Five Faves and a Flop: October

Listening to Corey snoring on Skype. It's cute. When I tell him he's snoring and to turn over, he does. :)
Counting down. One week. Exactly. 
    Whoa, y'all. Five Faves and a Flop is actually on the last day of the month this month. My OCD side is writhing with uncontained rapture.
    This month has been a little different for me in that I really didn't have a flop. I didn't try anything new that I was displeased with. I didn't get tired of something I'd been using. The only real flop for me has been that the weather has been a little disappointing. I know that if you live in Georgia, a) the weather will never do what you think it's going to do and b) it doesn't get really cold, like slap-your-grandma cold until well after Christmas. I want that cold now. But it's not. January. January is brutal. But don't you try and wear a heavy sweater in October because everyone will look at you funny and you'll smell like sweat and embarrassment. I speak from experience.

    I've been working on my photography skills these last few weeks as well. I usually use my phone because the digital camera I've had since sophomore year of high school has met its end. Also I can't find the battery charger. I got my hands on my sister's Nikon Coolpix L110 and we've been having some fun. I'd love to get myself a good DSLR but who knows if that will ever happen. Maggs's is working pretty well in the meantime.
    On to the favorites!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 812 Nightwatch. (I got mine at CVS, but I've also seen it at Target. Couldn't find a link.) My dress for the Marine Corps Ball with Corey is navy blue (that's all he knows about it and all I'll say; the rest is a surprise!) and I decided I wanted my nails to match it.

I'll probably wear silver heels (no surprise there, they're all I have) and I thought having silver fingers and toes would be just a little too much. Plus it's autumn and I thought a dark color would be more sleek and sophisticated. I nabbed this one - it's part of the limited edition fall 2013 line, with Gold Roses - and tested it out last week and good gravy is it gorgeous. It's so deep and opaque it's nearly black unless light is shining directly on it, then you realize what a glorious midnight blue it is. Absolute perfection.

Bumble and Bumble BB Straight Blow Dry Cream. This was one of those little samples I received at the Sephora event for Bumble and Bumble. It's probably my favorite one - I blow dry my hair almost every time I wash it. It's rare that I let it air dry because I almost always shower in the morning right before going anywhere. To be perfectly honest, I'm not really sure what this is supposed to do, but what I notice is that it makes my hair super smooth and shiny - no frizz (which isn't a huge problem for me) and less tangles while I'm drying, which I deeply appreciate having color treated hair. (P.S. Went and did something a little cray this last appointment and Maggie introduced a color that is not blonde. Shock and Horror, I know.) Plus, as Hannah so astutely pointed out, it just smells good.

 Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Just Plum Good. I will admit, there was a slight initial flopping with this product. Here's the deal. Based on how ridiculously rich this color looks in the packaging, and the fact that it's a balm like my addiction the Revlon Just Bitten Lip Balm Stain, I thought this was going to be super pigmented. It's not. It's a gloss. It has a slight tint to it, but my lips were most certainly not "just plum good."

 I bought this back at the very beginning of the month and after that first use, I tossed it in my purse, disappointed. However, as I love to mix lip products, I tried putting this over some of my lip balm stains and lipsticks and loved the effect. A good shiny lip gloss on top of a lip stick or stain adds a lot of dimension and has a great plumping effect. When that lip gloss has a darker tint than the base color you're already wearing, it just looks amazing.

 I especially love this on top of e.l.f.'s Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose. "She's a beaut, Clark! A real beaut!" (Someone please name that movie.)

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner Palette in Hazel Eyes. Crazy name; awesome palette. I know y'all see me raving about Physician's Formula all day err'day. But seriously. I freaking love this palette.

I don't even have hazel eyes and these colors are still amazing. I really love using that middle super pale pink as a highlighter, and the darker shade above/to the right of it in the crease, then the bottom lighter purpley-pink over the lid. But honestly, any combination is beautiful.

