Easy makeup for rainy days

A swipe of eyeshadow, a dab of blush and a smudge of lipstick can banish the blahs.

New York—Despite rainy skies, this time of the year can be a bit of a drought when it comes to one’s beauty forecast. With December’s bonus still months away, there is little leeway for frivolous beauty spending.

But whether simply running errands, meeting up with amigas for brunch or attending a low-key birthday party, getting decked out and made-up every now and then reaps cheerful results.

For when skies are gray, one can count on a swipe of eyeshadow, a dab of blush and a smudge of lipstick to liven up gloomy surroundings.

On your next outing, try this easy look inspired by Lunasol’s latest Coffret d’Or collection:

1. Apply a wash of sparkly pink eyeshadow all over eyelids. Dot a little extra on the browbone (the protruding part under your eyebrows). Using the same brush or finger, apply concealer under your eyes. The shimmery pigment leftover helps highlight skin even more.

2. This look uses rosy brown contour shadow instead of the usual golden taupe well-loved by many. To mimic this look, sweep on your usual shade of brown from the base of your lashes, up to the crease, and then blend in a bit of pink blush on top of this to create your own pink-brown combo.

3. Depending on where you’re going and time of the day, you can adjust the intensity of the dark eyeshadow by using your finger to smudge in pigment. Use a light application for day, and a heavier hand at night to achieve a smoky effect (as seen here).

4. Use black eyeliner to rim the tops of your lashes. Draw a thicker line on top, and a much thinner one at the bottom, smudging the latter to create a soft line that blends in seamlessly with your bottom lashes.

5. Curl eyelashes and sweep on lengthening mascara. Swirl blush along cheekbones, forehead and cheeks for a face-warming effect. Finish with berry gloss for day, and a brighter cherry lipstick for night.

TIP: Perfectly groomed brows create an over-all polished look even with minimal (or zero) makeup. Sculpt the perfect arches using light brown eyebrow powder and clear mascara. Try Lunasol Brow Styling Compact in Natural Brown.

Lunasol products are available at Rustan’s Department stores nationwide (Kanebo counters).

Mariel Chua is the former beauty editor of Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, and Ok! Magazine. She is now based in New York City. Visit NyMinuteNow.com.

(Images courtesy of Kanebo. Original article link here.)