Tutorial: Ombre Cat Eyeliner

I've been experimenting with eyeliner techniques and colors, especially since colored eyeliners are quite becoming more "in." I still love my black and browns, which have been staples in my makeup bag, but sometimes, it's nice to have a pop of color once in a while. On its own, it's a statement without eyeshadow, giving you a nice, edgy look. I usually use this technique when I need to go to an event after a workout session and I don't really want to bring brushes and all.

In this tutorial, I have a two-toned ombre cat eyeliner using the classic black and plum eyeliner. The cat eye starts off first as plum then wings out to black in the end. It's subdued enough to be worn in weddings or formal events yet it's got an interesting twist to it. You can use the eyeliner technique alone without eyeshadow but if you want to use eyeshadow or a full face of makeup either you feel inspired to put on makeup today or you just want to feel better, check this tutorial out. The warm gold scheme of the eye color contrasts well with the plum eyeliner so the plum stands out because otherwise, nonsense. Maybe you can't use this for your passport photo, but for a wedding, maybe.

Plum gel liner adds a different twist to an otherwise classic look

What You Need:
(I indicated the brands I used in the parenthesis. Feel free to use other brands of your own preference)

• Eyeshadows (Urban Decay Naked Smokey Palette)
• Black Eyeliner (L'Oreal Superliner Superstar)
• Purple/Plum eyeliner (MAC Fluidline in Looking Good)
• Black Pencil Eyeliner (Urban Decay24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion)
• Charcoal Pencil Eyeliner (Eye of Hours eye pencil in Charcoal Obsidian)
• Eyeshadow primer (NYX Eyeshadow base)

(Note: I did already my base, brows, contour, cheek color, and lip color here, so let's go straight to shadow)

Step 1: Apply eyeshadow primer from lashline to browbone.

Step 2: Apply a light contour color on the crease (UD Combust)

Step 3: Dab a shimmery golden color on the lid (UD Dirtysweet)

Step 4: On the outer 1/3 of the eye, apply a darker color with the same shimmery finish as the lid color (UD Radar)

Step 5: Smoke things out by applying a dark gray-black or black color on the outer V of the eye (UD Black Market)

Step 6: Line the bottom liner with charcoal pencil and set this with the same color you used on the outer V. Highlight the browbone and inner corners of the eyes with a bone-colored color (UD Thirteen). Blend the life out of the edges for nice, even transitions.

 Step 7: Tightline the upper lashlines with black eye pencil. Blend and smudge to slightly "smoke" it out.

Step 8: Use a purple eyeliner to line the top lashline, stopping until just before the outer corner.

Step 9: Go over where you ended the purple eyeliner with the black eyeliner and continue on lining the eyes and "flick" out the wing."

Step 10: Your eye liner should look like this: Starting off as purple, then ending with a black wing tip. If you want, lightly blend the transition between the purple and the black so you get a nice, blended ombre effect.

Finish off your look with some mascara on curled lashes. Apply falsies if desired. Finished!

Take this look to your next event or party. It's a way to introduce colored liners to your makeup kit, accompanying them with a basic black or charcoal and an otherwise neutral eye. The wing tip does take a lot of challenge getting even and I really took a long time there. If you have any wing tip tricks  to get both sides even, do leave them in the comments below.  Enjoy this new look for the new year!


Store Directory:

Eye Of Horus
Available at Purbeauty, Landmark, and SM Department stores; available at glamourbox.com, and beautymnl.com; facebook.com/eyeofhorusph; instagram.com/eyeofhorusph

L'Oreal Paris
Available at all leading groceries, beauty hubs, and department stores nationwide; lorealparis.com; lorealparisexclusif.ph; facebook.com/LOrealParisPhilippines

NYX
available at leading department stores; nyxcosmetics.com; facebook.com/nyxcosmeticsph

MAC

click here for a complete list of stores; maccosmetics.com; rustans-thebeautysource.com; maccosmetics.com.ph; facebook.com/MACcosmetics

Urban Decay
urbandecay.com; facebook.com/urbandecayglobal; instagram.com/urbandecaycosmetics

Eye of Horus: Taking Inspiration on Ancient Egypt for Today's Modern-Day Smolder

I was introduced to an Australian makeup brand called Eye Of Horus in a small gathering at Apartment 1B in Rockwell. Eye of Horus sounds like an artifact straight from The Mummy series and I would be expecting Brendan Fraser to come out guns and all but what we have are actually something that I also would like and strike my fancy - makeup ideal for sensitive eyes that is uniquely formulated in the style of the ancient Egyptians.

