Getting Rid of Crow's Feet: What Actually Works?

Nothing to Disclose



I'm pretty lucky. Thanks to good genes, daily sunscreen since my teens and lots of big sunglasses (I hate squinting, I will wear sunglasses outside at any possible moment), my eyes are relatively wrinkle free for my age. But that doesn't mean I ignore that area! I'm all about eye creams (check out dermatologists' favorite eye creams if you need a good one) and I loved my Tria Age Defying Laser (an at home non-ablative laser, similar to what is mentioned below), I'll start using it again once I have baby #2!

But if you really want to see results when treating your crow's feet, rather than just preventing them from appearing (like me), what should you do? I asked a few dermatologists for their favorites to actually treat crow's feet.


At Home

Eric Schweiger, MD is a Dermatologist at Clear Clinic Acne Treatment Center in New York City
Daily use of an eye cream to plump up the skin around the eyes will also help. Wearing sunglasses will also help prevent more crow’s feet from forming.

Karen Stolman, MD is a Dermatologist in Salt Lake City and she writes Skinality
For at home, I recommend topicals containing retinoids and growth factors.

Debra Jaliman, MD is a Dermatologist in New York City
For crows feet it's good to use retinol at night but be sure to uses a sunscreen in the morning. You can also use peptides which stimulates collagen production.

Fayne L. Frey, MD is a Dermatologist in West Nyack, NY and the founder of Fry Face, a product selection tool
As moisturizers, anti-wrinkle creams increase hydration of the skin temporarily reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles! The most effective way to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, including crows feet around the eyes, is to moisturize the skin in the morning and evening. Apply sunscreen daily, scientifically proven to be the most effective over the counter anti-aging preventative on the market today.

Dr. Goldfaden
At home you can use any types of eye creams. Look for ingredients such as Arnica, hyaluronic acid, rice bran extract and soy peptides. These help to remove darkness, puffiness and wrinkles. Our Bright Eyes targets darkness, puffiness and fine lines and wrinkles.



In The Doctor's Office

Eric Schweiger, MD is a Dermatologist at Clear Clinic Acne Treatment Center in New York City
For in-office, Botox is hands down the best option for crow’s feet. It has the ability to erase them in a single treatment. It just received FDA-approval for crow’s feet last year.

Karen Stolman, MD is a Dermatologist in Salt Lake City and she writes Skinality
My favorite in-office crow's feet and periorbital wrinkle treatment are in order from short-term to longer term are: Botox, fillers, radio-frequency tightening, laser resurfacing.

Debra Jaliman, MD is a Dermatologist in New York City
As a dermatologist I offer Botox injections for the crows feet. I also perform non-ablative laser procedures. The genesis laser is very effective for crows feet as is the Medlite laser. It take a series of 4-6 lasers performed 2 weeks apart.

Fayne L. Frey, MD is a Dermatologist in West Nyack, NY and the founder of Fry Face, a product selection tool
Dermatologists can offer an array of treatments that can improve the appearance of aging. Prescription strength retinoids, vitamin A derivatives, can have a beneficial effect. Chemical peels, laser treatments, injectables like BOTOX and fillers can all be utilized to minimize the appearance of the aging face.

2

19 Best Urban Decay Electric Palette Eye Shadow Tutorials

Product Sent for Review



I was really impressed with the colors and level of pigmentation in the Electric Palette (check out my Urban Decay Electric Palette Review and Swatches), but I admit it is hard for me to figure out what to do with the all of the colors. I'm hoping to share a few looks soon (I'm waiting for my new camera and a light), but in the meantime I found some great tutorials while looking around for inspiration!

Bright and Colorful

YouTube Videos
Urban Decay- Electric Palette by ChrisSpy

UD Electric Palette Tutorial and Pro Review in HD! by Jordan Liberty

Electric Palette Rainbow Eye Tutorial!! by Vintage or Tacky

Purple Smokey Eye / UD Electric Palette by Batalash Beauty

Chit Chat Rainbow Eyes! by Shaaanxo

Electric Neon Brights by The Fancy Faced

Music Festival Electric Makeup by Makeup by Sona

Blue Crush by Kat Eyed

Urban Decay Electric Palette Tutorial #2 by Kat Eyed

Blog Posts

Urban Decay Electric Gonzo Tutorial at Phyrra

Killer Mermaid Eyes by Vintage or Tacky

Peacock Eyes at xSparkage

Pink Punk at xSparkage

Urban Decay Tutorial at Keiko Lynn

Tutorial: Purple and Green Urban Decay Electric Palette by Rebecca Shores Makeup Artist

