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Romantic Date Night Makeup: Makeup Tips for Valentine’s Day

I am always trying to perfect my makeup application, and every time I have the opportunity to get a professional makeup job, I find myself asking the makeup artist 101 questions. I always come away with a new trick or product to try.

So you can imagine how thrilled I was to have the opportunity to hang out on Google+ with Sonia Kashuk and pick her brain about anything related to makeup and beauty, focusing particularly on makeup looks for Valentine’s Day this weekend.

I learned some great tips and was reminded of a few others that I’d heard before and forgotten. Here are my favorites.

Makeup Tips from Sonia Kashuk

1. Don’t Over Draw the Lip

Bold lip color is a hot trend for this spring and summer, particularly orange tones. This is a trend I’m excited to try, especially now that I’m armed with Sonia’s expert advice. When it comes to bold lip color, she says not to over-draw the lip. She prefers to keep the line of the lip soft. She says you can use lip liner as a base layer over the entire lip, as that helps your lipstick and/or lip gloss have staying power. But rather than having a sharp line around the edge of the lips, she says it is better to soften the line by smudging it a bit.

2. How to Take Your Makeup From Day to Night

When you want to take your daytime makeup and take it up a notch or three for an evening out, Sonia suggests adding black eye liner, as that really makes the eyes pop.

She also likes to apply a bit of a shimmer to the center of the eyelid. (She advises NOT using shimmer on the brow bone. She likes the surprise of the shimmer on the eyelid.) She says it’s all about the subtle nuances, not dramatic changes.

And she highly recommends false eyelashes to pop the nighttime look.

The other suggestion she made that I like is to go with a nude lip. She says that we often think about a bold red for nighttime but that a nude lip can be just as striking and it allows the eyes to take center stage.

3. Color Trend for Spring

This spring it is all about color. Coral and orange lipstick is the biggest trend, and I’ve already seen this in the fashion magazines. But also color in eye shadow and eye liner is a big trend. Sonia advises combining a bright color with a neutral on the eye so it’s not too much. Try a color on the lid and a neutral in the crease, and then blend, blend, blend.

In addition to hanging out with Sonia and asking her all our burning questions, we were each able to choose a makeup look we wanted to learn how to apply. I chose Romantic Date Night.

romantic date night[2]

Target provided me with a gift card to purchase the makeup I needed to create this look, and here are the steps:

Romantic Date Night Makeup

Step 1: Apply Perfecting Luminous Foundation with a damp Blending Sponge for a radiant, even complexion.

Step 2: With the Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo in Glisten, apply bronzer for tone and blush for brightness.

Step 3: Using the Eye Couture in Eye On Neutral Shimmer, sweep shade #7 all over the lid to just beyond the crease, followed by shade #6 just below the crease, blending color seamlessly.

Step 4: Take a Small Eye Shadow Brush and pack on shade #10 along the upper lash line, blending out.

Step 5: Using a Shader Brush place shade #12 directly at the upper lash line, extending the line slightly up at the outer corner. Continue down the lower lash line, keeping color light and smudged.

Step 6: Give your eyes that shut-down stare with Full Drama Eyelashes.

Step 7: Color in lips with Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in Pinky Nude for kissable color that stays put. If you prefer shine, add a bit of Ultra Luxe Lip Gloss in Prettiest Pink on top.

I decided to give it a trial run, and here’s how it turned out!

makeup-vertical

I didn’t do the false eyelashes. I’ve never applied those myself and I have to admit, they scare me just a bit. Plus my lashes are pretty long already, although the older I get, the thinner they get. Another fantastic benefit of aging.

The eye makeup is subtle, but I like it. Although honestly it doesn’t feel very evening to me. If I was going out, I think I would add some black liquid eye liner. (And concealer!! I usually wear that, but evidently I forgot it this morning.)

I love the lipstick. I used both the lip crayon and the gloss, and I really do feel like it has that subtle romantic date night vibe going on.

