Holy kitty cats, Batman! That’s a lot of red.
I suppose I could’ve toned it down, but after vexing over the pan of matte red eyeshadow in the new MAC Red, Red, Red Collection (complete with furrowed brows) and trying to think of a way to make it seem less…terrifying? All I could come up with is “YOLO!”
So I went for it.
I’m wearing three things from the collection today, which, by the way, is available now online (got some swatches right here) — Strike While Haute (the matte red eyeshadow), 5-Alarm Fire (the soft orangey red lipstick) and Night is Young (the bright red creamy gloss).
Now, about that red eyeshadow? Um…wow.
You know how some mattes can be a bugbear to work with, right? They’ll apply patchy and battle you while you’re trying to blend them. Well, Strike While Haute has been easier to work with than I expected.
I hardly notice any fallout from it, and it’s been quite cooperative, in that I haven’t had to bribe it with candy or ponies or kittens to get it to feather out into my transition colors.
Oh, and that highlight in the center and inside corners? That’s good ol’ MAC Shroom, the Old Faithful of shimmery beige highlighting eyeshadows. I effing love how it looks with the red, almost like it’s candy cane-inspired makeup.
MAC Ricepaper would’ve totally worked, too.
I’m not exactly sure if this look would qualify as wearable (anywhere in the world), but it could be, depending on where you work. Maybe if you work for a video game company or another creative field, or in a hip hair salon where you can get away with wearing colors that are a little outside the box.
I don’t know though… For most people, this is just a sh*t ton of red, LOL!
Eh, but like the phrase goes — you only live once. 🙂
If you decide to go for it with this red eyeshadow or a different one, here are three things that may help you pull off the look…
1. Wear falsies
Without false lashes, this look just didn’t seem ready or finished. I tried without the falsies first, and it was like something was missing.
In these pics, I’m wearing my new favorite false lashes, the No. 117s by Eylure.
2. Tight line with a black eyeliner
I lined my upper lash and water lines with matte black MAC Superfly, one of the new MAC Technakohls ($16 each). I used it to create a boundary between the red eyeshadow and the whites of my eyes, to sort of make the red look more “contained.”
I don’t know if that makes sense…but I do know this: before I incorporated the black liner here, I looked 50 shades of cray. Even if you’re lazy, I don’t think you should skip this step.
3. Grab your warm browns
I blended out the edges of the red eyeshadow with two warm matte browns — medium orangey brown Soft Brown in the crease, and reddish brown Saddle just below it.
Layering the two browns just takes some of the edge off the red.
In other news…
How cute is this pup?!
This fine gentleman is Leo. He works as a greeter at Cousins’ Christmas Trees in Novato. I met him yesterday while El Hub and I were getting our tree.
After speaking with Leo about his future plans, I feel that he would make a wonderful addition to the Tabs the Cat Industries team. I offered him a position, but he doesn’t seem ready to make a career change just yet. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Wow, this is a lot of red but I knew, If anyone, you’re the person who can easily pull off this look. You look beautiful.
The puppy is soo cute!
I love doggies so much. He’s such a cute boy. I like how you blended the shadow too. It works perfectly with your coloring.
I have some Makeup Geek eyeshadows to play with including some shades in the red family. I love your tips for pulling off red on the eyes. You look FABULOUS in this post! Red really suits you!
I’m admittedly not much of a cat person, but a stray seems to have taken up residence on my deck this afternoon and is enamored with my kids. My three-year-old son named “her” Penguin. And my kids are now drawing “her” maps to find “her” way home. I haven’t taken a close enough peak as to whether or not their assumptions are correct, but there will certainly be no job offers made to the fuzzy feline. Maybe a bowl of milk. Or some kitty kibble. But try as I might, I don’t think I can be converted.
Hi Alison
Milk is toxic to Kitties. Water or Tuna maybe?
Yes! You did it!!
Purr-fect with your coloring, the new hair, the new look!
New Year’s Eve would be totally appropriate for the YOLO glam. You’d have to add rubies in with the diamond tiara.
I do not own MAC Shroom but I shall buy it soon!
