Continuing the recent red theme, here is a fiery eye shadow look I did over the weekend for the Jessica Joslin opening reception at La Luz De Jesus gallery. At a glance, it’s somewhat similar to the Strung Out look from a earlier this year, but this is actually much warmer and a little more complex.
This is a dramatic look that incorporates four different eyeshadow colors, but it’s actually pretty easy to execute. We start out with a bright orange base, and then accentuate it with hot pink, bright red, and shimmery highlights.
TOOLS
- Wide eyeshadow brush
- Medium eyeshadow brush
- Small smudging brush
- Flamepoint by Sugarpill
- Love+ by Sugarpill
- Dollipop by Sugarpill
- Shimmery highlighter from a random Tokyo drug store
METHOD
- Using your wide brush, apply Flamepoint all over your eyelids, blending up+out. This brush is key if you want to achieve an almost airbrushed look.
- Using the medium brush, apply Dollipop to your lower eyelids, blend out
- With the medium brush, brush Love+ into the creases, blend up and out
- Highlight the inner corners of your eyes using your medium brush
- Using an angled brush, fill in and shape your eyebrows
- Add a little Dollipop to the brow-bone, blend [blend, blend!]
I realize that I did it a little backwards this time around – you’re welcome to apply your eyebrows first [or last] – whatever feels right. Lastly, apply your mascara of choice, and your eyes are done!
My base in these pictures is MAC Studiofix in NC20 [as I may have said before, I do not recommend this for everyday wear, but it’s great for special occasions] and my mascara is CoverGirl’s LashBlast Volume, which I smudged with a smudge brush for a little light contouring. I also used a little Sugarpill’s Dollipop and Flamepoint with clear gloss on my lips, and Birthday Girl on my cheeks.
I leave you with a question: I generally use drug store brushes and spongy applicators, but might be ready to expand my arsenal a bit – what are your favorite make-up brushes?
Sephora brushes. Cheaper than MAC (which are good too) but still good!
Love the red eyeshadow look (still totally afraid to put this on under red glasses though. i should invest in some dark contacts or black frames).
as for makeup brushes, i use the ones that come with l’oreal HiP stuff.
I’m a big fan of EcoTools brushes personally.
Yes, MAC has awesome brushes… but UGH! The price…. Ive been using Sonia Kashuk brushes from good ‘ol Target for years now. Affordable, versatile, and I compare them to MAC quality. Also- http://www.coastalscents.com has excellent brushed for even more affordable prices and larger variety. :)
You seem to be really enjoying the freedom your platinum hair gives your palette!
It looks brilliant, BTW!
Secxx
I 2nd the Sonia Kashuk brushes fro
target – they’re excellent!
Sonia Kashuk brushes …for sure…but I’ve also used Kevin Aucoin brushes at one time…until they were stolen….lame right? but I have settled with Sonia for now…
I only have a couple brushes but the one I use the most is a double ended one from Bare Escentuals. I love a multi-tasker. Mine is the rocker eye one. Smudger plus chunky linery brush.
I second the Sephora (and MAC, if you’re willing to splurge) brushes.
I had one Sonia Kashuk brush–it was $12 angle brush–but the thing totally FRAYED the first time it got wet! Yuck. I bought it specifically for eyebrows too, so that was a total bust.
My favorite rounded-angle brush that I have held onto for YEARS came from a Duane Reade. Go figure. It never sheds, works wet or dry, and has stayed soft.
I also bought a cheap set on ebay with a carrying case; most have been okay, but I just swap them out as I replace/upgrade specific brushes.
Hi Zoetica!
I just recently started reading your blog, and I absolutely love the makeup looks you do.
As a former makeup artist, I at one time had to spend a LOT of money on brushes. Which terrified me—I hemmed and hawed and couldn’t figure out what to do. I was watching YouTube and came across a makeup artist (who works for MAC) extolling the virtues of brushes from the art supply store!
Basically, as long as the brush is the right shape for the job you want it to do, and is the right fibre for the type of product you’re using (synthetics with cream and liquid products, naturals with powder products), you’re golden.
MAC, Sephora et. al. use the same brushes with shorter handles and slick paint jobs that artists use. And if you hate the handle length you can always saw them off and dip them in black paint. (Ooh, or rubber paint, I just thought of that! That would be so awesome!)
