A Smoky Eye Makes Your Eyes Look Smaller - Fact or Beauty Myth?

As a pro makeup artist, beauty expert and writer....I get frustrated sometimes.  Why, do you ask, when I have the BEST job in the whole world?  I'll tell ya....
I get frustrated by all of the MISINFORMATION out there in the world of beauty!  I constantly read tips that are just flat out wrong. (It happens in the fashion world too...example, whoever decided that ANYONE looks good in flatforms or culottes!  But I digress....)

Call them Old Wives tales or Beauty Myths, but trust me, ladies, you can't believe everything you read...it's not all accurate, and often those articles don't give you enough information to understand how the tip might...or might not...apply to you.  Today's blog post is about one of those Beauty Myths that totally drives me nuts.  How many times have you read:

"Avoid a smoky eye or black eyeliner!  It'll close your eye in and make it look smaller..."

I know I've read it dozens and dozens of times.....everywhere from beauty blogs to national beauty magazines, and countless women have told me that their friend/cousin/mom always told them that girls with smaller eyes just can't do a smoky eye.  Guess what?  It ain't true!!  It just isn't....and I can prove it.  Wanna see?  Check out these examples of just a few of my real clients....every last one of them wanted a smoky eye but was afraid to try it because they "had heard somewhere" it would make their eyes look smaller.  Take a look......

That last one...it's crazy, right?  Her eyes look twice their size!  It's all in the technique, how it's applied and blended....no harsh edges, and you have to be careful not to overdo. When done correctly, color can be used to create the illusion that your entire eye area is bigger than it really is.  Another key element?  Lashes!  Strip lashes, individual lashes or a couple of coats of glossy mascara will do wonders to visually open up your eye area.

So....have you been avoiding black liner or a smoky eye because you thought you couldn't pull it off? Give it a try, you might be surprised on how flattering a soft, smoky (read: not goth!) smoky eye can be.  If you really want to learn how to recreate this look on yourself, call (972-345-0655) or email (lipservicemakeup@gmail.com) me today to book a private or group lesson and I'll teach you!

Check back here too, I'll be posting more Beauty Myths in the future...the real scoop, no BS.  Have a beauty myth you've always heard and want to find out if it's true or not?  Post in the comments!

(All makeup on this post, and this website by Jennifer Trotter of Lip Service Makeup)

Featured in Wedding Chicks- Green and Silver 1920's Wedding

Ok, so how GORGEOUS are the images in this shoot?!  We did this one last year, but it was published in the awesome "all things wedding" blog extraordinaire Wedding Chicks yesterday! There are so many elements that made this shoot fabulous, I'm not even sure where to start.....

The whole thing was orchestrated by the fabulous Marian Timmer, of Minted Artistry...this chica had a VISION, and I was beyond impressed at her attention to detail!  Everything was spot on historically accurate for the time period and stunningly perfect.  For the beauty and makeup perspective, I wanted to create a smoky eye that was elegant and mysterious....a bride that looked too current would totally ruin the mood of this shoot, so getting it right was crucial!  Check out these "behind the scenes" shots....

Christina - "Before"

Creating a Roaring 20's Smoky Eye.....

Makeup Test Shot while Model gets hair done

Our goal was to transform model Christina from a modern day pretty blonde to a roaring 20s glamorous bride.  I created an intense smoky eye with layers and layers of blended shadows in shades of carbon, taupe, coffee and emerald green, plus major lashes for that film noir look.  Unlike a modern day smoky eye, a 20s/30s version was more rounded in shape, and had more depth and shading than it's modern cousin.  I finished the look with plenty of liner, defined brows, flawless skin and a 20's-30's era deep burgundy lip, and then our fab hairstylist, Renn Traylor, got to work on the perfect updo to compliment the makeup, and amazing hair accessories.  And here's the finished look!

