It's been a hot minute since the last post in my Colour Story series, all about encouraging neutrals gals (like myself) to have some fun and incorporate colour in a wearable way. I've known since the fall that I wanted Navy to be the next instalment in this series, since I feel as though it's such a flattering colour that doesn't get as much attention as it deserves!

The Products

L'Oreal Silkissime Liner in Plum | They may have named it Plum, but to me this liner is a deep rich navy with perhaps slighty warm purple undertones. The formula on these pencils is beautiful - creamy full colour that is blendable, but once it sets, it's made to last.

Marcelle Dip Liner in Navy | I was on the hunt for a navy liquid liner for so long, and this one is definitely the best of the bunch (and from the drugstore!). The applicator isn't my favourite, but the formula is instantly opaque and dries down to a matte finish. If I want a more fine line, I'll use an angle brush for more precision. 

NYX Morocco/Asphyxiation | They don't sell this particular single shadows anymore, but Asphyxiation in their current collection seems very close. This is a brighter indigo-navy with a bit of a duochrome which is really pretty for a little extra pop of colour. 

Coastal Scents Rainstorm | This shade is a true deep navy blue with a silvery grey shimmer. It is richly pigmented and only $2 - who could beat that? It's the colours in this little quad that inspired me to create the look I did below!

Revlon Nail Enamel in Urban | I thought I'd throw in a navy polish, since it's one of my favourite colours for the nails. It's a deep, rich colour that may appear close to black in low light, but I love wearing it with a super glossy top coat so that the blue catches the light.

The Look

EYES | I used some tape with the majority of the stickiness removed on the back of my hand to ensure a defined wing shape for my shadows. After priming with my Milani Eyeshadow primer, I mixed together Frisk and Cover from the Naked 2 Basics palette for blending all over the lid and slightly up into the crease. Using an angled liner brush I created a medium wing with L'Oreal Plum Silkissime Liner. Using a clean pencil brush I blended out the liner to soften the line, before adding Coastal Scents Rainstorm a little at a time to smoke out the line even further and bring it into the outer corner.  A used just a little bit of Urban Decay Naked along the edges of the navy and taupe to help warm up the brow bone just a tad. I finished the upper lashline by tightlining with the L'Oreal liner and adding plenty of mascara.

Using a small fluffy brush I laid down Frisk all along the lower lashline for some soft definition, and topped with Rainstorm closer to the lashline in the outer corner, connecting with the upper wing.

FACE | To balance out my pale skin and deeper eye makeup I used my ride or die pair of NYC Sunny Bronzer and Tarte Exposed to bring some warmth back into the face, and added some of Laura Mercier's Matte Radiance highlight to the cheekbones and inner corner of my eyes.

LIPS | To tie into the cooler tones of the eyes I used Estee Lauder Pinkberry - a pinky-mauve neutral shade.

Are you a navy fan? What colour would you like to see next?

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It's time for another Colour Story post! This round we're talking green, specifically olive - a colour I don't have a ton of in my collection, but after playing around with it will definitely be on the lookout for more.

This shade of green is actually so flattering, and plays so well with neutrals that it can be easy to slip into your normal routine even if you're colour shy.

THE PRODUCTS

Wet N Wild Comfort Zone | If you don't already own this palette, I highly recommend heading to your drugstore to sell out the total $5 for it. Not only do you get a bunch of everyday neutrals, the greens are stunning and pack a serious punch in the pigment department.

NYX Silde-On Eyeliner in Golden Olive | I actually get a ton of use out of this pencil - probably more than any other coloured eye pencil I own. The formula is easy to blend and smudge, but then sets to last all day. 

Wet N Wild Single Shadow in Envy | This is a deeper, darker green with gold undertones that straddles the line between olive and forest depending on what you pair with it. If you like smokey eyes, this would be a great shade for a twist on a neutral smokey look.

THE LOOK

EYES | After priming my eyes, I used the NYX Golden Olive Pencil on the centre of the lid as a base for the shadows and blended it out with my fingers. I used the bronze "Crease" shade from the Comfort Zone palette on the inner and outer corners of the lid, and connected them in the crease surrounding the NYX base. I used Urban Decay Naked to blend out the crease and the lower lash line, and MAC Brule to blend to the brown bone. I packed on the olive "Eyelid" shade from the Comfort Zone palette to the centre of the lid with my finger, then used the MAC 217 to feather out the edges. I skipped liner so that the olive could be seen when my eyes were open and used my Jordana Best Lash Extreme to give my lashes some drama. 

