This weekend you may notice a surplus of extra fabulous, beautifully made up men and women in the downtown Chicago area. The Makeup Show Chicago is HERE and its my favorite time of year! Sunday and Monday at the Bridgeport Art Center, there will be informative seminars by some of the makeup industry’s top artists, including MAC’s Victor Cembellin, Lori Taylor, Merrill Hollis, James Boehmer of NARS, and Eve Pearl. The biggest and best brands will have booths offering the hottest new items in makeup. And on Monday afternoon, yours truly will be speaking about social media and the beauty biz, alongside Luvvie and Nils of Beautylish.com!

I am so honored to be part of The Makeup Show Chicago for a second year in a row. There is so much to see and learn at the show – which is for makeup professionals only. But if you’re an Afrobella reader and a beauty lover, you too can register to come out and see me speak! Regardless of your profession, you can buy a ticket for The Makeup Show Chicago and just write afrobella in the “where did you hear about us box”. Click here for tickets – one day is $45 and both days are $60 if you buy in advance and not at the door.

See you Monday, beautiful bellas!

The post Come See Me At The Makeup Show Chicago! appeared first on Afrobella.

There are so many ways to shop for beauty, and for convenience and variety QVC has the game on lock. What makes them so special? Online, QVC.com features a great variety of products complete with customer reviews, FAQ’s and a complete ingredient list. And on TV, QVC features and demonstrates the products, and the creators of the products are on hand to discuss and explain everything a beauty lover could need. All the info you need is at your fingertips! If you’re in the market for new hair care, skin care, bath and body products or makeup, tune in tonight at 11 pm ET. QVC’s 25-hour All Access Beauty event kicks off tonight – Friday, May 10!

Afrobella for QVC!

All Access Beauty means just that — unparalleled access to the biggest names and brands in the industry. We’re talking breakthrough products and beauty tips straight from the faces behind the brands. Expect to see special appearances by Kate Somerville, Mally Roncal, Ken Paves, Chaz Dean and more, and special values on brands like Clarisonic, philosophy and Perricone MD. On QVC.com, I’m amongst a small group of top bloggers who QVC tapped to choose our favorite products. Check out the All Access Beauty Bloggers, and click here to check out my personal favorite picks!

What products did I choose? Click here to visit my personal QVC e-boutique page! It was hard to choose just 12 items, but these are the top 12 you-deserve-these-because-they-are-amazing-tried-tested-and-true beauty products that I hope you will love too. I included my favorites by WEN, Clarisonic, Mally Beauty, Bobbi Brown, bliss, Tarte and philosophy. Click to visit, shop, and enjoy – and tune into QVC tonight to see some of the people behind those brands share what makes their products so awesome!

Thanks for choosing me, QVC!

The post Get Into My QVC All-Access Beauty Favorites! appeared first on Afrobella.

At first I felt on top of the subscription box situation. I knew the main players and what the differences between them were. And then came the box explosion.

Happy box lady via Shutterstock

Now there are subscription beauty boxes, hair boxes, jewelry boxes, wellness boxes, lifestyle boxes, pet boxes, boxes of organic products, boxes for bacon lovers, adult boxes, and boxes for that time of the month. Here a box, there a box, everywhere a box box. Chescaleigh’s parody was dead on.

Just saying – there are an overwhelming number of boxes for women on the scene. (Check out SubscriptionBoxes.com to get an idea of the scope of the scene).

The boxes I’m most familiar with have been created by start-up companies and entrepreneurs with vision. Many of the boxes cost between $10 and $20 for a monthly subscription, and many people sign up for these boxes for an opportunity to try little known, up and coming, brands that have growing buzz, brands that beauty lovers and hair obsessives can look forward to trying for the first time. And now here comes a heavy hitter to switch up the game – Target has entered the subscription beauty box arena, and their box is a mere $5 including shipping and handling.

Via Target Style’s FB page: “The Beauty Box by Target boasts beauty, skin care and nail care brands you already know, and a few that may be completely new to you. Shipping is included, plus each order includes a special offer to keep you looking fab while staying on budget.” Sounds promising, right? A few spoiler posts have gone up online, so the brands included in box #1 are out there already – click here to see!

Box #1 apparently includes mainstream brands, but there are a few products that piqued my interest even though I’m pretty much drowning in beauty products (those Sally Hansen nail strips, and the Effaclar stuff). I’m thinking if there’s enough interest, Target’s upcoming boxes will include items from their in-house beauty brands, which could mean a $5 box including the best of Pixi, Sonia Kashuk, Napoleon Perdis or Umberto Beverly Hills.  If you’re strictly into indie brands, obviously this isn’t the box for you. But if you want to try out the latest from mainstream beauty and personal care brands, this sounds like a sweet deal.