Subtle Pops of Color

Blog Posts

Tutorial: Nude and Neon Makeup Featuring Urban Decay Electric and Naked 2 Palettes by Citizens of Beauty

Summer Makeup Look by Citizens of Beauty

Glamorous Smoky and Neon Blue Eye by Citizens of Beauty

Electrically Naked at xSparkage


Product Sent for Review

3

ELF Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick Review: Pass On This One

I Bought It


Usually I'm a big fan of shadow sticks. They're time saving, a few swipes, blot with a finger and you're done. The trick is finding one that has staying power. Something about the shadow sticks seems to make them prone to fading and creasing, within a few hours you were better off without any shadow at all. It looks awful.

I don't usually even mention the shadow sticks that don't work out on the blog, but I keep getting asked about this one, so I bought one to try out. Initially I was impressed, the color really is very pretty! There's great shimmer and depth to the color. But despite trying out this shadow stick with (and without) many different eye primers, I can't seem to get it to stick around longer than an hour or so. I've blended it with my finger and with brushes, that doesn't seem to make a difference either.

I did read a few reviews on-line where people were using the shadow stick as a base for shadows. When used that way it can add some very pretty depth and intensity to powder shadows, but the staying power still isn't great. I get about 4 or 5 hours of wear this way, much less than a normal shadow primer. I would prefer to use an eyeliner in this way, the wear is much better for most given how smudge resistant most eyeliners are, my favorite for this are the Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencils.

Although $2 sounds like a steal, I would definitely pass on these shadow sticks.

ELF Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick

4

An Eye Shadow Steal: ELF Studio Baked Eyeshadow Palette

I Bought It


Have you seen the e.l.f. Studio Baked Eyeshadow Palette California? It looks quite a bit like the Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette - In The Nude, which is obviously much more expensive. They're pretty good dupes in terms of shades, though I've found there are a few tricks to using this palette. I do really like it, I included it in my post on the Best Products From ELF



All 10 shadows in this palette are metallic with frosty shimmer. While you probably wouldn't go overboard with this palette for an every day look, it's great for adding a little extra something to a daytime look or to create an amazing smoky eye for night!



Here I've swatched the shadows on my arm, both dry (and I hope you're not using shadows dry) and with primer. I grabbed the ELF Glitter Primer for this, mostly because I had ordered them together so the tube was sitting right next to me. However, after using the shadows for a while (it's been about 6 months) I've found that you really do need to use a primer with some "grab" when using these shadows, they're just too powdery to work well with a regular eye shadow primer. So, the ELF Glitter Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance or Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy are my choices.



When swatching this palette, I found that the shadows are pretty hard, even for a baked shadow. I had to press quite a bit with a q-tip to get any shadow, and when it came it was pretty powdery. Then, once you have that shadow you need to pat (not sweep) it on to the area of application (where you have a grabby shadow primer). This is true when using the palette on yourself as well. I actually use q-tips to apply it to the area I want, then go back to blend with a brush.

While it does take a little extra to work with these shadows, once you've figured out the tricks I think they're a steal! For $10 you get 10 really pretty shimmery colors that you can work into almost any look. I really love that upper left shadow as an inner corner highlight and many of the darker colors are amazing along the lash line (I blend them into black liner using a stiff angled liner brush).

11

Should You Use Preparation H On Your Face?

Nothing to Disclose



I think this may have been the first "big" beauty secret to be revealed by makeup artists. Preparation H on your puffy eyes to shrink the bags. It was used in pagents, on the red carpet and of course on the runways. And soon it was being used by pretty much everyone at the local mall and grocery store as well, despite warnings from skin care experts!



Directly from the Preparation H website, you can see that they don't recommend use for anything other than what is on the label (they actually aren't allowed to recommend or promote any off label use per the FDA). And Preparation H is only labelled for use as a hemorrhoid cream.



