A Colorful, Fun Holiday Look for a Casual Get Together with Friends
The holiday party season is here, both the parties we dread and the ones we look forward to. I’m going to a few this month, which means I get to see friends I haven’t seen in a while and try out some new makeup looks, hooray!
I’m very shy when it comes to bold eye colors, but, alas, a girl cannot live on brown eye shadow alone. Lately, I’ve been feeling adventurous, trying brighter colors to really push my look.
But I need a little help when it comes to using bold colors, so I followed the directions for this bright red and purple eye featured on the MAC Website. This is the “Her Fancy” look, one of four Antiquitease face charts.
I’m attending a friend’s birthday dinner in a few weeks (a casual night out in the city). To keep the focus on my eyes, I plan to wear a black top, gold jewelry and jeans along with this fun, colorful look.
Here’s the face chart I used. All the makeup was by MAC.
If you’re new to bright eye colors like I am, then I highly suggest picking up the colors I used in this look: Mi’Lady and Engaging MAC Mineralize Eye Shadows. They’re beginner friendly, and you can easily turn up or down the color intensity.
I hope your Wednesday is going smoothly so far! Hold on, ya’ll! We’re almost there.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hi Karen,
Lovin the look on you-really fresh and cute. Looks fab !I might just try to replicate it for the upcoming parties !
Keep them coming !
This is lovely and fresh! I’ve gotten used to seeing you in strong lip colours so this is a lovely change! (I am the opposite..)
I can’t look at a picture of Christian Bale without thinking of you!!
Fabulous, I adore it. This is why I love the holiday season: you can wear bolder makeup and sparkly clothes and it’s totally acceptable.
Ooo Karen! I really like this look! The pinky shadow reminds me of a favorite that I used to wear a long time ago. It’s a shadow from Lorac called Joy (a pinky color with gold shimmer). It’s super pretty and now you’ve inspired me to go dig in my old makeup box and try to find it!
You’ll look amazing and be the envy of the town! 🙂
Hope you’re having a fun Wednesday! Only two more days until I head off to Sonoma baby – YAY!
Lookin gorgeous sexy lady!!! Ur face look so dewy and beautiful!!!! What foundation do u have on???
oOoh I must agree with previous comments, this is definitely a nice dewy fresh look! I think any gal of any age can pull this off!
Hey Karen,
I’ve been a lurker for a while but I just had to post on this one. It looks breath taking and stunning! I am so recreating this look! Thank you for it. Truly, I think this is my favourite look of 07′ 🙂
Hi Anna!
Thank you. I was really surprised by how much I liked this look. (I mostly liked it ’cause it was *easy*, oy!) I will try to do more colorful posts like this one. It was really fun!
Are you a color kinda girl? Do you wear brights?
Hi Rowena,
Oh, you know ya gotta have love for C. Bale! I told my hub prior to our wedding that he better show up on time, otherwise I’d have to marry Christian and become Mrs. Karen Bale.
The whole colorful eyes thing is kinda new for me and I’m enjoying it! Next up: blues, ahhh!
Hi Allie,
Thank you! And I agree, any time of the year when it’s socially acceptable to wear sparkles on one’s person pretty much rules (gotta set some limits though – NO BEDAZZLED CLOTHING)! 🙂
Have a great rest of your week. Are you ready for Friday?!?!
Nilla,
I totally have a pan of “Joy” sitting in my eyeshadow drawer. I LOVE LORAC SHADOWS! I gotta get some of her palettes one of these days.
Sonoma, how fun! You’ll be driving through my neck of the woods. Are you and the boy going to have a nice, relaxing and romantical weekend? I hope so. 🙂 There better be a spa involved!
Hi I love MAC!
Thank you for complement, cutie. 🙂 That’s Laura Mercier Oil-Free foundation. I love how it photographs, but unfortunately I think it’s breaking me out, boo hoo. I know you are a hard core MAC foundation girl but you should try it. It’s easy to use and always wins a shizzload of awards.
Thank you Vanessa. One of these days I’ll finally have the guts (and perhaps the skill) to pull off one of your beautiful signature eye looks!
Can you give me some easy, beginner friendly blues to work with?
Hi Thushaa!
Thank you for introducing yourself and saying hello, it’s very nice to meet you! I am sure you will love this look. It was super easy. Plus, if you like brighter pops of color you can easily turn it up!
Let me know how your look turns out. I’d love to hear about it. 🙂
Hey Karen,
How funny that you have Lorac’s Joy as well! I love her shadows too. I remember the MA telling me you can use them wet or dry and I always used Joy wet and blended it down. It’s super cute and easy to work with.
The BF and I are heading out this weekend to celebrate our 5 yr anniversary since we had commitments last weekend. And yes, there had better be a spa involved. I’m reminding him now…
Wow, Nilla! Happy Anniversary! *raises glass* May you have many more in the years to come. 🙂
Is your boy the type to go to a spa? I’d have to drag mine, or perhaps trick him, before he’d ever do something like a facial with extractions, ha ha!