The Target Beauty Box is only available online via Facebook, there are 20,000 Beauty Boxes available, and they cost $5 including shipping and tax. Click here to get yours before they’re gone!

What are your thoughts on the subscription box phenomenon? Are you a fan? Do you think there are too many? Would you sign up for this new Target box, and what do you think about big brands entering the subscription box arena?

The post Now Target Has A Subscription Beauty Box appeared first on Afrobella.

For 40 years, women of color have known and loved Fashion Fair Cosmetics. The venerable beauty brand based in Chicago was a staple in my formative years and I know I’m not the only one who remembers that familiar pink marbleized compact being on their mother’s dresser. The brand has been through so many changes through the years and now Fashion Fair is on an upswing in a new era, thanks in major part to the efforts of Creative Makeup Director Sam Fine. His debut collection set the bar high for makeup lovers and now, to celebrate their 40 years of creating beauty products for women of color, they have released the Fashion Fair Four capsule collection. It’s available in stores and online right here, right now!

Each collection is beautifully packaged featuring stunning images by photographer Victor Skrebneski. Each package features a woman who represents an era of Fashion Fair history on the cover. Via HuffPo:

The 1970’s Foxy Capsule Collection: A tribute to our founder Eunice W. Johnson, containing feminine soft pink pallets to inspire the Fox in us all.

The 1980’s Fresh Capsule Collection: Dedicated to the legacy of the hip-hop era, containing a set of sumptuous warm pink colors evoking fresh beauty.

The 1990’s Sensuous Capsule Collection: Reflecting a new evolved era of beauty featuring rich, modern, and bright pink pallets celebrating the sensuality of a woman.

The 2000’s Divine Capsule Collection: Capturing the latest and hottest trends in beauty; featuring glamorous and bold pink shades that embody the divine power of beauty. (PS: the colors in this particular photo above are a bit brighter than what I experienced in person).

The packaging is gorgeous! It’s absolutely the kind of thing that anybody would be proud to display on the dresser. I’m so proud of Fashion Fair! The collection itself is beautifully presented, but how you feel about the items within entirely depends upon this question: Do you love pink? Do you really really love pink?

If so you are going to go crazy for this collection. Each package comes with a lip teaser, lipstick, nail lacquer and blush – all in shades of pink, evocative of the vintage Fashion Fair packaging swirls of marble.

In terms of packaging, the 1970′s “foxy” box featuring a woman with beautiful large afro is my favorite. In terms of the products within, I must admit I found the pinks to be a little subdued for my personal taste. I like a hot pink. A deep pink. So the 2000’s Divine Capsule was my fave in terms of color – the Divine Pink lipstick has a deeper hue and a violet undertone, and the Divine Pink lip teaser is bright, fun and summertime chic!

I love this new direction that Fashion Fair is heading in and I hope to see them continue to innovate their brand and draw from their rich history. I hope to see them continue to celebrate black beauty for years to come! The overall look of this collection is really encouraging — between this and Sam Fine’s outstanding makeup collection, I feel that the future is very bright for this classic legacy brand.

Is this particular collection made for me? Not so much, but that’s just because I’m not really that into pink. But if you are a diehard pink lover then you should run — don’t walk — to your nearest Fashion Fair counter. And if you’re not that into pink, I hope you’re not sleeping on those Sam Fine collection lipsticks, because they are to DIE for. Click here to shop!

What you think bellas? Are you here for the Fashion Fair Four capsule collection? Or is this a little too much pink for you?

The post Fashion Fair’s 40th Anniversary Collection — All Pink Everything appeared first on Afrobella.

Several years ago, a good friend in the beauty industry told me something that I didn’t quite believe. She said that brown eyeshadow made you look glamorous and wealthy, and took her beauty game up a whole nother level. This good friend is a woman of color with a fabulous, deep chocolate complexion. I didn’t believe her for a second. BROWN eyeshadow? Wouldn’t it just blend into our skin tone?

It turns out, this friend was absolutely right. It’s a subtle, sexy, elegant, grown woman kind of look. I love it. Although I didn’t believe her at the time, I’ve since followed in her footsteps and I realize it’s a matter of finding the RIGHT shade of brown. It turns out that wearing a luscious coat of deep chocolate or mahogany eyeshadow does wonders for me, and the look will work for women of all skin colors, so long as you find the perfect shade of brown for you.