The main issue with using Preparation H on your face is that main ingredient, Phenylephrine. You might recognize the name because it is also found in common over the counter medications like decongestants, and decongestant nasal sprays.

Physicians use it because it is an alpha agonist, meaning it works through a receptor on a blood vessel to make the blood vessel constrict. So, we use it when blood vessels are too dilated to shrink them. Ophthalmologists use it for glaucoma, I use it in my ICU for low blood pressure (it is typically a 3rd or 4th line agent) and it is the medication that is used for that 4 hour situation you may have heard about in ads for a little blue pill.

While applying Phenylephrine will constrict the blood vessels in the bags under your eyes, it isn't the only issue causing those bags. Usually there's quite a bit of extra fluid (aka-swelling) in the small fat pad there. So, it's only a partial solution. Long term use of the Phenylephrine can up-regulate the opposing beta receptors, making the Phenylephrine less effective. As well, if you suddenly stop using it you can actually see a rebound swelling. This is often seen when people overuse nasal decongestants for longer than is recommended.

I haven't even gotten into the side effects of the 1% Hydrocortisone that is in most of the Preparation H formulations (skin thinning, steroid acne, absorption into your body messing with your body's cortisol responses) or the moisturizing ingredients that aren't formulated for use in the delicate undereye area. While Preparation H is great for its intended use, as a hemorrhoid cream, it isn't good for the undereye area!


I asked a few of my favorite skin care experts for their take on Preparation H, here's what they had to say:

Ellen Lange is an esthetician and founder of Ellen Lange Skin Science
Preparation H is made with phenylephrine, which is a vasoconstrictor and only temporarily tightens skin. This can be irritating and will not provide the long tern results you are probably looking for.


Debra Jaliman, MD is a board certified dermatologist with a private practice in New York City.
Some use to reduce swelling. As an alternative you can use an eye cream with caffeine, gel packs or an anti-histamine.

Avery Kuflik, MD is a board certified dermatologist with a private practice in New Jersey.
Repeated use of Preparation H can possibly lead to an allergy, eczema, and thinning of the skin around the eye area. There are many clinically tested products on the market to help rejuvenate the eye area.

James C. Marotta, MD is a double board certified ENT and Plastic Surgeon who practices in Long Island.
In theory, Preparation H may seem to work, temporarily. It restricts the blood vessels, which could get rid of the redness for awhile, and contains 1% hydrocortisone, an anti-inflammatory that might temporarily reduce puffiness in theory.

However, it's very risky to apply Preparation H on your eye area because if you accidentally get some in your eye, the other ingredients can cause serious damage, and puffiness will be the least of your concerns. Also, prolonged use of topical steroids like this has been shown to cause skin thinning, increased skin fragility, enlarged blood vessels, and can even result in problems with your adrenal gland, causing your eyes to look worse over time.

The best way to deal with puffy eyes is to treat the root of the cause – by getting enough sleep and staying hydrated. Additionally, look for under eye creams that have “firming” or “lifting” properties that can tighten skin.

15

Dealing With Undereye Puffiness: Preventing It, Treating It and Camouflaging It

I thought it would be fun to address a reader question today! In this post I'll be talking about strategies and application, and you'll find my product recommendations over in my Hiding the Bags Collection on eBay! Be sure to follow me, I'll be adding great eye creams, concealers and correctors as I find them!

I am really struggling with under eye puffiness and how to disguise it (inexpensively). Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you!
-Lisa

What Causes It and How Can I Prevent Undereye Bags?
There are quite a few reasons to have puffiness under your eyes, and I love Dr. Bailey's post on what causes undereye circles, bags and puffiness for more details. The undereye area has very thin skin. This means that the fat pad under the skin can more easily affect the outward appearance, when it accumulates extra fluid this will create that bag we all hate.

There are a few big culprits behind the undereye bags and puffiness. The swelling can be associated with allergies, too much salt intake, or just have some circulatory issues in the area.

For allergies, try talking to your doctor about an anti-histamine. Track your food intake with a food dairy, watching for patterns with salty foods. I have undereye swelling the next day if I eat a lot of french fries or potato chips, so I've cut back and eat the "lightly salted" chips in my home. If neither of these seem to help, you can try sleeping slightly elevated to discourage the swelling from forming.