And you can see how much I use these; almost every shade shows some use. Highly recommend no matter what eye color you have.

Glasses from Firmoo. Last but not least. I've been rocking these every other day this month. I'd be wearing them today if it weren't Halloween. They just don't quite match my costume... I won the lighter tortoise shell on the case over at Jessica's blog, The Lovely Side. I loved them so much I wanted another pair, and Firmoo is awesome enough to offer any pair from the classics collection for free (you just pay for shipping and if you want special lenses) if you're a first-timer on their site! So that's two pair of glasses that I got for ten bucks a piece! (I bought the scratch and reflection-resistant lenses). They fit really well, and are my prescription, which is always a plus, and they look super cute. If you're a glasses-wearer, or if you just want a pair of prescription-free frames, go check out Firmoo!

So there you have it! Sorry I have nothing to complain about this month... Maybe I'll be grumpier next month. ha ha. Hope everyone had a great October! Comment below telling me what you were for Halloween!

Oxblood Pucker

Listening to The Flower Duet by Charlotte Church. This song reminds me of the eighth grade. My Aunt Jenn gave my mom a Charlotte Church CD at some point during my middle school years, and I remember listening to that and Nickel Creek on the way to school when we were in the trailers for eighth grade.
Missing Corey like crazy. Two more weeks to the day, guys.
    So I'm working on a new and pretty neat idea for tutorials in the future, but haven't gotten all the kinks out yet. It's the kind of thing I need some practice with, and I really just don't have the time for that at the moment (and no, before you get excited, I'm not making YouTube videos. That's something I just couldn't handle.). In the meantime, I apologetically offer a visual guide to what's on my face today.

    I finally found that ideal oxblood color for my lips. Prepare yourselves for shock and awe - it's a Revlon lipstick, not one of the lip balm stains that I'm obsessed with. The only problem with this product is that it dries and tends to look flaky - like the color is coming off in patches. I always put it over a balm, otherwise it catches on the dry patches of my lips and looks really questionable. But even then, after an hour or so it's just not quite right. I would die and go to heaven if Revlon would come out with a lip balm stain in this color because they really are my absolute favorite lip product right now. (Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquers are a close second). I'll probably wear one of them on my wedding day if I can decide on what color to use. (Also, you know, I've got to get a dress and decide on my hair, and what kind of wedding Corey and I want... There's a lot more that goes into this than I was prepared for.) Anyhoo, these are all products you've seen before here and here. Of course, the Physicians Formula is popping up again, but I have a few e.l.f. products coming in this week I'm excited to try, so perhaps next week, there'll be something new and exciting to talk about! In the meantime, check out how gorgeous that Black Cherry lipstick is, y'all. I. Can't.

 

What fabulous fall lip colors are you loving? Tell me below!

Fall Fingers

Listening to Ingrid Michaelson - The Chain
Avoiding another paper. Like a boss.
    I had a different post planned for today - this one was a back-up (I normally have one or two planned). I was going to do this gorgeous fall tutorial with purple and amber, but 1) I'm out of eggplant eyeliner... and money, and 2) this happened:

    Sorry, it's gross. I know. Moral of the story, children: don't yank out your hangnails. Your finger will get infected and DIE. I've played "yank out that hangnail" multiple times, and lost an equal number of times. Yet I still try my luck. This time, I learned my lesson. I pulled it out last night and woke up this morning to a hot, oozing, throbbing finger that hurt so much I couldn't bend it any more than you see in the picture. So I really didn't wanna spend time doing my makeup and taking photos to edit later. I didn't even edit this photo.
    Since I started you off with a close-up of my fingers, I thought I'd do a little post of my favorite fall nail polishes. That way at least the post will finish on pretty fingers, not my swollen angry sausage. (All photos are from my Face and Hair board on Pinterest.)