You look great! I can’t wait to see the blue…you are bold!
I should try it then, I feel so disloyal to M.A.C when I try something else, but your skin looks amazing ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Aww thanks Miss Karen!
The BF claims he doesn’t like the spa but I know he enjoys those massages. Last time we were in Monterey he was all over that shizz! I dunno about facials with extractions though. However, I am willing to trick him into thinking it’s good for him – which it is!! 🙂
Thanks Tootise! I will have to work my way up to the blue. Maybe some eye liner first! It’s all about the baby steps.
I saw a “Toys for Tots” bin today and thought of you and that funny story I read on your site. 🙂
It’s worth a go, I love MAC. It’s a very good foundation. There aren’t as many shades as MAC, but the coverage is great.
I apply it with a MAC 182 brush. Do you have that one?
Nilla, Tell him you’re taking him to a sports bar to watch football or something …
You know what you should get him to do? A man’s pedicure. Guys in general have pretty gross feet. A man’s pedicure is like the gift that keeps on giving. Your guy gets a treatment, and you get to look at nice feet.
Morning Karen
Nahh, I’m not a colour girl, thats probably why I love this look so much- its wearable without being scary. I just use Soba, Shroom and Bobbi Brown gel liner in Bronze shimmer (which is fab if you havent tried it !) on a regular day.
Have to say, your blog is fab. I’m from London and I’ve just discovered your blog a few weeks ago…yeah late I know, but better than never eh ! 🙂
Morning’ Anna,
Oh, you just mentioned two of my favorite all time shadows, Soba and Shroom. I haven’t tried Bobbi Brown gel liner yet. I’m such a Fluidline fanatic but I’ll put it on my list of things to try. 🙂
I hear ya about scary looks. It’s weird, I really seeing love brights and bold colors on others; I just don’t always feel great about them on myself. But I’m trying to be less fearful of color and taking makeup risks. And hey, it always washes off.
Thank you so much for your complement on the blog! I enjoy writing it so I’m glad that you dig it too. BTW, I love London. I visited your city a few years ago. So much history and it’s so bustling and full of life. I randomly picked up a bottle of Garnier body cocoon at Boot’s (in the orange bottle) and when I got back home I kicked myself for not buying a whole box full. The day that it ran out was a sad day. 🙂
Have a good one! Are you ready for Friday?
Karen, I’m playing blog reading catch up. The boys and I have been sick with a NASTY cold and now its just down to a cough – thank goodness.
I really like this look. Subtle and playful. Very cute!! Have a great Aloha Friday :))
ALOOOOHA Mrs. Lynne. I’m glad you and the boys are feeling better. Take care of yourself and get well soon! 🙂
You definately have to try the BB gel liner. I’ve yet to try the MAC fluidelines, but I have to say the liquidlast are slightly under par…dissapointed with those.
Awww, thanks Karen, I love London too…..although it rains half them time….its home. Oh those Cacoon body lotions come in yellow and green too.
Anna, I hate Liquidlast! It’s hard to use and I don’t like the finish. MAC Fluidline is the sh*t. It’s goof proof, has a beautiful finish and lasts forever.
Funny, the time I went to visit London there was a heat wave! It was so frickin’ hot, that El Hub and I tried to find a cinema so we could be inside and watch a film to get away the heat. We kept asking people on the street where the nearest “movies” were and nobody understood us, because I guess ya’ll call it the “cinema”. The funny part about the whole episode was that once we got inside the cinema it was still sweltering, because there was no air conditioning inside, ha ha ha! Ahh, good times.
Man, I wish we could get those Cocoon body lotions here! We finally got the Garnier skin care line (which has some decent stuff) but I’d kill from the body lotion.
Anyway, I hope you are having a good weekend!
Hey Karen,
How was your weekend ? mine was crappy…bad weather, rained flippin all day and everyday. Lol…yeah we do call the “movies” the “cinema” or the “pictures”. My favourite is “bangs”, which we call “fringe”.Next time you’re here, choose Odeon- soo cold in there you’ll freeze your butt off !
Awww, you love the Cacoon stuff that much ! Not sure how much it will cost,but I could ship a few bottles to you if you want.
which shade of fliudeline would you recommend or is your favourite ? I’m an NC35- I was looking at Macroviolet, but lots of people said it doesnt show up.
Have a great monday !
That’s so sweet of you, Anna. No worries, I will wait till I go there again and I’ll stock up on Cocoon like CRAZY! 🙂
I have a few Fluidline favorites. I really like Blacktrack, which is rich, solid matte black with no sparkle. It’s all purpose and looks great on the lashline or on the waterline.
My second fave is Blitz & Glitz. It’s black with a touch of shimmer. It’s very pretty because the shimmer gives it dimension.
As for browns, I like Graphic Brown. It is a rich brown with some bronze shimmer. Gorgeous!
I use several different brushes to apply, it depends on the look I want and how much time I have. I’ve used thin pointy brushes, angled brushes, flat tipped brushes, even lip brushes do get different effects.