Drawing Inspiration: The First Red Robin of Spring

Although winter seems as though it may never end, I have hope that somewhere from beneath the snow spring will emerge because over the last couple of weeks I've spotted several robins. I thought that their cheerful orangey-red feathers served as great inspiration as we wait for the colors of spring to arrive. Here's my take on the first sign of spring!

As always, prep the eye area with an eye primer. Next apply a white base to the lid area only. I used my NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk. This will make the colors we use pop! I find you get a more even application if you apply this with your ring finger.

With a slanted flat brush or a clean finger apply a yellow-white shadow below your brow and in the inner corners of the eyes. This color is barely noticeable but draws light into the eyes.

Now, using a fluffy round brush and a skin toned shadow with an orange tint to it, brush on a layer of color from the lash line up to just below the brow. This step is to give that orange base that enhances the other orange hues and more importantly to create a layer of powder that makes blending other colors easier. If you don't have this shade just skip it!

Next, with a flat shader brush and a creamsicle orange shadow, pat on an even layer of color that covers the lid. The left over can be swiped along the lower lash line. This shadow should either be matte or satin finish, frosts will look too flashy.

To add dimension to the lid you can pat on a burnt orange on the outer and inner corners of the lid (without completely covering the inner eye highlight). If you don't have another darker orange color you can simply add another layer of the creamsicle orange or even a little touch of a light brown or soft red. A bit of bronzer can do the trick!

After that, with a fluffy blending brush, lightly layer on small amounts of a neutral/warm medium brown in the crease. When you get to the outer corner of the eye, instead of connecting the color to the outside corner of the lash line, sweep the brown up and out, leaving a space about the width of a pencil between the color and the outer corner of the lashes. Blend the brown and oranges into one another until the line is blurred slightly.

With a slanted liner brush and a dark warm toned brown, line the upper lash line and the outer 1/3 of the lower lash line. At the corner make a soft wing. Soften the top of the line gently with a Q-tip. Add black pencil to the waterline for an extra kick then put on a few coats of black mascara.

Finish with natural looking flush on the cheeks. I combined several powdered blushes to get the color I have and applied it with a jumbo cotton ball. Keep the lips warm but natural. I mixed up a soft rose lip color and topped it with a gloss that had a hint of shimmer to it. This look is soft but with a fresh pop of color that works for day as well as night. If you're trying to get into using colors more this is a good look to try!

Pink Pin-Up Eyes for Valentine's Day

This is a very fresh, fun look for Valentine's Day that only uses two colors (three if you count the brow highlight) with a pretty winged liner. Use any two shades of pink that you like, just make sure you don't skip the liner. If you don't create a line between your eyes and the pink shadow your eyes will look irritated instead of irresistible.

Start with a primed eyes. Eye primer will make the color last until after dessert! Next apply a light pink to the inner corner with a blending brush and then sweep it up across the brow bone. Feel free to use a shadow with shimmer if you like. I used a mauvey pink blush.

With a flat shadow brush, pat a brighter/darker pink onto the lid starting in the center of the lid and then blending out and up slightly onto the brow bone. Lightly tap the darker pink onto the light pink to fade the two colors into one another.

Now, using a liner brush, apply a matte black shadow along the lash line. This should be thick and the edge ever so slightly softened.

Next apply a black liquid or gel liner that follows the black shadow. You should leave some of the black shadow peaking out from beneath the liner. This creates a softened but still defined line and makes your lashes look really full!

Finish with a bone colored brow highlight or just leave it au naturale and a thin line of black shadow along the lower lashes and mascara. I paired this with a nude-pink lip color topped with a pink shimmery gloss. But this look would do well with a more rosey pink or even berry pink lip too. On my cheeks I kept with the pink theme but used only a minimal dusting of color.