Get Creative

When I look through the world of fashion and advertising I find myself envious of all the glitz and glam. Seeing all the crazy hair and the creative makeup and wondering why it’s only acceptable to see such wild makeovers on the catwalk? I appreciate that there are some looks which really should only be seen in these places, however I believe that if you have certain flair of creativity then you shouldn’t have to be shy to express this through your style and makeup. A lot of people aren’t daring enough to have anything other than their ‘every day’ makeup until they go on a big night out, and even then they might only be adding a bit of lippy. Is this because they think they can’t pull it off? Or is it because they’re worried about what others will think?

If you are lucky enough to have strong features such as big eyes and lips then the world is your oyster when it comes to makeup. Eye shadows are one of my favourite makeup products; you can do so much with them and create so many different looks. Urban Decay do an amazing range of colours, from neutral tones to bold and electric colours, which look amazing on big eyes. Blending bright colours is great; you can portray a theme or just choose your favourite colours to create a statement look. I don’t believe that if you have blue eyes you shouldn’t wear blue eye shadow or if you have brown eyes you can’t use browns in your makeup. As long as you are complimenting your eye colour with a slightly separate shade then it will actually make your eyes pop. Using a colour wheel will help you to understand which colours compliment others.

How well you blend will really determine the look you achieve; you can create a totally different look using just bold lines of colour, which is also not a bad thing! Blues, greens and yellows are one of the colour blends I like to use on my eyes. I like to use the darkest colour at the outer corners of my eyes and then slowly blend lighter towards the inner corner of my eyes; a lot like how you create a smokey eye. Creating a flick with a thin layer of liquid eyeliner also helps bold the eyes up. If you aren’t so confident on creating a straight line with eye shadow, use a tissue at an angle when applying the product. This will also prevent any excess eye shadow falling onto your face. To complete your look and add that extra bit of drama, you can use a small amount of lip balm on a brush and mix it with an eye shadow colour of your choice! Don’t forget to lengthen those lashes and then you’re ready for your close up!

By Connie O’Neill