I am a self-proclaimed makeup minimalist—give me a solid BB cream, concealer, powder, and an orange-red lipstick, and I’m good to go. But like many of you, I scroll through Instagram and save experimental beauty looks that make me go ahh, even though I’ll likely never try them myself. All of that changed when I saw this eyeshadow look brought the life by makeup artist and photographer Danessa Myricks.
I am unsure how her glowy, artistic work showed up on my Instagram feed, but I am forever grateful to whatever piece of the algorithm that is responsible for sharing Danessa’s page with me. As I combed through her photos, I realized she’d developed a line of products that were available for purchase. This was exciting to me for two reasons: I was supporting a woman-owned, black-owned business. Not mention, I was going to have the chance to experiment with color on my eyes (which I never do!). I ordered the Waterproof Cushion Liner ($15) in Blue Jay and Cotton Candy and waited for them to arrive.
I experimented with the blue first on my entire eyelid, even though this product is labeled a liner. Since I wasn’t quite used to working with a cushion liquid formula, I made quite a big mess my first try, but that was nothing a cotton swab and some micellar water couldn’t fix.
Next, I tried the pink, which to be honest, I was afraid of. As someone who keeps their makeup pretty neutral aside from a bright lip, this was a bit of a stretch for me. I tried the Cotton Candy the way it was supposed to be used: as a liner. Lucky for us, all liners come with a tiny angled brush, which I found extremely easy to work with.
As I’ve experimented with both colors, I have learned one thing: prepping the lids with an eye cream is essential to the application. Like working with any liquid liners, it will take practice and patience to get the perfect winged look, but it is possible.
Next, I tried the cotton candy hue on my entire lid, which I receive so many compliments on each time I wear it. First, I prepped my lids with an eye cream. Next, I gently worked the liquid onto my lids with E.L.F‘s flat shadow brush and followed by blending it out with their fluffy eyeshadow brush so didn’t have any harsh lines. I had to work fast, because once the liquid dries down, it isn’t budging without micellar water or an oil-based cleanser. Whether I use this as a liner or a shadow, I always have to clean up my eyelids, because I am not a pro just yet.
When using a bright color on your lid, don’t forget to follow up with a dark mascara. My personal favorite at the moment is Butter London’s Power Up All Day Wear Mascara because it lengthens my lashes and makes my bright eye looks pop. It also covers up any pink or blue I got on my lashes.
When I purchased this liner, — and pack it away in my I tried it, but rarely use it pile. Boy, was I wrong. Both colors have become a staple in my weekly routine when I have a few extra minutes, or I know I have an audition and want to stand out when they ask for a “hip millennial.”
You’ll need a little patience when trying this product for the first few times. However, once you get the hang of it, you may want to wear bright eyes everywhere you go.
