Holiday Makeup Tips From Our Intern Beauty Expert


1198861550Bostonista loves many things about Intern Liz : her smarts, her sunny attitude, her willingness to run out in the cold and round up items for photo shoots. But we’re not going to lie…we mostly like her for her expertly applied eyeliner.

It’s a just-thick-enough, seemingly smudge-proof line that punches up her indie/au naturale look and makes her eyes look Bambi-esque. After three separate editors commented on it, we decided to go straight to the source. (One more reason to love her: She does our blog posts for us!)

Liz says:

I’ve been sporting the classic black pencil since boarding school, where I was finally free of my mother’s ‘clear mascara only!’ rule, but it’s taken me years to get the look exactly right. Since it’s the holidays and all, I thought I’d be charitable and bestow upon Bostonista my tried and true eye-makeup tips, so you too can have office fame, or at least the foxiest eyelash flutter under the mistletoe.

1. Find yourself a good black eye pencil. I use NARS Eye Liner Pencil in Black Moon (available at Beauty and Main, 30 Brattle St., #1A, Cambridge, 617-868-7171) for its smooth application and perfect size. Liquid eyeliner can look too harsh and permanent, and powders can get messy.

2. Make sure you have the pencil sharpened to a semi-blunt point. You want the line to be crisp with a touch of softness, and to be moderately thick without being overkill.

3. Keep your eyelid taut, and, beginning at the outer corner of the upper lid, slowly pull the pencil toward the inner corner of your eye, keeping as close to the lash line as possible so you leave no space between it and your line. Apply enough pressure so that the line is opaque and defined. The sweep should end at the inner corner. Steady hands will make or break this one!

4. If you’re feeling sassy, go back to the outer corners and add a sharp little upturned, feline swoosh with your pencil.

5. Finish with any brand of black mascara on top and bottom lashes.

[Ed. note: We know it’s not new or exciting, but we still swear by Lancome Definicils.]

6. For more intensity, apply liner to your bottom lash line as well, but make sure to apply less pressure than you did on the top, and use a blending brush to soften it up.
For a fancier, nighttime look, begin the process by shadowing your eyes with neutrals and sheers

[Ed. again: We like Stila shadows in Chinois or Dune.]

7. Or, for a holiday glow inspired by the waist-high snow drifts, finish by lining your inner eye and bottom lash line with a snowy, sparkling white shadow.”

[Final ed. note, because we can’t shut up: Liz doesn’t use a primer, yet her liner still looks crisp at the end of a long day. If you’re not so lucky and are afflicted by that gross crease-y/greasy problem, we recommend starting with Lumene Eye Makeup Base. Trust us, we’ve tried every single eyeshadow primer — including the much-raved-about Laura Mercier Eye Basics — and this drugstore brand is the best.]