1. Eyeliner pencil
This is great to line the tarsal plate (the area just inside of the lashes). By lining the tarsal plate you will emphasize the shape of your eye and create a more finished look to your make up application. Also, you can line the top lid with a thin line and smudge slightly to create a more smokey effect. Eyeliner pencils are great to have in your kit because they can be used for many different techniques (which I will blog about in later posts). There is one eyeliner pencil I currently suggest. I love this product and have already published a post about it. I have not tested other brands of eyeliners, so please feel free to look for other brands.
- MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder
2. Eyeshadow Duo Palette- Neutral Tone
By buying a palette with two colours (a light tone and a darker tone) you will not have to go through the trouble of trying to find two shades that work well with your skin tone and together (you are simplifying your decision). If you have a cooler skin tone choose shades more of an earthy toned brown or with a cooler undertone. If you have a warm skin tone choose shades with more peachy, orange tones. If you have darker skin choose gold or copper tones. Apply the lighter shade over the entire lid then use the darker shade to define the crease.
Brands with excellent duo palettes are:
By buying a palette with two colours (a light tone and a darker tone) you will not have to go through the trouble of trying to find two shades that work well with your skin tone and together (you are simplifying your decision). If you have a cooler skin tone choose shades more of an earthy toned brown or with a cooler undertone. If you have a warm skin tone choose shades with more peachy, orange tones. If you have darker skin choose gold or copper tones. Apply the lighter shade over the entire lid then use the darker shade to define the crease.
Brands with excellent duo palettes are:
- AVEDA Petal Essence Eye Colour Duo
- NARS Duo Eyeshadow
3. Lip Gloss
Find a texture you like (smooth or sticky, light or think). Do you want clear to tinted, if you want a tinted gloss what colours do you like and how strongly pigmented (how obviously coloured) do you want it. Is scent important to you? Test different glosses and find what you like. There are so many lip glosses available everywhere I can't even begin to suggest specific ones.
4. (and 5)
You will need brushes to apply the eyeshadow. I suggest a larger tipped brush for the lighter tone and a smaller tipped brush to define the crease. When shopping look for shadow brushes and the size you want to use. Again start will less expensive brushes and when you are ready invest in better quality brushes. I will make a post in this series that focuses on creating an excellent set of make up brushes.
Have fun, be beautiful, keep building your make up kit!
Did you find this post helpful? Questions, comments, feedback? I would love to hear them! Please comment or email me for more specific questions at karleigh@karleighjohnstone.com, or find me on facebook (Karleigh Johnstone, I am the only one).
Did you find this post helpful? Questions, comments, feedback? I would love to hear them! Please comment or email me for more specific questions at karleigh@karleighjohnstone.com, or find me on facebook (Karleigh Johnstone, I am the only one).
Question about eyeliner: Does it have a shelf life? Should you throw it out after a certain amount of time, or simply use it until it's gone?
ReplyDeleteDepending on the type of eye liner there is a shelf life. Cream based products usually have a shelf life of 6 months to a year. This is because bacteria can form from the moisture. However, I just saw an episode of "The Shopping Bags" where they tested "expired" makeup for bacteria and found little to no growth.
ReplyDeleteA good tip is to smell your product when you buy it and if you notice the smell changes it's time to throw it out.
Hope that helps!