How Can I Treat Undereye Bags?
When your undereye area is swollen you'll want to target treatments that mobilize the fluid and get it out of the region while promoting circulation (again, to help move that extra fluid out of there).

There are a lot of good old fashioned treatments that will help with this. Tea bags on your eyes will introduce caffeine, which is an anti-inflammatory, constricts blood vessels to shrink the area and is dehydrating to help get rid of excess fluid. Caffeine can also be found in most eye creams. Cold items like spoons or a cold eye mask will also help to constrict the blood vessels. Massaging the undereye area will help to mobilize the excess fluid from the fat pad as well.

Have you ever heard the one about using Preparation H for undereye bags? Dr. Benabio has a great post about why you shouldn't use Preparation H under your eyes, but this is one to avoid. The main ingredient in Preparation H is Phenylephrine, which is also the main ingredient in Afrin. Phenylephrine acts through the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor to constrict the blood vessels (this is the main reason I usually use phenylephrine in the ICU, it helps raise blood pressure as a 3rd or 4th line vasoconstricting agent). Long term this isn't a great idea, the body can actually ramp up the opposing beta receptors and make the swelling worse! I won't even mention the moisturizing agents in the Preparation H, which aren't formulated for use on the face.

Instead, you are better off checking out what to look for in an eye cream. When treating bags I absolutely must have caffeine in my eye cream! I also like nice hydration to help my concealer blend easily and if the cream fights aging as well, that's an added bonus! I've pulled together a lot of eye creams that meet my criteria over in my Hiding the Bags Collection.


How Can I Hide or Camouflage Undereye Puffiness?
Hiding your undereye bags, or at least camouflaging them, isn't hard once you know the tricks. Hiding a bag is the opposite of concealing an undereye circle. You want the bag to recede, so you'll use darker colors and avoid highlighters. There are a lot of product options for the makeup steps, you can see my picks (with information about each product) in my Hiding the Bags Collection.


I always start with my eye cream, giving it a few minutes to full sink into the undereye area. Once the cream has sunk into my skin, I color correct any issues (I have a more complete post on how to color correct). Just because you have bags, doesn't mean you don't also have circles! Take a look at the circles, and decide what color they really are. Most circles are blue or purple toned, though mine frequently have some red mixed in just for fun. You'll want to use a corrector that is directly opposite the main color on the color wheel. So, peach for a blue/purple circle, green will cancel out redness. Apply a very small amount of the color corrector only on the discoloration.


After you have color corrected it is time to conceal! For undereye bags you need a concealer that is the same shade as your skin tone, not lighter. Apply a small amount to the undereye area. I think of the application area as a triangle, I concentrate the concealer closer to my eye but do blend it outward. Depending on who you talk to you'll be told to only use a brush, your fingertip or a sponge like a BeautyBlender. Experiment to see what works best for you. I do best with my fingertip and then I pounce a dry BeautyBlender over the area to thin out my concealer a bit.


This next step will seem very strange, but it really does work! In makeup, dark colors make things recede, light and shimmer makes things come out. If your puffiness is directly under your eye you can extend a bit of a mid-tone matte eye shadow down onto the puffy area to make it less noticeable. If the puffiness is lower down, a little bit of matte bronzer on your face extended onto the puffy area will help. This needs to be pretty subtle, especially if you're pulling bronzer up for undereye bags. Go for a light application of a matte shade, you can always add more product. You should notice the bag recede a bit, you don't want to really notice that the area is darker.

Once you are happy with how everything looks, set the products with a fine translucent powder.



There are a lot of great products to help treat, color correct and conceal undereye bags and puffiness! I've collected products over in my Hiding the Bags Collection. Be sure to check out my collections on eBay and follow me! I'll be adding new things as I find them, expect many more eye creams!

My eBay Collections were curated as part of my collaboration with eBay #followitfindit and Style Coalition.

3

Quick and Easy Eye Look with CoverGirl's Bombshell Collection!

Sponsored Post


You may have seen my initial excitement over the new CoverGirl Bombshell Collection over on Instagram. I've since become completely addicted to the Bombshell Mascara, and the other items in the collection (the ShineShadows in particular) are pretty amazing!



Bombshell ShineShadow by LashBlast

As much as I love the new mascara (it's my new favorite, more on that below), the real stars of this collection are the ShineShadows. These are really easy to use cream eye shadows that last all day long! There are 6 different shades, I have 4 of them.