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Gold Roses

Fun story. Ingrid from missglamorazzi on YouTube mentioned this polish in her September favorites. I am obsessed with rose gold. Like most people are right now. But let me tell you. I'm not just on the bandwagon. I'm riding bareback on the horse that's pulling the bandwagon. She said that this color was limited edition and I went to not one, not two, but five stores before I found it at Target. Mock my desperation, but even with an oozing wound my fingers look awesome.

Essie Nail Polish in Chinchilly

This is one of the first "big girl polishes" I ever bought. I decided a few years back the first year I started this blog) that I should stop wearing bright blue and orange and green and wear grown up colors. Somehow this translated to gray. Funny thing is, I absolutely love this color. I've repurchased it numerous times since I first bought it and still think it's the perfect warm neutral gray for fall and winter.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Pat on the Black

No lie, the entire reason I purchased this was because of the clever name. I happened to love it once I put it on, but come on. "Pat on the Black." 'Cause it's almost black? But not quite? I can't get over how clever that is. And I've never actually worn straight-up black on my nails. I just don't like it. But I love this deep almost-there wine color. Like Pinot Noir. Perfection.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Sheer Me Now

If I don't want to go crazy dark for fall, and I want something lighter and more natural, I always grab this one. Honestly, it's perfect year-round, but it's a nice alternative if you were a big fan of white nails over the summer since white can be a bit too much for fall or winter. I've gone through at least two bottles of the stuff and am in need of a new one. Highly recommended.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Grey Area

This one was given to me with two other polishes as an engagement present from Robin. The other two are a bright blue and purple, much more summery colors, but this one I think is perfect for fall. I have absolutely loved it every time I've worn it. Plus it was so thoughtful that she bought me nail polish - she said, "I gave you the ones that I've liked the most because we're so alike I know you'll like them, too." She was right, of course! They've all been gorgeous!

 

    Sorry if I disappointed you with my lack of a tutorial. I don't know if anyone actually likes them, but I like doing them. My finger just hurt way too badly today to do the post I wanted. I hope this one has been a worthy substitute!

 

I'm always looking for new nail favorites. What are your fall finger faves? Leave a comment and let me know!

 



How To Wear Your Glasses So They Don't Wear You

Listening to Let the Groove Get In - JT, who else.
Ready for school to be over already.
    A few weeks ago, I won a contest over at The Lovely Side for a free pair of Firmoo glasses. Thanks Jessica! This could not have come at a better time. See, my family is cursed. Genetically. On my mom's side (the Walkers) there is a genetic tweak that gifts its recipients with deteriorative vision problems. But it skips a generation - so my mom's father has it, and his grandfather had it, and two of my three cousins have it. My grandfather is legally blind, and has been for most of his life. Aaron is now legally blind and he's only 25. Coulter isn't, but he's well on his way. That's another thing. It only affects the men. Or so we thought.
    My vision has been getting steadily worse each time I visit the eye doctor - which is once a year. I thought nothing of it. Actually, I did think of it, I just thought that's how everybody was. Apparently, that isn't supposed to start until you're about forty. I happened to mention this to my grandmother when she was here to care for my mother after her surgery, and she said, "Oh, you're just like your grandpa and the boys." Great.
    I'm not legally blind or anything, and I probably won't get to that point anytime soon as the curse isn't as strong for the girls (woot!). However, when I first got glasses, my prescription was -.5 in the right eye and -1.00 in the left. Now, about six years later, I'm at -2.00 in the right and -2.75 in the left, which is a change of about .25 each year (check out dem math skillz).
    So here's a fun fact: I haven't bought new glasses since my first prescription. I mostly wear contacts, because glasses annoy me and for a while I felt like I wasn't as cute with glasses. I started wearing them more though when I got close to Corey's brother Brett and his friends, because they all assured me that girls with glasses are super cute. And Corey loves them, too. Only problem is, they really didn't help me all that much.
    I finally left my last pair (I had two) at Corey's grandma's house by mistake over the Fourth of July, and realized I'd have to replace them - hopefully with an accurate prescription this time. And lo and behold, two months later, I won a pair for free! They came in on Monday and I love them.

