No Mascara, No Problem

Cassie photographed by Tom Newton. Makeup by Taka Okada. Styled by Lilli Millhiser. Hair by Kayo Fujita.

by Into The Gloss

In case you’ve lost track, your makeup is old—really old. Great women and Great Lash have gone hand in hand since the third millennium when Cleopatra started coating her lashes in goop. Now there's mascara to thicken, to lengthen, to separate, and mascara routines for when you need all three. There are mascaras for just the little lashes at the bottom. Mascaras with wands that look like this. High end and drugstore. Regular, waterproof, and tubing. There’s brown and black, blacker, blackest—there’s every color of the rainbow. You can prime, curl, lift. You can buy falsies, half strips or individuals, and you can even get them (semi)permanently glued on.

But what if you toss the mascara altogether? (You probably need to, it might be expired.) You’re left with your natural eye shape for one, and lashes that probably aren’t as short and wimpy as you remember. As makeup artist Taka Okada demonstrates, a mascara-less eye look can be a nice change of pace—one that looks fresh but still finished. One less step, with a surprisingly elegant result.

by Into The Gloss

Cassie photographed by Tom Newton. Makeup by Taka Okada. Styled by Lilli Millhiser. Hair by Kayo Fujita.

Act I

After prepping Cassie’s skin, Taka used two different shades of Clinique Moisturizing Chubby Stick—Heaping Hazelnut and Oversized Orange—for a clean, polished look.

Cassie wears a Bevza skirt and bodysuit, Uniqlo trench, and Laura Lombardi hoop earrings. She also carries bags by A.P.C.

Act II

Consider the way multiple Multiples—two to be precise, both from Nars—deliver a sheer, natural stain. Taka buffed Mauritanie, a rusty coral shade, into the apples of the cheeks, and Malaysia [ed note: discontinued, but Cappadoce is similar] on the high points of the face. On the lips, she used Sisley Phyto-Rouge lipstick in Beige Bali for a subtle flush of color.

Cassie wears a top and pants from Theory, with Mounser earrings. Her sandals and bag are from A.P.C.

Act III

A warm, soft smoke is even warmer and softer sans mascara. Taka used the warm brick shade from YSL’s Eye Couture Palette in Rosy Contouring as a wash all over the eye to the brow, and the darkest brown closest to the lash line for subtle definition.

Cassie wears a Theory shirt with a blazer and pants from Sandro. She also wears a Topshop trench and earrings from Jennifer Fisher and Mounser.

Act IV

A bold lip with no distractions feels more low-key without mascara. Taka defined the lips with a MAC lip pencil in Chestnut, a neutral brown, before using Nars Audacious lipstick in Mona.

Cassie pairs a Uniqlo puffer with Maison Kitsune pants and A.P.C. sandals. Cassie also wears a hat from COS with earrings from Jennifer Fisher and Mounser.

Act V

An all-over bronzed wash makes late-winter magic. Taka swirled together the Guerlain Terracotta Sun Trio in Deep and brushed it across Cassie’s cheeks, forehead, and eyelids—everywhere the sun would naturally hit. Tightlining around the waterline gets close to the look of mascara, but brown keeps everything soft.

Cassie wears a 3.1 Phillip Lim bra under a Beaufille shirt, with pants from COS. She also wears earrings from Jennifer Fisher and Mounser, with a Tibi bag.

Act VI

Taka buffed Chanel Ombre Première Longwear Powder Eyeshadow in Chocolate Brown above the lid. Then, the cooler-toned Intense Eye Pencil in Ambre is sketched along the crease to define it. It’s a take on the ‘60s eye that’s effortlessly cool. The lid itself is left bare.

Cassie wears See by Chloe pants under three trench coats (fun!)—one by Maje (on the bottom), one by A.P.C. (in the middle), and one by Uniqlo (on top). She also wears a Beaufille pearl earring and Laura Lombardi hoop.

Act VII

Or, it isn’t! For extra glamour, Taka patted on Marc Jacobs Glitter Glam See Quins eyeshadow in Gleam Girl. Twiggy, minus the twigs.

Act VIII

Taka’s last look uses one—count ‘em, one—product. He buffed Giorgio Armani’s Eye and Brow Maestro in Obsidian Black lightly on the inner corners of the eye, up to the crease. It gives Cassie’s eyes unexpected intensity and depth.

Cassie wears a 3.1 Phillip Lim tank and Theory shorts under a Sonia Rykiel trench. She also wears Kate Spade sunglasses with Beaufille and Laura Lombardi earrings.