My beginning days of freshman year have been nothing like what freshman from previous years experienced. Normally, I would be trying to find my way to my classes, but instead, I have to worry about finding zoom links. Although these times are confusing and difficult to navigate, they have given many people more time to try new things and flex their creative muscles. Before quarantine, I had a set makeup routine that I loved, but now I’ve built on my skills and mastered new looks to beat boredom. Here are five looks to try when you are bored.
- Pin-up Look
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The pin-up look was trendy for movie stars in the 1940s-1960s. Characterized by a flawless face, strong brows, winged eyeliner and, of course, a bright red lip, this simple yet elegant look is excellent for a beginner. Due to the shortages of makeup products during WW2, it only requires a few products.
Get the look: A flawless face is a must in any pin-up look. Start with a good primer. I recommend E.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. Then, apply your foundation like normal. For foundation, I like using L’oreal Pro Glow foundation. Then, bake your face. The baking technique is essentially packing on loose, translucent powder where you apply your concealer under your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes. Your body heat will “bake”, or set your foundation and concealer. When you brush the powder off, it will give you a perfect, airbrushed finish. Add definition and volume to your lips by over-lining them just slightly with a red lip pencil and then filling them in with your favorite red lipstick. I have been using Revlon’s Fire and Ice for years. Finally, elongate your eyes with a felt tip liner. Don’t be afraid to try a dramatic wing!
- Colored Eyeliner
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Before quarantine, I stuck to only black eyeliner. Since then, I have gotten a chance to experiment with different colors. To find which shades will make your eyes pop, look at the color wheel to find the hue opposite your eye color. For example, the opposite of blue is red, but since you probably wouldn’t wear red eyeliner, you look next to it and see gold. Some other color combinations include:
– green eyes with a reddish-brown or purple eyeliner
– brown eyes with amber or dark blue eyeliner
– hazel eyes with emerald green or gold.
Get the look: Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil comes in such a wide variety of colors and, as the name suggests, really does last all day. For a sultry look, line your waterline and smoke it out with a shader brush.
- Rainbow Eyes
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This look is super colorful and will allow you to brush up on your eyeshadow blending skills. Even though pride month was back in June, who says every month can’t be pride month?
Get the look: For best results, start with a clean canvas. Use your favorite eyeshadow primer and set with a cream eyeshadow. For the liner, use different colored eye pencils to line your upper and lower lash lines. Using the purple shade, add a wing and then smoke it out to give it a cat-eye effect. Use a white eye pencil to line your waterline to make your eyes stand out amid all the color. Use an angled eyeshadow brush to highlight your crease with the same cream shade you used as a base. You are trying to add a separation between your eyeliner and what will be the cut crease. Right above the cream shade, use a fluffy brush to blend in your colors. Keep it nice and sharp by cleaning up the line with concealer, remembering to set it with the same cream shade. The purpose of this is to make sure the colors don’t look muddy. Finish off the look by adding glitter or sequins along the lash line, as James does.
- Euphoria Eyeshadow
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Want to recreate the iconic look from one of your favorite quarantine binges, “Euphoria”? Look no further than this look. According to Beauty Insider, the makeup “looks are topped with sequins, glitter, sharp eyeliner, and colorful eyeshadow.” Trying out this look will give you plenty of practice with glitter for when it is safe to party again.
Get the look: To get that perfect, dramatic wing with minimal effort, try an eyeliner stamp, like Nyx’s That’s The Point. Then, you want to add some holographic colors. Huda Beauty’s Mercury Retrograde palette is perfect, but you could also use highlighters to achieve the same glowy look. Add gems in small, vertical lines near your eyes and add a plumping lipgloss like Too Faced Lip Injection to complete the look.
- Ombre Lips
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Ombre lips are a fun and unexpected way to make your lips stand out. You are creating a gradient from dark to light. You start with the darkest color in the corners of your mouth, and then transition to a lighter shade as you move towards the center of your lips; adding the lightest color in the center will give the look a dramatic effect.
Get the look: Because you are working with multiple colors trying to cover a small space, you should use a tiny lip brush for maximum precision. The brush I always use, Morphe M443, is an eyeliner brush that is smaller than most lip brushes to allow for more precision. Once you’ve applied your colors, tap your fingers where the color transitions for a more natural effect.
With all of the extra time we have during quarantine, I hope you get a chance to try out these looks. Who knows, maybe you’ll even discover a look to add to your beauty repertoire.