Eyeshadow Addicts Anonymous

This post has been requested by a couple of readers, so I hope this answers some of your questions!! My goal was to explain how to coordinate different colors and put looks together without being too matchy, matchy. The most important thing to remember is that there are no rules in makeup, only guidelines. So if you decide to put a strong lip with a smokey eye and it makes you feel sexy, then go for it!

USE SHADES THAT ARE FLATTERING TO YOUR UNDERTONE — I did an entire post to fully explain undertones (click here) but in simple terms you have either warm or cool undertones… If your skin is cool you have more pink undertones, and if you’re warm you have more yellow. In general cool skintones look best with jewel tones like navy, emerald green, and purples on their eyes, and warm skintones look great in bronzy colors and earth tones. You do not always have to follow this, but it helps to understand undertones when you are trying to decide what looks good on you.

KEEP YOUR LIPS AND CHEEKS IN THE SAME COLOR FAMILY —  You do not want your lips and cheeks competing or clashing with one another! Typically speaking, there are four main color families for blush: pinks, peaches, neutrals and berry tones. The lips and cheeks should be from the same family but not the same color. For example, If you are wearing a bright pink lip, go with a soft, light pink cheek. There are definitely exceptions to every rule — red lips being one of them!

PICK ONE FEATURE TO ACCENTUATE — Above all else, this is the most important point I will make. Whether you are doing a daytime look, or  something more dramatic, you should pick one feature on your face that you want to focus on. Whether it be a bright lip, a flushed cheek, or a deep smokey eye — pick ONE! I typically focus on my eyes because they are my favorite facial feature, but it’s an individual thing. You don’t have to have a strong eye or lip, just don’t have both!

• Bright/Strong Lip —  make your eyes and cheeks the best supporting actors they can be. With a strong lip, I like to keep the eye completely neutral, and use a blush in the same color family as the lip. If you are doing a red lip, a little bronzer in the place of blush is usually best.

• Smokey/Bright Eye– Let those beautiful peepers get the attention they deserve! With a dark smokey eye, I typically wear a neutral blush and nude-pink lips. If wearing color on the eye, you want to choose colors on your cheeks and lips that subtly enhance the eyes.

Below are a couple different eye looks that are from previous posts, and next to them I describe what I think would look nice with similar looks. Rather than me blabbing for pages, here are some visuals:

What would you wear with these looks?

Bright Purple

This bright purple eye would looks best with a nude lip and a neutral blush or bronzer.

Avoid pink cheeks or lips because it can look a little like Malibu barbie!

Neutral Bronzy Look

I like to wear a warm pink blush and lips with this one, but you could wear just about anything with it!

(If it were a warmer eye with oranges and golds I would avoid pinks)

Daytime Purple Look

Because this is more of a daytime purple look, I would wear a neutral cheek and a nude-pink lip.

Winged Liner

This would be the perfect eye to wear a bright red lip or a statement cheek… this is my version of a completely neutral eye!

Or you can tone it down and make the lips and cheeks pretty in pink!

You can really do no wrong… just make sure that the blush and lips are in the same color family.

With greens, AVOID PINK at all costs!