Eye Love Eyeliner <3

I'm a big fan of eyeliner - all colors, styles, and application techniques. They can be used to make that sexy, smudgy, smokey eye or the old Hollywood cat eye, and no matter what, they all make your lashes look super thick. Here are a few of my favorites and some tips on how to use them.

For the dark smokey eye, I recommend using a pencil that comes with a sponge tip on the opposite end to use for smudging. I like Dior's Crayon Eyeliner ($26) because it's waterproof, which means it's going to hold through hell and high water. It glides on precise, but with the sponge on the end, you can softly blend it out. I like to use Trinidad Black, which is a jet black. To get the smokey look, you just line from the outer corner to the inner corner on the top lash line. As far as the bottom lash line goes, it's a matter of preference as to whether you want to go from the outer corner halfway in or all the way in to the inner corner (if you have small eyes, only go halfway because if you go all the way, it will just make your eyes look that much smaller). Then, before the liner sets as all waterproof liners do, you take the sponge on the end and just blend softly in small strokes until it's just smudged enough to not be a precise line. Then, with a stiff-bristle brush, smudge a dark charcoal grey or black eyeshadow along the eyeliner and a little bit out past it. I like Urban Decay's Matte Eyeshadow in Perversion, which is a matte black.

When you do a dramatic, smokey eye like this, I recommend sticking with natural makeup everywhere else, with just a touch of blush and a soft, natural lip. This way, it doesn't look too overwhelming.

I also like when people do the smokey eye with different colors, like deep purples, blues, or greens. Here are some examples.

I'm also a big fan of the old Hollywood, super glamorous cat-eye with a precise, black line. Most of the time, liquid eye liners or brush-on ones in a cream or gel form are the best kinds to get this look. Stila Smudge Pots ($20) are gels that can actually be used as eyeliner or even a cream eyeshadow. If you use a small, stiff brush similar to a lip brush, it will glide on perfectly smooth and precise. I pull out the corner of the eye with one hand, while brushing on the eyeliner with the other. This takes some practice and you have to angle the wing on the end differently depending on your eye shape, so just keep practicing and you'll get the hang of it.

I've mentioned before another liquid liner that I really like - Lancome's Artliner ($28) which has a long, pointy, felt tip that's incredibly easy to apply and stays on all day without flaking.

I like dramatic looks with the black liquid eyeliner, too, that are a little more fresh and modern, a little less Hollywood glamour.

I love bright colors, too. Makeup Forever's Aqua Eyes ($17) are incredible eyeliner-eyeshadow hybrids that come in a ton of different colors and can be matte or shimmery. They're waterproof, so they stay on incredibly long and look super awesome.

Pale Pink Lips? Not Just For Spring

How amazing does Katy Perry look here? Her pale pink lips are a perfectly soft, girly balance to her dramatic dark eyeliner. Usually we wait until spring to pull out the pale pinks but I think this is a fresh way to brighten up your look this winter. Here's some tips on how to get Katy's pretty, ladylike look. Start with a good base, concealer, and powder of course. Katy has a perfectly matte finish to her skin, something that can be achieved with MAKEUP FOREVER Duo Mat Powder Foundation ($32), a pressed powder that provides a full, shine-free coverage.

A sheer pink blush brushed below the cheekbones angled back toward the ear contours the face perfectly. I like Lorac Blush in Desire ($19) which is a slightly shimmery pink.

Now, for the eyes. After applying whichever eyeshadow base you prefer, you'll want to put a pale pinky-skintone color all over. Urban Decay's Eyeshadow in Chopper ($16) is the perfect shade for this.

Then, from the lashline up into the crease and even just a tiny bit above the crease, you'll want to put a deep plum shade that's either faintly shimmery or matte. If it's too glittery, it will blow the whole look out of proportion and make it childlike instead of grown-up girly. Smashbox's Single Eyeshadow in Cabernet ($16) is a deep burgundy with a soft shimmer to it that works perfect for this look.

For the eyeliner, you'll want to either use a liquid or brush on gel or cream form. I'm picky about liquids, I really only like them if they have a felt tip applicator. The brush on eyeliners give that same liquid liner look but I find the brush is often easier the handle than most liquid liners. Smashbox's Cream Eyeliner ($22) is great because once it sets, it's completely smudgeproof. For this look, I'd go with that in Caviar, a true black.

If you're more of a fan of traditional liquid eyeliners, I'd recommend Lancome's Artliner in Noir ($28) because it is easily applied with the felt tip. It dries quickly and doesn't flake like some other liquid liners.

Katy's lashes are super thick and dark, making the eyes perfectly dramatic. If your lashes are particularly sparse, you may want to try fakes - MAKEUP FOREVER has an AMAZING line of false eyelashes, ranging from natural-looking ones to rhinestoned and feathered ones. If you want to skip that and go straight for mascara, I recommend Dior's DiorShow Mascara ($24). It comes in waterproof and non-waterproof and doesn't flake or clump up like many thickening mascaras do. Apply it over Lancome's Oscillation Powerbooster Lash Primer ($39) for the fullest, longest lashes. An added bonus: Oscillation Powerbooster conditions and treats your lashes so they grow in longer, thicker, and healthier all around. Since starting to use it in July, I've noticed my eyelashes don't fall out nearly as much!

Finally, we come to the whole purpose of this post - the pretty pink lips! Start out by lining the lips with DuWop's Reverse Lipliner ($19). This is my FAVORITE lip liner of all time. It's a colorless, matte liner that you can literally use with absolutely any lipcolor. You apply it just on the outside edge of the lip, where it will fill in any fine lines to hold your lipcolor in place and keep it from bleeding out around the lips.

Next, you'll want to fill in your lips with a pretty pink lipstick. I love Lancome's Color Fever Lipstick in S.O.S. Pink ($25) - it's a shiny, creamy pink that doesn't have any sparkle or shimmer, which keeps the bubblegum pink color from looking too childish.

Yves Saint Laurent's Pure Lipstick in Pink Celebration ($30) and Shiseido's Perfect Rouge Lipstick in Ariel ($25) are a couple of other great options.

On a side note - my hair cut/color turned out great! I'll be proud to post some pictures as soon as I get a chance!