Makeup

My brows have never been of much concern for me. They are naturally shaped pretty well, which makes tweezing an occasional touch up a rare necessity (aka, I won the brow lottery). But as a former magazine editor, I was gifted a lot of beauty products – one of which changed my brow game completely. A Japonesque brow kit completely transformed my thoughts on my eyebrows. I use brow powders and wax religiously now. And since my brows are already dark, the touch of mascara help make them stand out instantly. My friend, who used to be a make up artist, also taught me to use my foundation all over my face {lips, eyelids, and brow bone included}, to help create an even tone all over my face and to hide any stray brow hairs that need to be tweezed. Paired with plenty of mascara on my lashes, this look allows me to feel pulled together whether I do nothing else to my face {besides a touch of blush} or go all out with a dramatic, smokey eye or dark lip. Here’s a peek at my go-to brow products + my detailed how-to for beautiful brows. I’d love to know, what’s your secret for amazing eyebrows?

{Tools: Make Up For Ever Foundation & Mascara, Japonesque Brow Kit {similar here}, and Tweezers.}

Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Tweeze any stray brow hairs, then apply a thin layer of foundation all over your face, followed by a touch of blush.
Step 2: Using the brow powders, mix the dark and light colors to highlight your brows.
Step 3: Since I have dark brows, I also add a tiny swipe of mascara to help hold down and darken my brows. Then, I finish it off with brow wax.
Step 4: Generously add layers of mascara to your eyes to help make them stand out.
Step 5: Use a lipstick/ gloss and any other eye make up you would like.

x Paris

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I recently realized I have an addiction when it comes to beauty products. While I once was spending all my money on jewelry, then on clothes, and finally shoes, these days I find myself interested more in beauty products over anything else. And while I definitely focus more on skincare rather than makeup {especially as I get older}, there’s nothing that makes me feel quite as pulled together as a good lipstick or a swipe of mascara that makes my real lashes so long, they almost look faux. But since I’ve been focusing far more on face masks and serums {anti-aging and brightening all the way!}, I realized that I haven’t been very creative with my make up routine lately. With our mornings and evenings feeling overcast lately {and the middle of the day feeling like it’s still the height of summer – thanks, California/ May gray and June gloom!}, I recently tried my hand at creating a color combo I’m obsessed with and discovered my new favorite make up look: a summery peach eye + bronzed lip. It made for the perfect back-from-an-island-vacation glow during a rather overcast dinner date recently.

I blended in a nude eyeshadow alongside a bronzed eyeshadow, and finished it off with a touch of my peach pink blush. The combination of colors created the prettiest peachy gold hue, and with the touch of my blush within the eyeshadow, it also helped accentuate the color on my cheeks and paired perfectly with my golden bronze lipstick. While I love this color combination in the form of makeup, my favorite part of this whole experience was discovering that a simple mix of various colors and products {I mean, blush in lieu of eyeshadow was not something I had previously considered or thought of} could completely transform my makeup options. The combination feels like the perfect {faux} post-tropical glow, which makes it universally appealing for all seasons, whether it’s during an al fresco dinner date on a warm, summer evening or a chilly autumn afternoon in the office. I hope it inspires your date night, brunch, and office looks as much as it has inspired mine! x

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