Three Expert-Designed Holiday Looks

Here are 3 "on trend" different eye looks from Robert Jones for the holidays.


smoke it up

a sultry smoky eye with color

With this application technique, you will be able to create a sexy, smoky eye. Even though this is definitely a dramatic look, you control just how dramatic it is by choosing how dark your eyeshadow shades will be. You can use lighter shades and create a subtle effect, or choose darker shades for maximum drama. Whatever your eyeshadow color choice is, this application technique will define your eyes and make you look gorgeous in Holiday party photographs. Since colorful smoky eyes are "in" I chose to use purple, it is the most on trend color shade and is flattering on everyone. This look works fabulously with every eye shape except deep-set.

Application:

Highlight shade: Using a matte shade so that you only see the purple, take soft cream to the brow bone only.
Midtone shade: Using a shimmering purple and start at the base of your upper lashline and bring the color up and over your entire lid – all the way up to your brow bone. Also take and brush it along the lower lashline: this will help to create definition and help create blend later when adding contour shade.
Eyeliner: Take a charcoal eye pencil and line your top and bottom lashline, now take a black eyeshadow, lay a tapered brush directly along the line and pull up the liner.
Contour shade: Again, using a shimmering amethyst start at the base of your lashline and layer the color over your midtone all the way across your lid and up into the crease. Now sweep the contour color underneath the lower lashline as well. You’ll create a light-to-dark effect with the three eyeshadows, with the darkest shade applied closest to the lashline and fading as you go toward the brow.
With this look, make sure you line your entire eye all along the top and bottom lashline.

With the smoky eye look, of course, your eyes are the absolute focus. Soft, subtly glowing cheeks would look best. You can use color--just make sure it is a soft, sheer color so that it is not too intense for the eyes. Take a neutral sheer blush, for ivory/ beige a shimmering peach; for bronze/ ebony a shimmering copper and apply it all along your cheek bone.

If you choose deep, rich eyeshadow colors, make sure you wear a very soft, subtle lip color. You never want both your eyes and lips to be dark at the same time! Your lips should be as subtle as possible; close to nude would be best. You are going to want to apply your lip color, because we are not going to use lip liner in order to create the most subtle lip possible, for ivory/ beige a shimmering nude for bronze/ ebony a shimmering nude. Now top your lip off with the perfect shine to pull it all together, for ivory/ beige a shimmering peach for bronze/ ebony a shimmering bronze. Do not forget if you apply lip gloss with a brush it will always look much shinier.





make it sparkle

sparkling glamorous eye

Put a twinkle in your eye and give yourself a fresh glowing look. Nothing is more beautiful and glamorous than a look with a bit of sparkle and shine to the eye. The key to this look is to create the shine or sparkle only on the eye. You want to make sure the rest of your face has very little shine to it. Your skin should be nice and matte, your blush should have no shimmer to it, and your lips should not be too glossy. The only shade that should have shimmer to it is your highlight shadow. This look works fabulously with every eye shape except hooded and prominent.

Application:

Highlight shade: We really want this shade to make a big impact. In order to assure that we are going to layer for intensity. First, using a matte shade for complete coverage, apply a matte nude to the browbone and lid. Now for the secret weapon, using a sponge tip applicator take a shimmer cream shadow and apply it only to your eyelid (a little goes a long way, very little needed). Blend the cream out (very important). Now using a shimmer shade for the perfect glow, apply a shimmering flesh to the browbone and the lid.
Midtone shade: take a matte medium brown starting from the outside corner of the crease, sweep the color across to the inside corner of your eye. Next sweep it along the lower lashline, once again starting from the outside corner and brushing toward the inside so that the most intense color is at the outside fading as you move to the inside corner. This will help you create subtle definition. Make sure this shade is matte.
Eyeliner: Now line your eye along top and bottom lashline with a rich, deep eyeliner for definition. Doing it before you apply the contour shade will allow you to brush it across the liner as you apply it, smudging and softening the line.
Contour shade: take a dark brown matte eyeshadow and sweep the color along the upper lashline and into the crease, layering it on top of your midtone shade. The size of this brush makes it easier to control the color, which is so important for this look. Now apply shadow underneath the eye all along the lower lashline. Make sure this shade is also matte.
Highlight shade: Using highlight shadow make sure to highlight the "V" on the inside corner of the eye (wrap the color around the inside corner). This will really accentuate the shimmer and sparkle.

