The Best Products For Creating Statement Eyes
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Choose Punchy Pigment
If there’s ever a time to experiment with colours outside your comfort zone, it’s the festive season; after all, sequins and sparkles practically beg for an equally playful pairing when it comes to eye make-up. For all the drama that bright colour provides, happily, your technique can still be simple. One of the chicest ways to wear colour is as an opaque wash across your lids. For a cooler, more modern feel, aim for slightly squared edges so it looks more blocky and less winged and whatever you do, restrict the colour to the top lids only, as taking it underneath feels a little dated. Zingy citrus shades like orange and lime work surprisingly well, especially on paler skins, while deeper brights like turquoise and violet look gorgeous on darker skin tones. If you do go for it, Huda Beauty eyeshadow palettes are a great place to start, as they’re packed with pigment and have plenty of dazzling shades to choose from.
Upgrade Your Neutrals
If you want to make an impact but you’re resolute about sticking to neutrals, choose your shades wisely. Retire anything too wishy washy and opt for metallics that have plenty of depth and colour-play within them. Isamaya Ffrench’s Industrial Colour Pigments Palette has some good options, with the shades ‘Whip’ and ‘Machine’ being the standouts. Both reflect light beautifully and have different undertones of pewter and lilac that really suit deeper skin tones. If copper and gold hues are more your thing, it doesn’t get much better than Chanel’s Les 4 Ombres in ‘Ombres de Lune’ which comprises four rich, warm metallics. If you can bear to blend over the embossed Chanel imprint, then try wearing them as a simple streak of colour that gently hugs the contour of your lash line. For something with a cooler undertone for lighter skins, try Vieve’s iconic Ninetease Eyeshadow Palette, and specifically the shades ‘Acid Wash’, ‘VHS’ and ‘Dial Up’. If your look does call for a shadow on the lighter end of the spectrum, then you can always apply it to your lids using a damp brush. This will dial up the intensity of the pigment while keeping the shade itself quite pale.
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Reconsider Red
If you thought red eyeshadow was only for Halloween, it’s time to think again. One of the most underrated but flattering colours out there, the right red can look interesting, understated and expensive all at once. When it comes to choosing the shade to suit you, skin tone is a helpful guide. If you’re pale then try a lighter red with slightly more of a pink tone, while darker skin can go for deeper shades like burgundy and rust. Whichever one you choose, Dior’s Backstage Palette in Burgundy Neutrals ought to be top of your list. Full of options from a soft rose gold to a deep cranberry and sparkling ruby, there’s something for everyone. Failing that, Nars’ Stargaze Eyeshadow Palette has some very pretty red flecked metallic options if you prefer something with a little more sparkle. One caveat to note if you do decide to go for red; it can bring out bluish tones in the veins under your eyes so a full coverage concealer is must.
Lead With Liner
One of the easiest ways to make an impact when it comes to your eyes is with a liner, and better still, it’s a doddle to do en route to a party in the back of a cab. Cheat your way to smokey eyes with the help of Hourglass’ Voyeur Waterproof Gel Liners. The matte pigments are beautifully dense, which means you can go as soft or as heavy as you like and as long as you smudge them quickly, they’re easily blended out with both fingers or a brush. For something a little more show-stopping, Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Jewel Liners are a party season staple. The brand recently launched new shades, including Gold Lamé, Sequin Green and Night Flash. Thanks to the super soft texture, they’re easy to work over the full lids and smoke out to the edges, or you can keep it neat with just simple flick.
Let Your Lashes Steal The Show
Whether you plump for shadow or liner, statement lashes that frame your eyes are a given during the festive season. Plus, there’s really only one option: eyelash extensions courtesy of London’s best kept lash secret, Camilla Kirk-Reynolds. Known as Camilla Lashes, she tends to both Hollywood and actual royalty, and is known for being one of the only specialists in the world trained in Gel-Lys™ technology. Put simply, it cures the bonds between the lash extensions and your own hairs with LED technology, helping them to adhere instantly and with far more flexibility. The result isn’t only seamless and natural-looking lashes (you can choose from classic or volume depending on preference for density or volume) but better longevity too; most of Camilla’s clients report around seven weeks of wear as opposed to the average two or three. For something a little more temporary, coloured mascara is having a comeback, or so says the doyenne of make-up artists, Pat McGrath. Her buttery-textured Dark Star Colour Blitz Mascaras make the ultimate party season statement, coating lashes in various shades of aquamarine to brightest fuchsia. If you’re feeling nervous, think of it as an accent colour and keep things simple elsewhere on your face with a slick of black liner and a nude lipstick or gloss.
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