    Since getting these babies, I've been searching for different ways to do my makeup to compliment my new frames. Here, obviously, I went for a bold lip. But I also love the idea of sporting some brighter eye makeup behind my lenses. Glasses tend to wash out your makeup a bit, so even if you do something more bright and dramatic than you normally would, it ends up looking really nice once your glasses are on. Here are a few looks I'm going to try the next time I rock my glasses. (All photos from my Pinterest.)

 

Red Lip & Neutral Eyes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. So sleek and sophisticated, and who doesn't love a little leopard print thrown into the mix?

 

Light & Dark. Obviously I don't have blue eyes. But this is the kind of dramatic look that will flatter any eye color, and I know it would look great behind a great pair of glasses.

Golden Plum. Again, obviously not a blue-eyed girl. (And frankly, I don't think this person is either.) But purple is a great compliment to brown eyes, and adding the gold to warm things up draws the perfect amount of light behind your lenses.

Iced Cranberry. I actually wore this on Saturday at work without glasses (since they hadn't come in yet) and I have never gotten so many compliments on my eye makeup before! Just think how it would pop with a strong set of frames!

Do you wear glasses? What sort of makeup do you wear to flaunt your frames? Tell me below!

Every Day I'm Bumblin'

See what I did there? I know. It's hard to achieve this level of clever. This clevel. Sorry. I took it too far.
Listening to OH MY GOSH HOW HAVE I NOT LISTENED TO 2 OF 2 YET?! I'm sorry, JT! I have failed you!
    Last Friday at about 11:45 p.m., my good friend Hannah DMed me on Twitter. Lucky for her I was awake because Friday is Bride-Day. (I can't help it. I'm drawn into the dress shows. I still have no clue what I want for anything at my own wedding - except the groom, of course - but I love watching other women find the dress.) She said that she was going to a Sephora event for Bumble and Bumble at a salon in Brookhaven on Sunday, and did I want to come? Naturally, I squealed and whooped and typed back, very nonchalant, "Yeah, I could probably swing it," because I can be oh-so-cool when called upon. Inside - who am I kidding, I was alone in the basement - outside, I was bursting with excited energy. I must have thanked her forty times.
    I've known Hannah since the second grade when she convinced our whole class that she was allergic to m&ms - she's always been a hoot, but at the time, we didn't fully grasp her level of hilarity. Sadly, we went to different high schools and somewhat fell out of touch. Until, of course, I found her blog and started to stalk her in the not-so-healthy way. (It was super fun running into her at Target once and referring to things I'd seen in her blog from months back.) In all seriousness, her writing is really fun to read, and I highly recommend that you four or five loyal readers (how I love you) go check her out. She's doing a fun 31-Days-Of-Favorites feature for October!
    Understandably, I was super excited to spend some time with her Sunday afternoon. And at a hair and beauty event, no less! At the salon, we got a dry styling by the stylists of Salon Red, which was super fun. David did a great job giving me some extra volume - my hair isn't necessarily thick, but there's so much and it's so heavy that volume at the roots is not an easy feat to accomplish. I went in with my hair wavy (tutorial here), and he showed me just a few simple tricks to get the volume I wanted.

    First, he suggested that I simply flip my part, which is something I've been toying with recently, but I've been a left-part my whole life, and I get sort of attached to things.. He also suggested using a mousse at the roots, even once it's dry and styled, and aiming the blow dryer there first on warm, then on cool to set it. Lastly, he suggested a tousling spray and to run my hands through it, roughing it up. And look at what all that did! BAM, baby. We make an adorable pair, too. Please ignore the towel around my neck that I forgot to take off. I'm fancy, I know.
    We were pampered, fed delicious chicken salad sandwiches and hummus, given wine - which was surprisingly good for Trader Joe's (not that I've had any of their other wine to compare it to, I was just surprised regardless) - and given free product. Who can hate on that? Not me!