Available in: Ice Queen 300, Color Me Money 305, Platinum Club 310, Gold Goddess 315, Ooh La Lilac 320, Copper Fling 325

They are definitely shimmery, so they might be a bit hard to wear if you are a bit wrinkly. I've found that they do best over a lid primer. For a light wash all over I'll use a finger, but for anything more precise, even if it is just 1 color to my lid, I put some on the back of my hand and pat it on using a brush.


Bombshell Volume by LashBlast Mascara

I'm constantly recommending 2 mascaras as a way to increase length and volume. You can do this with any products, the order doesn't matter, but I admit that sometimes I've found products don't mesh well together and I end up a clumpy mess.

The new Bombshell mascara takes the guesswork out of layering! There are 2 ends, the first is super volumizing with a molded plastic brush and the top coat helps add more length and volume, it has a regular nylon bristle brush.


Here is a quick look at before and after using the CoverGirl Bombshell Mascara, though these were taken during this tutorial, so I was basically applying without a mirror. So, these pics don't really do the mascara justice! In regular use it really does provide even more length and volume and hold curl all day long.

Bombshell Intensity Liner by LashBlast

I find regular pencil liners easier for every day use, but when I use a liquid I do reach for a pen version rather than a potted or brush version. This liner has a great felt tip, it's long and thin and the pen itself is a bit shorter and fatter, which I think makes it easier to hold.

Available in: Pitch Black Passion 800, Chocolate Kiss 805



This is a very pretty hot pink color with same color and silver shimmer. I really like the CoverGirl nail polish formula, I don't have any issues getting 5-7 days chip free!


I'm wearing this lip color below, but it is very pigmented, feels a bit hydrating and I was surprised that it lasts for a good 3-4 hours without issues. Even when I'm sipping coffee continually.


I've been wearing the ShineShadows pretty often since getting them! This quick look takes me under 5 minutes when I'm doing my makeup. You can watch the video or read the directions below!


I started with a prepped eye area, just with a basic eye primer. If you don't have one, use concealer to cover up any visible vessels and pat gently with some translucent powder.

I then used Ice Queen on my lid. I used a finger for a diffuse look, I applied mostly to the crease and up onto the brow bone for some shimmer. It goes most of the way down onto my lid, but not all the way to the lash line.

When applying to anything smaller then my entire eye area, I've found that it's best to use a brush. I put a little on the back of my hand and pat Color Me Money on to my lid up to the crease. I thought about adding some brown to the contour (CoverGirl Eye Enhancer in Tapestry Taupe is a good addition to this color combination), but decided that the look was fine without this added step.



Next I lined my upper eye with black liner. I used CoverGirl Ink It! in black, really pushing it down into my lashes during application. I then used a brush to smudge the line a bit.

I curled my lashes and used the Bombshell Mascara.



A close up look at my finished eyes!



The completed look! I added the Bombshell Explosion lipstick as well.


Want to get the look?

Great news! From January 5th through January 25th, all CoverGirl products are buy one get one 50 percent off at ULTA Beauty! This offer is available in-store and online. For More Information, head here.


I have a giveaway! You can win a selection of CoverGirl Bombshell Products and a $100 ULTA Beauty Gift Card!

You need to be over 18 years of age and in the US to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway



I'm co-hosting a Twitter Party on January 6, 2013 at 9pm ET. More info soon, but mark your calendars!



CoverGirl Bombshell at ULTA
Sponsored Post

12

The Best Glitter Makeup Helpers

Bought It Myself Affiliate Links


Today for Top 10 Tuesday we're sharing our favorite Glitter makeup products. In the past Makeup Artist Christy Ann shared her secrets for creating a glitter eye, and today I shared the glitter makeup I crave (since I don't actually own 10 and can't create a "best of" list with 10 items).

Glitter makeup definitely isn't easy to work with, in particular anything loose and powdery. I thought I'd share the products I've found to help me out for when I am dealing with anything that needs help beyond a regular primer.

1. ELF Makeup Mist and Set: This handy spray was one of my picks for the best makeup products from ELF, and my friend Phyrra has a great post on how to use ELF Makeup Mist and Set. I primarily use it to spray on my brush and help pick up product. I then pat the shadow on. Glitter shadows should always be patted, sweeping will just make a mess.

