Eyes
Magic Mascara Wands
What: Innovations in mascara wand design are leaving lashes looking longer than ever.
What the Experts Say: Think the mascara wand is only ancillary to the actual mascara formula? Think again. Cosmetics manufacturers are churning out wand designs that may look odd, but truly deliver the goods. It’s all enough to get Christina Ricci’s makeup gal, Vanessa Scali, hyped up. Of Givenchy’s Phenomen Eyes mascara , which touts a wand with a ball-shape at the end, Scali tells InStyle, “The unusual brush let’s you get in between every lash for extra definition. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a mascara.��?
What We Say: We don’t step foot outside without our lashes looking lush and lengthy, so if the new crop of wands make a difference, we’re psyched. Guerlain Le 2 De Guerlain Two Brush Mascara boasts two wands: a thick one for volumizing and lengthening, and a tiny angled one that reaches pesky inner lashes for a wide-eye effect. At $35, it’s not quite a steal, so Covergirl Lash Blast and Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara have you covered, offering lush lashes at lesser price points. Lash Blast’s large, patent-pending plastic brush really separates every lash for awesome definition, but is difficult to maneuver on tiny inner lashes. The VolumFlex Brush in Glam’Eyes literally bends, making it highly maneuverable and perfect for coating each lash from root to tip.
Photo: Style.com
Glam Glitter
What: Adding standout sparkle to eyes feels fresh and fun this summer.
What the Experts Say: Arts and crafts, anyone? Backstage makeup fixture Charlotte Tilbury channeled the look of ’70s fashion icon Bianca Jagger for the Missoni Spring 2008 runway by sprinkling a load of green glitter on eyes for a disco-worthy cat’s eye look. “I did it in a contemporary way—it’s how girls would live and wear it today if they were out partying,��? she said. Also in on the sparkle trend: makeup guru Pat McGrath, who took smoky eyes to the next level backstage at Anna Sui’s Spring 2008 show by showering lids in blue glitter for a “fun, strong��? edge.
What We Say: Oh, glitter. How we want to love you, but we’ve grown up! We simply can’t bust out glam glitter eyes without look ridiculous, right? Wrong! Dousing eyes in intense sparkle for the occasional night out can be extremely eye-catching—when done correctly. The trick is to lay your foundation first—a cream primer base that will catch the flecks and make them stick, followed by the color eye shadow of your choice—and then layer on the glitter for multifaceted beauty. Hard Candy does all the work for you with its ingenious Bling Bling, which contains a standout glitter hue plus two bases: nude for a pure glitter look and black for a fierce smoky eye. What’s even better, the regularly priced $16 bling beauty is now $8—score! For the slightly more timid, keeping the sparkle strictly on the eyeliner allows you to have fun with the trend without really going disco. Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner offers knockout colors that can be layered for rock-star intensity, or worn discreetly. Still not feeling like a glitter go-getter? Try a black liquid eyeliner and, using an angled brush, layer a tiny bit of glitter over it while it’s still wet. The result is super subtle—just enough to let out your inner glitter girl.
Photos: Allure.com and Style.com
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