Do the Matte

When the matte lip trend first emerged, I was a bit skeptical. I had grown close with my collection of glosses, lacquers and balms and I'm reluctant to consider another option – especially one that had the potential to make our lips look parched and flaky.  But I gave it a chance – and I'm so glad I did (a matte red lip has become a staple for our Friday night outings). So when I first heard about the resurgence of matte eye shadow, I pushed my doubts aside (“It’s boring!” “Why go matte when you can have shimmer or sparkle?” “It’ll make me look like grandma!”) and tried to give it a whirl. I created two completely different, wearable, totally-opposite-of-grandma look – and I have to say, I'm kind of in love. Read on for directions…

Light

1.) I first created a smooth base for the look by applying a foundation over your face with a beauty sponge  (I love BB Flawless Complexion Enhancer).

2.) Try to create soft frames for this matte look by using Kevin Auicon The Precision Brow Pencil.

3.) Now onto the eyes! Dust a matte off-white eye shadow like Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Innocent from lash line up to your crease. Then, take a matte taupe shadow, create a V-shape from the outside of the eye and blended it halfway into crease along the socket.

4.) To accentuate the eye shape, blend the matte off-white shadow along the lash line with a thin eye shadow brush.

5.) Back to taupe – take the matte taupe shadow and line the lower lash line with it.

6.) Finish off this gorgeous, natural matte eye shadow look with a swipe of lengthening mascara like 3D Fiber Lashes

7.) To keep the look simple and light, line lips with a nude liner and filled them in with Lucrative Lip Gloss in Livid.

Dramatic

1.) For those of you who like your eye shadow a bit more dramatic, I've got you covered.  Building on the look above, Take a dark brown matte eye shadow like Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Infatuated, swept it along lower lash line and blended it out with a flat eyeliner brush.

2.) Using the same color, apply it to the upper inner corner of each eye, extending and blending it along the crease.

3.) Take Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Beautiful, a light brown matte shadow and blend it all along the lid and the lower lash line.

4.) To finish off this sultry look, apply Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Corrupted to bottom and upper waterline. For extra oomph, trace a thin line along upper lid to give a smoky effect.

And there you have it – two fun, modern ways to wear matte eye shadow!