When making blush and lip choices, you want to make sure you don’t overpower the sparkly eye that you have just created. Remember: no shimmer to your blush! Make sure you choose a soft, subtle shade that will give your cheeks a glow. For a soft flush of color, you can try a technique called “popping your apples.” First, apply a matte bronzer to your cheekbones (which I know you have already done, because you know how beneficial it is in our quest to look younger). Now using the same brush, smile and apply a light, sheer, colorful blush on the apples of your cheeks, blending back toward the bronzed area. This gives the apples of your cheeks a beautiful glow, because that is where you placed the highest concentration of color. Be sure to use a sheer shade of blush for this technique. A dark or intense cheek color can look too harsh and unnatural, when applied this way.

Now for a beautiful subtle lip, start by using a neutral shade of lip liner, blend your lip liner toward center of mouth. To create a soft touch of color use a beautiful lipstick with just a hint of hue, apply your color with a brush for precision. Do not forget the shine, a hint of gloss for an elegant finish. Do not forget when you apply it with a brush it will give you more shine



lip is it


sheer lip with stained brightness in fushia or red

If you want your lips to be the center of attention, then this is the holiday look for you. What makes this technique different from looks you have done in the past is we want your bright lip to be stained with a high shine finish. Not only is this look incredibly beautiful and on trend, but this technique will keep your lips looking great all night no matter what you do! One of the key aspects of this look is when wearing a bright intense lip you need a softer eye look. Let’s start with the softer eye look first.

Eye application:

Highlight shade: Using a shimmer shade for adding glow, and apply a shimmering flesh to the brow bone and the lid.
Midtone shade: Using a matte shadow to make it look ultra natural, take a neutral brown. Starting in the crease, apply your midtone color from the outer to the inner corner of the eye. sweep the same color underneath the lower lashline for definition.
Eyeliner: Start by taking a dark brown eyeliner pencil and line the upper and lower lashline. Remember to keep the color as close to the lashline as possible. Make sure the line increases from thin to thick as you go toward the outer corner. Next using a dark brown shadow and now go over your pencil and fine-tune it, making it the perfect shape and smudging it to soften the line. The shape of the brush make it so easy just lay it along the line and work it back and forth to smudge.
Now take your highlight shadow and highlight the inside corner underneath the lower lashline (wrap the color around the inside corner of the eye) for added sparkle.
For an extra ‘wow appeal’, apply false eyelashes.

Lip application: Line the outer edges of the lips with a deep berry lip liner, then fill the lip in, all except the very center area of the lip, with liner. I find that using a deeper liner grounds the color and the lips. Now go over the liner you just applied blend (with precision). This is the first line of defense in getting your lip color to last. Lip liner has a dryer texture than lipstick, so it lasts longer.
Next (which is so important in perfecting this look); apply a bright, fabulous red or pink lipstick. Either is perfect for this look. Then, take a tissue and gently blot your lips. This will remove the moisture from this layer yet leave you with a deposit of pigment. Next, reapply your lipstick and blot again. Layering color like this will give you double the pigment deposit, thus increasing how long the color will wear and creating the look of a stain.
Finish with a rich burgundy lip gloss for the perfect shine. Shiny lips are always sexy (a must). Do not forget to use a brush to apply your gloss, whenever you apply gloss with a brush it will always look shinier.

With this look; a softer cheek works best. Try skipping color. Just use bronzer for a bit of definition.

Photos and Makeup and Hair — Oh, My!

The overhauled virtual makeover program on my Personal Website is astonishing. I have played with several online makeover programs over the years, and there's always been a favorite feature from each one. Well, our new virtual makeover program has all of them — and I mean all. You can choose your highlighter, midtone, and accent eye colors, plus adjust the amount, placement, and application technique for each. You can apply your mascara three different ways, in addition to specifying the color and amount used. You can basically customize every single aspect of your cosmetic application, from drag-and-drop cheek color placement to lip liner intensity.

