I recently had the opportunity to talk to Robin Flanagan, top makeup artist and International trainer and Make up Artist for Smashbox Cosmetics Asia Pacific. She was in town from LA to promote the Heartbreaker collection for Spring 2010 and even worked her magic on me – you know how rare it is that I get a top make up artist to show me how to wear hot pink on my eyes and make it look natural?! Well I’ll share with you 8 makeup tips I learnt from Robin Flanagan – I like sharing 🙂
1. Always fill in your brows
According to Robin, as we age, we lose eyebrow hairs from the ends of our brows and our brows start looking more sparse. Filling them in or drawing in your brows helps you look younger – up to 5 years! So, don’t forget to fill in your brows the next time you do makeup. Even if you don’t put anything on, a properly filled in or drawn brow can make all the difference to your outlook.
2. Always use a makeup primer
You don’t have to use a primer all over your face. You can just concentrate on your T-zone – forehead, nose and chin – and cheeks. Using a primer helps your foundation and makeup stay on longer especially in our Malaysian heat and humidity. Robin recommends the Smashbox Photo Finish primer (RM149) which is a bestseller everywhere.
3. Define eyes with an eyeliner
Robin’s favourite item from the Heartbreaker collection is the liquid eyeliner pen (RM90). Its easy to use and stays put on your lids. Don’t attempt to draw the whole line at one go. Draw a line using short dashes close to your eyelashes – it makes it easier to handle. Having eyeliner on defines your eyes and makes it look bigger.
4. When applying blush do not apply too near your nose
Robin uses the 2-3 finger rule (rather like the 2 finger whiskey rule LOL). Place 2-3 fingers on your cheek right next to your nose. No blush should be applied in this area. Instead, start from the highest part of you your cheekbones and blend your way inwards and downwards (but not too far). Robin loves the O Glow Intuitive gel blush – a gel blush that starts out clear and changes colour to suit your skintone.
5. If you are afraid of bright colours, mix your colors
Not many of us can work with bright colours like that found in the new Kiss ‘n Tell eyeshadow palette (RM130) in the Heartbreaker collection. Robin explained that its really a matter of mixing colours and shades to make it more wearable. I thought a hot pink would be straight “Fail!” on me, but to my surprise, Robin made it work – and look natural to boot. Here’s a short little “tutorial” on how to use Kiss n Tell eyeshadow palette – hot pink and purple!
- Start by using a light shade as base (light pink)
- Mix the hot pink and peach and apply on outer lid. Blend inwards.
- Apply the icy white on the inner lid and brow bone or across whole lid. Blend.
- Line with charcoal black and follow up with a liner.
- Line lower lashline with a mix of purple and charcoal black.
You could do this with any palette you own. I’m going to try this out for myself soon – I own a hot pink eyeshadow I’ve only worn a couple of times!
6. Use a fan brush for lighter application of blush or highlighter
The new blush highlighter is Starlight Baked Fusions SoftLights which can be both a blush or a highlighter. To use it for a soft touch of colour, use a soft fan brush to apply. The powder goes on softer than if you were to use a dense blush brush. Fortunately for me, I do own a fan brush but I never know how to use it until now! Huzzah!
7. Always tap off powder makeup from your brush before applying
If you use brushes to apply your eyeshadow, always tap off your eyeshadow before you apply to your lids. Tapping off the excess will ensure less fallout on your cheeks and gives you less to clean up so its less messy. The same applies to blush. Tapping off excess colour will help the colour go on lighter.
8. Use a lip liner when using a bright lip colour
I chose Berry Hot lip shine (RM69) to finish off my look and Robin explained that using a lip liner to line your lips is useful when you use dark colours. I suppose its to stop it from bleeding or going out of line and also because the lip color is so strong, you’d want a defined lip to make it look better. Use a nude colour for something more universal – that way you can match it with all your lipsticks or glosses.
Incidentally, Yani has shared some more tips from Robin and shows you how the green-brown Hot Date eyeshadow palette looks. Check it out here 🙂
Now, which of the 8 makeup tips shared were new to you or that you might want to put into practice?
I liked the one about mixing your eyeshadow colours – bright with light – to make bright colours more wearable – its something I’m going to put into practice from now on 😀
Paris B
Thanks for the tips!!!! I have a hot pink eyeshadow too, but I pair it with browns, so its ok, hehehe. Liking the blush tip, though!!
Oh I love my hot pink with deep navy blue – seriously hot!
thanks for the tips! i am going to follow tip #1 from now on 😀
*will attempt to
Me too! I’ve realized that having brows makes a huge difference to your looks.
You look hot!
Haha Thanks Michelle! 😀
You look great! And thanks for the tips – I think #7 is really useful, though kind of messy, ehhe. I kind of disagree with #4 though I guess it’s a personal preference – I like to apply light blush in a way that makes me look naturally slightly sunburnt, up across the top of my nosebridge (but of course not near the rest of my nose).
Thanks Fiona. I’ve started using my makeup brushes again and I’ve found #7 indispensible although a little messy as you say. I tap over a piece of tissue paper so I don’t get it all over the floor. I do the same as you for highlighter not so much blush because I don’t quite fancy looking sunburnt 😉 It looks hot on those who can pull it off though
i ‘ll try it. Hope it’s works.