FACE | Since this is a pretty dramatic look I kept the rest of the face pretty natural. I used the NYC Sunny Bronzer on my temples, lightly on the cheeks and down the neck to give a warmth to the face, and used a clear balm on the lips

If you haven't already, make sure you check out the last two posts in this series dedicated to Coral and Purple tones! 

Do you have any favourite olive green products?

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I'm back today with another installment in my Colour Story series designed to help neutral girls (ike me step out of our comfort zone a little. This time I'll be focusing on purple - a both super flattering and tricky colour when it comes to makeup.

There are so many tones of purple out there, but since it's summer here I'll be talking about the lighter, brighter shades in my collection.

THE PRODUCTS

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple | A beautiful blue-toned purple with a slight sheen. This is marketed as a shadow base, but I prefer to use it as a liner since it can become patchy when spread out over a large surface area.
Loreal Infallible Shadow in Flashback Silver (Liquid Diamond in the US) | A lilac-silver that is stunning used as a highlight with other purple tones.
CoverGirl Lipstick in Divine |  A striking purple with a pink undertone, this shade is surprisingly wearable and even after wearing off leaves a fuchsia stain on the lips.
Wet N Wild Trio in I'm Feeling Retro | I bought this trio exclusively for the purple-orchid shade with a slight blue duo-chrome that reminded me of MACs Stars & Rockets. It takes some building up, but the colour is stunning!

THE LOOK

EYES | I found the purple tones were more wearable with an overall darker look so on the eyelid I used UD Virgin all over the lid, Naked in the crease and Darkhorse in the outer corner to deepen things up. I used the Stila Stay All Day Liner in Dark Brown and two coats of Maybelline Lash Sensational for thick looking lashes. I ran the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple under the eye and topped with the purple shadow from Wet N Wild's I'm Feeling Retro Quad and smudged it out a touch with a qtip.

FACE | To balance out all the cooler tones on the face, I went with Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed for a neutral warm flush to the cheeks that wouldn't compete with any of the brighter colours.

LIPS | To help the bright tone last, I first applied the NYX Lip Primer and topped with the CoverGirl Lipstick in Divine.

I used to be pretty weary of purple on the lips, but I've really come to love the look! Even though it is a bright colour, the deeper shade and pink undertones keep it looking wearable especially for a night out.

What do you think - are you a purple fan?

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Today I'm starting a new series all about colour just in time for summer! I'm typically a neutrals girl through and through but lately I've been experimenting with adding a little more colour into my look and have been loving it. This series will be all about how to step outside of your regular comfort zone, while still remaining wearable. I'll share with you some of my favourite products from the colour family and a look featuring some of the products. Today we're starting out with one of my favourites for spring - coral.

Coral is a great "gateway" shade to adding some brightness to your look because it works on so many areas of the face and blends in well with standard neutrals. 

THE PRODUCTS

Benefit Coralista | The perfect sweet, light coral flush to make you look young, fresh and awake

NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel | A beautiful, comfortable corally-peach gloss perfect for even the non-lipgloss-lover

Maybelline Coral Queen | A punchy statement coral lip that looks fabulous in photos

Sonia Kashuk Sunset Blush | A brighter, bolder blush that adds a pop of colour to a minimal makeup look

Revlon Coral Berry | A deeper and slightly more wearable shade for every day, featured in my wearable spring lip colours

MAC Paradisco | A beautiful coral with a golden sheen - this shadow doesn't have great pigmentation on it's own but layers beautifully over other products

THE LOOK

EYES | Prime the eyes to make sure that the shadows adhere to the lid and give maximum colour payoff. I started off packing Coastal Scents Reef Coral all over the lid, and then topped it with MAC Paradisco to add a bit of a sheen. I blended Urban Decay Naked into the crease and under the eye for definition, and finished everything off with Urban Decay Virgin in the inner corner for subtle brightness. I skipped eyeliner to keep the eyes looking bright, and used Maybelline Lash Sensational on my upper lashes, and IT Cosmetics Tightline mascara on my bottom lashes.

FACE | Since I was doing colour on the eyes, I went with Benefit Coralista on the cheeks for a light application of blush. The slight shimmer in this formula really helps to give the skin a healthy glow without any highlighter.

LIPS | To keep the lips fairly light, I layered the Revlon Lip Butter in Creamsicle under my NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel.

What other colours would you like to see in this series? I would love to know! What are your favourite coral products?

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Linking up with: Making Mrs. M & Miranda Writes for The Makeup Mix Up!