2. ELF Glitter Primer: Another one of my picks for ELF's best beauty products. This primer is used just like any other shadow primer, except that it is a bit sticky, so it grabs onto shadows and especially glitters.

3. Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue: I only recently bought this, so I don't have a lot of experience using it yet. The regular Shadow Insurance is one of my favorite products, it's the shadow primer that I reach for when using powdery eye shadows because it already has a bit more "grab" than something like Urban Decay Primer Potion. The Glitter Glue version is similar to the ELF Glitter Primer, but with a little more grab and I think it lasts a little longer (12 or 13 hours easily versus about 11 or 12 hours).

4. Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy: Pixie Epoxy is what you should be reaching for if you want a really foiled finish for your eye look. This one isn't a primer, instead it is a product that goes over your regular primer (which you'll still want to use to prevent creasing and fading), in a super small amount. Really small. I will tap the tip of my finger with the doe foot applicator and then spread that onto my entire lid. Then wait a minute or so, and you can pat shadow on to the sticky surface. This is the stickiest of the 3 and really is meant for creating a foiled look. I learned about it from Phyrra (of course) and she listed when I featured her in Phyrra's Favorite Makeup Products.

5. ELF Makeup Lock and Seal: This isn't a product that I've seen mentioned very often, and while I've owned it for a few months I've only tried it once. It's not easy! Lock and Seal is for any makeup that you want to stay put. The idea is that you dump the makeup into the little dish, add a bit of the product and mix. You apply with the brush. And the makeup that you use really does stay put. It's somewhat amazing actually, and it does a great job of creating a pretty foiled look. I think it's much easier to use with products that are already loose powders, I haven't tried it out with anything cream or pressed yet.

6. Hard Candy Take It Off Remover: Whenever I have anything that I think might be a bit hard to remove, I reach for this remover. It takes off everything really easily. A few months ago I had lunch with a PR rep (this never happens) and she mentioned that one of their mascaras was hard to remove because of the fibers. I had not a clue the mascara was hard to get off! Even she was complaining about it. I'd been using this, which makes everything, even the most difficult to remove waterproof makeup, melt off immediately.

7. e.l.f. Studio Glitter Eyeshadow Applicator and Make Up For Ever 224 Silicone Applicator: I have both of these, but haven't mastered them yet myself. I've heard that many people looooove them. These are silicone brushes, shaped like those little makeup applicators that we all throw away from eye shadows, and they're meant to help you pick up glitter products without making a mess. They work best with patting.


What did I miss? What are your favorite products, primers, tools and removers for working with glitters?

Bought It Myself Affiliate Links

2

Updated Smoky Eye: Trying To Follow Along?

I Bought It


In this month's Martha Stewart Living, the beauty editors included a quick and easy DIY for an "updated" smoky eye. It quoted makeup artists like Stila's amazing Sarah Lucero (who is incredibly nice and oh so talented, I once stared at her backstage and made such a fool of myself that I won't go back to NYFW). But more importantly, while it had only 4 easy steps (2 of which they said were optional), it was so different from anything that I've done in the past with my makeup that I knew I had to try it.

Warning: What you're about to read is a big makeup experiment. I am by no means a makeup artist, instead I'm a collector of things like mascara and eye shadow and can't keep my big mouth shut about how much I love them, hence my blog. I was doing this on Wednesday afternoon, when it was snowing here in Michigan. So, the clouds were in and out, messing up my lighting. I corrected things as much as I could, but you get the idea!


Step 1: Brush on Mascara
First of all, what??? Mascara first? This was the major thing that threw me for a loop. Mascara is the last thing I do when putting on makeup. I couldn't believe they said to do this first!

Sarah Lucero explained, “This enhances the shape of the eye and makes it easier to wing out the liner when you draw it on." If Sarah says it, then it must be true. I curled my lashes first and then used the lash primer and mascara from Manna Kadar (find it here). I got mine from Wantable.



Step 2: Line & Smudge
There were quite a few options listed in the article for pigmented shadow/liners including NARS, Jane Iredale, Stila and Maybelline. They also had color recommendations based upon your eye color, and while blue was recommended for my brown eyes, I've already featured a navy blue smoky eye tutorial in the past. And I had the Maybelline in Emerald Fury, sitting here unused just calling my name! I couldn't resist the color at the store about 6 weeks ago, so I snagged it immediately. But hadn't used it yet.

