This is the second part of my Bobbi Brown make up consultation. {Here’s Part 1}
Before I went to my consultation, I asked Bridal Musings readers to share their bridal beauty questions & queries on Facebook.
Emma asked: I would love advice on simple ways to do the smokey eye look without looking like you have been hit in the eye! And what products to use for this.
Well, like Emma, I have tried and failed to achieve the illusive smokey eye many times over, and after Duchess Catherine went for a bit of a smokey eye for the Royal Wedding, I thought…smokey could well be the modern bridal make up look. So I asked Andrea to create a smokey eyed look suitable for a bride.
I dreamed of looking like this {this photo was in my inspiration folder my own wedding make up!}
What a goddess…don’t you think this would make a gorgeous bridal look?
Onto the lesson:
Andrea followed all the correct & conceal steps to prep the eye area {see Part 1}. Then she started layering ‘Lilac' eye shadow {a very light lavender shade with a subtle shimmer} on my eyelids {not past the crease} and applied a darker shade, ‘Black Plum Shimmer' around my eyes like a liner. Then blended the shades lightly.
I must admit, I wasn't keen on the choice of ‘Lilac' as I was envisaging shimmery dark greys and blacks for the ultimate smokey look but Andrea assured me that the smokey eyed look can be achieved with any colour palette {and lilac would bring out my blue eyes, apparently}.
Andrea's Top tip: Dark eye make up should be applied before foundation, in case you drop any flecks onto your cheeks.
Andrea was really good at telling me all the different products she was using and the application techniques, she was also really accommodating and understanding when I felt it just wasn't dark enough. I felt a little old fashioned at first, with purple eyeshadow on so she choose a darker shade to layer {Smoke – a deep brown/black shade} and lined my eyes with an eye pencil in ‘Black Mauve'.
Then it was time to apply Bobbi Brown's famous {and fantastic} eyeliner gel with Bobbi Brown's fine eyeliner brush. For the smokey eyed look, black eyeliner was applied to both top and bottom lids but I must admit I very rarely wear eyeliner on my bottom lid as I feel it makes my eyes look smaller.
Mark Reagan {Bobbi’s right hand man in NYC!} popped by and stopped to help, he elongated the eyeliner on my upper lid slightly at the outer corner. Which I really appreciated because I have very round shaped eyes and am always using a flick of black liner to make them look more almond shaped. He said and I quote ‘it's all about the artisty' and I must admit it did look much better.
Mark’s top tip for eyeliner: Follow the upwards angle of the edge of your lower lid line. Sounds complicated in writing but try to imagine you're drawing liner underneath your lashes, following the natural line but when you get to the end continue the line up a little. That is the angle you're hoping for on your top lashes. Check out the picture below to illustrate this point:
For a more in depth description, check out this fabulous step by step catflick/60s eyeliner tutorial. I personally think eyeliner can do wonders for everybody if done right. I've also hunted down the simplest smokey eye tutorial video I could find as I'm probably not explaining this very well!
Here's the diagram & product information you get given at the end of your tutorial, it might help to illustrate things a bit better:
This is so useful for when you're trying to recreate the look at home. You don't have to try and remember all the products and the make up artist actually applies the colours straight from the products too…very clever!
And here are my before and after photos {by the way in the before photo I cheated and am wearing a cheeky slick of mascara but that's it!}
What do you think?!
My Verdict: The tutorial was fantastic! I left feeling that, with the right products, I could create the look myself at home. My skin looked good and I did like the purple smokey eye but in all honesty, when I look at the photos, I think I look better in the ‘before' picture. {That’s probably because I’m not used to wearing much make up.} I just feel the liner on my top & bottom lash lines {without an elongated, outward flick effect} makes my eyes look smaller, rounder and closer together.
Zee’s Verdict: He thought I looked too made up. But he is one of those weird men who likes the ‘natural look’.
Would I recommend brides, friends and family have a Bobbi Brown make up consultation? Definitely!
I would also recommend taking pictures of the look you’d like to go for so you and the make up artist are on the same wavelength. I'm sure had I take in the photo of Megan Fox above, Andrea would've been able to create & teach me how to create a similar look.
Would I book another consultation? Oh yes! All my experiences with Bobbi Brown and their products have been so positive.
I must say a big thank to Andrea, who was so patient with me and did a fantastic job.
For more information about Bobbi Brown's range of beauty lessons/consultations visit the Bobbi Brown website. There are also some really good make up tutorials, advice and articles on the website too.
