In the realm of non-neutral eyeshadow colors, red is perhaps one of the trickiest to pull off. After all, it's the color of our lids when we're sick, crying, or have an advanced case of pink eye. (Not sure about you, but I don't necessarily look my best under any of those conditions.) That said, people have been wearing a spectrum of red eyeshadows — and making it look damn good — for a hot sec. Remember when Gigi Hadid rocked that firey burgundy at the 2016 Sports Illustrated party or when models at Brock Collection's spring 2018 show donned crimson-rimmed eyes?
To test whether a non-Hadid like myself could rock the red rainbow, I embarked on a five-day eye shadow journey. The only rule: wear red-based eye makeup every day.
You May Also Like
MakeupI Tried Valmont Perfecting Powder Cream - $145 Foundation Review
MakeupDermacol Full-Coverage Foundation Goes Viral for Before-and-After Photos
Monday
Bite Beauty Multistick in Mochi ($24)
Bite's Multisticks are meant to be worn anywhere you please, though I'd never been brave enough to use a creamy red on my lids. I swiped this baby over my eyes, lips, and cheeks for a monochromatic look. I skipped mascara altogether to keep it as simple as possible. (The best part: the entire look took a literal minute to create.) I went to a spin class (usually I go makeup-free) and I swear I felt just a wee bit more motivated every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, thanks to all the #PowerRed.
Tuesday
Natasha Denova Sunset Eyeshadow Palette ($129)
The 12 sunset-inspired shades in this palette complement each other so well, I couldn't stop myself from mixing a ton of yellows and golds into my red base. Thanks to my overzealousness, the final look was more peachy-beachy than racy red (though I did use brick red hue Panjin as a base, so it was technically still a red-based look). I wasn't prepared for the steady stream of compliments that ensued. Everyone — and I do mean everyone, from my barista to my mom via FaceTime — commented on how much they loved my eye shadow, and by the end of the day, I felt like a queen. The novelty and boldness of red hues, I've learned, practically forces people to comment.
Wednesday
Sophie Wirt
Manic Panic Vampire Red Eye Shadow ($12)
You'd be hard-pressed to find a redder red than this one from Manic Panic, which is described as "blood red" on the brand's website. I tried it with a black cat-eye for date night with my boyfriend and — let me preface this with the fact that he is truly wonderful — he confessed that he wasn't into my MOTD. "You look like David Bowie," he said, after admitting that he hadn't been digging the red eye makeup I'd been wearing for the past few days. Instantly, I felt less attractive, despite feeling 10/10 when I walked out the door. Not to get too philosophical, but my reaction challenged my perception of why I wear makeup in the first place. Was I, someone who claims to wear liner and lipstick for myself and nobody else, secretly seeking external approval? If ever that were the case, I set things straight with myself right then and there. After all, there's something liberating about straying from conventionally "sexy" looks with the assurance that you're doing it for your own damn self.
Thursday
Colourpop Super Shock Shadows in Paradox and Promises ($5 each)
I was running late for a press event, so I didn't have much time to create an intricate eye look; instead, I smeared two different Colourpop Super Shock Shadows onto my lids (they're SO blendable), snapped a pic, and ran out the door. At the event, another attendee was wearing two different shadows on either eye, so my look wasn't a big deal in comparison. Also, by this point in the week, red shadow had practically become a part of me, so this look felt relatively standard.
Friday
Marc Jacobs Highliner in Suede Red ($25)
I had dinner plans with girlfriends, so I figured it would be the perfect time to create a look inspired by Emily Ratajkowski's extreme crimson eye at the 2018 Golden Globes. Makeup artist Hung Vanngo used the Marc Jacobs Highliner in suede red to tightline and outline the actress's eye before adding shadow. I looked straight-up allergy-ridden when I started lining, but by the time I'd finished with eye shadow and mascara, this turned out the be my absolute favorite red eye of the week, mostly because lining my waterline with red made my eyes look magically greener. Plus, something about the way candlelight glows against red is sexier to me than basic black.
Before this experiment, I had generally worn neutral eye shadow hues, with the occasional (albeit muted) pop of color (and even then, only for a night out). However, I can honestly say that by forcing myself to wear red all week, I became more confident experimenting with bold washes of color on my eyes in general. Plus, I learned that I wasn't the only one whose natural inclination is to shy away from red eye shadow: with all five of the looks, people said some variation of "I love your eye shadow, but I could never pull it off." To all of those people, I'd say, try it. I guarantee you'll be surprised by what you learn.
See more red:
Watch how a great smoky eye doesn't just involve black and neutrals:
0 Response to "I Wore 5 Red Eye Shadow Looks to Break Out of My Makeup Rut"
Post a Comment