I’ve prattled on enough.
Cheers,
Jes
@JesLacasse
Hey Jes, welcome! Also, good to know I’m not alone. Amusingly, I use angled paint brushes exclusively for my eyebrows, as I mention here: http://www.biorequiem.com/blush-response/blush-response-003-the-prophesied-eyebrow-tutorial/
I have a set of Sonia Kashuk brushes and they’re utter crap – really scratchy. I much prefer the little MAC holiday brush set I bought last year.
I’ve been considering expanding to art supply store brushes, but haven’t made up my mind about it yet.
i bought a sephora brush set a couple of years aggo and still use, great quality.
some of the bodyshop brushes aren’t bad -and the elf cosmetics ones are great to work with, too.
i don’t want to spend 30-40bucks for one single brush,so i adapted quite well with a mix of all.
Now is the time to get brush sets, there are a quite a few available for the holidays. MAC has 2 I believe, I got one of the sets last year and I really like them. I’ve also used Smashbox with no problems either.
Target has some brushes that are only about $3 a pop and they are super soft. I also like using the sponge applicators.
Also I will occasionally treat myself to a nice soft mop brush from the paint store.
I’m quite in love with the EcoTools brushes, and I’m surprised at how nice they are. I’ve used MAC, I’ve used Sigmas, I’ve used art supplies, I’ve used BareEscentuals, I’ve used Kashuk, I’ve used random drugstore brands… I like the EcoTools. They’re silky and very very affordable.
My favorite crease brush is sonia kashuk; That line has some good values. I also like the bent eyeliner brush. I found some very good power brushes for cheap at Marshall’s, which is sort of like TJ Maxx if there isn’t one near you.
Zoetica, I’m curious. Why don’t you use studio fix for everyday wear?
I meant “powder” brushes, not “power” brushes!
I looked up eco friendly brushes for the hell of it and found some at amazon. Like organic bikes they’re made of bamboo…Kind of inexpensive unlike the bamboo bikes
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001EM1BBK/ref=nosim/thisnext-20
Over here in Britainland there’s a company called Crown who I swear by for brushes, their range is extensive (everything from badger to entirely vegan-friendly fibres) and each brush is very affordable compared to the luxury that is a MAC or Gosh brush. I still agree with using artist brushes though, I use two tiny 00 and 000 brushes for super-thin eyeliner and tiny details that need more precision.
Sonia Kashuk brushes are rad and affordable. But MUD (Make Up Designory) brushes take the cake! I swear by MUD’s #300, #350, #510, #800 & #810. I like MAC brushes, but their quality isn’t worth the price.
I really recommend ELF (Eyes lips face) Studio brushes — they’re $3. You can get a few at Target (as well as the aforementioned Sonia Kashuk brushes) but their whole range is on their website (eyeslipsface.com). Haven’t tried their mineral line yet but it’s a little more expensive ($5) and it seems to be on par with the EcoTools line.
i get ’em at art stores! i love angled brushes the mostest, as they’re perfect for those fine details. for my barely existent eyebrows, i pile on some pencil where i have the most hairs and use the angled brush to smudge that and swipe it across my brow bone, which i top with a clearer but very fine line of brow. i just figured this out, as i was searching for a way to make my brows look not so obviously drawn on, and i find this works well. i also love the angled brush to dab in liquid eyeliner, which i smudge under my top lashline, filling in all the gaps. it’s also easy to use the brush in lieu of the liquid eyeliner point to make the eyeliner smudgier above the lash line. hell, the angled brush is even good for perfect lip lining! what a good brush!
I use the MAC brushes and even though they are pricey, they are worth the splurge. Around xmas time they have awesome brush gift sets.
case in point…
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/4047/12890/Shes-Got-it-All-Apply-Define-Line-Brush-Collection/index.tmpl
also, if you know someone who is a pro, and they have a MAC Pro card, you can hook up at a nice discount.
I like mineral fusion brushes.
I use Loew-Cornell brushes (from the art supply store) and some Essence of Beauty brushes from CVS. The EoB brushes are inexpensive and very high-quality. I mostly use them just for powder, Loew-Cornell for everything else…. except for when I want a sponge applicator for eyes, then I use a SOFFT sponge applicator or knife with a round cover.
