I am not Ultimate Eye Shadow Girl.
You know who I’m talking about – the girl who applies awesome eye shadow with such ease and flair that she must be a secret- agent-supermodel who can disarm a bomb from memory and never, ever trip in her high heels. She always has artfully applied eye shadow, and she always looks amazing and not the least bit clownish in it.
I have always wanted to be Ultimate Eye Shadow Girl. And it looks like this might be the year it actually happens.
This season, the trends in eye shadow are all about subtle, smoky eyes combined with neutral lips. (Or bright, berry lips combined with a neutral eye.) Forest colors are big, including lots of dark green, browns, plums, mauves and berries. And it is all about blending dark and light contrasts, or layering sheers over muted darks.
Here’s how to ace the eyes:
Start with the lighter color over brow. Blend in darker colors, but keep it below the crease. You can even add texture with a metallic blend or bright champagne color. You can also blend browns with a shimmery green or blue, which can reflect when the light hits it. Don’t forget to choose lighter eyeliner to enhance the smoky eye look.
And most importantly, what organic products to use? I sampled some of the top-rated eco-friendly eye shadows out there.
First, consider the eye shadows from Lavera Naturkosmetik. Their eye shadows contain organic hydrating vegan organic calendula and jojoba. The dual combination of Sand and Mocca is a good bet for shimmery earth tones. These products are certified by BDIH of Germany, free from parabens, synthetic preservatives, fragrances, emulsifiers and petroleum-based ingredients. They also contain pure, organic plant oils, herb and flower extracts. However, they do contain talc, which in some studies has proven controversial.
NVEY ECO eye shadows offer up dark greens, silvers, deep purples and browns. They contain organic chamomile and vitamins A, C, and E. Further, they are free of talc, parabens, and preservatives. NVEY ECO contains no petroleum-based ingredients, propylene glycol, SLSs or genetically modified crops. And ,they are certified organic by the Australian government.
Josie Maran Cosmetics keeps up the season’s trends with some cool, smoky colors. (See? Everyone is all about smoky this season.) Their current line is extremely rich – Chianti is some of the richest bronze out of all the lines. Smoke and Maple also keep up the dusky trends. Josie Maran Cosmetics combines organic and mineral-based ingredients. They are free of parabens, fragrance, and petrochemicals.
Image: Mark Sebastian