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Laura Kenney, Editor in Chief
My usual look: I’m all about the slightly smoky eyes—the goal is to make my eyes look as bright as possible without looking like I’m wearing tons of eye makeup. I rely on glossy, taupe eye gloss with slightly winged brown liner and natural-looking mascara, paired with peachy gloss to minimize my nonexistant lips.
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The inspiration: When I first began paying attention to makeup in the early 90s, Helena Christensen in Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” video, all smoldering eyes and beachy skin, was, to me, the end all be all of beauty. Today, that’s morphed into Alexa Chung, my patron saint of the slightly smoky eye.
How I felt in Courtney’s look: I’ve always been an eye gal, so when I saw myself in bold purple lipstick, I was a little freaked out. The color was nice and I do like the photos; I learned that I don’t have to be so literal about enhancing my eyes with eye makeup, and the right shade of lipstick can do just as much. But I do have insecurities about my thin lips, and if I recreate this look, I’ll use a slightly lighter shade with a glossy finish to help visually plump it up.
Products used, and why: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Shame, a vampy purple (huge for fall!) but with a touch of wine that makes it warmer than true purple, so it works for golden skintones. Also, purples are awesome for playing up blue eyes.
Courtney Dunlop, Executive Editor
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My usual look: Bold lipstick (either dark purple or bright, matte red) and zero eye makeup—nary a mascara wand or eyeliner in sight.
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The inspiration: Peter Lindbergh photographs of 90s supermodels. The 90s are back in a big way, but they never really left my face. I love the nonchalant, devil-may-care vibe of intense lipstick against a backdrop of bare skin and clean eyes. And quite frankly, I could never muster up the motivation to do a full face of makeup anyway.
How I felt in Laura’s look: I really want to like the way I look in eye makeup. I fully recognize the masterful job Laura did applying various eyeliners and shadows (girl’s got skills), and the colors she picked out for my skin and eye colors were perfect. But I’d forgotten how huge my eyes look when I play them up (at least, that’s the way it looks to me, probably because I’m used to seeing nothing) and I sort of felt like one of those big-eyed dolls from the 70s. Also, do I look way older? It was fun doing something different though, so maybe I’ll have Laura teach me how to recreate the look on my own.
Products used, and why: Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense, in Intense Clove as top liner, and in Intense Truffle on the outer corners of the lower lash line—icy taupes pair well with a cool skintone. Ramy Beauty Therapy Face Gloss in Sugar Glow (Laura’s all time favorite taupe eye gloss!) glossed on the lids and lower lashlines, and the inner corners and beneath the browbone dotted with with RMS Living Luminizer. On lips, Stila Lip Glaze in Kitten. All the highlighting and subtle shimmering makes a smoky eye look young and fresh, not frumpy.
