Daytime Silver Smoke

We're having a little holiday party here at work today and I decided to try a light version of a winter makeup look I love--the silver smokey eye. (Yes, I like the extra E in my spelling of "smoky")

As my workplace is pretty casual, I didn't want to over do it, especially since I'm wearing jeans with it and I get in before 8am.
No need to look like a high-priced hooker in the workplace!

For going out/night time I line my bottom waterline as well, and use a heavier hand for a thicker line.
For the line across the top of my lashes, which I smudge upward, I draw it all across my eyelid, but for work today I just smudged out the line from the outer half of my eye, instead of going whole hog.

And I obviously went lighter on the silver cream eyeshadow for this "Lite" version than I would for a full smokey eye.
Just remember to NOT AIM FOR PERFECTION! The less you care, the better it looks.
And it wears well too--no need to worry about touching it up throughout the day (though the products I used are mainly waterproof/long-lasting, I'm too busy at work to fuss in the mirror).

 

Products Used:

 

Benefit Stay Don't Stray! primer (applied below and above eye)

Make Up For Ever black cream waterproof eyeliner (applied with angled brush on waterline)
Josie Maran eyeshadow quad: I used the black shadow to smudge my upper lid line. This product is so dense and long-lasting I can even use it as an eyeliner.
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Eternal Silver

Flirt Lash-a-delic mascara

NARS Laguna liquid illuminator (browbone)

 

ChaCha Tint Dupe

I love Benefit.
I adore Benefit. The products are high quality, the packaging is efficient and fun, and the names are adorable. But, unfortunately, you get what you pay for, and then some, because yeGods their stuff is pricey!

I have their Posie Tint and love it, but I was looking for something more peachy to go along with this year's coral trend that I'm loving.







And Benefit's ChaCha Tint fits the bill---
"a mango-tinted stain beautifully blushes lips & cheeks with a tropical sunset hue."

But it will run you about $30 a pop, application can be tricky, and you've got to blend it like a speed racer because it sets FAST and you practically need Everclear to get it off.

Yesterday I was looking at Sonia Kashuk's cheek tints and realized that the Poppy color is very similar to ChaCha.

On the left there.

And considering they're less than $10 at Target, I decided to give Poppy a whirl.

Yes, it is a wonderful dupe.

In fact, this whole line is a dupe for Benefit tints:

The middle one you see above, Peony, is a dupe for PosieTint.

And that gorgeous red on the end is a dupe of BeneTint.  Basically the Kashuk products above are the invert of the Benefit products seen below.

And I am loving the Kashuk cheek tints.  Poppy is wonderful--it has a creamier texture than Benefit, but this makes it a lot more blendable, though it has the same sheer, demi-matte look of Benefit.

And they have the same incredible staying power, and best of all they don't get oily!

And I seem to need less of the Kashuk cheek tint to achieve the same effect.

The only noticeable difference is the applicator; Benefit goes for the nail polish approach--little brush that allows you to get an exact amount of product (though you'll probably need to re-dip), whereas Kashuk has a sterile pump that makes doling out the precise amount you want a little trickier.  I like the amount it gives out though--just enough for both of my cheeks.

And yes, you can use the Kashuk on your lips as well, just like the Benefit tint.

This is Kashuk's tint (below). ChaCha is above.

As you can see, ChaCha is a bit on the orangier side, whereas Kashuk's is pinkier.  I find Kashuk's more flattering on my light, freckled complexion.

Pretty as a Pink

For an easy pop of color that brightens your face on even the most blaaaah of days (today is one of them for me), I love Benefit's Posie Tint--the cutest stain in a little nail polishesque bottle!

Because I am so pale-skinned I am intimidated by the deepness of the regular BeneTint, which is a heavy red. I prefer this bright pink and sometimes mix it with a dab of face cream to make it even more sheer. Use it on the apples of your cheeks, as a lip stain, or even on your brow bones! I apply it with a beauty sponge and if I do it heavily it tends to last most of the day.