Sometimes a fancy event calls for a fancy eye look – and ‘fancy’ covers heading out for dinner with your friends, bar hopping in your most ridiculous heels, spending a day enjoying the horses and fashion at the races, or going to a wedding/engagement/bar mitzvah/work do.
So here you go: four fancy eye looks that will have you looking drop-dead gorgeous.
THE CLASSIC SMOKY EYE
Who can go past a sultry smoky eye when getting glammed up for an occasion? The trick to nailing the smoky eye is to pick eyeshadow shades in the same colour family. So if you want your darkest shade to be black (which is the colour that will be applied at the outer corner of your eye), then also opt for charcoal, grey, silver and even purple/lilac (like Nina Dobrev’s done for the inner corner of her eyes). For something a bit more neutral, follow Sophia Bush’s lead and pick a mixture of browns and beiges. Add a little gold in the corner of your eye for absolute perfection.
Coloured mascara or eyeliner is a great way to dress up a look if you’re the kind of girl who never strays from a neutral lipstick or lip gloss. Whether you go for a subtle wash of colour like Chiara Francini or an elaborate liner/shadow combo like Emmy Rossum, it’s important to remember the following when delving into coloured eye make-up: 1) Make sure the colour you’re wearing complements your outfit and accessories 2) Keep the rest of your make-up pretty neutral 3) Don’t be too heavy-handed with the colour Oh, and if you don’t know what colour eyeliner or eyeshadows to wear, pick the ones that’ll suit your eye colour.
Some people don’t like to fuss over where to apply and blend certain shades, and that’s totally cool. Because you can still make that work for a dressed-up look, thanks to the wonders of shimmery metallic gold (or bronze) eyeshadow. The hue and finish work together to add some glitz and glamour to any look – even if it took you all of 10 seconds to apply the shadow to each eyelid. You can focus on just your lids like Emily Blunt, or add a hint of darker colour on the outside and some gold liner on the bottom lash line like Sharam Diniz. Either way, finish off with a lash-lengthening and enhancing mascara and you’re good to go.
Any glasses-wearer knows how hard it is to find an eye look that looks as good with their specs on as they do off. So we asked Pip Edwards, style ambassador for Specsavers, to share her top tips for wearing eye make-up with glasses. According to Pip, it’s best to keep your eye make-up neutral, as bright eyeshadow colours can’t really be seen. Beverly Hills 90210 favourite Kathleen Robertson proves a simple smoky eye can work perfectly with bigger frames. Pip also recommends gel liner (like Leona Lewis has worn) as this can really make your eyes stand out from behind your lenses, and pairing that with a bright, bold lip to make a statement. And when it comes to gel liner, Pip has an easy-to-remember golden rule: “If you’re wearing thinner frames that are more subtle, go for thinner eyeliner. If you’re wearing thicker frames, opt for a thicker line.”
Sidenote: if you’re more of a street kinda girl and you’re looking to jazz up your look, take Pip’s lead and invest in a pair of specs from Swedish fashion label Cheap Monday. The funky styles (available at Specsavers) will give your beauty look that extra edge that’s perfect for day or night.
How do you apply your eyeshadow when you want a dressy make-up look? Which of these are you most likely to try?
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