Tomorrow night we’re going to celebrate Valentine’s Day here at home with the kids. (My husband and I had a nice dinner out last weekend, and he sent me 2 dozen roses and a box of chocolate just a few weeks ago when I was going through a rough spot, so I’d say he’s off the hook tomorrow! I am planning a nice dinner, and I will definitely be rocking my Romantic Date Night makeup, thanks to Sonia’s expert advice!!

Join The Conversation

98 Responses

  1. Lovely! My coloring is similar to yours so I could totally copy this look. Question. .. have you found that your eyes have turned green as you get older? Mine started out brown but are more greenish hazel now. I don’t know what shadow to use anymore.

  2. I like the color of the lipstick you’re wearing. I need a tip for helping sunken eyes stand out. As I get older, I can’t get my eyes to look good. I entered, but I’m not on Twitter.

    1. Do you curl your eyelashes? Try volumizing mascara. And make sure your eye liner is RIGHT IN the lashline. You don’t want it to be too thick, and you can smudge it a bit, or use a very fine line, but definitely don’t let there be any eyelid showing between the eye liner and your lashline.

      1. Thanks! I recently found a nice mascara I like. I do curl my lashes, but they don’t stay curled for very long (and refill pads are no where to be found). I’ve also been trying the tightlining to line my eyes. I don’t want to do anything too dark as I also have inherited dark circles and hooded eyelids. I just can’t get my eyes to “pop”. Oh, the joys of aging!

  3. I am going to try the foundation. I have been wanting to try a new makeup and that looks really nice on you. I have been feeling blah with my makeup routine so thanks for this!!

  4. I like using a deep blue eyeliner to enhance my brown eyes.
    Very excited about the opportunity to win the Target gift card!!

  5. I like Sonia’s tip about overdrawing the lip. You want your makeup to look natural, not overdone! A tip that really works for me, is misting my face with Mac Fix Plus after I finish my makeup. It really softens my look and makes it look more natural and less cakey.

  6. Love your makeup look, though I agree, it’s not a date night look for me….I am going to try it one day next week though.

  7. Your makeup looks lovely! I would love some new makeup to play with. I tried a red lipstick of my daughters for a night out and it was fun!

  8. I bought this palette a few weeks ago. I had a Bob Costasesque eye infection and threw my entire make up drawer out. I am going to try to follow your eye tutorial (if it ever stops snowing and I can leave my house…).

  9. This look is beautiful and perfect for me too! I added the eye kit to my shopping cart! I have never tried her makeup and I would love to! I like the shimmer tips and the tips for spring lips. I need to get better about using lipstick! Thanks! Susan

  10. I like the idea of a lip crayon to make the color stay. My lips tend to look like normal not long after I apply color.

  11. I like the eyeshadow tip–Try a color on the lid and a neutral in the crease.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  12. I love the tip about the colors that are in for Spring. I am a huge fan of coral, and will be wearing it a lot in the next couple of months!

  13. I love the shimmer on the inside and the darker color on the outside. I’ve always done the opposite – but I’m ready for a change! Also, where do you put the bronzer? I know I should use it but haven’t been… oh how I miss summer!

  14. You look gorgeous, Jo-Lynne! I love the blush. I don’t wear blush often due to my rosacea. I find that the redness in my cheeks sometimes shows through the foundation to almost appear blush-like. But I really like the color of the blush. Will have to pick that up!

  15. You look beautiful, JoLynne! I feel like I’ve been doing the same thing too long. I need to put into practice some of the tips!

  16. I don’t do false eyelashes either. My tip is to drink lots of water – good for your body and your skin.
    Thanks for the contest.

  17. The tip I like most is: With the Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo in Glisten, apply bronzer for tone and blush for brightness.

  18. My favorite makeup tip is to use a little hair gel on your eyebrows so they will stay smooth & not unruly .. thanks!

  19. I like the tips for adapting your makeup from day to night.
    Thanks for the great giveaway and post!
    FB: Alexia Harvours

  20. You’re makeup is pretty. The eyes are more subtle than I expected. I’ve been searching for a new foundation. Would love to try Sonia Kashuk.

  21. Best tip is to not over draw the lip.
    My favorite makeup tip is actually just about removing it: use coconut oil to remove eye makeup.

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