Remember in movies depicting ancient Egypt and photos? Notice anything with the eye makeup? They are heavily lined, take for instance Elizabeth Taylor's character in Cleopatra.

image credits

Heavily lined and defined eyes were the thing then in ancient Egypt. It was said that the cosmetics then were used to ward off evil spirits. Today, it has some modern-day adaptations seen in runways and fashion spreads as well as everyday adaptations so we don't look like we were teleported via time machine. Of course, the modern day's materials are different due to the advancement of technology and the change in lifestyle. Eye of Horus products uses modern-day research and development to develop eye products which give maximum results while caring for the skin with its ingredients. Also, the products are said to be very safe for sensitive eyes while delivering optimum results.

The brand is pretty new here in Manila. Most of us who attended the event have not heard about this yet but quite a few actually use it. Very popular in Australia, Eye of Horus makeup products are now available in our shores at all Snoe stores.

Of course we are all in the quest for perfect and long-lasting pencil  eyeliners. The original goddess smokey eye pencil (basic smokey black) not only glides smoothly along the eyes without any funny, itchy feeling after, it is also long-lasting, easy to use, and waterproof, and I mean waterproof. I tightlined my eyes with it, went to yoga class and had an extensive Vinyasa 2 class, and I didn't resemble a panda come after the class. Now don't you fret about having eyeliner residue up to three days. You can still remove your eye makeup with your favorite eye makeup remover or simply with a warm washcloth.

The pencil, (shown here in Nubian brown, a warm brown shade which can be used for everyday or in weddings) also has a smudger tip, which can create subtle smoky effects or just blend in your eyeliner. Some people prefer setting their pencils with loose powder or matching eyeshadow, some leave it just as it is. Personally, I still prefer setting liner with eyeshadow and blending it to make the smokey look last longer.

The eyeliner is something else in waterproof ability. The brush felt tip makes it easy to create lines and squiggles for avante garde shoots or precise cat eyes. Actually, Im looking at the swatch on the back of my hand i made yesterday, it still has a mark.

Eyeshadow trios are named after Egyptian goddesses like Sheba, Maat, and Isis, which contain three neutral brown./gold colors which can be mixed and matched to your preference. They are also super pigmented too (the swatch of my Maat palette is below)

Maat is a cool palette of browns, grays, and neutrals which are great for even basic smokey eyes. All you need are liners and mascara and you're done. This usually gives the subtle smoldery smoky eye seen in European fashion spreads. All you need is eyeliner. I am looking forward for the palettes to finally be available as they have a lot of nice neutrals suitable for everyday wear for any complexion.

I'm looking forward to the Sheba palette, because it has a picture of a cat!

The SRP for the mascara (another must-have), pencils, and liquid liner pen is Php990. I would recommend this for makeup artists especially those who do weddings or have clients with sensitive eyes that request for smoldering eyes. For personal use, Eye of Horus products are great for those with sensitive eyes and those who wear contact lenses. For the thrifty girls, you can use this on special occasions like attending parties or weddings. Nubian brown and goddess are great for everyday and make you all set for your own personal makeup kit but if you want to experiment, Eye of Horus pencil liners are also available in charcoal, blue, jade, and bronze. Mix and match colors to your preference or Google up makeup tutorials for ideas.

Is this a must-have in a makeup artist kit? Yes of course! Especially if we have brides and clients with sensitive eyes. Whether bridal fresh or smoldering smokey vamp makeup, this is a great product that's easy to use and worth your money. I even have a friend who bought two liners and she swears by it!

Loving Covergirl's Liquiline Blast

Are you the type of person who spends a huge chunk of money on eyeliner? I'll raise my hand on that too, especially waterproof ones. Waterproof eyeliner (that includes waterproof eye makeup too) is a wedding makeup artist's best friend. Why? Because you'll never know who'll be crying that day, even if the bride claims that she's the most bato person ever. So when I know I'll be doing a wedding, whether it's makeup for the entourage or a guest, I wield waterproof eye makeup. And I never skip eyeliner, which defines eyes for that come-hither stare with matching "I do" (naks!).

I'm the type of girl though that always constantly looks for value for money, especially on eyeliner for everyday use or for show. In some days, we hafta save money. Thankfully, Covergirl has a new liner called liquiline blast, that costs almost half of what I usually spend for with the same waterproof ability. So I can save my luxury brands for special occasions and this for everyday (agree with me eyeliner-savvy ladies?)

Covergirl lashline blast is available in six different shades. The fun plum, blue, green, and silver-gray can be used for occasions when you want a pop of color on the eye to go with a candy-colored lipstick (Try the green one with a hot pink lipstick, Like Covergirl Lipperfection in fairytale or NARS Schiap). Thankfully, they have shades in black and brown. I chose a classic, full-on matte black for my purchase. It costs only Php450, and since it's super pigmented (I'll show you the swatch) this ought to last long. On the other end of the pencil is a smudger tip, which can be used to blend in the shadow for a smoky effect.

