Berry Lips and OOTD: Christmas Shopping

It's no secret that I love berry lips and a good cat eye. Today, I combined the two for a quick look for a day of Christmas shopping.

I started off with my beloved Laura Mercier foundation powder. This compact is almost gone, which means I only have one compact left! I'm getting a little uneasy about this. I'm still taking recommendations for a foundation powder to replace this one. Sadly, it doesn't look like this foundation will be staying around ;( (Please LM! I'm begging!)
After evening out my skin, I warmed up my complexion with a little Hoola bronzer from Benefit (my favorite) and swept MAC's Pro Longwear Blush in Stay Pretty on the apples of my cheeks.
For eyes, I used Bootycall all over the lid and Tease in the crease from the Naked 2 palette. Using this technique (The Cat's Meow), I winged out my liner with the Stila felt-tip pen. I drew a line on the outer half of the lower lash line with Rimmel Scandalize eyeliner and topped it off with Benefit They're Real! mascara.
And of course, Maybelline's Color Elixir in Raspberry Rhapsody (I talked about this here) pulled it all together.

And a quick outfit of the day:

I love leopard accents! This is my go-to outfit in the Fall and Winter...skinny jeans and boots, a cardigan over a solid or printed t-shirt/tank top, and a fun scarf. I couldn't help it and bought myself an early Christmas gift, too. (Meaning: Naked 3 review coming soon! Obsessed!)

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? What's your favorite look/outfit for shopping?

The Cat's Meow

The cat eye is such a chic, timeless look.

 

 

 

Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Sophia Loren are three of my favorite classic beauties known to sport this look.

 

Good news: It's easy to get!

 

Here are my tips and tricks to get the perfect cat eye. I am by no means an expert, but this is what I have found works for me. I usually go for a more wearable "kitten" eye, but you can customize it to look how you want! Make the lines thicker or draw a more dramatic flick at the corner of the eye for a bolder look.

 

 

What you need:

• Eyeliner: I used Maybelline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. Another great option is Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. The Maybelline gel liner comes in a little pot with a small brush, whereas the Stila liner is more like a super thin marker. I prefer the Maybelline liner for the simple fact that it dries to a matte finish. The Stila pen dries super shiny. If you like the shiny liner look, go for the Stila! Both are easy to work with, don't smudge, and last all day.
• Mascara: I used They're Real! by Benefit.

What to do:

 

1. Draw a line across the entire lid. I used the little brush that came with the gel liner, but you can use any liner brush. Make it as thick or thin as you like.

2. Draw an angled line pointing to the end of the eyebrow. This will roughly be the length the "flick". Again, this is personal preference, and don't worry about getting is just perfect. You can make it longer in Step 4 if you decide to do so! I find that it's easier to make it smaller than you think you want, then go back and make it longer. It's easier to add liner than deal with trying to take some off with makeup remover and risk messing up the whole thing!

3. Connect the end of the flick with the line going across the lid, creating a template.

4. Fill it in! You can make any changes you want on this step. Creating the template serves as a guideline. I almost always go back and make the flick longer or the line across the lid thicker. The trickiest part is matching the liner on both eyes. Using the end of the eyebrow as a guideline for the flick helps to get the liner even on both sides. Now add mascara and you're good to go!

One more tip: Don't get too much liner on the brush at once. It will blob on your eyelid and make a mess!

Other options:

• Add liner across the bottom lid. A little or a lot!
• Line all around the eyes for a super dramatic look.
• Don't be afraid of color! Try an eggplant or navy blue.
• Add a little contour. I did some very subtle contouring before adding the liner. I used a light gold with a brown shade in the crease and blended it out for just a tiny bit more definition.
• Try adding false lashes. Obviously this might be a bit much for daytime, but for a night on the town, adding a few falsies on the outside corner of the eye and in the middle will really make the eyes pop!

 

 

 



Experiment and see what works best for you! What are your favorite tricks to getting the perfect cat eye? I'd love to hear!