What are some quick and easy party make-up looks?

What are some quick and easy party make-up looks which I can wear for the coming festivities?

Freelance make-up artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis is known on the international circuit for her creative use of colours and expert strokes.

Based in London, the Vietnamese is frequently seen backstage during London Fashion Week and editorial shoots. She was in town last month to create the make-up looks at Digital Fashion Week with The Body Shop.

Here are three of her favourite easy statement eye make-up looks.

All-out glitter (photo 1)

1) Apply a kohl liner on the upper lashline without being too precise. Stroke it out with a blending brush.

Then, apply more kohl on the lids and smudge it to lightly cover the eye-socket area. You can create a cat-eye shape if you like.

2) Prepare some fine glitter and lash glue. Start by applying a thin layer of glue on the outer corner of the eyes. Then, place a clean finger in the glitter pot to pick up the sparkles and press onto the glue-covered skin. Wipe the finger on a tissue to remove the remaining glitter - this step is crucial to prevent a mess. Repeat until the entire eye is covered with the glitter of your choice. Use the smudged kohl areas as your guide.

Do not worry about being too neat and precise as the eye make-up is meant to be a little smudged.

For this look, gold glitter is used on the inner corner of the eyes, while emerald glitter is speckled on the outer corner.

Whichever colour you choose, the lighter shade should always be used on the inner corner, while the darker hue goes on the outer area. This makes the eyes look larger.

Fine glitter should be used. Glitter which comes in big pieces, such as those sold in craft shops, looks tacky.

3) Further define the eyes by lining the upper lashline with a liquid eyeliner. Finish by lining the lower water line (the moist strip of flesh between the eyeball and lashes) with a kohl pencil.

4) To remove, dampen a cotton pad with a water-based cleaner, place it over the eye make-up for three seconds and wipe in a clean sweep. Repeat until the eye is free of glitter. Do not rub as that will cause the glitter to fall into your eyes.

Remove the remaining liner and eyeshadow with an oil-based make-up remover.

Peacock smoky eye (photo 2)

1) Apply black kohl on the lashline and the lids and smudge to fill the eye-socket area. You can choose to give this kohl base a winged shape.

This first layer of smudged kohl will make the eyeshadow you apply on top last longer and give it a velvety finish.

2) Layer blue kohl or blue gel eyeshadow over the smudged black kohl base and blend.

3) Dust some turquoise eyeshadow on the mobile lid.

4) If you want something more dramatic, blend purple and pink eyeshadow along the edges of the smudged blue kohl.

5) Dab some gold eyeshadow on the inner corners of the eyes. Finish with kohl on the lower water line and coat lashes with mascara.

Pearlescent smoky eye 1) Apply a soft wash of metallic rose gold cream eyeshadow all over the lids.

2) Dab on some blue or black eyeshadow on the inner corners of the eyes and blend.

3) Apply blue or black eyeshadow on the outer corners of the eyes to form a triangle. Imagine it as the tip of your usual smoky cat-eye make-up. Blend the eyeshadow upwards.

These tricks create the illusion of a full-on smoky eye, although you have accentuated only the inner and outer corners of your peepers.

4) Finish with mascara. To keep the look soft, there is no need for more eyeliner.

This article was first published on Dec 5, 2014.
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