Swatching it, it's very intense, almost like a liquid liner. It glides on smoothly without the annoyingly uncomfortable tug on the eyes, so we're protected from the damage of wrinkles somewhat. Great for tightlining or drawing an Angelina Jolie cat eye look.

So comparing it with gel liner and regular pencil eyeliner, You could see that had I not shown which is which, it looks almost as intense as gel liner. But can it withstand tests? Let's see.

Rub Test:

First up, we have our three swatches here, right? So I rubbed the swatches with my thumb, a bit lightly at first, like brushing a finger on the lid or dabbing a tissue. Then, I tried rubbing it vigorously, like "My eyes are itchy!!!!!" level (until I realize that I'm wearing eyeliner). Compare the "after" swatches:

The gel eyeliner and Covergirl Liquiline intensities remained but our regular pencil liner faded even by slight rubbing. Don't trash the regular one, guys! You can still use this on days when our eyes need rest from waterproof makeup or for shoots where there's no water pouring involved.

Workout test:

I wore eyeliner and did two hours of pole at home. Since I do makeup on my teachers on some gigs, I have to make sure that their eyes are still sultry-smoky past dance numbers and stage lights.

So eyeliner, and then pole!!!! I did extra jumping jacks and burpees for warm-up and lots of inverts. So after:

Just a little smudgie but no biggie, hardly noticeable!

Water test:

I subjected my hand with the swatch on faucet water- with Fort Bonifacio's generously strong water system. This is simulating the situation that I live and breathe eyeliner that I have to swim wearing eyeliner and I still have to look human and not a panda.

And to further torture it, I rubbed my hand and then, here it is, with water droplets to prove it.

If you look closely, I'll be honest and say it's got a little fade but it still looks black. I tried wiping it with a tissue and the swatch is still there. Of course, don't expect it to stay on forever. It's eyeliner, not a tattoo, and even tattoos fade. But if it can withstand torture - rub, water, and workout sweat, and still look acceptable instead of runny, it's a sure win.

For me, Covergirl Liquiline Blast is a win for the following:

• Bang for my buck
• Intense pigmentation
• Texture
• Long-wearing and waterproof ability, as proven by my tests.

I recommend this to girls who love intense eyeliner but find liquid liner or gel liner much of a hassle with the brush. This can be an alternative to your favorite waterproof luxury brand pencil liner.

Product Review: Avon Extralasting Liquid Eyeliner

I know a handful of female friends who will cry, die, or go into a state of distress without eyeliner. Whether it be gel, pencil, or liquid, it seems to be a makeup must-have. It's easy and quick to apply and it doesn't require much tools - just a steady hand, depending on the formula you choose.

In my case, eyeliners of every shape and formula have made its way both in my work and home makeup cases. As the Mexican telenovela actress Thalia wrote in her book, "nothing makes the eye pop like eyeliner". Between whipping out primer, shadow, and brushes versus a pencil of smudge-proof eyeliner, I'd pick the latter when I have only a few minutes before I head out the door. Pencil eyeliners are great if I want just definition and to make my eyes look more, well alive in photos. If I want the screen siren look like Angelina Jolie's cat eyes on the red carpet, then it'so onto the gel or liquid liners I go.

Liquid liner creates a very intense defined eye, but I admit, it takes some skill to master a perfect line. It took me quite a while to finally "adjust" to working with it (I salute those girls who could apply it on the eye on a moving vehicle or with low light). Kevyn Aucoin even finished an entire bottle of it. But just like in dance, it's like a warm-up - it's something that I need to master. Think of it as challenge na lang.

Avon sent me their Extralasting Liquid Eyeliner to try. So far, within weeks of using it, I found myself using this quite often. Not only is it tiny enough to fit a teensy kikay kit, it's pretty easy to use as well.

It's a fairly tiny bottle containing only 2.5 mL of the product. I like that it contains only little amount. If you use this quite often, you'll use up most of the products before it even dries up. Yay! It's such a steal too at Php250, if you're don't want to spend too much on a little bottle of eye makeup.

Big horray on the applicator tip: it's pen-type! The usual brush-tip liners somehow get me oh-so fidgety. This one gives me better control.

This intense liquid color is said to glide over lids without smudging or fading. The one I have with me right now is named Shimmering Black. As you can see in the swatch, it looks black on camera, obviously since it's black. Looking closely though, there are some shimmery particles. It's not exactly like chunks of glitter but they're super fine, the swatch comes out as almost a gunmetal gray mixed with black. In fact, if you swipe your finger while it's still kind of wet and not set yet, you'd see some silvery shimmer particles too.

