The demands of nursing school keep our cousin Shireen quite busy. When she’s not busy hitting the books, this pretty lady can often be found baking up a storm (if you’re really nice to her she’ll make you a to-die-for red velvet cake). Though she keeps her makeup look pretty low-key, she’s very discerning when it comes to the contents of her makeup bag, never settling for anything that’s less than just right. We asked her to share which beauty products made the cut:
Must-Have Monday: Shireen’s Top 5
Must-Have Monday: Amina’s Top 5
Our cousin Amina is equal parts tomboy and knockout. We love her mellow, laid-back attitude, wise-beyond-her-years sensibility, and the fact that she’s kicking butt in a male-dominated field. While you’ll want her on speed-dial for IT-related catastrophes, she can also teach you a thing or two in the powder room.
By day, Amina usually keeps makeup to a minimum, but for play, she turns up the volume to mega-watt glamour with smoky eyes and a bronze glow, framed by long, cascading waves. We asked her to empty out her makeup bag for us, and here’s what we found:
1.Diorskin Nude Foundation in Honey Beige (#40) to even out skin and prime it for makeup
2. Like most of the women in our family, I swear by NARS blushes: I use Gilda (an amazing matte, peachy hue) for every day, but Angelika, Sin, and Lovejoy are also in heavy rotation.
3. MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder for lining the inner lids/waterline, and MAC Chromaline in Black Black for lids, applied with an angled eyeliner brush.
4. I used to prefer glosses, but lately I’ve switched to lipstick. I love wearing pink nudes these days. My favorites are MAC’s Hue and Crème Cup. I also just bought Shy Girl — it’s more of a peachy nude — which I absolutely love.
5. I also line lips with MAC Subculture or Dervish.
How do you get those gorgeous waves? [Ed. note: her hair is naturally straight and thick]
I get my haircut at Solo Salon in Chicago with Jovan and love her! She gives great cuts and styles your hair so nicely. Whenever I want beachy waves, she uses a straightening iron to curl my hair and makes it look so good.
Any other leads for Chicago gals?
My favorite eyebrow person is Zena at Campagnia della Bellezza in Old Town. Also, if I want to get my makeup done, I go to Dana at the MAC counter at Nordstrom Michigan Ave. She taught me how to cover my dark circles properly.
Top Pick: Nars Outremer Eyeshadow (as Eyeliner)
Maleeha’s pick.
I love winged eyeliner. Especially when that winged eyeliner is a vivid shade of electric blue. Since discovering Nars’ Outremer this past summer, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been approached on the street by total strangers, begging to know what it is. It lets me shake up my everyday look with an unexpected pop of color, without getting too circus clown. Here’s my how-to:
Whether or not you wear eyeshadow (I often go without as I don’t want anything competing with the bright, matte cobalt hue), make sure to prep lids with an eyeshadow base or primer. I’m a fan of the Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. Then curl lashes and apply mascara — this will help you see the contour of your eye and act as a guide for lining.
I find using a wet method makes the line sharper and the color bolder, with the added bonus of giving it staying power. Once mascara is set, take an angled eyeliner brush (I’m partial to Trish McEvoy’s #50) and run it through a tiny bit of warm water — the idea is to wet it slightly, rather than drench it. When you drag the end of brush through the shadow pan, the consistency should be more like wet chalk than a runny liquid. If there’s too much water on it, press out the excess.
I like to begin at the end of the upper lashline and work my way in. To start, make the wing: gently press the loaded brush onto the end of the lashline at an upward angle, as if you were aiming it towards the end of your eyebrow. Try not to shake or wiggle the brush — the line needs to be clear, sharp and defined. The length of one brush tip is usually the extent of my wing, but you can experiment to determine what suits your eye shape. Then work inward, pressing the brush in as close to the lashline as you can get so there’s no space between the liner and the lash. Make the line progressively thinner as you work your way in until it virtually disappears into the lashline, stopping once you get to the inner edge of the iris.
The hardest parts are getting the angle of the wing right, keeping the line thin, and making sure both eyes are symmetrical, but you’ll get the hang of it after a few tries.
Extra Tips:
- When using a bright hue on the eyes, keep the rest of the makeup clean and minimal, and make sure brows are well-groomed.
- Complement the look with clothing in a solid, non-competing color. It looks great against bright white, all black, or my personal fave, navy blue, which really makes the color pop.
Desi Betty 