False lashes, definitely.
A pair of falsies turns everything else up a notch. In the time it takes to stick a pair of false lashes on your eyes, you can turn the most ho-hum makeup into faux fancy.
In my case, I think because I have naturally really uninspired lashes that are thin and not very long, when I wear falsies, the difference is pretty dramatic. It’s like, “Oh! At least she tried.”
But, you know, sometimes I’m just not in the mood to deal with all the glue and the lashes and the trimming them down to size, so I’ll bust out my tube of Cle de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara, which creates crazy good length. Unfortunately, it’s also crazy expensive. $50.
I swear, though, it makes my lashes look about nine miles long. The only problem is that it takes forever and a day to remove. The formula is freakishly waterproof, which might actually be a good thing for me today because it just started raining. 🙁
What’s something you do with your makeup when you want it to look like you put serious effort into it?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Putting on bright lipstick. Or brighter than I’m used to, I guess 🙂
What’s your brightest lipstick? I have a lot of crazy bright pinks that I wear all the time. Right now my favorite is NARS Yu. 🙂
I have some bright fuchsias in my collection that are pretty bright, or at least for me 🙂 Revlon’s Sultry Samba is probably my brightest!
I don’t have that one! I will look out for it next time I go to Ulta. 🙂 One can never have enough bright lipsticks, am I right?
Neeeeever 🙂
I put on the dramatic lipstick (NARS Audacious) and use lip liner.
MAC or BB highlighter might kick it up a notch too but I really have to be in the mood!
Hi Debra,
Speaking of lip liner, do you ever use a lip brush to blur out the edges? I do this all the time to mellow out the side of the line that’s inside my lips. It makes it easier to transition the lipstick into the pencil so you don’t get that obvious liner edge. I also think it helps make the liner last longer!
Anywho, hope you’re having a lovely Wednesday so far. It just rained here in my neck of the woods!
Hi Karen! Would you say this is your HG mascara for length and volumn? I have sad thin and sparse Asian lashes lol thanks!
Hello Jenny!
Cle de Peau’s definitely up there. I have a few, since I like to have options. 🙂
For crazy dramatic length and volume, I also really love Guerlain’s Cils d’Enfer Waterproof and Chanel’s Le Volume de Chanel. YSL’s Faux Cils is great, too (oldie but goodie).
I find that all of these also have amazing curl hold, which is vital to the equation of dramatic lashes.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask me for more recs!
False lashes ftw! I rarely care if it looks like I put in effort because I tend to wear more makeup than the average woman anyway. So for events/drama I add lashes. Although, liner+lipstick+gloss instead of just one or two products is a close second.
Hi Alison,
Do you have a favorite false lash style? I have a couple. For drugstore I’m a fan of Ardell’s Wispies (a classic). For dept. stoer I’m all about the MAC 36s.
Happy Wednesday, by the way, from rainy Northern California!
I am not sure cause I always put a lot of effort into my makeup, lol. Maybe a bolder, darker lipstick? And somewhat beauty related- curling my hair instead of wearing it straight.
Hey Agata,
Thank you for reminding me to curl my hair! It’s been ages since I’ve done mine (about two weeks). I’ve been too lazy lately and have been rocky messy beach waves because it’s easy.
Do you use a curling iron to curl yours? Or hot rollers?
I go through phases, there are times I get really obsessed with curling my hair and that’s what I do all the time. Even curled hair put in a pony tail looks so elegant.
I use a fliperless curling wand from Hot Tools, it’s awesome. I actually have heat rollers too that I haven’t used in years- I gave up after it didn’t work first time but maybe I need more practice!
I gotta hand it to you. I tried using a clipless curling wand and had a really hard time. I tried one years ago and almost burned myself! Is there some sort of trick that I’m missing? ‘Cause I know a lot of ladies love them. Maybe I’m just too clumsy, le sigh.
So, hot curlers. They’re great once you get the hang of them. I like them because I can just pop ’em on, and then go do other things while my hair is doing its thing, you know? Sometimes it’s nice to not have to stand in the bathroom and wrestle with the curler for 20 minutes.
Winged eyeliner for me-that means I’m seriously trying to look good that day 😀
Hi Kelly,
I love dramatic winged liner, too. You get a lot of bang for your makeup buck! So, are you a liquid liner or a gel liner kinda gal? I usually a mix — liquid for the line and gel for the edges and outer tail.