Like any liquid liner, yes, you have to wait for a bit to let it dry completely. Otherwise, that precise definition will turn into an utter mess. So do wait for it to dry completely. It does dry quite fast once applied, and the line doesn't look like an embossed line or crust, but more drawn once it sets in. you see the sparkle more when it dries too.

The color doesn't smudge or fade. I'm actually rubbing my thumb on the (completely dried) swatch and the line won't come off or budge. Yay! So this one can last from morning coffee to after-work dinner. With regards to waterproof ability, I put my hand on running water and the swatch came out completely with quick rubbing, as if no makeup was placed on my hand ever. Does that mean that since it's not waterproof it's not good? No. We can use makeup that's not waterproof during the days when we don't need waterproofing our makeup, say if it's just an ordinary day at the mall or if we're seeing friends. Our eyes need rest from waterproof makeup once in a while (imagine going through the hassle of removing waterproof makeup everyday). The effect on its own is super pretty!

In the line of work, I'd use this for photoshoots where makeup can be removed right after and it's pretty much okay. Personally, I'd use this more as part of my personal stash, when I need to take a breather from waterproof makeup.

REVIEW: Barbie <3 Stila Smudge Pot

For this Christmas, I would like to review one of my Christmas gifts, and my first-ever Stila product. I've heard great reviews about this product plus the fact that it's pretty much affordable. What got me to say, "I HAVE TO HAVE THIS!" just recently was the fact that my favorite doll brand, Barbie, did a collaboration with Stila. As Barbie now has a collaboration with another brand after two years, I just had to follow her. I did grow up with Barbie. I owned a boxful of Barbie dolls and I still have one in my shelf. It was the Barbie doll that brought out the girl in me, and probably one of the biggest influences in 80's pop culture.

I was at the Stila counter and I was searching for what to get from the palette when I decided to strike two birds with one stone: I still don't have a black gel eyeliner and I've been intrigued with Stila Smudge Pots, being used both as a gel eyeliner and eyeshadow base. I asked if they had a black one and they did... the last one on counter. It was fated to be mine!

Isn't the holographic Barbie eye that opens and closes depending on how you move the pot cute? No way am I gonna throw this away when I finish the product, na-uh, na-uh *shakes head and pouts*. By the way, for those who want to know what smudge pots actually are, a smudge pot is a gel eyeliner, but it could be also used as an eyeshadow or eyeshadow base, depending on the application and blending.

I got the shade Little Black Dress, the black one in the collection. The color isn't actually stark black but it's black with a bit of pink shimmer. The shimmer is pretty subtle, and you don't get chunks of glitter, as you see in the swatches.

Using this as an eyeliner, I recommend using either a flat brush such as MAC 212 or a stiff angled brush like MAC 208. If you find one layer too sheer, as it could be, you can add 2 layers more (like the middle swatch) so it looks more opaque. The pink glitter actually gives it a bit of an eggplant-like color so it could appear darker in black-and-white photos. As an eyeshadow base, it's best applied with a flat synthetic brush like MAC 195 or with your fingertips and smudged and blended, just like what I did in the third swatch.

And yes, it's waterproof, budgeproof, and smudgeproof once it sets. I placed my hand under running water and smudged it a bit and this is how the swatches looked like right after:

Still with water droplets and still it's intact with minimal smudging, since I think I rubbed my hand a bit too early before I let the swatches set. I do recommend to preserve its shelf life not to leave the jar open for a long period as this could dry up the product, just like in all gel liners.

The price of one smudge pot is Php 895 for 4 grams and it's available at all Stila counters at Rustan's Department Stores here in Manila. The Barbie variety is only limited edition, yet there are the regular smudge pots available still on counter. So price isn't that bad and a little really goes a long way. Remember though not to pile on too much product, especially if using this as an eyeshadow or eyeshadow base because it could crease, cake, and crack.


When to use this:
1. As an eyeliner if going for cat's eyes. It's okay to use for evening bridals, as I still prefer a classic dark brown for daytime bridals.
2. As a base if you want an intense black smokey eye especially for long outdoor shoots or fashion shows where makeup can melt in harsh heat conditions and hot photography lights. A bit of shimmer helps eliminate the solid black-eye panda effect.
3. A subtle smoky eye on the go- just pat a bit on the lid and blend.

Other shades available:
1. Purple Pumps - Purple with Pink Shimmer
2. Cobalt Clutch - Blue with Blue Shimmer