RSSTHE Brush To Create Beautiful Eyeliner
February 8, 2009
As we get older, our features seem to blend more into our face. Eyeliner can be beautiful to make eyes pop, give the appearance of thick eyelashes, and draw attention to the most expressive part of your lovely face. In fact, it’s essential but easy to overdo and wind up looking like a fortune teller. It’s a softly blurred edge that we want.
The problem with eyeliner
But pencils, they drag. The smudge sponge at the end doesn’t work so well. You can try using the side of your pencil instead of the tip, because that method works well with lip liners, but it’s uneven on the eyes. It’s hard to drive the pencil in between the lashes. The color and line thickness aren’t consistent. The beginning of the line can be blotchy.
Powders are a mess. Adding water to the powder is a worse mess.
Liquid liners look hard, especially in the daytime.
Line on upper and lower lids created with Dino Dilio Brush 5 and Paula's Select Eyeshadow in Charcoal.
The easiest eyeliner tool
I am about to hand you the brush that takes a pencil and turns it into a gorgeous smudged line effortlessly, in 2 minutes, no kidding. It will last as well as the pencil it came from. You ‘d have to plan to mess it up. It just works.
The color can soften a little from the original depending on the product you use and how much you apply. If you use a powder, the application can be very soft but still very effective to add definition to the eye area. The stroke can be intensified by choosing a deeper pencil or powder color or using more of the pigment or by layering. You can build and build.
Dark lines are hard looking and many pencil colors are very dark. This is the perfect way to soften the dark pencils that you own so you can use them again.
You may have pencils in a color you love but the application of which leaves much to be desired. This brush can turn that choppy liner into a thing of beauty.
Dino Dilio
The answer to all your eyeliner frustrations is made by Toronto makeup artist, Dino Dilio. It is his Brush No. 5. This fabulous little brush will get you wearing eyeliner every day again, and wearing it well!
If you need another testimonial, see what makeup artist Erin Carpenter has to say.
Here is the rest of Dino’s makeup brush selection.
How to create a perfect line
Smudge the pencil on your hand. Draw the brush through it gently. Don’t bend the bristles. You’ll see the color being picked up by the brush.
Angle the brush downwards to deposit some color between the lashes (making them look thicker) and begin drawing a line. Do it in one long stroke or several shorter arcs, doesn’t matter. Add thickness in places, lengthen the line at the end, deepen the color by adding layers, whatever. It will look perfect.
I have no Do’s and Don’ts because it is foolproof.
Pencil smudges on left. Lines with pencil at top and bottom. Lines created with Dino's Brush 5 in the center.
The pencil lines are at the top and bottom. They’re choppy. They’re heavy and the thickness keeps changing, often leaving a glob at the beginning of the line.
This brush line looks like artist’s work. It doesn’t have to be drawn in a smooth perfect one-shot-to-get-it-right line. Composed of several short strokes, it still looks perfect. The pencil color can be softened, as you see above, to look like a colored blur. Want deeper color? Go over the line or apply a thicker deposit the first time or use a darker color. They all work.
Precision eyebrow work
This is a very versatile brush. It is 1 cm (1/3 inch) across. It could be used for any type of precision eye or brow work.
Slicker than hot damn.
Where to buy this little dream ? From my good friend, Jenepher Reynolds in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The brown and blue eyeliner colors used to create the lines above come from Jenepher’s AboutFace collection. The brown is Tornado, a terrific pencil that ranges from charcoal brown to a much softer brown depending on the intensity you use. The blue is a fantastic dark teal called Nautical.
-->I am about to hand you the brush that takes a pencil and turns it into a gorgeous smudged line effortlessly, in 2 minutes, no kidding. It will last as well as the pencil it came from. You ‘d have to plan to mess it up. It just works.
Read moreInterview With A Makeup Artist 2
January 5, 2009
In the previous article, Interview With A Makeup Artist 1, I introduced you to makeup artist Jenepher Reynolds. I never visit PEI without taking an opportunity to sit in her chair. It is always a great experience in beauty and learning. We chatted about makeup for women over 40 last summer. Here is the second half of our conversation.
Views on PEI's Confederation Trail.
6. The three most important products for women over 40?
JR: An eyelash curler !! Care to know the why? As we age, the lashes tend to fall and stick out rather straight from the edge of the lid, so from the front they become invisible. The eyelash curler lifts the hair up, which immediately counteracts gravity. It also exposes more of the white of the eye, which makes the eye look larger.