    Most of the Bumble and Bumble products were from their new Thickening line which I believe (but don't quote me) comes out in December. Lord knows my hair is thick enough, but I've been using some of them the last few days just to see what happens. We'll find out!

I can do a full review of any of these products if anyone is interested, just let me know in the comments! Have you tried any of these products before? What did you think?

Five Faves and a Flop: September

 Listening to Groove is in the Heart by Dee Lite. (I highly encourage you to check out the vid. It's like a five-minute trip to the seventies, accompanied by some rad dance moves.)Dreading my midterm in 19th Century American Literature at 3:30 today.
    Last Thursday in September and look at me! I'm so on top of things. Except, you know, school things. Probably going to lose it during my midterm today. But I've got my blog post up!
    Not gonna lie, this month has been highly beauty-centered as far as my favorites go.

• Caress Tahitian Renewal - I have weirdly sensitive skin. I have to be careful what makeup, cleanser, and lotion I use, as well as what products I use in the shower. Everything has to be as natural as possible. The problem is that a lot of all-natural products really don't smell awesome, or make my skin as soft as it could be. I'd been using a Method soap for a while, but I've gotten tired of the smell. Before I went all-natural-everything, I'd been using Caress, and it didn't give me hives too badly. So what I've been doing is alternating every other day, Caress-Method-Caress-Method, etc. That way I smell and feel yummy, but the next day I really cleanse my skin and get all the chemicals that irritate my skin off completely. Tahitian Renewal feels like a trip to a private island villa with an outdoor bathtub and shower and bamboo flooring. Minus the likely jellyfish stings.
• Black Moccasins - I honestly don't remember where I got these since it was about three years ago, but I remember my grandmother buying them for me. She actually bought me two pair - one in tan, and these black ones because we liked them both and couldn't choose. The tan ones unfortunately broke a few years back, but these babies have held up! They are super comfortable - perfect for booking it around campus (get it? 'cause I'm running around, and hitting the books. Ha. Haha. Return of the Puns). Plus I think they're just super cute for fall.
• L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation in Creamy Natural - What with fall looks being all matte, I figured it's time to retire the BB cream (since the only one I like/can use has a very dewy finish), and opt for something a bit more mattifying. Unfortunately, alone, Magic Nude isn't quite what I wanted - although I guessed my color perfectly! In order to achieve that truly matte finish, I have to wear a primer underneath, and set at least the center of my face, if not all of it, with a mattifying powder. Which I don't mind, I would just appreciate less steps in the morning. It really does go on nicely, though I would recommend using your fingers rather than a brush or a sponge. And for goodness sake, shake before use. I made that mistake.
• EOS in Summer Fruit - It smells like peaches, tastes like Pez, and the cap is fun to twist on and off. I'm sold.
• L'Oreal Infallible 24-Hour Eyeshadow in Amber Rush - I really just love this color. It screams fall. Some have called it a rose-gold, some copper. I think Amber Rush is just fine. It looks like fall leaves against bright blue skies and pumpkins and brisk air and toe socks* and I love it. It's so beautiful, sometimes I wear just that one shadow as a wash over my whole lid with no crease color, no highlighter, and just a smidge of brown eyeliner. It's perfect. Infallible. Oh yes, I did.

• FLOP: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Shine in Plum Velour - It's not really the lipstick's fault. It can't change what color it is. I just really wanted and oxblood color, and as dark as this color looks, it still looks like a berry color on my lips. And not even that dark. I was torn between this one and Black Cherry at CVS, so I guess I'll go exchange it tomorrow. (I literally just bought it today, too.)

*I associate toe socks with fall, mostly because I used to buy a pair of Halloween toe socks every Halloween during middle and high school.

What have you been loving this month? Any disappointments? Let me know!

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Product List

• Caress Tahitian Renewal
• L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation in Creamy Natural
• EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit
• L'Oreal Infallible 24-Hour Eyeshadow in Amber Rush
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Shine in Plum Velour (discontinued.)

