The trend is over. Gone. Done for. Fini’(Insert my Italian accent with the clutched fingers)! When I started out as a makeup artist, it wasn’t quite the “trendy” thing to do. MAC Cosmetics was still a place of shock and awe, so it was actually cool to match shadows to your clothes. Well honey, that was 2005…yeeeaaaah, almost 10 years ago, a whole decade ago. As a fashion and beauty expert, it’s my job to inform you, that day has passed. It doesn’t help me make this point to know there are millions of makeup artists (many aspiring) who will certainly argue this is not true. But sad to say, they are only looking for an ego stroke. To find the real trends, you must look to the runways, not your favorite Instagram MUA’s favorite new products. Though they may do a beautiful job applying them, as I stated before, colored shadow is so 10 years ago.
It really hit me over the weekend, while watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta. I would absolutely cringe every time I saw bright blue eye shadow matching a bright blue dress! Though I can appreciate the color itself, the look is dated, and in my opinion, just doesn’t look classy. Now I’m not saying that you can’t wear shadow. I’m saying the matchy-matchy thing is DONE. You won’t see that in Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar. Eye makeup these days is minimal, at best, when it comes to the current trends.
Here are a few tips to eye makeup that can be used now:
Earth tones, metallics or jewel tones
• Current eye makeup reflects what’s found in nature. Blues should be soft or deep, reflecting water or sky. You can never go wrong with golds and browns. Deeper emeralds and rubies can work, as well. All of these reflect what can be found naturally here on earth. When selecting, ask yourself, does this reflect something natural? Neon pink would be a ‘no’.
Eyeliners
• Eye Liners can be a good way to play with color, with less risk. This gives a hint of color, verses a take over. You want people to see you with makeup on, not makeup wearing you.
Smokey Eyes & Cat Eyes
• Smokey Eyes and Cat eyes are here to stay. Consider them classics. They go with everything and can be fitted to your personality. Both can be done as subtle or dramatic as you like.
My makeup trick
• When determining looks for clients, I tend to ask about accessories, more so than the color of the look. Using this method helps to keep makeup balanced with the outfit. Gold or silver tones should be kept consistent as well. Hint: A silver dress would pair nice with a smokey or cat eye. I would keep any highlighting powders in a more pink family, than my normal go to of gold. Anything gold would ideally clash with the silver dress. Hint hint: I would never put a silver shadow with a silver dress. Overkill.
If you’re looking forward to seeing those who have mastered their makeup application, step up into what we’re seeing on the runways and magazines. Popular social media MUA’s are great to get inspiration from, but be sure to look at their full body of work to be sure if they are truly an expert. Everything meant to get ‘likes’ isn’t meant for real life.
Joy N. Randall is an award-winning, professional makeup artist, and cosmetologist. Her resume includes NASCAR Productions, The Color Purple Broadway, DNC.com 2012 , and The David Letterman Show. She is a full time freelance artist under her own brand, Flawless Makeup Art in Charlotte, NC.
Contact Joy:
Web | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