I definitely use more black eyeliner .. haven’t tried false eyelashes (yet!).
Monica.
Hi Monica,
You should! They’re challenging at first but once you get the hang of them, they’re totally easy peasy.
Hi Karen,
I do have a set of lashes planned for my “pretty kitty” work Halloween costume .. lol. Again, we’ll see how well that goes 😉 Meow!
Monica
I agree with false lashes. Also, when I apply a mixture of shadow shades and do a cat eye, it looks like I put effort into it.
Hi Allison,
Do you have a favorite style of false lashes?
Happy Wednesday, by the way!
Apply a bright lipstick, mostly a pink once since I can do no wrong with a pink lip 😉 <3
Love, Stefi
http://www.brighteyesandglossylips.com
Hi Stefi,
I love a bright pink lip too. Have you tried NARS’ Satin Lip Pencil in Yu? Right now it’s my favorite bright pink!
Hi Karen!
I haven’t tried that Lip Pencil out yet but I’ll definitely keep an eye out on that one 🙂
Right now I’m really loving the Pro Longwear in Shock Value with the Ladies Who Lunch Mineralize Lipstick on top of it.
Love,
Stefi
It’s great! I have a pic of it here if you want to see it (I used it in a face of the day last week). Another good one is MAC Impassioned Lipstick. I kid you not, whenever I wear it to Sephora, at least 2 sales associates stop me and ask about the color. If you love bright pinks you will love MAC Impassioned.
Oh, and Impassioned looks great with Shock Value!
I will have to check out Ladies Who Lunch. Thank you for the rec!
Wow, that color really IS amazing and as always – you must be some sort of wonderwoman! – it suits you perfectly!
You can find my thoughts on the Ladies Who Lunch here (http://www.brighteyesandglossylips.com/2014/09/review-mac-mineralize-rich-lipstick-ladies-who-lunch/) and at the end you can see it paired with Shock Value. It has a purple undertone and is rather sheer but it’s like sunshine in my eyes when I need something to cheer me up really quick 🙂 Do you wear such bright colors?
I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of Impassioned with Shock Value – thank you, I’ll try it out as soon as possible 🙂
Love,
Stefi
Oh, I love the slight purple undertone! I think purply pink lip colors are the surprise workhorses of the lipstick/lipgloss world? Officially on my MAC list — which is now about 1.4 miles long. 🙂
Taking time applying my foundation and wearing a bright lipstick makes me look like I’ve tried. I wish I could apply false eyelashes. I’ve just never mastered them. Not that I don’t keep trying. LOL.
I love Cle de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara, too!!!! It’s really is awesome. I don’t mind that it’s so hard to remove. It stays put during the day. And I seriously love how it makes my fine, sparse lashes look so gorgeous!
I find the Cle de Peau remover is the best one for getting it off.
Hi Tatiana,
I had a hard time with false lashes, too, until I started doing the following things:
1) Using less glue (makes a huge difference in comfort)
2) Looking down into a mirror when applying the lashes
3) Placing the false lashes directly onto the natural lashes and *not* the eyelid (it took me a while to figure this out)
Try using half-strip lashes one of these days! They’re much easier to apply than full-strip lashes and very comfy.
So, speaking of Cle de Peau Perfect Lash, I’m thinking of wearing it when I do the half marathon on Sunday! I’m positive it will hold up to 13.1 miles and buckets of sweat. Thank you for the recommendation for the remover, too. Is it oil-based?
Thanks for all the lash application tips. I think I’m going to try cutting a pair in half. I always seem to get one end down ok but then the opposite end is all wonky. Maybe a half strip will help with that.
Here’s a link to the Cle de Peau makeup remover. The ingredients are listed near the bottom of the description. It’s bi-phase and it’s the only remover I’ve used with the Perfect Lash mascara that I don’t have to use three times on one eye to get it off. The Chanel remover works too, but you need to hold it over your lashes for about 15 to 20 seconds and it still takes a second cotton to get every last bit. The MAC remover barely budged this mascara. Same for the Dior bi-phase.
I am silently cursing the SA who gave me a sample tube of this mascara. I love it so much, but I cannot justify spending that much green on a product I replace so often.