Fall Trends 2013

Listening to CheaterCheaterBestFriendEater by NeverShoutNever
Nervous about my second presentation for today.
    Sorry this post is a little late - I stupidly scheduled two presentations (with coordinating papers) due on the same day. I did number one this morning (have to finish the paper, though), and the second one is at two. At least I will have them over with!
    I've been looking at the runways a lot more this year - as opposed to previous years when I'd just pick up on trends once I saw them being worn - and I thought I'd do a little collective post on what's hot for the cooler months! A lot of things I've already seen being worn, and others I'm excited to try.

Plaid

I've already seen a lot of plaid, but rather than being tailored, it seems to be more of a renewal of 90s grunge - only less grungy. Everything is sort of oversized and baggy, but with more put together makeup and accessories. I like here that though the shirt is baggy in the arms, she has a very classic and vintage makeup and hairstyle.

 Shoes

Pointy-toed flats are way in, particularly in animal prints, but I love these plaid ones. The leopard booties are super cute with the minimalist black outfit and tartan scarf (love that combo!) and the black and white stripes and Moto jacket in the other photo bring in another trend that's showing up everywhere -

Black and White

Black always seems to be in style, but you'd think according to those old rules of style that white would be out what with fall coming down the road. On the contrary, there's a ton of black-and-white looks cropping up everywhere! I saw a lot of white blazers and jackets, which I love. On the positive side, you don't really have to stick with snow white, you can go with a winter white or creamier warmer white and still be just as on-trend! Bonus in this photo: teal is also making a big appearance. It really stands out with the black-and-white!

Dark Florals

I'm all for florals year-round. It's not like flowers don't bloom in winter time, too, right? But I think this is a really excellent way to keep it from looking too springy - keeping the colors more muted and dark. I really love doing it in a flowy dress as well, rather than the patterned skinnies I keep seeing everywhere - although they're great (I'm wearing some now!). It's a good way to stand out a little.

Stacked Bracelets

I know this has been a trend since early spring, but it's really stuck around. A good way to keep it from looking too spring/summer is to stay away from the pastels and stick to neutrals. I also love the idea of mixing metals. I think that lends more particularly to fall and winter than the pastels and golds from the spring and summer.

Thick Fringe

Once again, thick fringes are super hot. Some designers were using faux fringes on their models, and some were really conceptual, but the core facts are here: bangs are bangin'. I keep saying I want to grow mine out, but each time I start, fringes come back and I want to cut mine so badly! I like that the ones pictured here aren't straight across, but they curve down at her temples to frame her eyes.

Textured Tresses

There was a lot of crimping going on at the runways. While I like the concept, I think it may be too much to do for every day. I like the idea of crimping a few sections of hair all throughout and giving it some texture, then maybe throwing it in a piecey fishtail with lots of volume. This is also a good example of the minimalist eyes and bold lips trend!

Simple Eyes / Bold Lips

I love that oxblood lips are still going to be around for this season. I loved that last fall. It made makeup really easy with just a bit of eye shadow and mascara, then that bold pucker of oxblood burgundy. Beautiful. The key is to make sure your eyebrows are bold, too, to balance it out. Additionally, as much as I love my BB Cream, everything is very matte as far as makeup - eyes, lips, cheeks, everything. I'll have to invest in a good mattifying powder.

Just Bitten Lips / Flushed Cheeks

If you're not brave enough for super heavy lips, a good compromise is to go with another popular look on the runways - flushed cheeks and "just bitten" lips. Focus your lip color on the inner portion of your lips, then blot until it's just barely there, and keep your blush matte and on just the apples of your cheeks, not bringing it too far up your cheekbone towards your temples. This works well with a lightly smoky eye or neutral matte tones. (Low ponytails with lots of texture and volume are also making an appearance!)

