Makeup, Part 3: Eyes

Let's talk makeup, shall we? We've covered foundation and blush so today it is time for eyes!

First of all, I must know: do you groom your brows? Do you tweeze? Wax? Do you have a unibrow? Do your brows resemble caterpillars? If they do, I feel your pain. I've been there. Check those babies out!

Listen, y'all, I know eyebrow maintenance is painful. But being a girl isn't always bling bling and fluffy rainbows. Sometimes you have to suffer to look beautiful. Invest in some high quality tweezers, and I swear, you won't feel a thing.

**That's a lie. Yes, you will. But I promise that the more you do it, the less it hurts. I don't even feel it anymore, and my gorilla heritage means I must tweeze every other day.**

I absolutely love my Revlon tweezers, and I've heard great things about Tweezerman tweezers as well. If you want to splurge, check out the Anastasia kit below - it has everything you need for serious tweezing jobs. You even get stencils, which are a huge help if you have no idea where you arch is or how to define it.

If you have sparse brows, or little gaps like I do (let's just say I went a little overboard with the plucking at one point) then you'll want to fill in with a brow powder or pencil. I actually invested in a brow brush and just use eyeshadow, but pencils are great if you have a steady hand. Whatever you use, just brush your brows after the powder or pencil application, and finish up with a coat of clear mascara to control those little crazy hairs that stick out all over the place.

This kit from Bare Escentuals has everything you need:

My last little bit of advice on brows: if you have the money, go and get your brows done at a nice salon. Your appointment will be about 30 minutes long, and the esthetician will wax and/or tweeze for you. Then all you have to do is keep up with her work, tweezing strays every few days. **Waxing at the nail salon, however quick and inexpensive it is, is not the same thing. They are just removing stray hairs, not defining or creating an arch.** I know I'll get some raised eyebrows (haha) for this one, but I also recommend not waxing your brows, at least not on a regular basis. The pulling and tugging involved is not good for the delicate skin around your eyes, and can contribute to wrinkles. And who wants those?

Moving on! Let's talk eyeshadow. There are so many different colors, brands, and finishes of eyeshadow out there right now. You have pigments, minerals, shimmer, glitter, matte... neon, neutrals, brights, smokey colors... MAC, Maybelline, Bare Escentuals... It can be exhausting.

I can't really recommend specific colors, because the colors of eyeshadow you should wear depend on your skin tone and eye color. I'm fair and have brown eyes, and I look good in neutral colors, greens, and purples. I look sickly in coppery browns, though. And I can't pull off a black smokey eye. If you wanted to send me a pic, I will try to match you up with some specific colors.

The first step with your eyes should be priming! Do you have oily lids? Do you have issues with your eyeshadow disappearing halfway through the day? Does eyeliner and mascara give you raccoon eyes? Prime, baby, prime! The absolute best primer on the market is Urban Decay Primer Potion. This is a great buy, because it will last you all year. **Just a tip: when you think you are done, pull out the little ring in the top and you'll have enough primer for several more months.**

For the most basic of eye looks, simply swipe a light and shimmery eyeshadow from your lash line all the way up to your brows. Again, the color you choose is personal, but think cream, champagne, or gold, and it is best if it has a tiny amount of shimmer. Stila Oasis, Starlight, and Dune are all good examples. If you want to take things a bit further, add a slightly dark color on your lid. MAC Woodwinked and Satin Taupe are good examples. If you want a polished look, add a crease color in a darker shad, such as Stila Expresso or Barefoot Contessa.

Does all those steps and choices make your head hurt? Then you need a Cargo's eyeshadow kit, for sure - it has the directions printed right on the shadow!

Here's another personal fav, Pop Beauty's Lid Bronzer. It suits almost any skin tone, and it comes with directions as to what color goes where. Foolproof! I use it almost every day.

Some other palettes I own and love... or would like to own and love:

• You know how I told you I can't pull off a black smokey eye? That doesn't stop me from wanting to try, and BE's Rocker Eye kit can help.
• This Stila palette talks to you, and it contains my absolute favorite eyeshadow shade, Kitten. You can't mess it up when someone is talking you through the application.
• I really like Cargo's eyeshadow sets. The shadow is creamy and blends easily.
• I love these Stila eyeshadow trios... all the shades you need for a complete eye.
• Oh, how I love Lorac. The Croc and Snake Charmer palettes get used frequently at my house. You get four shadows and a blush, all in complimentary shades. Loves it.
• The shadow brush in this Tarte set is worth the price of the palette. They've discontinued the set that I have, but the shadows go on like a dream. It's well worth the investment.

Don't forget MAC, of course. Or Milani (CVS and Walgreens). Or NYX (Ulta). Or Loreal HiP.

If you just want to go crazy and get a bunch of samples of colors to see what suits you, check out Pure Lux. They sell samples sizes of their shadows, as does Everyday Minerals.

I'm going to save eyeliner and mascara for another post, along with lips, since this has gotten so long. Don't forget to email me your specific questions, and I'll get right back to you!