For this final Target spring beauty post, I’ll demonstrate the look and teach you my new trick that will make you look more glamorous instantly! AND I’m using only products you can find at your neighborhood Target, or on Target.com. Behold!

And here are some of the products I used, available at where? Target! Duh.

OK so I know I talk a lot about Sonia Kashuk, however I really have fallen head over heels for her products! Her eyeshadow, her eyeliner, her bronzer – in general! I will use her products in this look today, as well my fave NP Set eyeliner and Maybelline’s bomb mascara, Volum Express.

I love the Eye On Glamour palette because it includes so many essential colors and finishes! The sparkly brown eyeshadows are perfect for creating that look of luxury. All you need is a wet brush to give the look more impact. I started with an eye primer to make sure nothing would shift or smudge, and then used a damp (not soaking wet, obvs) brush to pack on the color onto my eyelids.

I’m a big fan of eyeliner and tightlining my waterline on the top lid, and the NP Set eyeliner is so glidey and perfect for the job.

A little bronzer can go a long way, but if you’ve got beautiful brown or olive skin, Bare Illuminating Bronzer in Goddess is about to be your new bestie. I cannot WAIT to try Sonia Kashuk’s newest bronzer/blush – how gorgeous is her Chic Luminosity bronzer/blush duo? ADORE.

What do you think? Clearly I’m feeling it!

My look was inspired by this Target video, featuring the creator of Pixi (also available at Target) but I had to bump it up a notch for my bellas. You too can achieve a just-returned-from-vacation look, even if it might seem too subtle for your skin. Think bronze, think sparkle, think of deep, decadent browns. Think of creating a glossy look for your eyelids, involving a shimmery liquid makeup, or even clear lip gloss (another makeup artist trick! They usually use Vaseline, or clear, sticky lipgloss). Sometimes the colors you don’t expect are the ones that can transform your usual look into something fresh and current.

What do you think? Is this a look you’d try? Why not? It’s time for springtime, time to switch it up!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Target via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target.

The post How To Look More Glamorous, Instantly appeared first on Afrobella.

For the past few weeks I’ve been sharing all my spring beauty picks and tips and experiences with Target, from bright lips to DIY nails. This week, I’m all about the eyes. The bolder and brighter, the better for spring!

However, it can be tricky and intimidating, trying to pull the look off if you’re not a makeup expert. There’s a fine line between rocking a fierce, colorful eye look and winding up recreating the signature makeup of Mimi from The Drew Carey Show. In my experience when it comes to bright eye makeup, less can be more. An easy way to amp up your eye makeup without running such a risk, is to use a vivid, fun eyeliner along the upper lashline. It’s a go-to look I use often, especially as the weather heats up and my wardrobe gets brighter. Allow me to share my latest colorful eyeliner favorites that you can find online and/or in store at Target!

Milani Glitzy Eyes

There are so many products I love and go back to time and time again by Milani Cosmetics. And eyeliners are amongst the products they do best! I’m such a fan of Milani’s Eye Flash liners, and their Glitzy Eyes pencils are awesome too – they glide on creamy and bright, leave just the right amount of razzle dazzle, and when applied over your favorite eye primer they can last for hours!

CoverGirl Liquiline Blast

I adore an eyeliner that comes with a built in smudger, and this series of CoverGirl pencils delivers in terms of pigment, glide, staying power, and yes – smudge power. With brights like BluBoom and GrnGlow, you can’t miss. I also love the CoverGirl Queen Collection liners, which come in shades that compliment richer skintones, like Cabernet, Amethyst and Jade (my fave)!

Sonia Kashuk Lay It On The Line Eyeliner Palette

Here’s a makeup artist (not so) secret – when applied wet, powder shadow lasts longer and looks less harsh than an eyeliner pencil. So if you prefer your lashline pop of color to have a softer gradient or more staying power, then I recommend Sonia’s palette. I also do love her gel liner and traditional pencils, so don’t sleep on those!

Physicians Formula Eye Liner Trio

Physicians Formula is one of those brands that proves to be just full of surprises. Their newest trend is to create products that give the consumer more bang for their buck. Think nail polish trios that click together for easy travel, and lip glosses that adjust to match your skin better. And these eyeliners, which come in a sweet three pack of colors. Sweet deal – find them in stores!

