This is a beauty post (hooray!) and we will get to the beauty. It’s way down there, skip if you must, but some serious decisions have weighed heavy on my head and heart lately and you’re a captive audience so here it goes. Now I’m not sure if it is due to others bringing these “decisions” to my attention or if it’s just my own wacky subconscious talking but now these things are stuck in my brain and it’s about time I hashed these things out (on the internet where nothing disappears EVER).
The dilemmas.
Bright or Moody Photography? Some say I over adjust white balance. I think my balance is pretty spot-on-the-dot but who really knows.
Food or Fashion? MUST I CHOOSE AND WHY???
Low Carb or Gluten Free? I’m not perfect. *adjusts halo*
Beauty OR Foodie. Maybe faboodie if we could make that a thing, please?
I’ve decided that for now I’ll be doing both food and beauty and cranking my white balance high or low as I see fit. The beauty post may dwindle unless I hear from YOU otherwise but I can’t discount them because, I mean, this blog is titled INSPECTOR GORGEOUS sooooo…..there’s that. Secondly, how could I call this blog a success without having my eye makeup-less selfies posted for all 27 people who follow me to see? That includes you, Paul. It can’t. It’s garbage unless you can see my makeup-less eyes.
Garbage!
*Special thanks to my bestie Heather who when faced with my “pre-eye look” photo said I look weird. This is why she’s bae forever.*
On to the makeup.
Halo Eyes
It’s been increasingly hard to wear anything but this eye look since I bought the new Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics palette. Mainly because it’s FAST and Furious and smokier than a Michigan bowling alley, circa 2009. Plus it’s mostly matte and that’s my eyeshadow jam right now. I’m not linking it because they aren’t paying me to link it, *shrugs* but you can buy it online or at Ulta or Sephora or whatever.
So what’s a halo eye? It’s this ↓
A soft and sometimes shimmer center lid that is surrounded by a deeper shadow aka the halo effect. You can take this simple idea to the bottom lash line as well but let’s start with the tops first.
Why do it? Because it can help you fake the appearance of rounder, bigger eyeballs and that’s a plus for us almond eye shaped gals.
Dust off your blending brush & let’s make a halo!
Get The Look:
1. Sweep a nude color from lashline to brow bone. This can have a hint of shimmer or not. The choice is yours.
This step is a base and you can’t skip it. You wouldn’t put on blush before foundation and powder so why go right in with the deep colors without your base? If you have eye shadow primer that would precede number one.
2. Press your deep color into the inner corner lash line and blend inward, doing the same to the outer corner lash line. DON’T GO TOO FAR IN, please. Thanks.
3. Using a CLEAN blending brush, soften the outer and inner corners, blending toward the center of the lid and swipe under the lower lash line. Repeat step two as needed to intensify.
4. Add some GLOW. I love the NYX Jumbo Eye Crayons to add depth and shimmer. Find my glow tutorial HERE.
5. Tightline with a black liner and add mascara. Find out more about tightlining HERE.
Now go forth and be beautiful angels with eye shadow that is fierce as efffff.
♥ Liz
Despite this is one of very few beauty posts, but it reflects your great insights and great techniques. Your choice of products and halo eyes is amazing
I like both beauty and food – why does one have to choose between one or the other? Is there some blogging law out there I’m not aware of? And white balance away, I happen to think your photograph (be it food or beauty) are excellent!
This is such a simple and polished look! I have a Clinique chubby eye pencil called Ample Amber that would be suitable to create this halo effect!
I agree! Beauty and food are my two favorite things in the world. They actually go hand in hand lol!
And thank you, even though I’m still learning its good to hear that I’m doing something right when it comes to photos! 💖
OMG, someone is out there commenting about white balance? Too bad they don’t have anything better to do. They can shove that right up their ass. I mean seriously! WTF? It should be whatever you like to be! Photography is very subjective, as with any art. Moving onto the real topic at hand…. I love the Urban Decay Ultimate Naked Basics. I’ve been using it constantly since I got it!! And I’m totally obsesses with this quad I bought from Tom Ford. Titanium Smoke. I find myself reaching for that ALL the time.
The f*ck they mean over-white balance?
I am in LOVE with your photos!
I would love to see you beauty set up too! Can you do a beauty BTS???
Everything from how you set up to how you do the actual shoots to how you edit them. Like a FULL MF BTS.
Come onnnnnnnnnnn!!!
I mean….we did listen to your dilemma afterall…..
Ah geeze, this is why I love you Dana! You already know that I consider you one of my food photography inspirations so I won’t go on and on BUT it means so much to hear positive things from you. REALLY.
As for a BTS…yeah. Heck yeah. I love sharing what I do and love seeing what others do so I’ll be working on that now, too hahaha 😉
Ahh you mentioned me! As your biggest fan and loyalest reader, I’ll fight anyone who criticizes your blog and white colour balance. I happen to love your food photos so whoever said otherwise is wrong. Do keep up with the beauty posts…I learn a lot from them!
This sentiment gets me right in the feels, Paul! I will keep the beauty post alive so you can lower your fists for now (but keep them handy just in case). Thanks for always supporting me and I consider you one of my best internet friends 🙂
Oh good, I’m not much of a fighter anyways.
🙂 Does this make us internet bestie? I think it does.
I agree! Internet bestie seems to fit perfectly. It’s settled!
Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it too, why separate?? I say no! Beauty and food pair perfectly.I like both makeup tips and recipes (low carb, gluten free or otherwise) on the same convenient website. Also, I like your photos. I don’t know much about editing, but I know a lot about pretty pictures, and I like what you’ve got!
And the halo eyes are pretty pretty too! Well done Lizzy Lou!
Thanks Em! I’m glad you think my pics are pretty. I’m keeping them. You have just saved the Inspector Gorgeous Blog with your super positive and loving comment. You are also bae 4eva <3