Artist’s brushes for eyeliner/brow, concealer and lipstick are the way to go. You will not find a better brush for these purposes outside of an art supply store. I always use a damp sponge for foundation, I don’t care what people say about duo fiber brushes, with practice, I can now get the same results stippling with a sponge and little spray bottle of distilled water – it’s also more hygienic with cream and liquids b/c you toss after every use. Sephora eye makeup brushes are excellent, I would highly recommend them. You don’t even need to splurge on the “pro” silvered handle brushes, the black handled one’s – though not quite as soft – pack on color and blend incredibly well (#’s 22, 20, 14, 13, 29, 12). MAC face brushes are the best I have ever used. I didn’t believe the hype for years – and as a result wasted LOADS of money on cheaper face brushes. There is no equal that I have found at that price point. You really only need 3-4 (MAC 138, 168, 182, 150/134) different shaped face brushes, so though the price is high it’s worth it. The beauty of their brushes is that they are incredibly well put together and the cut of the hairs is the most uniform I have found (which is what make application so consistent and perfect every time). You will never experience pricking with these face brushes. MAC brushes are manufactured by the same company that makes Hakuhodo brushes, some of the finest in the world. I wash all my used brushes 1-2 times a week with Dr. Bronner’s Lavender soap (which gets off everything – even my white haired brushes are not stained by dark shadows and cremes) and dry them laying flat with brush guards on. I know there are a lot of mixed reviews about them, but in my experience brush guards make a huge difference in extending the life of brushes.
Hey Mz. Zoetica,
Thanks for the heads up ’bout Aromaleigh. Just got a bunch of shtuff for almost nothing considering the regular cost. Also, I’ve gone back and forth about brushes and this thread has been super beneficial!
I love Sigma Brushes! Sonia Kashuk and Eco Tools are also good. Then there’s also Crown Brush, which sells the same brushes as Coastal Scents etc etc but at factory price, which usually come out to like 9 brushes or so for like $25!
Hi Zo,
I’m a long time reader though I hardly manage to comment. I just wanted to say I really appreciate the explanations and interactions you share on here (in general too, not just things relating to cosmetics).
The mention of using art brushes intrigues me! I am currently an art major and am very particular about the kinds of brushes I use, but I never really considered them for makeup – I’ll have to try it out! As for brushes and such, to be honest I’ve only recently really expanded my efforts with makeup having only started using foundation and etc. less than a year now so I can’t consider my choices to be based on too much experience. Normally, I buy things on the cheap at Target (ie. Hip L’Oreal brushes or ELF brushes) but they do a great job. For blush and foundation I use ones that were actually part of Avon’s line (they were given to me by my sister who sells Avon), and they do a decent job though they may not be the best for more extensive and experienced users. One line of cosmetics which I’ve recently started exploring is 100% Pure (100percentpure.com). Their stuff is a bit more expensive – e.g. $13 for an angled brush – but it feels like silk and has really great application quality! I have only a few brushes from them, and I think my take on it is to get a few for specific uses and fill out the rest of my kit with drugstore brands. They’re a cruelty-free/vegan organization as well if anyone is more particular about that. Well that’s my contribution :)
Hi Zoetica! My brushes are currently from Sally’s (save for my liner brush from MAC which I don’t take care of as well as I should), but I hear Sephora’s brushes are wonderful.
I have a question–why did you say that you don’t recommend StudioFix? It’s what I use, so I am curious.
Oh my GOD! I ADORE this look…I love your eyebrows…especially as your hair colour is so light. The entire look is just so unique and beautiful! ? I will have to try this out. :)
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned Crown Brushes. Suuuuuuuper cheap and a great alternative to MAC/Sephora etc. I particularly recommend the Italian Badger series. I had a brief stint with ELF brushes, not a fan. They are alright, but they degrade quickly and synthetic brushes never seem to work as well with powder products.
I love love LOVE Sonia Kashuk which you can get at your local Target. Super affordable and eggsellent quality.
Sigma is a great brand too – they are a little more expensive but not for the quality – you can find them at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/
Enjoy!
In regards to foundation – what do you recommend for daily wear? I’m also NC20 but have uneven skintone so I need some coverage.