When it comes to eye makeup, my routine usually goes a little something like this: Apply black eyeliner. Smudge with Q-tip. Add mascara. Voila. When it's a special occasion, I might add a little eye shadow (just one color, all over the lid - nothing fancy). But my recent discovery of the highlighting pencil has really turned my routine upside down. I'm a changed woman! New routine: Apply black eyeliner (something thick and easy to smudge is ideal, like my favorite, Benefit's Bad Gal pencil) to the top and bottom lids, leaving space at the inner corners of the eye but connecting the lines at the outer corner (optional: angle the line upwards for a subtle cat's eye effect). Add a white or light-colored highlighter to the inner corners of the eyes, drawing a "V" right around the tear duct area (I prefer a pencil, because it's easier to apply, and a product with a bit of creamy shimmer, like Benefit's Gilded). Add mascara. Marvel at how instantly awake and lovely you now look. Easiest eye tip ever, right?! I think this highlighted eye works best when paired with a rosy flush to the cheeks and a clear balm or gloss on the lips. Keep it simple!
Oh, and if you don't want to spend $18 each on the Benefit pencils, you can pick up this Eyeliner Duet in Mockingbird by N.Y.C. New York Color for a mere $1.99. It has black liner on one end and an opalescent white pencil on the other, which increases the portability factor to boot. Woo!
