How to create dramatic makeup for Carnival

There are several components of your makeup look that you can focus on to create drama. However, it’s about finding balance (and not doing all at once!) You can choose to play up your eyes, face or lips. How dramatic you make each feature will determine how much you should do to another. For example, if you do a colourful, cut-crease eye look with glitter and big lashes, you probably shouldn’t also do a glitter-ombre lip: it will be overkill. Keep the focus on your beautiful eyes by pairing them with a simpler lip.

Some components that can individually create a dramatic look are: • Bold eyes, which can consist of graphic lines, dark smokey shades, bright colours, glitter and lashes.

• Bold lips which can be bright or dark statement colours, ombre, glittery, ultra glossy or matte.

• A dramatic face, which could mean bold highlight and contour, intense glow, glitter or gems.

This year, the most popular colours seem to be turquoise and magenta. Even if you’re not wearing those colours, try using them as your pop of colour on your eyes or lips for a trendy look.

Last week, we learned how to create bold, glittery lips, so this week, lets learn how to do 3 dramatic eye looks.

Smokey Eye: After priming your eyes, apply your darkest eyeshadow at your lashes and blend it upwards and into your outer “V” with a fluffy brush. Blend a mid toned colour into your crease to create a nice transition. You can optionally apply your lightest colour on the inner part of the lid, although this will lessen the smokey effect, but I recommend doing this if you have a smaller eyelid and want it to appear larger.

Finish with eyeliner, glitter, and either mascara or lashes if you desire.

Cut Crease: After priming your eyes, roughly etch out the shape of the cut crease you want using a medium shade of eyeshadow and an angled brush. Then, blend a lighter eyeshadow shade right above it with a small pencil brush to create a gradient. Take some liquid concealer on a small, flat concealer brush and carve out the underside of the cut crease you created. Using feathery strokes, blend the concealer down until it fades seamlessly into your eyelid.

You’re sharpening and perfecting your “cut”.

Now you can apply your lid colour from the inner corner of your eye, fading outwards as you go towards the wing.

You can also use multiple colours on the lid for a rainbow effect. Just be sure to blend between each colour you place so they fade seamlessly into one another. Finish your look with eyeliner (I prefer to do winged eyeliner since it enhances the shape of the cut crease) glitter, mascara or false lashes.

Double Winged Cut Crease: Following the same steps as the regular cut crease, simply add a thin wing under the cut crease. I like to match my winged eyeliner to the second wing under the cut crease for a more cohesive look. It also helps if you lid colour is light enough to contrast the wings so you can clearly see the details. Finish your look with eyeliner on the waterline if you desire and mascara or false lashes.