The focus at catwalks for this A/W was definitely on the eyes, so get out your palettes and brushes and be creative!
Versace
A trend that seems to be hot for A/W is lots of lashes. Seen at all the greatest names – Gucci, Versace and Prada included – there’s no doubt that stacking up those falsies is a sure way to keep on trend as the nights get longer. My personal favourite lashes are the Red Cherry #43’s. They are really light and comfy and come in at a purse-friendly £2.89 (without delivery).
My tips for applying lashes are:
· Apply a thin layer of good-quality glue such as DUO.
· Wait at least 60 seconds for it to become tacky.
· Look downwards into your mirror and push gently, as close to your lashline as you can.
Donna Karan
If applying those fluttery falsies still seems too daunting, another trend seen at both Armani and Donna Karan is metallic eyeshadow. A simple wash of colour over the lid is a quick way to embrace the look. Cream textured shadows could be the easiest way to achieve a long-lasting finish, and products such as Maybelline’s Color Tattoo cream gel eyeshadows, or Benefit’s Creaseless Cream Shadows feature some fab metallic shades.
A fluffy synthetic-bristled brush like Real Techniques’ Deluxe Crease Brush would be the best choice for blending, as opposed to those with real hair bristles which can take up a lot of the product instead of blending it out.
If you don’t fancy brushes, you could always apply and blend out the colour with a clean fingertip. Sometimes the product may work better this way as the natural warmth of your finger can help blend the product nicely into the skin.
Kenzo
Liquid liner is always in style, and this season is no exception. At Jean Paul Gaultier, exaggerated feline flicks were paired with power brows, and at Kenzo we saw a new take on the classic liner – replacing black with blue! They used MAC PRO’s Ultramarine Chromaline, but you could also get the look using Sleek’s Flick It Eyeliner in Royal Blue, or Barry M’s Liquid Eyeliner in LE3 Electric Blue.
When applying liquid eyeliner, there are a few tips you should bear in mind to make it super easy. Firstly, rest your elbow on a surface. This might seem a bit odd, but the balance makes it so much easier to keep a steady hand and prevent those pesky smudges. Then, draw a small line from the outside corner of the eye, angled towards the end of the eyebrow. The length of this line depends on the size of the flick you’re after. Draw another line from the edge of the flick to the middle of the eye and fill in the triangle. Next comes a thinner line from the inside corner to join the middle.
Finally, I’ve found that practice really does make perfect. Everyone has their own tricks for applying their liner and you need to experiment to find out what’s easiest for you. As well as different techniques to try, also bear in mind that different products will work differently and something as simple as the length of the felt tip could be helping or hindering you.
And if you’re still making a bit of a mess, there’s always cotton buds to help neaten up your work of art, so just have a go and have fun!
Edited by Jayde Richards