If all those choices seem overwhelming, you can try out seven different complete looks created by professional makeup artists! You can even upload your own photo, save all your different looks, and e-mail your makeovers to your friends. And did I mention the hair? You can also try out different hairstyles and colors — even adjust your highlights and lowlights!

As you choose the different colors in your makeover, each one is added to your "virtual compact" right on the screen. You can save your makeover, view your before and after pictures, or even print your pictures with a shopping list!

If you choose to use your own photograph instead of one of the 24 models provided for you, the program gives you tips on taking/choosing an appropriate shot and walks you through mapping your features so the makeup gets applied correctly. One important note: the makeovers do not include concealer, foundation, powder, or brow liner, so you'll want to take your "bare-faced" picture after applying those things in order to see a truly accurate makeover. I don't know many people who wear color cosmetics but not foundation.

Since I love and trust my dear husband, I let him play on the virtual makeover program, too. He created the look on the left just for me! How special is that, to know that your loved one designed a makeup look for you? He made some very bold choices, including some colors I'd never tried before, but I was brave enough to try it. I didn't apply eyeliner underneath my eyes, and my lip liner was a little less heavy-handed than it was on the model, but otherwise this is the look that he made! It was fun to branch out.

One word to the wise: if you use one of the dark matte eye colors, please start s p a r i n g l y...that stuff is potent.


My own dear mother got into the makeover game as well! (You're given fair warning — it is pretty addictive.) Here are some of the new looks she created for herself! You can tell she had fun with the hairstyle options. And she "tried" some new colors she might never have considered before! Click on the picture to see an enlarged version.


Wanna know the best part of the whole thing?


When you find a look you like, you can try it on your face for FREE!!!! Just contact me (or your personal beauty consultant, if you have one) to set up a customized color appointment, and I'll show you how and where to apply everything to get the look you want!

And if you have some friends or co-workers who get hooked on the virtual makeover game, you can invite them to join us and earn your compact free!

4 Spring Looks ~ 4 Minutes or Less, part II

I road-tested two of the spring looks mentioned in my March 5 blog post. Be sure to contact me if you'd like to know exactly which colors I used. Here are the results!

Spring Colors
It was kind of scary to think of using a baby blue shadow from lash to crease, but with a light hand and a little unobtrusive eyeliner, it came out fine. It's a very no-frills look. It might be less risky to use a matte eye shadow as opposed to a shimmer. This melon-colored gloss is probably my favorite gloss. It looks scary and orange in the tube, but when you put it on it's like a juicy version of your own lip color!



Beach Babe
It was surprising how well the bronzes coordinated with the pinks! It makes sense, though, considering those are the colors your face becomes when you've been in the sun. This was my first time using this particular blush, and I absolutely adored it. It's the perfect sun-kissed pink shade.


As always, I used black brown mascara, brow pencil, concealer, and foundation (this time, it was liquid with a dusting of mineral powder on top — my new favorite combination).


Don't forget to vote in my important March poll, located in the right-hand column of this blog!

Create-A-Face Tutorial, part II

It would be more accurate to label this as "Create-An-Eye Tutorial"...but that sounds creepy.

In these pictures, I have completed each step on one eye only. This is so you can see what a difference each individual step makes. Also, each step is shown in two pictures — one with open eyes and one with closed eyes.

This tutorial shows how to apply eye makeup to standard eyes. For video tutorials dealing with other eye shapes, please click here!



Step 1: Highlighter Shade
Apply to browbone and from lash to crease to make these areas more noticable.




Step 2: Midtone Shade
Apply in the crease to contour.







Step 3: Accent Shade
Apply along upper lash line and into the outer third of the crease — kind of like an "L" laying on its back.



Step 4: BLENDblendBLEND
Instead of swishing back-and-forth, thereby making a muddy mess of your careful color placement, sweep light-to-dark.


Step 5: Eyeliner
Draw a thin line as close to your lashline as possible. You can do it just on the top or top and bottom, but for pete's sake, don't just do it on the bottom! If you are tempted to skip it all together, click here.

Step 6: Mascara
Curl your lashes first. Even if you have long, dark lashes naturally, you will benefit from a good mascara!

Want more in-depth tips and tricks? Want to get personal, one-on-one help? Contact me (or your personal beauty consultant) for a FREE how-to session!

Contact me to see which colors I used here!