Secondly, smudged eyeliner. It defines and thickens the lashes, which is youthful. Where the line goes depends on the eye and the face.
Third is concealer in a yellow-orange-peach color. The light yellow-beige sold in most lines is too light and not very effective. If you think about color theory, orange cancels blue and yellow cancels purple. So since a lot of Caucasians are blue/purple under the eyes, it only makes sense to use a concealer with yellow and orange in it.
Also, a pimple is nowhere near the color under your eyes. It’s red. Green cancels red so for blemishes you need a concealer with a bit of green in it.(Not to the extent of an illusion toner). That can be a very difficult product to find but it counteracts redness and shadows better than any other.
I have several favorite concealers. One is made by Ben Nye (see the article Concealer : Ben Nye Neutralizer Crayon Should Be Famous) .
Long walks on windy beaches.
7. Any general color advice that applies to everyone?
JR: Nothing applies to everyone. You might reconsider if you are using deep, dark, or matte colors on lips. Lips are the only feature that can be big!! Darkness, especially if it’s dull and matte, is a minimizer.
I think a lot of people have experience with color whether it’s from decorating their house or buying clothes for themselves or someone else. Color theory is color theory. i.e. if you choose a color for your lips that is much darker and deeper than your skin and lip tone, there is high contrast which can be harsh, especially if it’s not blended. I mention this because so many women will not put any make-up on except lipstick and quite often a very deep lip color. All we see are the person’s lips.
This applies to eyes as well. Colors that contrast strongly with those naturally appearing on your face may appear harsh and that can be aging or unflattering.
Consider bronzer year-round, in a shade more golden than brown, for the soft light it brings.
No more dusty rose blush. That color is flattering on a small and select group of women. Peach/apricot/pink are more attractive on most fair/medium/dark Caucasian skin tones faces.
New Glasgow, PEI.
8. What are the differences between applying makeup on models and on real women?
JR: Women should understand that it takes several hours, professional lighting and photographers, and upwards of 100 – 250 pictures to get one good shot. Add to that hair and makeup people (often several of each) and models with training in how to pose. This is before we discuss computer retouching! It is insane for women to compare themselves to model photos. There is no comparison. Go have a look at the videos on the Dove site if you need an example.
What you will see of your kids - see the line of snorkels?
9. What did you learn from working in a plastic surgery milieu?
No matter how much money you have or how much work you get done, it doesn’t mean that you will be happy or satisfied with your looks. I know this also from my own experience with cosmetic surgery. Like your insides and the outside will reflect just that.
How's that for a carbon footprint?
10. You’ve worked with so many lines of cosmetics. Why did you choose to work with the AboutFace line?
JR: I answer this question on my website’s Cosmetics page. They rely on advisors within the industry, editors, chemists, and others. They do not test on animals.
I looked at many lines before I settled on this one. I felt it best addressed the needs of many women. I also appreciate that they are always adding new products.
Brackley Beach. A wee bit different in December.
11. Have you any reaction to how media tells women over 40 to feel about aging?
JR: The most common complaint I hear from mature women is “I look so old”. They’re trying to hide this spot or that one. Sure, they don’t look like they did when they were 17, but why accept that there’s something wrong with that?
Why try to hide yourself? Why not enhance what you do have? All the makeup in the world won’t hide poor eating habits, smoking, or an angry expression.
If cosmetic surgical procedures truly will make you feel better about yourself, then go ahead. It can make a huge difference in self-esteem. But it’s not for everyone. Growing enough to accept that we are no longer who we used to be on the inside, and seeing it as natural to reflect that on the outside, can satisfy most of us.
You can do preventative things to slow down aging, concentrating on the biggest aging factors. Those are sun, smoking, and stress, not necessarily in that order.
I’d like the beauty industry to stop using the term “anti-aging”. We start aging from the day we’re born. The focus should be on taking care of yourself inside and out. I have laugh lines that end in my hairline. I’d rather that than frown lines.
Hay bales and the ocean always over the next hill.
Despite the oversight of having left out a visit to Jenepher’s studio, which I’m certain will be corrected in the next issue, the ultimate Book of Musts : The 101 Places Every Islander MUST See is absolutely unequalled for letting you in on what to REALLY do in PEI. (here it is at Amazon). I’d like to tell you it’s sunny and hot all summer but that might be an overstatement. With this book in hand, you’ll have a fantastic time, even if you’re at Value Village buying fleece.