L’Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator

Apologies in advance, cause you’re going to see L’Oreal mentioned often and with great affection here on Afrobella – they’ve been killing the game lately! From their nail products to lips to eyes, L’Oreal has been amping up the innovation. These eyeliners are two-sided – one side is white or neutral to make your eyes pop, the other is a color that will rock your eyelids.

There are some HOT eyeliners coming out in department stores this spring as well, but don’t sleep on stores like Target – the selection is brighter than you think!

It’s time for springtime. Which bright eye look will you try?

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Target via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target.

The post Bright Eyes. Get Springtime Fresh With 5 Colorful Eyeliners appeared first on Afrobella.

I didn’t realize how subdued my personal fashion palette had become, until this Easter weekend. The first warm holiday weekend in Chicago, and I had THE hardest time finding the right springtime pop of color for the occasion! I haven’t yet turned my winter wardrobe over to spring, but I’m all about spring makeup, spring nails, spring beauty!

Today I’m gonna share with you my latest favorite lip gloss varieties for a vivid, vibrant spring look – all available at Target! Shamon!

If you’ve been reading my posts over at Glam.com, you already know that I LOVE a lip pencil! I am totally into this new breed of crayon-like lip pencils that give you sheer, pretty color and moisture at the same time. CoverGirl has the game on lock right now with their LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balms, and Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balm. When I first tried these I thought they were a tad too sheer, but they glide on so perfectly, and work great over a lip liner or stain. I’m a fan.

Most vivid colors in LipPerfection – Scarlet Twist, Plum Twist, Jam Twist.

Most vivid colors in Queen Collection – Disco Punch and Electric Flamingo.

Revlon’s Just Bitten is unique – it’s a balm stain. What does that mean? It glides on smooth and moist like a balm, but stains your lips with color meant to last all day. I’m a fan, but I absolutely love a lip stain so full disclosure on that. If you’re not afraid of bold, lasting color that is moist and glossy at first but lasts with bold color all day, give em a whirl.

Most vivid colors – Lovesick, Rendezvous, Smitten.

OK I know I’ve been talking a lot about Sonia Kashuk’s cosmetics lately, but it’s because I was totally sleeping on the greatness of her product line. So excuse me while it’s all fresh and new – I’m a bit of an evangelist at the moment. When you try her bronzer and her lip gloss, you might be as well. Her gloss is smooth and silky, not sticky, and gives a great pop of color for the season. I personally prefer the finish of her Ultra Luxe gloss as versus the Ultra Shine, but that’s because I prefer high impact color to sheer shimmery shine. But that’s just me, and for spring, maybe you’re looking for more of a high shine lippie.The choice is yours. You could get with this, or you could get with that!

Most vivid colors, Ultra Luxe – Ravishing Rose, Polished Plum

Most vivid colors, Ultra Shine – Cheerful, Vivacious

I love that you can find so many unique, fun, bold, high quality lip glosses at drugstores and mainstream retailers like Target! Brands like Iman and Maybelline have taken things to another level. Iman’s Luxury Lip Shimmers are high pigment, sexy, shimmery and awesome glosses.

Most vivid colors – Decadent is one of my favorite colors, and Tropical is hot for spring into summertime.

Maybelline really isn’t here to play games with your pocketbook, in case you had any doubts. Every product I’ve tried recently has been impressive in terms of pigment and quality, and their ColorSensational High Shine gloss is no exception. These colors are sizzling hot for spring, I think I want them all!

Most vivid colors – Plum Luster, Gleaming Grenadine

I really like NP Set cosmetics – Napoleon Perdis produces quality! I’d love to see his lip glosses come in more vibrant colors, and a bigger range. But NP Set makes an awesome red lip gloss and I had to show it some love in this post, because it stays in my purse!

Those are some high performance, affordable glosses that I’ve fallen for over time. It’s time for springtime and I plan to rock a vivid lip for the season!

What are your favorite lip glosses for spring?

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Target via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target.

The post Bright, Fun, Fresh Lip Glosses for Spring! appeared first on Afrobella.

I see a lot of bloggers doing a “My Week in Instagram” kind of post and I love the concept. Sometimes life moves too quickly to share what I’m doing in writing, which is why I LOVE Instagram, I can share snapshots of life and get instant feedback. And now once a week I’m going to bring it all over here, just in case you’re not already following me on Instagram! Here are some of my latest adventures and new products I’m trying out!

This was my makeup for the Red Pump Project’s Rock The Red fashion show last weekend, which was a great success! Always so proud of those girls – working hard and doing great work in raising awareness of HIV and AIDS. Click here to check out all of the fun via the Red Pump Project Facebook page. Such a great show!