Hi Paris, I’ve always been a lurker on your site but the 3 finger blush tip compelled me to finally emerge from the shadows! That was a eureka moment for, just when I thought I’ve read all the beauty tips – thanks for sharing that one 🙂
Hi Jane, congrats for delurking! 😉 The blush tip was certainly unusual eh? I’d never come across it yet.
You look amazing, Paris! That’s a hot shot of you 😉
And what a way to wear pink on the eyes, so subtle … yet it really compliments the look.
Thanks Yani and I’m now convinced that yes, I too can wear pink on the eyes without looking like I”ve been crying or been punched in the face. I duped the look today and I can say, YAY! It works!!!
*Squeals!!!*
Of all the stuff above, the one thing that’s got me super excited is Starlight. Haha, no prizes for guessing. How does the blush/highlighter perform? And how much is it?
Great photo of you. Hawt! =P
Haha you and me both m’dear! Starlight Baked Fusions SoftLights is RM116 and its a cool toned pink highlighter. Its not super shimmery though. You might want to try it first – I’m not sure if it’ll be too cool on you.
great tips.. especially the 2 fingers rule for blush.
Thanks 😀
Awesome tip that one 😉
you look different PB, a good kind of different! 🙂 I love the makeover and it really works on your eye shape! thanks for sharing the tip!
Thank goodness you said “good kind of different” haha 😉 Thanks Robin did an awesome job and I actually learnt a lot about putting on eyeshadow which surprised me. It teaches you that we never stop learning and should never fall into a rut!
Very good tips! I’ve always thought that brow lining is optional, until I read Askmewhats not long ago. And then I stumbled across the same tip is a magazine to never leave the brows out even if it’s just filling in the gaps.
Pretty true, because nowadays, If I don’t do the brows, I find myself so pale in the mirror.
I like these posts on the new smashbox. They are looking really good. Haven’t been to Sephora to check if they are here or not…
They should be out in Singapore this week. Robin’s headed down there after KL 🙂 As for the brows, having sparse brows contributes to the “pale” factor too so I make it a point to draw in something if I’m going out even if I don’t have makeup on otherwise.
Oh I see. That’s so good! I totally agree with Robin about the colours normally being non-wearable. And the Smashbox’s one does look super wearable as claimed. Lucky is the person who gets to meet her in Singapore. =)
Yay for brights! So agree with tip #1. I haven’t used much of Smashbox but I’m liking the brand already because of Robin
And yes, your eyes are looking very small. How typically Asian but very cute! 😀
Wah, in the 2nd pic siap posing lagi :p Don’t angry yeah. You know I like messing with you. hee hee
Its awesome when the people who front the brand make you want to know more about it 🙂 And yes my eyes are very small 😛
I have to do #1 every time I leave the house, even if its just for dinner around the corner… I feel less confident without it, I’m so used to it now! 😛 And #6 is something I didn’t know before, so I might want to try that technique with my blushes on weekends. 🙂
I’ve only just started getting into the habit of doing my brows – still imperfect most times though 😛
PB!!! You look FABULOUS!!!!!
Ahem! Thankyew! 😀
oh wow PB i never heard of #4. no wonder i sometimes look like i overdid my blush. thanks for sharing!
btw thats a really nice look on you! 😀
Thank you Anis and Tip #4 did make me sit up and take notice. I did realize that it looks better (more natural) if I just concentrate it on the apples of the cheeks away from the nose and blend
oh my that is one purdy blush/highlighter palette.
Verily so! 🙂
Love the way Robin popped your brown eyes with the purple-black on your lower lash line. stuff like this always makes me want to splash bright shadows on my eyes but at the end of day, it’s eyeliner, mascara and blush for me.
Aww a little colour is always uplifting – try it! 😀 And yes Robin made me see that I CAN wear pink on my eyes. I always stayed away before.
tip #1 is something i cant go out without, even with a bare face. really makes a lot of difference! and i highly recommend the eyebrow crayon by Empro! no need to sharpen, easily glides on, the shape makes it super easy to refill the brows as it’s slanted, affordable. i personally think it does a good job on my brows. do check it out!
Excellent tips and you look so pretty! The colours are very complimentary on you 🙂 I am a little bummed I missed out the event but it’s ok… I hope to go check out the new collection soon.
Thank you Lyn. Robin may be back in the Fall so watch out for her then 🙂
Paris you look so pretty in the pic with Robin! I only own one item from smashbox = the o gloss. I am thinking of trying their Photofinish primer and their Halo powder. Do you know how are the prices for Smashbox here compared to the US? I’m always wondering if they are morbidly marked up or not. =P
Thank you Aretha! Are you liking the O Gloss? I didn’t find prices of Smashbox Cosmetics here marked up that much. By my reckoning, there is roughly a 10% mark up which is understandable and acceptable for me. The Photo Finish Primer is RM149 compared to US$36. Of course, if you have means to get it from the USA (without paying taxes) or during a sale there, its worth it. But for instant gratification I’d say you aren’t paying too much over what they are paying over there 🙂