Few magazines get me going like Self Service, the bi-annual Parisian fashion magazine. The fall book (literally, a hardcover book) landed on my desk a good month ago and from the start, the cover had me: Charlotte Casiraghi, shot by Mario Sorrenti, all pouty lips and Brooke Shields brows (not to mention some refreshingly un-retouched pores), and sporting a seriously gorgeous glitter smoky eye. Inside, a filmic series of moonlit glamour shots showed the gunmetal shimmer that enveloped her whole eye, top and bottom, and sprinkled across her cheeks as if she’d been out all night. Of course, we don’t all have Aaron de Mey, the whiz behind the look, on speed-dial, so I set out to find the perfect shadow that would mimic that almost wet-looking shimmer, one that builds and layers and breathes, and looks cool and not cheesy. Because any beauty buff worth her salt knows that glittery makeup can go very, very wrong.
Well, that shadow exists. It’s called Infallible, it’s by L’Oréal, and it’s under ten bucks (!). And, if you buy it in Eternal Black, whip out a few cotton swabs, and set aside 1-5 minutes (depending on whether or not the rest of your face is in okay shape, or if you’re starting from scratch), you, too, can look like a pretty good “street” version of the Princess of Monaco. Here are my tips: use your fingertips, not a brush, to rub the shadow across your upper lid, stopping at the crease. Don’t extend it too far out. This stuff is slippery and saying it’s messy wouldn’t be an understatement; it’s better to concentrate on centering the product just above your lashline, and sort of smudge/smooth out hard edges from there. Go in underneath with the cotton swab dipped in a bit of shadow and rim your lower lashline. You can stop here—let’s call it a 60% “wash” of color—or you can do another round, adding more shadow to kick up the intensity and opacity.
Sometimes (like in this video), I’ll work a black pencil into my top lashes and along the waterline for more drama, before applying mascara. Whether you're at 60% or 100%, take a cue from Charlotte and Aaron and keep the rest of the face bare: spot-conceal redness or blemishes, but skip foundation and go easy on the blush. In fact, use a bit of sheer pink lipstick on your mouth and blend a bit on your cheeks for a dewy sheen. I like to top off the look with a bit (a BIT) of clear, shiny lip gloss for a little sexiness and dab some highlighter on the tops of my cheeks to look fresh. And don’t worry when the whole thing gets all hot and bothered—perfection is overrated.
—Emily Weiss
Eyes:
L'Oréal Infallible Eyeshadow in Eternal Black
Nars Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Via Venuto
Lancôme Hypnôse Star Mascara in Noir Midnight
Cheeks:
Lips:
Dolce & Gabbana Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss in Aqua
Face:
Laura Mercier Undercover Pot in UC-2
Filmed at the Gloffice by David Sabshon on December 2nd, 2012. Emily wears earrings from New York Adorned and rings by Catbird.