Recently I got to have a lovely breakfast with a behind the scenes makeup icon – this is Fatima Thomas, senior artist with MAC Cosmetics. She’s amazing, and you might remember her from this post I wrote on being a fashion week veteran. We had a great chat about the industry, makeup, MAC, being a woman of color making a difference in beauty in her own way – she’s amazing. Look out for more of her on the blog! OH and I’m wearing my favorite new coat – the Ultimate Coat by Joe Brown for Simply Be. And my boots are from Bakers.

And for now check out this video she did for MAC and let her put you up on makeup game.

OK not to toot my own horn but I’ve been cooking some great dinners lately! Recently I’ve been obsessed with the Paleo diet and I’ve been reading websites and looking for recipes. So these are some of the items I’ve made that went over WELL.

That’s baked salmon done with garlic and herbs, roasted peppers and tomatoes and carrots, and sauteed southern greens from Trader Joe’s. All AMAZING. I can’t cook fish on the stovetop to save my life but I sure can bake it!

I love a good white chicken chili, and this came out SO BOMB. I like to slice a little avocado on my chili, it’s so melty and good! This was made with chicken thighs and I used a can of Bush’s new Cocina Latina Pintos a la Diabla. The sauce is muy delicioso.

I don’t think tacos are Paleo friendly because of the corn…but I had to do it! These are turkey tacos, served with homemade guacamole (YUM) and a little Brooklyn Salsa Company goodness on top. Nom nom nom.

I’m reviewing and LOVING these bath and bodycare product from St. Croix. Check out Itiba Beauty. I love this trend of beauty products coming from the islands, using island ingredients! Itiba sent me their Papaya gift set, including body scrub, lotion, and more. The scent is fruity and sweet and my skin loves the lotion so far!

Oh yeah, Max likes the scent too!

I’m working on a blog post about hot jewelers, and had to give y’all a spoiler alert.

HOW cute are these fish earrings by Tweak Boutique? I love them. Been rocking these all week!

I literally screamed when this came in the mail! I am in LOVE with this leopard backpack by Galian Rodem. Cannot wait for festival season to rock it!

At present I subscribe to four magazines – Rolling Stone (not pictured), Clean Eating,  Marie Claire, and O Magazine. I dream of someday writing for Marie Claire and O Magazine, and I have been learning great recipes and food prep tips from Clean Eating. What magazines do you subscribe to?

That was my week in Instagram and those were some of the incredible items I’ve been sent for review, items I’ve cooked and things I’ve done! And for even more of the latest products I’m reviewing and experiences I’m sharing, follow me on Instagram!

What’s your Instagram name?

Happy Easter, bellas!!

The post My Week In Instagram. New Products, New Adventures, Stories to Tell appeared first on Afrobella.

Bellas, you LOVED my last collaboration with my favorite Los Angeles makeup artist Nicole Evans. – you guys shared, pinned and tweeted our 25 Best MAC Lipsticks For Women of Color post to the gods! Thank you so much. Via Twitter and in the comments, we kept getting requests for MORE posts like that. More lists of essential, tried and true cosmetics items that beauty insiders swear by. Afrobella is here to deliver!

Most specifically, you guys asked for a DRUGSTORE edition, featuring essential lipsticks for women of color. This proved to be a little more challenging. Nicole can explain why.

“In my experience, the difference between what you’ll find in a drugstore (or even department store) consumer cosmetic line and a professional cosmetic line is that consumer cosmetic lines usually offer less pigment in their product because it’s assumed by these companies that their average consumer doesn’t really want much color. Professional lines usually offer more color in their products.Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. Matte lipsticks generally pack more color and contain fewer moisturizers and waxes. This list doesn’t necessarily contain all exceptions to the rule, but some really pretty and fun colors.”

So yes, this post includes colors we’ve tried and loved from our neighborhood drugstores. And this drugstore list keeps it purely drugstore, purely lipstick, and purely based on what we’ve actually tried and would recommend – we didn’t include other great, affordable picks like the NYX line that’s available at Ulta, for example. We didn’t include any lipglosses or pencils – that’s a whole ‘nother post. We tried to curate a list including the items we’ve found easily and tried personally, so there’s definitely room for suggestions here. If you’re seeing glaring omissions and brands the people have been sleeping on, please feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments! For now, read, enjoy, shop and SHARE!