OMG that dog!!! What a handsome lad! He looks so laid-back and so sweet!
Kudos for giving that red eyeshadow a shot! I think it turned out well! It’s probably not something you’d want to wear every day (me either), but you made it work! You should bust out Dior Trafalgar again and see if you can incorporate the red 😉
I love Leo!
I dig the lips, but red eyeshadow is a no for me.
I just found the bunny eating a stolen candy cane under the Christmas tree.
I came in here all ready to rave about how well you pulled off that red shadow but Leo is trying to steal the show. Just look at those eyes! I feel like I could stare into his precious little soul. Soo cute!
I have been waiting for this since you first posted the teaser.. I love it. I’m going to have to go try things out now. (You look amazing in candycane.)
Wow I love this look Karen…despite the fact that it’s almost all red..it just doesn’t come across as monochromatic!! The brights in the middle of your lids makes it look really cool. Leo looks soooo adorable I would love to have him too if I could lol
I have the three shadows on the way. I loved how you used Strike While Haute in your eye look. Gorgeous! Personally, I love anything red and just can’t get enough.
I was immediately captivated by your entire look and spent a good minute just admiring the beauty of your eyes 😀 I don’t wear red eyeshadow but you make it look so good! Seriously contemplating whether or not I need this red in my life…
You nailed the red eyeshadow business! and that Shroom is so beautiful! the colors came great together here!
I love this look! It’s so me!! I hadn’t thought about using Shroom, Soft Brown or Saddle with red, but it really does work to tone it down a bit (though I don’t usually worry about that!) and make it more work friendly. I’m going to try a version of this over the weekend with Fyrinnae Hitched! 😀
I freaking love this look on you Karen! Red is a lucky color! 🙂
I love red based eye shadows, I think they look stunning against brown, hazel and green eyes! I love your hair Karen, the choppy do reallly suits you!!
OK, you can definitely rock red eyeshadow. Love it! Especially combined with the warm browns and that Cremesheen glass. If they have that eyeshadow here, I’m so getting it!
I love that look. Not for work, but I could totally imagine wearing it on a night out. Tightlining, or just black liner in general are a great tip to make this look work.
Without the barrier that creates the look might resemble the one I sported when I first saw “Philadelphia” in the cinema. Back in the days..
Just wondering: If you add a dog to the team, would that change your title to Crazy Pet Lady?
I don’t know why you were nervous because Holy Schnitzel – your first pic looks like a freaking promo photo. Absolutely stunning. It looks like someone photoshopped your lids to look flawless. I’m having trouble getting over how great this looks! Congrats – you are totally rocking the reds, here! 🙂
At first I was going to tell you all about how crazy in love I am with that eye look of yours, but then came Leo! What a cutie 🙂 I love his scruffy face, hee hee.
Karen you have just NAILED this look, I swear to god. I wasn’t even sure if I liked this collection until I saw this post.
This looks sooo good on you! It’s crazy how you can pull off so many looks and colors ’cause if I would see that much red on someone else I would be like NO, girl, NO! but on you it looks great, such a subtle and classy way to use a red eyeshadow, love it!
Love,
Stefi
A unique and great look on you! I brought Red Alert eyeshadow at the mall yesterday when I was supposed to be just Christmas shopping, he he. I’m going to play around with some looks later.
You rocked the red eye lovely lady !!!!! Is that a Kipling bag I spy there??? I love me my Kiplings
I love it 😀 I love red eyeshadow
Leo is so cute!
I apologize, I didn’t have enough time to read all the posts on this one. (don’t tell but I’m at work).
I had a Chanel palette a long time ago with all reds in it. I actually wore the red eye shadow. I like the look. I think it’s fun. I especially like the way you did yours today.
I would love these MAC products but since I just spent a fortune on the NARS kabuki brushes I’ve been lemming for 5 years and I have an Urban Decay master class on Saturday I will have to behave.
I think red eyeshadow are versatile and have been using it for years.
Oh, I am LOVING that eye look! I’m all about the reds and pinks lately – my coloring works pretty well with it, much like yours.