kitten Eye

Jessica Cruel — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:45:00 PDT

Cameron Diaz dressed with flirtatious flair in a Catwoman-esque pantsuit at yesterday's UK premiere of What to Expect When You're Expecting. And makeup artist Emma Lovell topped off her ensemble with a cat-eye look filled with feminine charm. "The makeup was designed to complement Cameron's cream Stella McCartney jumpsuit, her choppy blond bob, and her dramatic earrings," Lovell said. "I wanted a cute feline eye to be the main attraction, keeping the lips pretty and fresh with a plum stain."

To do this, Lovell used the Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo in Gypsy ($38) to create a glistening neutral eye. She started by applying the sheer shimmering shade on the lids, followed by the bronze tone in the creases and on top of the lash lines. For definition, Lovell then applied Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Eye Liner ($32). "I started with a very thin line at the inner corner of the eye and made it thicker as I went along, kicking it out for a subtle kitten eye," Lovell explained. "After the liquid liner, I went back along the line with the deep copper shadow to soften it - it's not so retro that way." Finish off with mascara and a set of full falsies (a woman's version of cat whiskers).

The Makeup Tool That Will Change the Way You Apply Mascara

Jessica Cruel — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:51:14 PDT

You could argue that the eyes are the most important part of the face (windows to the soul and all that). For a makeup artist, never has a sentiment rang more true. The eyes are a canvas for many creative colors and techniques, but the last thing you want to do is taint your carefully applied shadows and liners with spidery or clumpy lashes.

Floriane David of Make Up For Ever Academy admits that one of the worst mascara faux pas is the floating lash look (this issue is especially rampant among blondes). She recommends using a fan brush to get right to the root of your problem. First, apply mascara onto the fan brush and then paint onto the lashes. You can also use a shaking motion (with your mascara wand or fan brush) to make sure you are getting the base of your lashes coated. And that's how you shake things up.

Learn to Eye Contour in Two Simple Steps

Jessica Cruel — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

You have heard all about the benefits of face contouring, but do you know the makeup artist's secret for chiseled eyes? Find out how to contour eyes with these tips from Make Up For Ever Academy's Lead Educator in New York, Floriane David.

1. Start with a highlighter in a shimmering shade. Using a medium-sized makeup brush, concentrate a dot of this bright shade on the center of your eye. (Imagine you're covering your iris through your lids). This spot will act as the point of emphasis in the eye contour. Next, gently blend outward to cover the entire lid. Make sure that your central focal point still holds most of the color.

2. Now it's time to add definition. Choose an eye shadow that's one shade darker than your skin tone. Take a tapered brush to place shadow close to the top lash line - but only on the outer two-thirds. Then sweep the brush in an upward arching motion from the corner of the eye into the crease. Finally, remove the excess from your brush and blend the shadow downward into the lid. This will blend the highlight and lowlights so that no harsh lines are visible.

And here's another tip from David: When you finish off your contoured eye look with eyeliner, avoid the inner corners. This will help keep your face looking bright, especially if your eyes are closer together.

Source: Flickr User Chantel Beam Photography

Why You'll Love to Use the Color Wheel in Your Makeup Routine

Jessica Cruel — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:10:00 PDT

The color wheel is used by professional makeup artists time and time again to help disguise discoloration on the skin, as well as find the best shadows for any eye color. Learn how to use this tool at home to raise your application skills to megastar status.

Emphasis: Color theory can be used to bring out your best colorful feature - your eyes. When you arrange two colors from the opposite side of the wheel next to each other, it makes them both pop. So blue-eyed beauties should look to orange and golden-toned shadows and liners. Green-eyed girls look to purple or rosy shades for an extra bright look. And for the brown-eyed babes, practically every color can work for you.
Corrections: If you're looking to reduce the appearance of a mark, dark spot, or pimple, turn to a colored primer or concealer to balance out the area. So, if you're attempting to shade in visible blue under-eye veins, reach for an orange concealer. Have rosacea or a red-toned pimple? Dab on a bit of green primer to erase it. Just remember: put an unwanted color in its place by looking to the opposite side of the wheel to find its balancing match.

Source: Flickr User glovsky225

8 Must-Try Eye Makeup Looks

Real Beauty — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:03:00 PDT

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

When it comes to red carpet makeup magic, we're all familiar with the smoky eye. See the other looks we love for gorgeous peeper highlighting.

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Eye-Catching Makeup Looks From Paris Fashion Week

BellaSugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:00:16 PDT

Europe's Fashion Weeks have come to a close for Fall 2012, and Paris ended on a high note with some unconventional eye makeup looks. Ornate eyebrows at Chanel, bright mascara from Stella McCartney, and illustrated eyeliner at Miu Miu were among the runway highlights. See the boldest looks - watch now!

Eyeliner Smudge Solutions

Michelle Phan — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:24:00 PST

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan is all about beauty, and she always has a trick or two up her sleeve. This week, Michelle helps us make raccoon eyes a thing of the past:

Hi everyone,
A reader named Anastasia recently asked me the following question: "I'm from Singapore which is pretty hot, so how can I keep my eyeliner from smudging? I don't want to look like a panda!"

Meet cellulite's worst enemy: coffee

Eyeliner that won't stay put over time - whether we're talking over the course of the day or just a few short hours - is a common makeup mishap. This usually happens as the result of long wear time, using the wrong products, or being in hot and humid environments. Since we all encounter this problem every once in a while, I thought it would be helpful to share my answer, along with some of my favorite tips for keeping your liner in place.

The Secrets Behind the Best SAG Awards Beauty Looks

Jaime Richards — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:49:15 PST

The 2012 SAG Awards may have been the year of the headband braid, but there were plenty of amped-up ponytails and sexy waves as well. There were also lots of fresh, sweet makeup looks you'll want to steal for yourself. Check out 10 of the evening's most brilliant beauty looks, which are sure to add a bit of red-carpet glamour to your life.

Makeup Ideas: Nighttime Eyes

Allure — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:13:09 PST

We're excited to present this story from our friends at Allure:

If you spend most of the year wearing safe nudes or neutrals, a New Year's Eve bash is the perfect moment to throw caution (like confetti) to the wind. Here, a few last-minute tips on how to get eyes worthy of a year-end finale.

Add some shimmer. Look for metallic versions of your favorite shades. "That's always going to be a winner, no matter what the trends are," says makeup artist Gucci Westman. "Metallic burgundy, metallic chocolate, and a metallic pearly highlighter, those are really nice staples to have."

Think rich, saturated colors. "I'm really into gorgeous emerald green shadows paired with chocolate brown, gray, or black," Westman says. If bold colors make you nervous, draw a gutsy shadow along your lash line, rather than sweep it over your lids. It's a less intense way to try out adventurous shades.

Try a shimmery smoky eye. Makeup artist Romy Soleimani suggests rimming your top lids with a black gel liner, then drawing over it with a shimmery shadow to increase its longevity. "Even if the shadow on top fades throughout the night, the liner will stay," she says.

The Best Eye Shadows For Your Eye Color

Real Beauty — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:00:00 PDT

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

Sure, makeup's important, but the best way to make your eyes really pop? Wearing the right color eye shadow! Makeup artist Napoleon Perdis chatted with us about what shades best suit babes with blue, brown, green, or hazel eyes.

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Source: Flickr User Jjlapierre