30 Essential Lipsticks For Women of Color – Drugstore Edition!

Red:

Neon Red ( Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids)

Hot (CoverGirl LipPerfection)

Cherry Bomb (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Red Velvet (Milani)

Stoplight Red ((Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Orange:

Vibrant Mandarin ( Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids)

Electric Orange ( Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids)

Fiery Veil (L’oreal Colour Riche Caress)

Pink:

Vivid Rose ( Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids)

Cherry Picking (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Stormy Pink (Revlon Superlustrous Matte)

Pinkerbell (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Powderpuff Pink (Cover Girl Queen Collection)

Coral:

Shocking Coral ( Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids)

Purty Persimmon (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Coral-ine (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Siren (Revlon Superlustrous)

Purple:

Brazen Berry ( Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids)

Vamp It Up (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Sugar Plum Fairy (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Ebony Wine (Black Opal True Color Lipstick)

Brandywine (Black Radiance Perfect Tone lipstick). Could NOT find a link where you can buy online, this is the closest match.

Fine Wine (CoverGirl Queen Collection)

Nude:

Just Peachy (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Bare It All (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Sandstorm (Wetn’Wild Megalast Lipcolor)

Smoked Peach (Revlon Superlustrous)

Fig Jam (Revlon Colorburst)

Nude Attitude (CoverGirl Queen Collection)

 L’Oreal Infallible in Molten Caramel.

What did I learn when working on this post? I need to give more drugstore brands a try! Also, I really wish some makeup brands (Black Opal, Black Radiance) would have more of an online presence. Here’s hoping the tide turns in that direction soon, they’ve got great products that deserve to be more available to the shopping public!

Did we miss any of your faves? Got any killer recommendations? Tell us in the comments!

Click here to hire Nicole for your makeup needs, and click here to follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks again, Nicole!

The post 30 Essential Lipsticks For Women of Color – Drugstore Edition! appeared first on Afrobella.

Quick – off the top of your head, name an eye makeup look besides a smoky eye or cat eye. Did you come up with anything immediately? Kinda challenging, right?

The smoky eye has become THE look for both makeup newbies and makeup junkies. It can be intense and sexy when paired with a red lip, or smoldering and elegant with a nude lip. And don’t think a smoky eye look has to be exclusively done with dark eyeshadows – you can create a smoky look with brown and neutral shadows, purples or emerald greens or deep blues. It’s all about creating a color gradient that’s deeper and mysterious near the lashline, and moving towards lighter shades that pop near your browbone.

Recently, thanks to the Target Inner Circle, I went to the AMAZING Napoleon Perdis academy in Hollywood, California!

There I learned all about NP Set, the great cosmetics line Napoleon makes for Target – available in stores and at Target.com. I spent time with his incredibly talented makeup artists and staff, and learned step by step tips on creating a perfect smoky eye with NP Set products. AND they created a super beautiful and helpful face chart so you can learn too! Here goes!

Smoky Eye Steps with NP Set

– Napoleon Perdis has many “Napoleonisms,” and #1 is this. It is a crime not to prime! This look began with NP Set eye primer.

– Use bronze/warm blush on lid in crease

– Use black pencil (which is creamy) as a base to make your color pop

– Flat brush is mostly for the lid. Fluffy brush is for the crease. It makes a softer line

– Dabbing eyeshadow on will apply product evenly and help you control the fallout. Don’t paint, like you’re using a paintbrush. Dab.

– Synthetic brush bristles are totally smooth when you look at them under a microsoft. Natural hair brush bristles are porous and well…bristly. Natural brushes are best for powder products because they pick up more of it. Whereas synthetic brushes are good for foundations, primers, serums etc.

– Napoleon has a different technique than most artists – he uses one coat of mascara at the root of the lash before applying eyeshadow and eyeliner. That makes the lashes pop and helps you to realize you probably don’t need as much eye shadow as you may have thought you did! And after shadow and liner, then he applies additional coats of mascara as needed.

– Use bronzer as your browbone highlight, it can make for a softer gradient.

We used the following NP Set products to create my look.

The NP Set Saint Croix eyeshadow kit

The NP Set Antigua eyeshadow kit

baked powder/bronze set

Eyeliner (Paris is the name of the color we used)

the Chicago taupe eyeshadow palette

Cancun lipstick

the NP Set natural brush and flat brush

I had an amazing afternoon with the ladies at Napoleon Perdis! Thanks to Target Inner Circle for the incredible experience. Read more about it on NPSet.com!

The post DIY Smoky Eye With Target and Napoleon Perdis! appeared first on Afrobella.