Create-A-Face Tutorial

You've asked for it, so here it is...your very own Create-A-Face tutorial!

A web cam comes built-in on my new laptop (thank you, tax credit!), but I don't have it yet. As such, I painstakingly took pictures at each step and threaded them together for you! The pictures on the left show what it looks like before each step is completed, while the pictures on the right were taken after completing each step. This is just a bare bones face; no contouring, highlighting, sculpting, etc. — just the basics.

Let's begin!

Step 1: Apply your concealer.
Here, I've simply put it on my eyelids (from lash to brow) and dark circles.

Step 2: Apply a light layer of foundation.
The face on the left is completely bare, and the one on the right has both concealer and a light layer of liquid foundation.

Step 3: Apply another light layer of foundation.
This step is only for those of you who like more coverage or want to conceal redness. However, this only works if your foundation is buildable (not all foundations are).

Step 4: Apply your powder.
Powder helps to cut down on shine, set your foundation, and control oil. I used a light layer of mineral powder foundation for maximum air-brushed effect, but loose and pressed powder work as well.

Step 5: Apply color cosmetics.
This step is optional, of course, but if you've done steps 1-4, you probably plan to wear makeup.

For a step-by-step eye tutorial, stay tuned!


Contact me to see which colors I used here!

4 Spring Looks ~ 4 Minutes or Less

This morning on the Today Show, they featured an iVillage story about spring trends. To quote the story, "blue eyeshadow is in, lip stains are hot, and you can take the beachy look anywhere." Here are the four four-minute looks they highlighted...and I have products you can use to achieve them. Contact me if you'd like to try any of them for yourself for FREE!
Beauty is just a click away! Visit me, your Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant: http://www.marykay.com/kyredhead

Sexy Stain Look
Apply stain to freshly moisturized cheeks and lips. Simply smile and dab onto the apples of the cheek by softly patting with fingers. Pat onto moistened lips as well. This creates a very soft, simple, and sexy look. Keep the eye simple and classic with a taupe shadow, and line only the upper lash line with a navy pencil. Then, take lashes to the extreme with a double coat of jet black mascara.
Lip & Cheek Stain: limited edition lip duo
Moistened Cheeks: anti-aging moisturizer
Moistened Lips: lip-pampering set
Taupe Shadow
Navy Eye Pencil
Mascara

All About Eyes
Apply black eyeliner to both top and bottom lash lines. Then, take a Q-tip cotton swab (the ultimate beauty tool) and smudge all the way around. Cheat your way to an easy and effortless smokey eye when you are pressed for precious time this way. Highlight the tops of your cheekbones, then apply a neutral blush onto the cheeks and a nude lipgloss to balance the look.
Black Eyeliner
Highlighter: highlighting pen
Blush
Lip Gloss

Beach Babe
The correct way to use bronzer is by applying around the perimeter of the face and then blending in—you will achieve the most believable and real sun-kissed look this way! Then, add the pink "sun" color to the apples of your cheek. Apply a copper eyeshadow onto the lids and a pretty pink lipgloss to round out this beachy babe look.
Bronzer
Blush
Eyes: bronze cream-to-powder eye color
Lip Gloss

Spring Colors
Spring is all about a gorgeous wash of color—it must be done right though to ensure you're not looking straight out of the '80s! Apply a mint green or baby blue eyeshadow on the lid from lash line to crease. Add a pop of pink or peach blush to the apples of the cheeks. Finish off with a brilliant fuchsia or nectarine lipgloss to the lips for a beautiful modern look.
Ivory/Beige Skintones
Shadow: pale blue
Blush: peach
Lip Gloss: peach/melon
Bronze/Ebony Skintones
Shadow: pale green
Blush: pink
Lip Gloss: fuschia

Ready...Set...Dash Out the Door!

How many of you wish you could get your makeup done in 5 minutes? I mean done, done. Yeah, me too!

Here's a solution for you: Dash Out the Door color! These multi-tasking products cut down on your getting-ready time by making makeup quick and easy.