So stunning!!!  I love the full out glamour that characterized that era, don't you?  I can almost hear the soft jazz music and imagine the movie star handsome groom that's waiting for this beauty to walk down the aisle.  Want to see the ENTIRE shoot?  Click here for the full gallery of images on the Wedding Chicks feature...the florals, furniture, linens, paper goods...all of it will make you swoon!!!  One of my my favorite shoots ever, and I loved working with this fabulous vendor team....

Concept & Styling: Minted Artistry

Photography: Peyronet Photography

Venue: T &P Station Fort Worth

Flowers: Justine's Flowers

Cake: Romano's Bakery

Makeup: Lip Service Makeup

Hair: Renn Traylor

Prop/Furniture Rentals: Gold Dust Vintage & May I Serve You

Linens: La Tavola Linens

Stationery: The Three

Gown & Accessories: Bridal Boutique of Lewisville

Model: Christina Connolly

Pastries: Tart Bakery

High Fashion in Azle, TX....Glam Spring Shoot!

I LOVE to do styled shoots!  It's a chance to get creative and contribute to the overall vision by whomever is planning the shoot.  In this case, Angela Navarro of Inspiration Blooms called me up and said she had a shoot in the works and could I help?  You betcha!  Angela and Armando from Jade Special Events got to work on sumptuous linens, accessories, sweets and florals while Vanja from Vanja D Photography planned out how to capture her amazing signature style (just wait til you see below!!).  We got the fabulous Renn Traylor lined up for hair, the super talented Lauren Blake Paper for invitations and paper goods, and Wendy from Bliss Bridal agreed to provide a gorgeous gown.  A gorgeous gown in a super TINY size to fit the fabulous maybe-five-feet? model, Allanah Bennett!  Vanja had worked with her before and knew that she was perfect to bring this project to life and I'm telling you, this girl models like a 6 foot runway glamazon, so don't let her tiny stature fool you. The date was set...and reset (rain!) and then finally the day came when we all headed out to the Orchard in Azle, TX (about 30 minutes from downtown Fort Worth) to create some magic.  The backdrop? Idyllic country scenery in a real....you guessed it, orchard!

Renn started on Allanah's hair and began to craft an edgy/bohemian braided topknot...it was super intricate and looked incredible!  One of the most creative styles I've seen in a while and it was so perfect for the vibe we wanted to create.....

Then, on to my makeup chair!  I created a smoky/edgy eye using shades of acid green, forest green and black, punctuated with slightly spiky false lashes, pink cheeks and burgundy lips topped with a little fuschia eyeshadow for a plush and dimensional look.  Here's the before and after of hair and makeup:

 

We got Allanah into her dress, and then Renn and I stepped into our "stylist" roles...after considering many options, we decided upon on major strand of pearls and some delicate gold and crystal earrings to complete the look.  It's more high-fashion than a real wedding look, but that's what I love about it!  Here was a quick test shot of the completed look.....

Meanwhile, Angela and Armando had been crafting the colorful elements outdoors in vibrant shades of orange, fuschia and gold , and Lauren had created beautiful paper goods too.....

Ready to see the final images captured?  Here you go...Orchard fabulousness, glamour with a twist, rich bohemian...however you want to describe it, the final results were GORGEOUS!  This is only a small portion too, it was hard to narrow down which images to choose.  If you want to see more, check out Vanja's post here.  We had such an amazing time shooting this.....hope it inspires you!

 

 

 

Learning with Lip Service - Group Makeup Classes!

I love doing makeup on people....creating looks for photo shoots, wearable looks for headshots, and of course, dreamy bridal makeup.  I also throw in a few tips and tricks and am happy to answer questions, but my main goal is to create the gorgeousness.  Sometimes, women get a taste and want to know more, and that's the perfect time to book a makeup class!  Unlike a wedding or special even, the whole purpose of a class is to slow down and teach you step by step...whatever you want to learn about makeup.  Over the years I've done group lessons for groups of teens who want to learn Makeup 101, for 20-somethings entering the work force and wanting to polish up their look, for 40-somethings who need an update...you name it!  I've even taught an entire high school dance team, as well as a regional section of a beauty company that specializes in skin care...I taught their consultants makeup 101 to enable them to sell their color cosmetics in a knowledgeable way. Each class is custom designed, and includes handouts with notes and tips for each participant to take home.

