(Beauty)
How To Refresh Your Eye Makeup Routine — Now That It’s All Anyone Sees
Summer makeup is typically synonymous with bronzer, blush, and punchy lip colors, but things aren't so traditional this year. These days, most visages are covered by an often-required face mask, rendering the previously mentioned products useless — a small but sad price to pay for proven safety. However, not all is lost when it comes to beauty; eye makeup is still very much in play, since eyes are the only facial feature not covered by a mask. So there's no better time than the present to refresh your eye makeup routine — whether that means with colored eyeliner or rhinestone adhesives (or both).
"Mask makeup is definitely a thing," celebrity makeup artist Amber Amos tells The Zoe Report over email. And she's right; in the span of five months, the need for facial coverings has led to an onslaught of bolder, brighter, and more daring eye looks — most of which seen solely on Instagram. Celebrities and influencers alike have taken this social-distancing time to experiment with nontraditional colors — like neon — and adventurous graphic eyeliner designs, all the while posting it for your Pinterest needs. But aside from gleaning "likes" and inspiration, or simply being something that fills your time, eye makeup is "a great way to be able to express your individuality whilst wearing a mask," says celebrity hair and makeup artist Charlotte Hayward to TZR via email.
Before jumping into some of the season's trendiest looks, though, there is one very important thing you probably need to be mindful of. This is, of course, the heat — and, in turn, the sweat — that on any sunny day can ruin your makeup in less than 30 minutes. So how exactly does one beat the heat and keep one's eye makeup intact?
Celebrity and editorial makeup artist Samuel Paul, who's worked with Tracee Ellis Ross, Priyanka Chopra, and SZA, tells TZR that the key to a long-lasting eye look is a locked-in base. "To keep eyeshadow in place use a primer — my favorite is NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base," he says. "There are a few skin tone shades to choose from to even out your eyelid while making any eyeshadow on top last longer and enhance the eyeshadow color."
For Hayward, a good concealer is key; her top pick is Glossier's Stretch Concealer. "It doesn't crease or dry out on the delicate skin," she says. "It's a brilliant way to get the area looking fresh before adding any eye makeup." And when all else fails, Amos suggests turning to tried-and-true budge-proof eye makeup formulas: "Go with your long-wear, waterproof, anti-smudge makeup options," she says.
Once you've prepped your way to an all-day look, take Hayward's advice and try something different: "A new product or color is always fun and a great way to change up your eye look subtly or, if you like, with more impact." Jump off the deep end with a bold, sunset color story that blurs from your eyelid to your cheek, or simply elongate your standard eyeliner past its usual point. The gamut is wide, so keep reading for all the best summer looks TZR has found on Instagram.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: White Eyeliner
The color white may make you think of the blistering cold and snow-capped mountain ranges, but the hue is proving itself as a summer-worthy essential. This could be chalked up to Ariana Grande's white eyeliner in the "Rain On Me" music video that spurred tons of copycat looks this spring. But no complaints here; white liner is an easy way to update your everyday cat-eye or step into the graphic liner game. Pick up Urban Decay's fan-favorite 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil in Yeyo for a look that won't budge regardless of temperature.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Colorful Eyelashes
Eyelashes are the unsung hero of most beauty moments and, in Hayward's opinion, one of the easiest ways to elevate any look. So, it's only fair that they now have their time to shine... in fun colors, that is. Swap out your black and brown mascara for something a little more bold, such as NYX Cosmetics' Worth The Hype Mascara in its purple hue (which is totally worth the hype and less than $10). Or, buy colored falsies — a go-to being Lashify's Prismatic Gossamer series — that you can wear again and again. Use them for a serious monochrome moment, coordinate with an accent hue in your look, or let them stand alone.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Buffed-Out Eyeshadow
Since facial real estate is limited, why not make the most of what you have and buff out your eyeshadow to your cheeks? It's bold, it's daring, and it'll have you feeling like Rihanna á la 2017 Met Gala (who could forget her pink flush?). Directly channel the singer, and peak summer vibes, with Fenty Beauty's Killawat Foil Freestyle Highlighter Duo in Mimosa Sunrise/Sangria Sunset. The biggest trick to nailing this look includes blurring any type of harsh lines to create an almost cloud-like effect.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Eyeshadow Adhesives
By now, you've probably seen the many rhinestone, pearl, star, and sticker looks that have made their way around Instagram. And there's a reason for that: They are incredible. Placing a few rhinestones (or literal Swarovski crystals) at the edge of your eye or above your crease immediately takes your look up a notch. While many use eyelash glue to ensure the product sticks, Paul suggests Pros-Aide, a medical-grade adhesive that is more water resistant. "Just be sure to also get Pros-Aide Remover to loosen the bond when taking off," he notes.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Outlined Shadow
Eyeshadow and eyeliner have long played nice together, but instead of wearing the eyeliner along your lash line, outline your eyeshadow instead. The small switch changes an entire look while only demanding you have a steady hand to achieve it. For an extra clean line, start by making dots in the shape you desire, and then connect them with the eyeliner of your choosing (try Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, which has more than 1,000 five-star reviews).