EYES:
The most time-consuming part of cosmetic application is usually eye makeup. Our cream-to-powder eye shadow makes it fast. All you have to do is spread a tiny bit across your eyelid, from lash to brow...and you're finished! When I say "a tiny bit," I mean it — this is potent stuff! I usually don't even have to squeeze the tube; I just wipe my finger across the top. It's a waterproof cream that dries to a powdery finish, so it's all you need for that pop of sheer, shimmery color on your lids. The cream color brightens your eye area (like you got more sleep), while bronze color is a warmer shade.
If you want to jazz it up for evening, multiple thin layers build well for deeper color. You can also treat a single layer like a base for powdered eye color. If you want the look of contouring without the effort of using powder and brushes, apply the lighter shade all over and the darker shade on the lid only (or just in the crease).
Our mascara is the next powerhouse product. It lengthens, thickens, and volumizes — all in one coat! A custom technology delivers the exact amount of product you need to coat both sets of lashes (top and bottom, left and right) in just one pull-out of the wand...without clumps! We also offer a triathalon-tested waterproof mascara and a super-gentle mascara, if you want a more natural look...but I want LASHES. :D

CHEEKS:
Instead of using a traditional cheek color, we're going double-duty with bronzing powder. It's not on my website at the moment, but it does exist and I have it in stock while supplies last (16 alone, 29 in a mirrored compact with the perfect application brush). It has three complementary shades of shimmering bronze powder that naturally blend together. It gives ivory/beige skin a sun-kissed look and gives bronze/ebony skin warm highlights. You can use it as a cheek color like I did, or apply it to the areas the sun would "kiss" you after 10 or 15 minutes outside (bridge of the nose, temples, cheekbones, shoulders, décolletage). In retrospect, I would definitely apply a little more along my cheekbones than I did for my picture.
ATTENTION, SKEPTICS: I first tested it when I was pregnant with my son, to see if it could give a pasty-white redhead that promised "sun-kissed glow." Yes, I'm wearing bronzing powder all over in both pictures. You think it didn't make a difference? Look at the second one to see how much it really did help. That's a deliberate bronzer line, people!








LIPS:
The final touch for your Dash Out the Door look is a bit of lip gloss. It's fast and easy to apply, and can be converted for evening later with the addition of lip liner and/or lipstick. The shine of gloss makes your lips look larger and makes you look younger!

Final results? A five-minute, "million-dollar" look!
(please excuse any forehead wrinkles — I was looking up into the preview screen of my camera)


Contact me if you'd like to know which colors I used!
(No, eyeliner isn't part of Dash Out the Door, but I always wear it. Wanna know why? Click here! If you want a faster version of liner, try powder eye shadow and a liner brush.)

Wanna cut down on the rest of your prep time, too? Try our basic anti-aging skin care (which cuts four steps down to two — or five down to two, depending on your choices) and our mineral powder foundation (which eliminates the need for separate foundation and powder).

a new Look

I wore my favorite new necklace for date night with my husband and decided on a whim to borrow its colors for my eye palette — a bold choice, considering it was topaz and teal! With such bold color choices, be sure to use a light hand when applying (as you can see from the eye close-up below). I used the standard eye application found on my Personal Website, plus I added a second accent color on the outer corner of my eye. I customized my eyeliner by layering eyeshadow on top of the pencil eyeliner (using an eyeliner brush), then toned it down with another light layer of pencil eyeliner. As always, I used black brown mascara and brow liner.

Also featured: my NEW mineral powder foundation! Doesn't it look fantastic?





Contact me if you'd like to know which colors I used!

a new HOLIDAY Look

I thought you might like to see the new limited edition eye quad in action. One of my favorite aspects of the eye quads is that each set includes a little card that gives suggestions on how/where to apply each of the colors for both daytime and evening looks. I've tried both suggested applications in the past, but today I did my own thing: I put the 1st highlighter on my browbone and the 2nd highlighter at the inner corner of my eye, the midtone in the crease, and the accent on my lid. As always, I used black brown mascara and brow liner.



If you're interested in which colors I used, contact me!

I love how purple really makes green eyes pop!

a new Look

Today, I decided to branch out and try a new eye look. I initially created it for a green-eyed customer but thought it might be a good idea if I tried it on myself, too. I used the standard eye application, plus I added a little highlighter at the inner corner of my eye. As always, I used black brown mascara and brow liner.



If you're interested in which colors I used, contact me!