Without it, you might not find the best Montreal bagels and Thai food. You might not know that 6AM and 9PM are the best times to be on the North Shore beaches. Pick the strawberries on Tea Hill so you can stand up and gaze out at the ocean. Cross country ski at Brookvale and you’ll feel entirely at peace.
Go to the Island but don’t go without this reference. The more kids you bring, the better you’ll like it.
Go without kids and take the forest walks at Bubbling Springs or Lover’s Lane at Green Gables.
So much more than a sub-Arctic sandbar and the home of Anne of Green Gables. Any water sport you can name. Fantastic food. Incredible shopping. Oh, it goes on and on.
The best vacation on Earth.
Visit www.peiplay.com.
-->The most common complaint I hear from mature women is “I look so old”. They’re trying to hide this spot or that one. Sure, they don’t look like they did when they were 17, but why accept that there’s something wrong with that?
Read moreInterview With A Makeup Artist 1
January 3, 2009
If ever you find yourself in or near Prince Edward Island, Canada, make sure your eyebrows have grown out and you bring your whole makeup bag with you.
Position of PEI in Canada (dark dot in the East) linked to Wikipedia page.
You can pay a visit to makeup artist extraordinaire, Jenepher Reynolds. She’ll give you the most perfect eyebrow shape and color for your face, talk to you about your hair color, suggest what makeup to keep and what to turf, and create any look you request on your face (everyday, monochromatic, makeup for photos, evening, whatever you can dream up).
Search her name on this site and you’ll see several articles where her products or advice are mentioned. She brings experience from retail, the modeling world, and the field of makeup for cosmetic surgery. A 42 year old woman herself, she understands how the face and skin change over the years. She gets that you’re busy, don’t have an unlimited budget, and want to look polished, not painted.
Jenepher Reynolds
Her approach is definitely understated and highly customized to the woman she is working with. We all have our insecurities, our preferences, and our openness to change. Though she works with her own line of makeup, there is no upsell here. In fact, she’s used products she knows I own over and over in different ways. A matte brown powder can be an eyeshadow, a liner, a contour, a bronzer, or used to tone down a too-vibrant blush.
It was my privilege entirely that Jenepher found some time to speak with me in July of last summer.
1. You’ve worked at the Elizabeth Arden, Versace, Guerlain counters in various cities. Why did you leave a retail environment?
JR: For various reasons. The single biggest reason was that women doubted your advice because they thought you were always trying to make a sale. No matter your level of skill or sincerity, it was hard to break through that wall of suspicion that you were just in it for the commission. The truth of the matter is that most department store makeup artists, or salespeople, take pride in giving correct advice.
Second, I left department stores because I wanted to work in freelance makeup doing commercials, print ads, etc.
Third, there was an intimidating atmosphere, an aura of inapproachability and status with the prestige of some of those labels. This wasn’t in keeping with my personal feeling that makeup doesn’t place some people above others. Expensive makeup isn’t necessarily better. Makeup is about helping you feel good no matter who you are or how much money you have or pretend to have. I wasn’t comfortable with a sales technique of intimidating people into purchasing product.
2. What are the biggest obstacles encountered by women over 40 being who would like to be comfortable with makeup?
JR: There are two.
The last time many women enjoyed makeup, had time to play and experiment, and learned what suited them was in high school. As time passed, they got busy and continued using the same products and techniques because they worked back then. But colors have evolved. Application techniques have progressed. And a woman’s face at 40 is different than at 20 – not better, not worse, just different. Those colors and applications that worked 20 years ago are not flattering any more, or at least not as becoming as other options might be.
3. And the second reason?
JR: Plain old fear. Women don’t want to look silly so staying with the familiar is at least safe. They’re not sure how to find the colors that suit them best now, given changes with hair color and style and skin color and texture.
What you need is someone who will see you objectively, see you as you look today. How you used to look isn’t relevant. Even women who have adapted their makeup to their changing face can have difficulty letting go of a rut they got comfortable with.
The solution for both situations is solved by seeing a makeup artist. For many women, accepting the suggestions of an artist, a stranger who is seeing them for the first time, is very difficult. They really have strong convictions that they need that dark lipliner or dusty rose blush. It’s the job of the makeup artist to evaluate the woman’s degree of comfort with change and with her appearance.
