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Velvet Touch Eyeshadow Palette (also here)
Velvet Touch Face Palette
both from Japonesque via Beauty Bridge
Ah I’m so sorry I haven’t had a chance to post more this week! This post has taken me longer than usual and we’ve been changing up the kids’ bedtime routines lately (we had gotten into a habit of co-sleeping but transitioned them back to their own beds). Combine that with long hours at the office and I’ve been falling asleep putting the kids to sleep lately! My sincerest apologies for the long unintentional break but I’m back to hopefully posting as usual — I have lots of exciting posts in the pipeline for you! Today’s makeup tutorial is one I absolutely love. I can’t wait to share 2 amazing eye and face palettes that’ll help you create a matte smokey eye glam look that’ll be perfect for that date night and transitioning into Fall!
Velvet Touch Eyeshadow Palette (also here)
Velvet Touch Face Palette (also here)
both from Japonesque via Beauty Bridge
Japonesque is a brand I’ve seen on many occasions but had yet to try. When I noticed that they had released two palettes with a beautiful array of gorgeous neutral shades, I knew I had to get it! Both palettes are pro-designed and formulated with their latest Velvet Touch finish. On first swipe, I was so impressed with their buttery smoothness and rich pigment! All the colors are matte and while I’ve previously found matte shades to be tricky to work with (they usually just all mix together and turn “muddy” on me), these shades stand out on their own while still blending beautifully! I’ve actually found that I prefer the matte shades when it comes to everyday looks for the office too.
Part I: Matte Smokey Eyes
Japonesque Velvet Touch Eyeshadow Palette (also here)
I usually spend 90% of my makeup time doing my eyes. It’s the one feature that I love accentuating and that makes the biggest difference on me. For this particular matte smokey eyes look, I went more dramatic and used some of the darker shades in the palette. Nonetheless, the colors are warm and create a soft smokey look that’s romantic without being over the top. Step-by-step instructions for my matte smokey eyes are below!
- Start with applying the burnt orange color upwards right along the browbone. It doesn’t have to be too precise at this point as we will be blending everything out later. The soft orange color is perfect as a transition shade. I use a soft fluffy brush for application here (MAC 224) as I want the color to diffuse slightly and just go in back / forth sweeping motions.
- Using a flat shader brusher (MAC 252) to apply the plum shade on the eyelid. I recommend patting the brush on the eyelid to really get the color to transfer well onto the lid while minimizing fallout.
- Add some color contrast in the corner using the deep brown. I use a more dense and narrow brush (MAC 221) to focus the color and draw a rotated “v” shape along the outer corner.
- Blending time! I love this fluffy blending brush (MAC 224) and find that it does the best ob when it comes to nicely blending colors together and softening harsh edges. I go in small circular motions anywhere I see edges in the colors as well as upwards on my brow bone.
- I add highlight using a stiff dome-shaped brush (MAC 227) right along my upper brow bone.
- Finish off with eyeliner and mascara!
When you’re done with these matte smokey eyes, it should look something like this:
Part II: Face
Japonesque Velvet Touch Face Palette (also here)
The Japonesque Velvet Touch face palette comes with 3 blush shades, 1 highlight and 1 contour. I’m not big on face products so I actually wasn’t expecting to like this palette as much as I did! The peachy nude and coral blushes are beautiful for those with lighter, more yellow skin tones and the highlight is the perfect amount of sheen without looking shiny. The contour is a medium darkness without any greyish tones and I find that it creates beautiful shadows and illusion of depth. While the colors don’t stand out as much here in photos, each color is super pigmented and I actually had to be careful to use a light touch so as to avoid product overload.
I start with contour using an angled brush (MAC 168) and apply in the hollows of my cheeks, under my jawline, on either side of my nose, and along the top of my forehead on my hairline (more contouring details here).
I followed up with a duo fiber brush (MAC 187) and applied the peach coral blush on the apples of my cheeks. The duo fiber brush ensures that the product blends and deposits only a lightweight amount of product — it’s my fave!
And finally, the highlight! You can really see the pop that the highlighter adds and I’m seriously obsessed with it! I use a pointed blender brush (Morphe M501) and mainly focus the highlight on the tops of my cheekbones and then apply any remaining product down the bridge of my nose.
Finished!
Velvet Touch Eyeshadow Palette (also here)
Velvet Touch Face Palette (also here)
both from Japonesque via Beauty Bridge
Both products I picked up at Beauty Bridge, a new-to-me store but one that I’ve started browsing on the regular as they have a great selection of makeup and skincare from brands I love that can sometimes be hard to find including Bioderma, Deborah Lippmann, and Japonesque. Free shipping is available on almost all of the items and every purchase includes 3 free cosmetics samples!
I’d love to know if you’ve used Japonesque products before and what you thought! Let me know if you give this matte smokey eye tutorial a try!
Thank you to Beauty Bridge for sponsoring this post.
Nancy says
Gotta love a daytime appropriate smokey eye.
Vaishali says
I am surely giving this a try. Will update you 🙂
Vaishali
http://www.vivaciouswish.com/2017/08/01/fall-ready/
Abril Ponce says
those palettes are really beautiful and you makeup too. You blended it really nicely
x,abril
The Color Palette
Jessica says
What a lovely tutorial. Definitely taking notes. Thanks for these tips!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
April says
Such a helpful tutorial! I can never quite get the smokey eye look right.
Nicole says
Thanks for linking up to the Top of the World Style linkup party. Great makeup tutorial!
Kristin says
Absolutely gorgeous! I love those colors that you picked and those palettes look like they compliment many skin tones. Definitely good ones to have.
Thanks for linking up with Thursday Moda!
-Kristin
countdowntofridayblog.com
Brigitte Evans says
I just love this plum cranberry shade on you! 🙂 It gives some mystery to the look. Could you recommend some good foundation?
I always use a primer as a base and these ones are great https://napoleonperdis.com/aus/makeup/face/primer.html but some foundations can’t hold on my face since it is so oily.