The beginning of the new year is always an optimistic time for me where everything just seems brighter, and I always feel renewed as a result! When Nordstrom reached out to work with me to create a look, those feelings inspired me to use different textures and finishes to brighten and add dimension to each feature. I went for a glittery, smoky eye with a pop of teal (you know me, when there’s a way to incorporate teal eyeliner, there’s no stopping me) paired with more neutral, subtle colors on cheeks and lips. You could easily make the look more dramatic by going for a deeper contour or substituting in a berry or plum blush. Similarly, any pop of color (or even a metallic silver!) would pair well with the eyeshadow colors, but I’m partial to teal, blue, and violet. If you want to be even more daring, try a plum or reddish lip instead; with the sparkle and lighter inner corner, it’s not a heavy smoky eye, and deeper lip colors could definitely pair with this look.
For the majority of the eyeshadows, I used Charlotte Tilbury The Rock Chick Eyeshadow Quad, which is a mixture of grays (review). I began by applying the lightest shade (top left) from inner lid to just before the outer third of the lid (so about two-thirds) and buffing lightly above the natural crease. Next, I patted the medium gray shade (top right) to the outer third of the lid and lightly faded it above the crease. To add depth, I tapped the dark gray shade (bottom right) into the crease and blended. For sparkle, I patted Urban Decay Moonspoon Moondust Eyeshadow, which is a sparkly silver-gray (review), onto the middle of the lid with my fingertip. I went back with the lightest shade in the quad (top left) and lightly blended it with the sparkly section. I highlighted the brow bone, and diffused the crease color, by applying Burberry Trench Sheer Eyeshadow, which is a satin-matte beige (review). On the lower lash line, I applied Estee Lauder Emerald Volt Double Wear Eye Pencil, which is a rich teal. To brighten and lift the eyeliner, I also patted and smudged the lightest shade in the quad (top left) along the inner tearduct and below the inner third of the lower lash line. I added fullness and definition to my brows by using an angled brush and filling in with MAC Brun Eyeshadow, a deep brown, and then running MAC Clear Brow Set through the hairs to keep them in place.
For my base, I opted for a lighter coverage, natural finish with Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Foundation with equal parts 02 and 03 (review), which I mixed with Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight The Celestial Skin Liquid Emulsion, a liquid highlighter that I prefer to mix in with a liquid foundation for an all-over glow (review). To set everything in place and diffuse the skin, I dusted and patted Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Powder in Medium Light all-over (review). I defined the cheek bones by contouring and highlighting with Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow (review). To add a little color to the apples of the cheeks, I went with Chanel Jersey Joues Contraste Powder Blush, a neutral shade (review).
I applied Guerlain Galiane Rouge G Lipstick, a rosy beige (review) all over lips. Then I topped the lip color with Bobbi Brown Bare High Shimmer Lipgloss, a sheer, sparkly warm beige (review) to add warmth, glossiness, and of course, sparkle!