Smokey eye and the partys I rocked it at!

The smokey eye was always something that looked good on other people but not on me.  Or whenever I tried, it just wasn't very smokey or pigmented.  But that's all nothing a few tutorials couldn't change!  And now here is my tutorial for you of my first successful smokey eye!

1. Use a base!  I used a dark grey eyeliner.  I would have used black had I had one.  I drew some eyeliner on my lid, then blended it with my finger.

2. Since I was doing a dark blue smokey eye, I chose a dark brown color to blend into the crease.  I learned it helps to blend different shades together to get blended gradients of color for a smokey eye. I used my Pop Beauty bronzer for the dark brown shade only in the crease.

3. Then I used my Stila in the garden palette and swept the dark blue color freesia all over my lid and blended it into the dark brown in my crease. Tip: Get an eyeshadow blending brush...I can't believe what a difference it made!  

4. I used the lightest color in my stila in the garden palette under my brow bone and blended downward right to the crease but not in it.  I also applied this color in the inner corners of my eyes and a little on the inner lower lash line.  Oh and I put a small amount right in the center of my lid on top of the blue to give it a little shimmer pop! This color cleans and brightens everything up because you only want the smokiness to go to your crease and not all the way to your brow!

5. I lined my lower lash first with the stila dark grey liner I used as my base and then I went over the line with the dark blue freesia color and it didn't have to be straight because I wanted it thicker and smudgy for the smokey look.

6. I applied a little of this black color from a Lancome sample onto the outer v of my eye.  Remember the gradients of color I talked about?

7. I used my favorite loreal infallible super slim liner in black to wing my liner on the upper lash.

8. Dark colors tend to get all over your face so I cleaned up with a q-tip and eye make-up remover.

9. I contoured and highlighted with maybelline age rewind concealer and a heavier dose of my pop beauty bronzer.

10. I did my favorite nude lip, lining them with Ulta's nude lipliner and going over it with Wet n' wild matte Just peachy lipstick.  Tip: Find a nude lip that works for you!

How did I do? Looks like i can extend that blue a bit higher...but otherwise I am happy with it being a newbie.

After decking out my make-up (which my photos never do justice), it was time to par-tay!  First some friends and I threw one of my best friend's Leslie, her bachelorette party!  We played fun games, ate good food and had a mini photo shoot at home. Then some of the group headed out to the bar and  since that's no place for a non-drinking Mormon girl like myself, my family decided to go out and celebrate my husband's birthday that is on Tuesday of this week.  We went to Stila's fish cafe and were not disappointed.  Here are some photos from the festivities!

PS...I love my pleather pants! Is that ok?

Bloglovin'

Sometimes I'm a little late on the trends.  For instance, I just started using Instagram and still haven't found a groove with using it regularly.  There's another great trend going on for blog writers/readers like me and it's called Bloglovin'!  I'm sure I'm late finding this site too but today I want to share it with you.  It's a place where you can scroll through and read blogs that you follow.  It looks similar to a Pinterest page but rather than pins, it's all the latest blog posts from your favorite blogs to keep you up to date.  It even suggests other blogs to read based on what you are currently reading.  So check it out.  Click this link and join the Bloglovin' revolution.  Have fun reading blogs you love and finding new ones.  There's even an app for your smart phone.  And while I am plugging them, I'll plug myself.  Just click the "follow me on bloglovin' link" on my blog's sidebar and start following me on the site.  Hope you like this new find as much as I do!