Brooke Moinet

Economy got you down, and drab?.. Put a little color back into your life, and on your face, and I promise you’ll forget for a night that the rest of the world around you seems so glum.

Beauty trends aren’t falling into the black hole that seems to be taking over the rest of the world. Instead of following  trends of economic times and going for drab,  blah-ness, make-up artists are going in the opposite direction and giving women a sense of fantasy, and glamour to take them away from any sort of depressing reality.

To brighten up your outlook on your next night out:

Go for a power lip, and show  optimism with a bold red. Remember to leave the rest of the face minimal for this look.

 Or, get glitzy and flashback to glam-rock days with funky colored shadow.  Try Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes liners, paired with a beautiful high impact colored shadow, or alone under a thin black liner. or just layer up the colors with shadow, and be daring.

L'Oreal's Double Extension Beauty Tubes Mascara

So, as of  lately I’m all about anything quick ,and the less  the mess is best.  I’m a mascara whore, I can’t ever get enough and I love trying all of them in search of the “perfect” one. So, when it comes to a daytime mascara I love my Fiberwig mascara as you may have read. I love it mostly because, it volumizes and doesn’t leave a mess under your eyes when you wash it off. Another similar mascara is Kissme, which creates “tubes” around your lashes, to lengthen, and washes off cleanly with no mess as well…

Anyway, while I was in the drug store the other day I thought maybe I’ll try L’Oreal’s Double Extent Beauty Tubes Mascara,  a less expensive mascara that claims to create tubes around the lashes to thicken, lengthen and wash off cleanly. A cheaper version/ combination of the two more expensive mascaras.  And for half the price of the other mascara’s there is no better time than the present to try to cut back a little.  So, I experimented and… Loved it! It’s a great day to night mascara that does it’s job beautifully.

For the complete opposite in mascara, the one that’s at the top of my list is Dior Show Blackout Mascara. This is a gorgeous mascara that thickens, lengthens, and creates a faux-lash effect. It also has a ton of pigment, so watch out when you wash-off. It’s a bit messy. But it’s great for a night out on the town!

A common trend I have been spotting on celebs is this “retro” look. Bright, light colored  shadow and bold black eyeliner, i.e. Cher circa 1970.

Madonna and Alicia Keys tried to play off the look as an everyday type trend by off setting it with Marilyn Monroe soft curls. However, to me it just looked unbalanced.

Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga on the other hand, played up the look with a coordinating retro hair style. In my opinion, this flows a little better…

Still, this is a bold look. If you are going to attempt this makeup trend may I suggest trying it at night? And don’t forget to play in your hair and overall style when going for the retro eyes. And maybe seeking a professional to show you how to apply the makeup correctly, without looking too clownish.

My tips:

• Start out with a light nude, or pastel shadow all over the eye lid. A cream base would suit best for this look, because they tend to deliver a higher concentration of pigment.
• (optional) For contrast use a slightly darker shade for depth in the outer lash line up into the crease, or your “V” area on the lid.
• Use a black liquid liner on the lash line starting out thin and building up as you go. Using the liner, raise the outer corner to avoid making your eyes appear too small.
• On the bottom lid, use a white eyeliner on the inner lash line to give your eye that retro “pop”.
• Line the bottom lashes below the lash line up to the inner corner and out to the edge of the eye. For more dramatic, Cleopatra-esque look drag out the liner past the lash line.
• Apply several coats of mascara, and false eyelashes are also an option.