SMOKY EYE PALETTE

I recently bought this gorgeous kit from Benefit - LOVE!

No, Benefit didn't ask me to do this - I honestly ADORE their products and have tried almost everything, whether in store (with their ever-helpful make up artists) or at home (if I love it enough to bring it back!). I thought I'd share the results of this little dabble with an all-in-one palette.

Firstly, this is the description of it from the Benefit website:

Everyone wants sexy, smoky, cover-model eyes & perfectly groomed brows... here you go! Our all-in-one kit has everything you need to create your own smokin' eyes... 3 shadows, a black eyeliner pencil, a brightener, 2 brushes, mini tweezers & a complete lesson. Whether you're a Mad Ave gal or an SUV mom, everyone wants to look smokin'! Don't blame us if people start asking for your autograph!

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Smoky eyes are a must-have for feeling sultry and sexy :) You could pair them with nude lips for a more grungy, rebellious, gothic look or with red lips (ala Miss Georgia May Jagger) for a hot party look.

I tried out the palette and these were the results! There is a lovely little instruction booklet included, which is so thoughtful and gives a straightforward step-by-step method. However, the kit is so nicely laid out that I just went with my instincts and used my own method. I find that because I have asian eyes with a really small/almost non-existent eyelid, I know how best to apply my eye make up.

This is what I did:

(PS. Sorry I didn't take step-by-step pictures!! Wasn't thinking far ahead enough!!)

1. Take the pewter base shade and apply it over your eyelid, just up to the crease in a crescent shape. For my asian eyes this wasn't very much but oh well, at least the kit will last me ages!!
2. Take the dark charcoaley shade and use it on the outer V of the eyelid, to add depth to/emphasise the shape of the eye.
3. Blend the outer edges out and up into a vague cat flick (nothing too defined though). You can use the pinky highlighting shade for blending the curve of the pewter shade crescent so it becomes a soft shimmery wash of colour that fades upwards as opposed to a sharply defined crescent shape. You can add more shadow to make the colour more intense but just make sure to blend the outer lines otherwise it'll just look stuck on!
4. Use the pinky highlighting shadow on your brow bone and inner corners of your eye and blend. This will highlight and brighten the eyelid area.
5. Use the black eyeliner and line your entire upper eyelid, winging it out at the end and going as close to the lashes as possible - almost on top of the lashes - and smudge to soften the line.
6. Line the outer half of your lower eyelid (this works better for my smallish eyes as a fully lined eye sometimes looks harsh and makes my eyes look smaller!) and smudge to soften the line again.
7. Dab and blend the "Eye Bright" pinky coloured cream on under eye circles to brighten the eye area. I apply it with my ring finger as this finger has the softest touch - you don't want to prematurely wrinkle or damage your skin.
8. Use the tweezers to tidy up the brows and fill them in with the slanted brush and the "Brow Zings" eyebrow wax included in the palette.

And you're done!

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Other notes:

• I promise next time to take step by step pictures... They would have been so much help in explaining my steps!
• The brushes that come in the pack are really good quality - not the scratchy, cheap ones that you sometimes get free with makeup palettes.
• The Brow Zings wax is a little light for my eyebrows as it is as brown as it looks in the photo - it would be perfect for anything lighter than my black hair! However, I find that if I mix it with the charcoal matte shadow, its a perfect colour.
• I love the mirror that comes in the lid of the palette as well as the cardboard packaging which is high quality yet recyclable!
• The mini-tweezers that come with the set come in a magnetised compartment so that they don't fall out... how clever? They are a little stiff at the moment but I'm sure they'll soften out with use.

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Well that was fun! You wouldn't know it from this blog which is mostly focused on outfit photos but I absolutely ADORE makeup. Which brings me onto my question....

What would you all like to see more of in this blog?

a) Outfit posts - that's what I'm mainly interested in!

b) Make up and tutorials (not that I'm an expert but I can give my honest opinions on products and try apply them in an amateur way to see how easy they are to use :))

c) Video posts - Never done before... nerve-wracking idea!

d) Inspiration posts/Mood boards

e) Competitions - need I even ask?? Hehe :)

Lastly...

FOR SALE:

Size UK 5/EU 38/US 8

Dr Martens (8-hole)

£28 (not incl. P&P)

Almost new, worn out 1-2 times, basically as new...

I love these but honestly they are just too big with me. I over-estimated my size and even with an insole they are just too big.

Big love,

Z xoxo