Right now, I'm loving the wash of color on the eyelids that was so prominent on models walking '90s runways. It's a minimal look—no liner or brushes needed—that still speaks heavenly. Basically, it's a saturation of a color along the lash line, then blended outward into the brow. The look is anchored by a heavy dose of mascara and looks beautiful on ALL eye shapes. To make the colors look incredibly soft and effortless, I prefer cream colors applied strictly with fingers. This makes the wash look organic, not perfect. It's also a romantic, modern way to interpret an old trend. Plus, there's a dewy sheen that bounces light of your lids with cream shadows, and it's totally OK (at least for me it is) if the color starts to crease—I think it's sexy. If creasing isn't necessarily your thing, it's a quick fix! Simply tap your finger over the creases to re-deposit the color on your lid. And speaking of color, here's four different hues to suit your various moods, all taken from the Make Up For Ever 12 Flash Color Case in Artistic. The palette comes with 12 rich, creamed colors that can be worn anywhere on the face, but I especially think these make perfect color washes for the eyelids because they melt into the skin almost like the way cream concealers do, and they're more forgiving than pure pigment.
1. Berry red : Don't let this intimidate you—a touch (or in this case, shock) of rose on the lids makes blue and green eyes sparkle. Make sure your face is prepped with foundation and/or concealer, and your brows are groomed. For this look, mix Red with a little Fuchsia, and start dabbing color along your lash line as if you are applying concealer on your lids. Concentrate the color on the lid, applying liberally. Then, with a clean finger, start blending the edges outward toward your brow, dissolving the color into the skin. Bring the color as high as you dare.
2. Blue violet : For all you brown-eyed angels, this cobalt-blue will make your eyes look devastatingly gorgeous. Use the same technique as above with Bright Blue, except I would also dab this mix along the lower lash line and connect it to the top, not as concentrated to get a little bit of violet results instead of straight-up blue. Keep the rest of the face simple and clean. A soft-apricot blush on the cheeks and a dusty rose lip would look lovely with a violet eye.
3. Peachy coral: Mix Coral with Fuchsia and use the same dab-and-blend technique on both your lids and lower lash line. Create a soft halo around your eye with these colors by using your fingers in gliding strokes to sheer out the colors. Top with a rich, black mascara on both the top and bottom lashes.
4. Sea foam: Mix Turquoise with a dab of Silver and pat generously along lash line and sheer out into the brow. Work with color and feel where placement should be, errors can be erased immediately with Q-tips or a cotton ball or even with just a bare finger. Although this color is the palest out of the four looks, I consider it to be the most dramatic. Sea foam green looks stunning on all eye colors but especially brown and green.
Oh, and make sure to have makeup wipes handy for your fingers! Remember, this is about colors floating on your eyelids—a wash of color to brighten your eyes. Don't worry about perfect application. There is something very cool and calm about imperfection, like a watercolor painting. This look can be worn with anything from an elegant suit to a floor length gown.
—Stacey Nishimoto
Photos courtesy of the author. Photos courtesy of the author. The Selfie is a weekend makeup look, courtesy of Stacey Nishimoto and her iPhone. For more of Stacey's tutorials, click here.