So, it says to line your eyes flush against your lashes. The only problem is that my Maybelline is rounded, not remotely pointed (the Martha pic shows it pointed. I'm bitter and think I bought a bum shadow liner). I persevere, lining the top of my lashes as close to the lash line as I can, and then lightly blurring the edge with a Precision Q-Tip.

I do have to say that while lining with my giant green crayon, that I can see how it would be easier to flick out a little cat eye with mascara already on. So, that Sarah Lucero probably knows what she's talking about. As usual. And it makes me really wish I'd gotten out one of my Stila Smudge Liners instead.

Step 3: Shimmer Shadow
This step is optional, a sweep of light shimmery, metallic shadow up to the crease. They only have 1 recommendation, Chanel Illusion D’Ombre eye shadow, in Convoitise. The picture looks amazing, but I don't own any Chanel shadows. (As an aside, I recently read a long thread on a post elsewhere, the person starting it said they were a beauty blogger and we all got all the free Chanel, YSL, etc that we could ever dream of using. I don't know anyone that gets Chanel like that. Certainly not me!)

So, I went for a metallic shimmer powder that I had on hand, Urban Decay's Half Baked. I'm applying it with one of the new MAC Master Class brushes. I just bought these last week and I'm still experimenting, but expect a review soon!



Step 4: Lower Lash Line
The last (and optional) step is to line the lower lash line, which I do. It's a bit hard with the big Maybelline Crayon. Again, I think this would work better with something thinner, like one of my beloved Stila Smudge Sticks. I think my results are a bit too imprecise, so while I'm done, I'm not super happy with the look.

I decide that I'm going to go bigger, expand the green and define my lash line more.


Step 5: Add More Shadow Liner
First, I drew more shadow liner on to my lid. I just went up to the crease, it doesn't need to be perfect since I'll be blending it. Note that it is a bit smaller than needed at the outer corner here, I did add a bit more later.

Step 6: Emphasize the Crease
I added some matte brown into my crease, this helped to blend out the emerald green as well. I'm using Faint in the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette.


Step 7: Liner Up
Next, black liner top and bottom. I used MAC Gel Liner in Blacktrack on the top (in my experience you need to pat a gel along the lash line rather than dragging a pencil there when using a shadow liner like this green, the liner will rub off the shadow liner). On my bottom lash line I used Urban Decay's Perversion.


Step 8: Bigger Mascara
Next I added more mascara, I used step 2 of the new CoverGirl Bombshell Volume Mascara. Which is pretty amazing stuff. If you like volume in your lashes, grab it!

Step 9: Extra Blending
Finally I went over things with a blending brush, added a little more green in the outer corner, etc.

Done! This is definitely a more intense look, but better for going out. My husband said "what's with the eye makeup?" when he got home. I think it wasn't what he expected to see at 5 pm!

This look was inspired by the December issue of Martha Stewart Living, which is on news stands now! There's a lot of great info on using glitter, just FYI. Also, over on the Martha site, have you been following their Countdown to Christmas videos?

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NARS Eye Paints Review: Liner or Shadow, Your Choice

Product Sent for Review

I don't usually like to feature items before they're released (these NARS Eye Paints won't hit stores or on-line until Sept 1st), but I wanted to review them now since I know a lot of you will be shopping this weekend! You should definitely pick up an Eye Paint (or two, or three). NARS sent me three to review, but I'm planning on picking up a few more like Mesopotamia, Iskandar and probably Ubangi. Ok, maybe Solomon Islands too. Don't tell my husband!

Read on to see pictures!

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Top 10 Tuesday: My Favorite Golds for Fall

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Fall is right around the corner, which is so hard to believe! I'm already starting to crave navy and emerald everything. A little bit of a change up for this fall is that I'm also craving Gold. It's great for fall on its own or when paired with a "classic" fall color such as a burgundy or deep blue. While many of my friends are going antique gold, I'm also adding in a few more bronze and lighter gold colors. There are so many ways to interpret the gold that there will definitely be a way that works for you!








Product Sent for Review

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