Category Palettes Series

Jan 19 2017

Teal and Gold Spotlight (Using Kat Von D Metal Matte Palette)

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I recently posted this look on my Instagram page (you can find me on @makeupbysairalee) and thought I would follow-up with a ‘how to’ post here.

I purchased the Kat Von D Metal Matte Palette when it came out in the UK last year and have been really enjoying using it to create different types of looks.  I really felt like doing something different and so came up with this teal and gold highlight effect combination.  I really like how it turned out – it’s softly smokey with the eyes open and then you get a real flash of colour when the eyes open and close.

Tip: You can read more tips, tricks and techniques for creating a highlighted eyeshadow style here.

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Dec 21 2016

Sunset Rainbow (Using Urban Decay Full Spectrum Palette)

 

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It’s been a while since I wrote a post (work and life have been very busy recently) and so I wanted to kick-start my writing again with a bold and colourful look.  I used the new UD Full Spectrum Palette, which contains a rainbow array of colourful eyeshadows.

Tip: Lining the eyes with black liner and using lashings of black mascara really helps define the eye when using such bright eyeshadow colours.

Note: I’ll try to write a post on the UD Full Spectrum Palette soon, along with swatches, to give you an idea of what shades the palette contains.  Think bright and colourful, ranging from white, yellow, orange, coral, copper, purple, cranberry, green, blue and black!

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Oct 26 2016

Soft and Neutral (Using Lorac Pro 2 Palette)

 

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I recently featured this softly defined, neutral eye look on my Instagram page (find me at @makeupbysairalee) and thought it would be nice to accompany it with a ‘how to’ post.  

Neutral tones on the eyes can be combined with any lip colour that you like, be it a bright red lipstick or a nude lipgloss.  

I wore this look with one of the new MAC Liptensity shades in ‘Life’s Blood (a rich, deep blood-red) and Too Faced Sweethearts Blusher in Peach Bellini (look out for posts on both of these products in the coming weeks).

I used the Lorac Pro 2 Palette to create this look but you can use any brand of eyeshadow you like which has similar shades.

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Sep 28 2016

Aztec Goldmine (Using Urban Decay XX Vice Ltd Reloaded Palette)

 

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For this particular look, I took inspiration from the print on one of my favourite skirts.  I love the combination of the gold, teal and black and thought it would look really interesting on the eyes.

I used the Urban Decay XX Vice Ltd Reloaded Palette to create this look.  You can read more about this palette, see photos and view swatches here.

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Sep 17 2016

Elemental (Using Urban Decay Moondust Palette)

 

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This is the first of my looks using the new Urban Decay Moondust Palette.  I really wanted to create a smokier look using one of the Moondust eyeshadows and so I used a deep metallic cranberry paintpot as a base.   This particular paint pot adds a really pretty plum hue to Element eyeshadow.

Tip: Experimenting with different colours of eyeshadow base can bring out different tones in whatever eyeshadow you choose to use.

You can read more about this palette, see photos and view swatches here.

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Sep 8 2016

Acid Rain With Red Pop (Using Urban Decay XX Vice Ltd Reloaded Palette)

 

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This is the first of my looks using the new Urban Decay XX Vice Ltd Reloaded Palette.  I really wanted to try out some of the greens in the palette but I also liked the idea of adding in a little pop of red in the outer v.  If the red (Gash) is too much for you, you could always substitute it with a green (like Misdemeanor) or a brown (like Smog or Twice Baked) from the palette.

You can read more about this palette, see photos and view swatches here.

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Aug 19 2016

Burnished Flame (Using Urban Decay Vice 4 Palette)

 

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For this look, I combined terracotta-brown and copper-orange eyesahadows to create a warm, autumnal effect on the eyes.  I added in a little blackened olive-green eyeshadow to the outer v as well to add extra depth to the eyes.

Note: You can use any brand of eyeshadow you like which has similar shades to re-create this look (if you don’t have the Vice 4 palette).

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Aug 10 2016

Twist of Colour 2 (Using Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette)

 

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This look is a slightly brighter version of the ‘Twist of Colour’ look I posted recently.  For this look, I used a bright, shimmery silver on the lid, cork brown in the crease and a ‘pop’ of bright blue in the outer  v part of the lid.

Tip: The beauty of this look is that you can adapt it using any other colour in the outer v.  Try pink, purple, olive green, charcoal and black for a twist on the same look.

Note: You can use any brand of eyeshadow you like which has similar shades to re-create this look (if you don’t have the Vice 2 palette).

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Aug 4 2016

Twist of Colour (Using Urban Decay Vice 4 Palette)

 

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Adding in a bright colour to the outer v is a easy way to introduce colour without it being overpowering.  For this look, I pepped up a relatively neutral silver and brown eye combination with a ‘pop’ of emerald green.

Tip: The beauty of this type of look is that you can adapt it using any colour in the outer v.  Try swapping in purples, blues, coppers and blacks for an interesting twist on the same look.

Note: You can use any brand of eyeshadow you like which has similar shades to re-create this look (if you don’t have the Vice 4 palette).

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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Jun 23 2016

Bright and Sweet (Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette)

 

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I used neutral shades from the Urban Decay Smoky Palette (and the brush which comes with it) to create this neutral, highlighted effect on the eyes.  This combination shows that even when a palette is catered towards smoky looks, you can still create more wearable combinations when you use the lighter shades.

Click on the link if you want to read more detail on how to create the ‘Highlighted Style’ of eyeshadow application.

Here’s how to re-create this look:

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