Good luck in your marathon! You rock girl!!
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/cle-de-peau-beaute-eye-and-lip-makeup-remover/3222121?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=208&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-browseresults-_-1_2_B
I started with half strips and once I got better at them moved onto full. They are the key!
Oh, and whatever you do, don’t poke your eyes out. 🙁 I almost did once with a pair of very sharp tweezers and it was really scary. Sephora has a handy dandy applicator-thing-a-ma-bobber called the Bulls Eye Lash Applicator that I find very helpful! You might like it. Here is the link:
Sephora Bulls Eye Lash Applicator
Well, it looks like I’m going to have to break down and get that eye makeup remover! 🙂 Maybe it will be my reward for running on Sunday. Thank you for the well wishes, by the way. I’m going to need them around the last leg of the race.
Hope you’re having a nice day so far… is it Friday yet?!
I wear my brightest reds. But then, they look so like me that people around me insist that I wear them.
I know I can never go wrong with my reds.
Hi Nivediya,
GIRL, I’m all about the red lipstick too! What is your go-to red?
I spend a lot of effort to look as if I haven’t made any. But when I want to go glam, I usually go for a bold lip, or for some shimmer on the eyes.
Hi Bella,
The look of effortless makeup is truly an art! It’s something I work on in my day-to-day makeup life. When you’re going for that sort of look, what products do you rely on?
False lashes and sophisticated liquid wing liners! I did that a lot when I went on a date and wanted to look super pretty!
I seriously do my brows. Like define them, ABH dipbrow, the whole nine yards. They make me look 1000x more put-together! I’ll also really take my time concealing and blending. Nothing makes me feel better than a perfected base!
Actually applying foundation and concealer lol. I have a round baby face that could use the extra definition. I still don’t really look like I’m almost 25 with makeup on but it helps a little lol
if it is for date night then I add some bronzer/gold highlighter on the top of my cheeks and over the brow. If I need to look serious at work I do a very detailed perfect black liner with a 3-shade taupe shadow and lots of mascara, either Chanel or Armani. I use MAC Tranquil Oil Cleanser to remove my eye makeup and mascara before I wash my face, really helps with the mascara.
A very blended and blown out smoky eye.
I do a smokey eye and red lips.
All out on the eyes! Cut crease, smoked out, the works.
I generally don’t get time to do much with my eyes during the week so I always bust out the palettes for special occasions!
My answer is also the false lashes. I have very short and sparse natural lashes, and mascara isn’t enough for when I want my eyes to really stand out.
They really do make a dramatic difference. I’m going to have to try them (I know I keep saying that). I just put on lipstick, or even gloss. My lips are usually bare so wearing any kind of tinted lip product is usually very noticeable.
Btw, we saw Gone Girl last night. Have you seen it?
I did! What did you think?
And did you read the book beforehand?
OK, first of all I was glad I wasn’t watching it with my parents. HAHA! I thought the acting was great and enjoyed it, overall, a lot. I didn’t care for the ending, but I know that’s a personal thing. I guess I watched too much Law & Order growing up and I want people to get their comeuppance. 🙂
I purposely didn’t read the book when I heard they were making a movie because I knew I’d sit there thinking “well, in the book…” the whole time. I’ll read it now, though.
How about you?? What did you think? The Hubs is still thinking about it and will occasionally say out of the blue “B*tch is crazy!”. I’m sure watching that gets the menfolk thinking. HAHA!
I add a few more coats of mascara (haven’t done falsies as I’m afraid that they would fall off, and my lashes are naturally very long), and spend time on contouring. When I want a certain look, I will spend a long time perfecting it. Usually when I’m trying to look nice I spend a lot of time on my eye makeup. I will also spend some extra time on my hair and what I am wearing – pretty makeup does look good with sweats but it looks even better with a great outfit!
Red lipstick, preferably a lip stain. A quick flick liner and mascara and you look like you spend hours! Got to mommy make-up 🙂
Hi Karen- what lipstick are you using in this post? Looks gorgeous!!!
Its not one thing like lashes or red lipstick, its several like I use more makeup in general. That means I may add a mask before I start my makeup, then I use a corrector, highlight, contour ,lip liner , lashes and more than one eye shadow. The sheer number of items increases 10 fold when I want to do the most with my makeup