Statement Eye / Soft Lips

Statement eyes in bold colors like lavender, cobalt, and violet were making huge waves. I love this smoked out purple. Just be sure to keep the lip neutral to avoid clown-face.

 Textured Nails

Textured everything is big, but especially in nails! Everyone from China Glaze to Zoya to Sally Hansen are coming out with fuzzy textures, sand, pixie dust, sugar, matte and everything in between. I love the idea of this cross-hatching with nail strips. I also saw snakeskin - super cool!

 

What do you think? Which trends will you give a shot? Tell me in the comments!

 All photos from my Pinterest.

 

 

Smoke Signals

Listening to the Beauty and The Beast Soundtrack.
Excited about Corey coming home tomorrow!
    I have to apologize. I was going to post my August Five Faves and a Flop today, but honestly, I have not had time to put that post together. I had a ton of reading to do this week, and I had to deep clean the basement since Corey will be here tomorrow!!! So I decided I'll post my Faves and Flop on Saturday, the actual last day of the month, and y'all will get an extra post this week!
    So. The smoky eye. Symbol of mysterious, smoldering seduction in the beauty world. But let's face it. Sometimes it's just a little too much for everyday wear. We all know how to wear it to a wedding or a night out on the town, but if you do it for your 8 am class, you look like you slept with your face in the dirt. You gotta tone it down for the daytime - here's how I do it!

1. Prep your eyes. Use a thin layer of your favorite primer.
2. Use a C-brush and a very pale golden tan on the inner half of your lids. Not too bright - the highlighting will come later.
3. Use a medium taupe on the outer half with the same type brush. Not too dark, but also not lighter than the golden tan you already used. We're just adding a slight definition to the outer halves.
4. Select a brownish-grey color, and using a crease brush, apply this to the crease and the outer-V.
5. Using a fluffy blending brush, buff out the edges and blend the brownish-grey into the taupe. They keys to a wearable day-time smoky eye are careful layering and ensuring there are no defining lines between colors.
6. Apply whatever's left on the blending brush along the outer half of your lower lids. Don't bring it all the way around like you may for a more dramatic nighttime looks. This is just a faint smoke.

1. Select a dark brown - darker than the brownish-grey from the previous step 4 - and apply that directly to the crease a clean crease brush to really define it. Blend it out.
2. Take a brown pencil eyeliner and apply that on the outer two-thirds of your lower lash line. Use the buffer on the other side of your pencil, or a dense smudge brush, and smudge it out, being sure to connect it with the color from your upper lids.
3. Use a waterproof and smudge-proof black pencil liner and line your lower waterline. Don't bring the color all the way to the inner corner, though. Just to the inner edge of your lash line. This is another way to ensure that the look is not too intense to wear everyday.
4. Apply a black gel eyeliner to your upper lash line. Keep the line thin and precise, and don't wing it out. The look is already intense enough without a wing.
5. Take a C-brush and dust your favorite highlighter on your brow bone. Be sure to select a warm-toned highlighter like a peach or golden champagne as opposed to white so the contrast between the highlight and your smoky lids isn't too drastic.
6. Use the same highlighter on your inner corners, meeting the inner edge of your lower lashes so that the highlighter illuminates the entire inner corner of your eye.

To finish up, curl your lashes, and layer on a few coats of your favorite volumizing mascara!

When will you be rocking this wearable daytime smoky eye?

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Products Used (in order of use)

• Maybelline 24-Hour Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
• Fifth shade from the top in the Physicians Formula Nude Classics Palette
• Third shade from the top in the Physicians Formula Nude Classics Palette
• e.l.f. Mineral Eye Shadow in Socialite
• Fourth shade from the bottom in the Physicians Formula Nude Classics Palette
• Covergirl Perfect Blend Pencil Crayon in Black Brown
• Rimmel Exaggerate Auto Waterproof Eye Definer in Noir
• e.l.f. Studio Cream Eye Liner in Black
• e.l.f. Mineral Eye Shadow in Elegant
• Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara in Black