 I taught a class a few months ago for several wedding professionals....I just love this pic someone snapped of everyone taking selfies near the end of class!

Love those smiles!

 

After seeing my work at weddings and on social media...they decided they wanted to take a little time for themselves and have fun while learning some tricks they could apply to their own beauty routines! We had snacks and wine, and each girl brought her own cosmetics from home for practice with while I was teaching.  I like it when people bring their own cosmetics because they can ask me questions about shades and formulas of what they're using...especially important if they aren't getting good results with what they have.  I usually have one or two volunteers sit in my chair so I can teach step by step techniques...in this case, part one of the class focused on how to create flawless skin and using subtle highlight and contour techniques to sculpt the face....

 

Notice, it's SUBTLE highlight and contour?  That's the key...very blended, very wearable, and you can learn to do it yourself with the right tools, products and instruction.  I'd like to add, the next time I saw Stacey (our model above) at a party, her makeup looked FABULOUS!  Love that....

 

I taught another group class recently...this one was a gift from a venue coordinator to her friends and family.  I taught makeup 101 for the first section, and then led into "The Smoky Eye Demystified", one of my favorite topics!  There are so many ways to do a smoky eye, from classic to extreme...let's face it, it's a trend that is no longer a trend...it's a look that's here to stay!  Just check out my lovely volunteer for this one:

Heidi could not believe how glamorous she looked, and was amazed at how the plum shadows brought out the unique gold/green hue in her eyes!  With the balance of softer cheeks and lips, this look is not at all goth, but very sophisticated...this look would be perfect for a black tie event or special night out that called for amped up glamour.  Note - I bumped into her husband just last week and he STILL is raving about how hot she looked!  So fun, and this class really inspired everyone to look at their "inner goddess" and realize...she's in there, and just needs to be coaxed out from time to time.

 

My most recent class was just two weeks ago...about 50 ladies in a church group had a spa night with snacks, chick flicks, massages, manicures and makeup...what a great idea!  I was set up in a room and taught three different topics, and the ladies could choose and rotate through.  The most popular section was "Is your Makeup Aging You?  Makeup for over 35....".  These ladies were very open minded and were really anxious to update their look and makeup routines.  Many told me that they hadn't updated their look in 10+ years, or just stopped wearing makeup years ago and lost touch with  their beauty routine.  After talking about the absolute need for primer and insisting everyone toss their brown lipsticks, I used this ginger (love redheads!!) volunteer to demonstrate a great balance of a natural look that still has polish, while avoiding typically aging traps....

 

 I loved this look!  So many times women think that any makeup at all is just too heavy and this is great proof that well chosen products in the right colors can make you look naturally gorgeous.  Would you guess this volunteer is in her 40s?  With the right makeup, age truly is just a number....she just looks fresh and pretty...period. 

 

Do you have a group that would love to learn some makeup tips and tricks?  Lip Service classes are fun and relaxed....and I'm very patient with questions!  Finally, you can find out all the things you want to know about makeup.  I use a realistic mix of  specialty high end brands as well as drugstore finds, so you can be inspired to try new products yourself regardless of your budget.  I don't sell or represent any brands, but I am happy to share with you the makeup, tools and products that I've extensively tested and used on my clients with great results...cosmetics that WORK...and I'll show you exactly how to apply them yourself at home!

 

Classes are priced according to number of participants, length of the class and what topics you want to cover and are scheduled by appointment only.  Contact me through the "ready to chat?" page on lipservicemakeup.com, email me at lipservicemakeup@gmail.com, or call me at 972-345-0655.  This is class you definitely won't want to skip, and everyone gets an A!