Get recommendations for makeup artists from women you trust, just as you do for hair stylists, and then let them do their work. You don’t fix your own toilet, and you don’t stand there questioning the repairman’s every move while he’s doing it. You’re paying professionals to take their advice, not your advice, right? Go with an open mind. Don’t wash off the makeup till a friend has seen it, a friend that you trust for ruthless, honest feedback.
4. What are the biggest makeup mistakes you see?
JR: Rings around the eyes [heavy eyeliner]. Rings around the mouth [heavy lipliner]. Shimmer on skin that can’t take it. Foundation colors chosen by holding the bottle against your face at the drugstore. “Dusty rose” blush on every face. Beyond those, it varies by individual.
5. What are the most important changes you suggest for mature faces?
JR: There are two guidelines to keep in mind because they apply to almost every woman over 40 years old. The first key to attractive makeup is keeping the color deposit light. Literally using a light touch will result in softer color deposition. Avoiding products that are not too heavily pigmented and colors that are not dark or matte for that skin tone are important too. A heavy-handed application will show in the final result.
The second principle is using smudged definition of features. Distinct, obvious lines look harsh. Given that the soft appearance of youth is lost with age, hard lines are too noticeable and can be aging. Softened lines are youthful and forgiving of changes in skin texture.
You may have found some things you recognize in yourself already. You’ll find more in the second half.
Since you’re in PEI having a gorgeous makeup application, be sure to visit the amazing beaches! Miles of white and red sand, warmer water than anywhere North of Virginia, and sunsets you’ll never forget … the gentle natural beauty of this spectacular place is completely accessible to anyone.
Jenepher can be contacted privately at on the AboutFace site. If you have questions or personal beauty challenges that we can all learn from, please post them in the comments so Jenepher can address them there.
-->If ever you find yourself in or near Prince Edward Island, Canada, make sure your eyebrows have grown out and you bring your whole makeup bag with you. You can pay a visit to makeup artist extraordinaire, Jenepher Reynolds.
She will create any makeup look you can think of, design perfectly shaped and colored brows, and explain how to choose your best makeup colors. You will look polished, not painted.
Concealer : Ben Nye Neutralizer Crayon Should Be Famous
September 10, 2008
-->Concealer makes such a difference on mature faces. It’s just amazing how much you can do with the stuff. I think it’s the most under-utilized beauty weapon.
By now, we all have some shadowed areas and some discolored areas. There are many women our age who really don’t need foundation, but I don’t know one who doesn’t look better with a little concealer.
Mid-Summer Bronzers For Light To Medium Skin
July 13, 2008
Back in June, I posted an article featuring 2 Beautiful Bronzers For Early Summer. They are just as gorgeous now as they were then, but many of us have a little more color in our skin now. We’ve been wearing brighter colored clothes. We’re staying up later in the evenings and enjoying the deeper saturated colors of mid and late summer.
Read more2 Beautiful Bronzers for Early Summer
June 13, 2008
As soon as warm weather arrives, we want a little more color on our face. It looks great and it’s a lovely way to celebrate the prospect of several months of summer. In Canada, it matters.
Bronzer is the best way to get that color. I think it’s also the most attractive. You can put it where you want it and never look burned. A real tan just looks old these days.
PRODUCT REVIEW : ABOUT FACE INVISIBLE BLOT POWDER
March 12, 2008
I was introduced to the About Face cosmetic line through makeup artist, Jenepher Reynolds. I wrote about Jenepher in the article Custom-Blended Foundation.
Excellent product, strongly endorsed
This is the best blotting powder I have found. It does exactly what the product name says. It is completely invisible and removes shine from the face. It works immediately and lasts several hours depending on the degree of oiliness.
It is unexpected looking in the compact because it is as white as this page.
CUSTOM-BLENDED FOUNDATION
November 29, 2007
Foundation mistakes are the most obvious Foundation is the most critical makeup item and the most difficult to buy. These are the stumbling blocks: 1. The time it takes to find a perfect color. 2. The confidence you have in the advice of the woman at the counter who sells by commission, under department store [...]
Read moreYES, YOU REALLY DO NEED 2 CONCEALERS. PART 2:THE DARK
November 23, 2007
After reading the article on light concealers, you’ll recall why concealer becomes more beneficial as you get older. The lighter concelear is used in shadowed areas. It also brings forward certain areas of the face which helps accentuate the bone structure. Why you need a skin-tone concealer The darker concealer should be an [...]
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