Celebrity makeup artist Brett Freedman is a big fan of wine and berry shades this season.  Here is his "how to" create a dramatic plum/berry eye makeup look.

Burgundy/plum eyeshadow: My tip for adding these fun, unique shades to your make up bag is to head to the drugstore. I really like Maybelline's Rose Tints Duo. These shades to give the eyes instant intensity but with a soft vibe. Here's how:

1: Sweep the lighter shade across lid and on brow bone. I like to take the lightest, shimmery color and smooth into the inner eye/tear duct area. This trick catches light and brings eyes to life. 

2. Using a small, tight brush use the darker shade and dot/stroke under the bottom lash line. Keep it very close to the lash line. I like to wet the small brush to get the most color impact and help with staying power. Line about 3/4 toward the inner eye.

3. Using a slightly larger eye shadow brush blend the deeper shade into the crease. I would go from outer corner to 3/4 toward the tear duct. You want to really nudge out the lid so it really pops. Blend up and outward to give the eyes a sexy lift.
 
Crisp, dramatic brows: With an amp'd up eye, you want to make sure your arches don't look low watt. Be sure to give your brows a nice clean up early in the season so they are always camera ready.  Define your brows with a pencil or powder that's one shade lighter than your hairs. You want a shadow of definition, not a hard filled in line. Try Vanitymark's Ultra-Brow powder.

My tip: if you are wearing your hair up, give brows a touch extra crispness since they will be center stage.

Click HERE to visit Vanitymark to check out Brett's portfolio!

This sparkling New Year's Eve party eye makeup idea was created by Jemma Kidd: founder of the Jemma Kidd Makeup School.  Just reading Jemma's advice gets me in a party mood!

1. Don’t be afraid to go a little wild – it’s New Year’s Eve after all! The perfect party look: glitter never fails to get girls in the mood to hit the dance floor. The inspiration is the heady days of disco, Studio 54 and 1970’s glam rock, but toned down for a more refined interpretation.

2. Tidy and emphasize the brows to provide a nice frame to your face.

3. Start with the eyes, that way you can dust away any particles before applying foundation. Draw along the upper lash line with a mahogany eyeliner pencil, working the tip between the roots of the lashes to add volume.

4. Create a base by using a synthetic brush to apply beige-gold crème eyeshadow from the upper lash line to the socket crease.

5. Next up – sparkle! Using a natural brush, layer gold glitter over the top, pressing it with the brush so that it sticks to the crème underneath. Using a pointed eyeliner brush, apply a line of crème and glitter just beneath the lower lash line.

6. Finish the dewy look by brushing a neutral highlighter over the browbone.

7. To up the flirt-factor, make your eyelashes super long with false-lash corners, curling and coating with a lengthening black mascara.

8. Make sure there are no traces of glitter on your cheeks before starting on your face.

Click HERE to shop for Jemma Kidd Make Up School products. 

If you're looking for more tips on how to create the perfect Smoky Eye, check out this step-by-step tutorial by Rick DiCecca, Global Makeup Stylist.  His advice is–pardon the pun–eye opening!

Products Required:

A warm eye?  A cool eye?  Who could possibly choose?  Gazing at these facecharts might help you with decision-making!  These two holiday eye makeup looks were created by Sonia Hodzic, Director of Education at tarte Cosmetics using the "Treasure Chest" palette from the Holiday 2009 makeup collection. 

Holiday Eyes, Cool:

This easy-to-follow metallic holiday eye makeup idea was created by Christopher Del Castillo, MAC Sr. Artist.  It's a wonderful choice for a low-maintenance woman in search of a high-maintenance appearance!

1.  Start by applying MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow in Mayhem with a soft brush (like MAC 217) to your lids.

2.  Then use a contour brush like MAC 224 to apply MAC Copperplate Eye Shadow to your crease/socket to add depth.

3.  Make sure your eye brows look fabulously groomed with MAC Eye Brows in your perfect shade (they make one for every hair color).

4.  Finish the look with a fine line of black liquid liner — I prefer MAC Penultimate in Rapidblack. 

Click HERE to shop for the products used to create this eye makeup idea!
 

She's back!  Jenny Smith, a Makeup Stylist with NARS Cosmetics, shares us her personal favorite holiday eye makeup idea:  the smokey eye.

Every woman wants to wear a smokey eye this season whether it is for a holiday party, a work event, or just a fun night out!

The challenge that most of us run into when doing a smokey eye is that the dark color gets too dark, too fast and sometimes it is hard to take away color that has become too smokey or even messy.

Here are the step by step secrets to creating a smokey eye and how to gradually build up to the levely of sultry darkness that you want.

Start with NARS Nourishing Eye Cream for hydration. Blend NARS Concealer to blur out imperfections or dark circles around the eyes. Set your entire eye with NARS Loose Powder. You now have the beginning base for a smokey eye: even skin. Use concealer and foundation on areas of your face that have redness or imperfections. Set with powder. An even skintone allows for the focus to be on beautiful, smokey eyes.

Next, blend shadows that are light, then medium, and finish with dark. The easiest smokey eye base is the new NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil. Use Goddess (a silvery pink) from lash line to brow. Scribble on all over your eye as a base and use your finger to blend. This gives a light, bright cream base all over the eyes. Add a darker base, like NARS Aigle Noir Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (a lush, himmering black) by brushing along your lashline on the top and bottom of your eye. Follow top and bottom lashes for a silky black smudge that instantly defines.

Once you have created the perfect light and dark base, take a big, firm shadow brush like Nars Brush #3 to set your entire eye with the white side of NARS Pandora Duo Eyeshadow. Apply it from lashes to brow for a seamless effect. Less shimmer by the browbone looks more modern and chic. Take a fluffy, dome-shaped brush like NARS brush #13 to blend the black side of Pandora eyeshadow duo along your lashline, outer corner of your eye, and bridge of your eye (above the crease- also known as the brow bone). Voila! You have a smokey eye!

Remember that the best way to finish a smokey eye is with a black eyeliner, like NARS Black Moon Eyeliner Pencil, on the inner rim of your eye along your lashline. Now, wiggle on a few coats of mascara for the finishing touch! I'm in love with the NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara which is a runway-ready mascara that does not clump, flake, or end up under your eyes. Apply 2-3 coats!

You can use these techniques with any variety of colors. A smokey eye is not about the colors that you use, but about the application. Try the same techniques I've mentioned about with different color combinations like a gold and a purple, a cream and a burgundy, silver, and blue. Try out the newest NARS colors like NARS Brumes Duo Eyeshadow and NARS Eurydice Duo EyeshadowLet your imagination run wild. Experiment with makeup and have fun. Sometimes, the most unexpected combinations will become your favorites!

Click HERE to shop for the products used to create this eye makeup look!