before & after makeup photo

by Colleen

It’s been a busy few weeks for me as a makeup artist with photo shoots and clients for special events like proms and weddings. On a recent day off I had my entire makeup kit spread out all over the floor in order to organize clean etc. and decided to try a new look for special events or evenings out with plum and violet tones in mind and also to try out this amazing new Armani eye tint in number 8, which I love. I hadn’t planned on making a post about it, but when I had finished the look I had to admit that the unmade up side of my face looked really, well…old! Droopy eyes and all, so I took a few photos (with my iPhone).The difference is quite remarkable and although the makeup look may be a bit too much for a day look, it really speaks volumes the power makeup has to transform. Done right, it can help us maintain a youthful appearance without looking harsh or overly done up.

 Here ‘s how to get the look. I think of it as the “fountain of youth red carpet look” for your own special moments.

makeup products

FACE: On both sides of the face I have on The Faceshop (a Korean brand) Gold Collagen ampoule foundation SPF 30 in warm beige. It’s a bit thick when it comes out but is very easy to blend for a surprisingly natural finish. I’m hoping the collagen part will help! ( you can use your favorite foundation)

EYES: Under the made-up eye I blended light peach and peach corrector from Bobbi Brown with a bit of eye cream to thin it out under the eye to brighten and lift the area. I use this sparingly so it doesn’t settle in the fine lines. Peach tones do a great job at hiding darkness without being too stark.

Using a blending eyeshadow brush (MAC 217) I blended the lightest pinky shade from Armani’s Eyes to Kill compact #6 all over the eyelid. In the crease of the eyelid concentrating on the outer corner I blended the aubergine shade from NARS Eurydice compact just to define and lift the droopy eye lid. Next using the eye tint #8 in Flannel from Armani, a lilac shade with a bit of shimmer, I blended that over the eyelid just to the crease with my finger. Even though it’s a cream it blends beautifully over the shadow. This is a great product that can be used on its own as well.

Using Armani’s smooth silk eye pencil #5 , a plum shade, I traced along the upper lash line giving a little upward flick at the outer corner to lift the eye. I also traced under the eye and along the water line. I then blended the line a bit and under the eye I blended more of the light pink shade from the eyes to kill compact to soften.

I curled the lashes and applied a generous amount of mascara, top and bottom. Using Ardell natural individual lashes, I used four medium length lashes and two short.This really helps to create a wide open eye and lends a little drama to the look.

EYEBROWS: I filled in the brows with short feather like strokes with the DIOR brow pencil and then brushed them upwards. Full, natural brows are an important part to keeping a youthful look.

CHEEKS: To add dimension to the face and bring out the cheek bones, I dusted Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze & Glow in the bronze shade just under the cheekbones, along the jawline and at the temples. Then using the glow shade, I dusted along the tops of the cheekbones and also using a small pointed brush, on the inner corners of the eyes to make them pop. For blush I blended a bright pink blush just on the apples of the cheeks, mine is pink glow from Shu Uemura. I dusted just in the center of the face some translucent powder from Bésame. If you will have your picture taken with flash ( like the red carpet) a little powder is a must.

LIPS: I wanted to create a soft, pale lip with a bit of shine (always more youthful) I lined the lips with a pale pinky flesh toned lip pencil from MAC (sorry I can’t find the name) and filled them in a bit with it. Then topped it off with Dior’s gloss addict 223 Angelique, a milky pale pink.

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