Becca

Lately, like a good love song, Becca Eye Tint in Romanticism ($24) has been my weekend jam! Since I haven’t been in the mood to wear a full eye look on Saturdays and Sundays, I’ve been turning to this creamy eye tint in a tube.

A lightly tinted mauve with silver shimmer and a finish with a glint of gloss, this cream-to-powder eyeshadow from Becca’s Balearic Love collection may not be flashy, but I sure do like how it looks. I love that when I stand a few feet away from a mirror, I can tell that I’m wearing a little color on my lids, but I don’t feel like I’m wearing a ton of makeup.

For more on the Becca Balearic Love collection, check out…

• Becca Balearic Love’s Violet and Bronze Line and Define Pencil in Cabrera Beckons Brown, Green and Hazel Eyes
• Roses Are Red Before They’re Pink With Becca Sheer Tint Lip Colour in Valentina
• Becca Mineral Blush in Bolero Gets Better as the Day Wears On

It’s one of those products that doesn’t broadcast itself over the loudspeakers, if you catch my drift. People will think to themselves, “Pretty! She did something different with her look today, but I’m not sure exactly what…” Like getting highlights a shade or two lighter or darker than your natural hair color, Romanticism might not be obvious at first, but it’s easy to spot upon closer inspection.

With a dewy finish, it looks a little bit wet to me, like a raven-haired mermaid’s lids when she pokes her head above the water.

And speaking of water, that’s something Romanticism was designed to resist. It does a decent job, too, holding up fine to rainy days and light workouts. Now, I wouldn’t wear it to spend the day at the beach or pool, but it can stand a little water (for a full day of frolicking in the surf, the Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams might be a better bet).

Romanticism unblended (left) and blended (right)
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“Becca invites you — ”

Me?

“Excuse me?”

I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.

“Yes, you. Becca invites you to dream of distant — ”

Just me?

“Really now? Come on, we’re talking about everyone. It’s just a marketing thing.”

Oh, okay… Sorry. I get it now. Please, continue.

“Right. Fine. Becca invites you to dream of distant shores and unguarded temptation with — ”

What you do mean, ‘unguarded’?

“What…?”

You said ‘unguarded’.

“Yes. And?”

What do you mean? Do you mean like no lifeguard on duty?

“…”

Do you have a lifeguard?

“You can’t be serious… Is this some kind of joke? Am I on Punk’d right now?”

* * *

I can almost feel the sun on my face when I gaze at the promo poster for the Becca Balearic Love Collection… That smokey eye, those rich layers of violet, bronze and plum, and that shimmer in the middle of the lid? Gorgeous! It’s one of the most intriguing collections I’ve seen this season so far.

Named after the Balearic Islands, a Mediterranean archipelago off the Eastern coast of Spain, the eight-piece collection for eyes, lips, cheeks and nails evokes a more grownup beachy vibe to me, a little bit naughty and mysterious, and not the well-trodden beach theme often characterized by lighthearted surfer girls chasing waves.

Balearic Love’s smokey eyes, bronzed, sculpted cheeks and nude pink lips would look right at home on you at that beachside café at sunset, where, instead of reading your Ibiza guidebook and sending your fiancée a text to tell him that you miss him, you’re stealing glances at the handsome stranger sitting across the way.

I just started exploring the collection last weekend, but I’ve already fallen for the dual-ended Line and Define Pencil in Cabrera ($23).

It’s a super soft, smooth liner with a metallic bronze pencil on one end and a deep violet brown on the other, and I love how messy and undone both shades look smudged along my lash lines.

One of the things I love about Becca is their nuanced approach to color. Take Cabrera’s darker tip, for instance. On my skin, it subtly flashes from deep brown to purple, which gives it a little kick that boring old brown liners lack.

And the finish? From some angles, the shimmer’s unmistakable, but from others, I swear it looks like a matte.

Honestly, if it were available as a single liner, I’d stockpile enough sticks to last me through the next few lifetimes. I love the mix of purple, brown and gold, and I think it really pops on brown, hazel and green eyes.

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