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Gloss
Summer is all about glistening skin and, whether you vibe with that or not, having glossy lids is one way to make sure your dewy sheen is purposeful. Though many achieve the look with a clear lip gloss — like Essence's Shine Shine Shine Lip Gloss — you can also use something tailored to the cheek and eye, like Flesh Beauty's aptly named Eye & Cheek Gloss, for a less tacky feel. While there will be some inevitable creasing with eye gloss, whether you use it on top of eyeshadow or by itself, you can get a seamless look by applying it in smaller amounts and diffusing the edges.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Shimmer
You may be thinking, What's new about shimmer? And you'd be right — shimmer is not unheard of in summer (or anytime, really). However, you can definitely alter the way you wear shimmer shadows, or even glitter. Instead of going in with heavy pigments or strategically placed sparkle along the lid, think outside the lines (i.e. dripping inner corners, along the brow bone, or with negative spaces). Work in bolder colors like teal and fiery gold from Lime Crime's highly rated Prelude Chroma Eyeshadow Palette or stick with something softer like Lemonhead's Houdini Spacepaste, that has a lavender hue.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Different Lid & Lash Line Hues
Gone are the days of having to decide between two colors —now you can just pop one on your lid and the other along your lower lash line. Granted, you still have to choose the two colors, but there are plenty of combination options: stay within the same color family, go for primary opposites, or look to the popular pairs (hello, red and pink) that have made their way around Instagram, red carpets, and runways. And if you seriously can't decide, find a two-shade palette like Milani Cosmetics' Eyeshadow Duo that'll do the picking for you.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Monochrome Looks
While, for some, having a smaller canvas means maximizing the space with jewels and dynamic designs, that's not for everyone (ahem, minimalists). And it doesn't get more minimal than monochrome eyeshadow. Sure, you can play around with bold hues, but the look is all about sticking to one color for a more subtle statement — or a few in the same family. Pack on your shadow using a cream formula, such as Danessa Myricks' Colorfix, which comes in 37 shades and is Amos' top choice, for ultimate long-wear.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Neon
Opting for bright yellow or pink shades might not have been in your sights a few months ago, but neons have been ushered into summer 2020 via matching clothing sets, nail polish hues, and, of course, eye makeup. And the embracing of this trend is not necessarily by way of the '80s... well, not completely. While the shades are reminiscent of the neon heyday, they've gotten modern upgrades when it comes to application: Think graphic liners, combined hues, and pops of color. To get the highest pigment payoff, start with a white base and then go over it with your color. Check out Glisten Cosmetics' 1991 Mini Palette which includes four of the most popular neon shades — yellow, green, pink, and blue — with bonus baby pink and off-white hues.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Negative Space
"Dot, dot, not a lot" might be the motto for gluing, but it works pretty well with negative space eyeshadow, too. The look, as the phrase implies, is quite simple in practice — instead of entirely filling in your lid with color, leave some space for your skin to peek through. If you want to go for the undefined look, choose a liquid-to-powder formula, like Haus Laboratories' Glam Attack Liquid Shimmer Powder, and blend it out with your finger. Otherwise, any eyeshadow will work, in whatever abstract shape you please.
Refresh Your Eye Makeup With: Elongated Eyeliner
If you're not ready to completely change your vibe, but want a little bit of variation, elongate your eyeliner. Rather than stopping your liner at the edge of your eye or a few centimeters past, just keep the line going (and going and going). Make the line thin like an eyebrow from the '90s or go thicker for a more defined look. And, when you're really feeling daring, Amos suggests switching out your standard black or brown hue with a brighter color for instant elevation — the 15 different shades in SHANY's Indelible Gel Liner collection are a good place to start.
