STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

Neutral/Earthtone eye makeup or Colorful eye makeup?

Elle · Hermes

I hear you - everytime I put on 'evening makeup' or put anything on my lips when my eyes are done I feel like I'm wearing stage makeup again, from so many years of dance shows.

I think there is a happy medium between neutral and colors. Depending on your eye color, I'd do a colored liner (a nice deep tone, nothing bright) and a tonal or neutral shadow. I have hazel eyes, so sometimes I'll do a forrest green liner and olive/brown shadow. It doesn't scream 'Colorful!' but it definitely looks different that plain old brown or black. You could do a navy liner and a smokey grey shadow, a plum liner and a brownish-purple or greyish-purple shadow. I'd stick with a neutral highlight color and just do the colored shadow on the lid or in the crease.

I usually go to Ulta if I'm looking to experiment, just because they have such a large selection of brands and colors.

small fry · Chanel

Iam the same way I love blue, green and purple but stick with browns b/c of my dark circles, I do have a navy eyeliner I use anyway, I line the bottom inside of my eyes

Kelly · Hermes

I do neutral/earthy colors for work, but on the weekends I'll bust out more colors. I have shimmery blue and purple eyeshadow that I really like, but I have a small angled brush that I use to put them on like eyeliner instead of eyeshadow. Then it doesn't feel costumey, just a little more fun than normal. If I feel like I want to tone it down, I'll put a little bit of black or dark brown on top.

Boots · Gucci

I wear mainly browns and greys because I'm afraid of making myself look like a clown if I use color eyeshadows. I have a purple one that I'll wear if I'm feeling daring. I don't think I've ever really learned how to apply eye make up properly so the earthtones are the easiest not to screw up.

I read in a magazine (Glamour I think?) that you can use blush as eyeshadow this Spring. I've been trying it with my Nars orgasm and also mixing a pink blush with brown eyeshadow. Not sure how I like it yet. They do look softer and lighter. I might like it once it gets softer and lighter outside too.

BTW Kelly- Love the new picture!

-- Edited by Boots on Thursday 11th of March 2010 01:12:08 PM

Kelly · Hermes

Boots wrote:

BTW Kelly- Love the new picture!

-- Edited by Boots on Thursday 11th of March 2010 01:12:08 PM

Thanks! I've had the old one since the day I signed up for ST, like 3 years ago! Figured it was time for a change

kenzie · Chanel

I do the same as Kelly- neutral for work, fun on weekends and if it's too bright, I tone it down with black or brown. I have teal, purple, blue and green eyeshadows that I use on weekends. I almost always tone them down with brown or black, though, to avoid the bad prom makeup look.

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

I've learned that for me the best is neutral champagne/beiges for day and browns/greys for night.
I do experiment with plummy liner, lashes, cat eye, smokey eye, etc. Sometimes I will deviate and use a copper shimmery shade or a mauve. I dont like the way my eyes look with colors, it sort of mutes the beauty of the eyes and makes you look at the lids. I think it depends on the color of your eyes though, bc brown eyes look GREAT with purples.

Suasoria · Chanel

Me too; I don't use much color. It's not my aesthetic. I use several variations of pale shimmery shadows, usually a sheer champagney beige. I may use something frostier, something slightly pinker, golder, more silvery/white, more bronze/honey...again pretty subtle variations but all basically the same look.

I think Elle's advice (among others) is great though - there's navy, olive, teal, plum - colors that aren't teenagery. Using color as the liner, versus the shadow, would be more sophisticated.