Generally I think of rigorous makeup rules and structure as hogwash, hooey and blarney, otherwise known as crazy talk.
Can’t say I’ve ever really believed in hard-and-fast rules for le war paint, but I do have a mantra — a guiding principle, if you will — and this is it: WHY THE HELL NOT!?
Want to rock a blown-out Khal Drogo smokey eye to a formal Sunday brunch?
Why the hell not!?
Want to wear a bright green gloss and gold glitter on your lids to walk your cat around the block?
Why the hell not!?
My point is this: life is short. You might as well wear what moves you.
Today I was in the mood to sparkle because, you know, it’s Tuesday, and that’s as good a reason as any. 🙂 So I did this glittery, brassy, kind of smokey greenish khaki eye.
I like that it has tricks up its sleeve. One minute, when my eyes are wide open, I think it looks almost tame, just a warm brassy golden eye, but then when I blink, BAM! — that’s when the glitter does its thang.
I used MAC 3D Glitter in Brass Gold atop Clinique’s greenish gold All About Eyeshadow Quad in On Safari, and I kept the glitter in the center of the lid so it wouldn’t overpower the whole look.
I think the loose glitter I’m using here, MAC 3D Glitter, is really cool. The hexagonal multicolored glitter bits may look kind of mellow in these pics, but all about the drama in person.
To get the glitter to stay/stick to my lids, I applied a little of Anastasia’s Beauty Genius Clear Waterproofing Gel as a base first, upon which I patted the glitter with a flat brush.
Oh, and here’s a tip: if you use a base for loose glitter like this one from Anastasia, try to keep your eye closed until the base fully dries. Less of the glitter will settle into any fine lines you might have, and you should see less creasing.
Here’s a breakdown of the look…
- Clinique On Safari All About Shadow Quad: lids, lower lash lines and inner corners of my eyes
- MAC 3D Glitter in 3D Brass Gold: center of the lids
- Anastasia Beauty Genius Clear Waterproofing Gel: as a base for the glitter
- MAC Smolder Eye Kohl: water lines
- Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara:lashes
- MAC Fluidline Gelcreme in Deep Dark Brunette: brows
- Hourglass Illume Duo in Sunset: apples of my cheeks
- Hourglass Ambient Powder in Mood Lighting: upper cheekbones
- BECCA Opal Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed: down the bridge of my nose and Cupid’s bow to highlight the skin
- Hourglass Panoramic Long Wear Lip Liner in Eden and Extreme Sheen Gloss in Origami: lips
Anyone else go with glitter today? 😀
Even if you aren’t rockin’ the sparkly stuff, tell me about your makeup. What did you decide to wear today?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
You have me suddenly wanting glitter. This has *never* happened before O.O My “why the hell not” of today is an electric pink high shine lip with a coral/copper eye. So much love for in-your-face lip colors lately.
Hi Alison,
That sounds like a lovely look. I’ve been wanting to do a copper eye…must look for a electric pink right now! 🙂
How are things on your end today?
“so it wouldn’t overpower the whole look” – ha! Like any proper glitter aficionado is concerned with overpowering the whole look – this just happened to be what you wanted to do today. 😉
If you haven’t tried them yet, Lit Cosmetics glitters are freaking amazing and will change your life and make you want to wear glitter no matter how inadvisable the circumstances.
Hi Saffron,
Ooh, so I like the sound of “change your life.” Like in what way? Are they super glittery, or crazy colors?
You know how a really good eyeshadow will have all kinds of complexities that set it apart, and before you know it you own 18 different shades of taupe and they are all different and special and awesome? Lit glitters are like that, they have tons of interest and nuance, they are the glitter equivalent of a well crafted eyeshadow shade.
Well that just sounds absolutely lovely. Which shades do you recommend?
I love a deep bronze/copper smokey eye, so I’m biased and my absolute favorite is Rhinestone Cowboy, which is a deep bronze with holo and flashy as all get out. Nightlife is my favorite black to layer over a strong cat eye – it’s black sparkle with dark rainbow glitter, it’s got a lot of flash but the dark colors make it a little subdued at the same time. Heartbreaker is maroon with orange and purple sparkles and a little holo and is just wonderful and like nothing else I’ve seen. Champagne wishes is a very pale white/gold/silver with holo and is really easy to wear – not their most novel color but a good goes-with-everything glitter.
I just looked them up and I kindasorta love their tagline — “No glitter, no glory.” LOVE. OK, looks like I’m going to have to get Rhinestone Cowboy in my life, since I love a bronzy coppery smokey eye too. Thank you for the recommendation! 😀
Speaking of bronzy coppers, do you have Laura Mercier’s Burnished Copper Metallic Creme Shadow? I’ve had it in my stash for a while now and fell in love with it again recently.
You’re the second person this month to recommend the burnished copper and I am getting it Right Freakin Now. I have the sort of steel blue eyes that LIVE for colors like that and nonetheless I’ve probably passed it over half a dozen times.
Hope you dig the Lit!
I have a feeling I will. I bet it would look really pretty on top of Burnished Copper. 🙂
Who says you can’t wear glitter on Tuesday?
On eyes I am wearing the new Marc Jacobs palette, the Siren, the gold color in the inner corner with the cranberry red on the outside and in the crease, brown shade on my lower lid (from Too Faced pretty Rebel palette), with Loreal Espresso gel liner in my waterlines. On my cheeks I am wearing Maybelline blush stick thing in golden bronzy color with a pale pink blush from Collistar. I haven’t decided on the lipcolor yet but I am only going over my in laws’ for dinner and for a walk after.
I’ve been eyeing that palette for a while! I’m attracted to the rainbow of colors but I’m not sure if it’s something I’d wear enough to get good use out of it, you know? How are you liking it so far? Your look sounds gorgeous, by the way. I vote for a warm pinkish coral gloss without shimmer for the lipds. 🙂
I love this look! That lip combo is amazing, and now I need both those products in my life. You look gorgeous! I’m not a huge glitter person (I hate fall out) and since I work in an office my look today was very very neutral, but I’ve been really into bright watermelon lips lately.
Oh nice! What watermelon shades have you been wearing?
Glitter improves every day of the week, in my opinion 😀 Pretty eyes!
Glitter, all day, every day!
Gorgeous eye look! The glitter was the perfect touch!
Hooray for glitter! I don’t know if you’ve tried it yet, but Fyrinnae makes Pixie Epoxy, which is fabulous for glitter and duochrome shades. Darling Girl has Glitter Glue and Violet Voss makes Secret Weapon, which is pretty fabulous. I would have never thought to try Anastasia’s Lash Genius on the lid but it does work great for lashes 🙂
MAC 3d glitter totally amped up the looks.. such a gorgeous eye makeup.. 😀 😀
I have few of MAC pigments gotta put them soon after seeing your prettyy Eyes.. 😉
The glitter is more delicate looking than in the other swatches I’ve seen here, really nice on you.
Two words: KHAL DROGO!!!
I am absolutely in love with the color on your cheeks and lips! That is something I struggle to get every morning.. that color! beautiful! Sorry but that has taken the attention away from your stunning eye makeup!
I pretty much wear glitter or super shimmery eye shadow on my lids everyday, just blending the crease in with a matte color to make it work for the office. Glad to see this post! That’s my mantra too – WHY THE HELL NOT?! I do what I want! haha