making faces :: fall in, part 4 [neutral eyes]

yes, when it comes to fall colours, we normally look to the trees for our inspiration, but let's face facts: the flaming shades of fall and the season's more intense lip colours [see part two of this series "the vamp stamp"] don't make a happy pairing. yes, it's the season of halloween, but it's not a great idea to look like you're ready for the big event on a daily basis. to balance the power of a dark lip, you're going to want to go with something more subtle and fortunately there are as many options as there are stars in the sky. [not literally -ed.] here are a few of my current favourites...

hourglass "suede"

yes, it's beyond high time that hourglass made some additions to their line-up of visionnaire eye shadow duos, but in the meantime, we can appreciate what they have to offer. i'll be honest: this subtle cream and beige-taupe combination is actually my favourite of the three that i own. the shades aren't matte- the cream has a satiny sheen to it and the taupe has a soft golden shimmer- but they're much less frosted than some of the other shadows. they sculpt and shape the eye perfectly, last like a dream, but remain in the background so that they don't compete with more dramatic elements. if you're going to go with a bright or dark lip, this is the perfect anchor to have in your corner.

suede

although both shades lean a little warm, i think that all but the coolest skin tones could wear it. being very soft, light colours, they're probably best suited to fair complexions, though.

the shades can kick up a little dust in application, but that absolutely does not translate into fall-out or powdery residue on the eye. in fact, i'd say that this is one of the best performing items in my shadow collection. and my collection is not small.

mac "tailor grey" and "camel coat"

mac and i have gone in different directions lately. specifically, i've gotten older and pickier and mac has oriented itself towards a younger clientele eager to try out new colours and finishes. but some things they just continue to do well and their cream shadow paint pots are one of them. released with a new collection of long-wearing paint pots [i don't actually find them any longer-wearing than the originals, but those had excellent wear], these two soft neutrals are perfect as a base for a neutral or lighter smoky eye, but they also look great on their own.

l to r :: camel coat, tailor grey

both have a significant amount of grey in them ["tailer grey" is deeper while "camel coat is lighter and a bit pinker and not camel at all], which makes them very appropriate for cooler-toned lasses. don't underestimate that, either. the vast majority of neutrals lean warm.

paint pots are one of the few cream shadows i can wear, since most irritate my eyes. i use "painterly" as my eye shadow base, because it does such a fantastic job of smoothing my lids, correcting their uneven colour and giving shadows something to fix onto. these two are no different, except that i've been using them as shadows, not as a base. it's a fantastic solution when you're in a hurry, but they also blend very well if you'd like to play around a bit.

marc jacobs "the ingenue"

in my original review of products from the marc jacobs line, i mentioned that i felt like the eye shadows were the stars. so it shouldn't come as a surprise that i went back for seconds. what might come as a surprise is that instead of one of the flashier colour combinations, i picked out this trio of soft, understated shades. but this was definitely the one i had my eye on after picking up "the punk".

the ingenue

for starters, i really love the largest central neutral shade. it's a pale cream satin that brightens my eyes without adding a lot of heavier colour. the other two shades have more shimmer to them, particularly the pale copper that's included. it really sparkles and tends to add dimension. the third shade is a gorgeous soft pewter, a dirty grey with a frosted finish that's not overwhelming. [the frost contingent is really represented by the copper colour here.]

the formula on this trio was as pleasing as on "the punk". everything last well, didn't fade or crease and showed up nicely against my skin. because of the particular selection of shades, i think that you'd need a fair to medium complexion and have at least some noticeable warmth to make this look at its best. darker skin tones might want to look at another trio, "the glam" for a nude look.

because of the shimmer content, this ingenue can actually make the transition from day to night quite well, upping the glamour nicely with the addition of more of the copper and pewter shades.

yes, i'm definitely planning on still more of these palettes and i suspect that that will eventually include a back up of this one, which is currently seeing a lot of use.

chanel "hasard"

hasard

this is part of chanel's fall collection, a soft matte shade that i think of as "heather"- a mix of soft purple-mauve and grey. although it's not an intense colour, it does have a great payoff and is ideal for sculpting the eye socket to bring dimension to the area; even if you're going for subtle, you still want to play with the shadows [both kinds] to create the best effect. i also think you could use it for a very subtle smoky effect on the eyes.

there's enough colour that i think that pale or medium-to-deep complexions could benefit from this. certainly, it would look gorgeous against olive skin.

although i don't care for chanel's baked formula eye shadows [how they offer their quad palettes in canada and europe], their single and duo shadows are divine. they're smooth and even and feel luxurious being applied, which is nice given that the price point is luxurious as well. i've heard that this shade will be made permanent and it's definitely going to be a permanent staple for me.

inglot "351" and "352"

i honestly have no idea what i'd do without these workhorses in my collection. these are the basis for so many looks i would venture i guess that other than foundation or concealer, they are the most used items in my vanity. both are matte- and inglot does excellent, affordable matte shades- with slightly but crucially different undertones.

l to r :: 352, 351

"351" is a bright ivory, a little yellowed but still light enough to work as a highlighter on me. it also looks fetching applied on the lids, since it tends to brighten the area and make me look wider awake than i generally am.

"352" is slightly deeper and has a peachy undertone, making it more natural for pink-toned complexions. i find that this one is a little tricky as a highlight shade for me, because it's just a bit too dark, but anyone from a light-medium to dark complexion could certainly use it as such. since it's just a hair darker than my skin, i really like it for an almost completely natural [but better!] kind of look.

these two are my bread and butter. i can build anything around them and not worry, because i know that i'm starting from a solid base. my advice? find a neutral inglot shade you love and go with it. because of the breadth of their offering, it's impossible that you won't find something that appeals to you and that works for your particular skin tone. if you want to start building a collection, this is definitely the place to begin experimenting.

two neutral shades that i didn't include here, but which really need to be are rouge bunny rouge "bashful flamingo" and "gracious arasari". in my rush to review things that i hadn't yet, i neglected to think of the shades that i have reviewed and which have become indispensable.