Update on my real life makeup friend who was stuck in the 90's matte makeup style:
We got together yesterday with plenty of time to play with hair and MU. I showed her all my favorite, modern makeup crushes, like Elude, Forever Marilyn BP, and the new MSFs. She'd never seen anything like any of them. I gave her some Adored along her cheekbones and the difference was huge, even though it was just a subtle change. She's officially converted!
I also did her eye makeup, which I was a little nervous about, because I never get to play around on other people, only myself. She already had on a dark grey contoured shadow, so I gave her a touch of the black Crushed Metal pigment from a couple holidays ago, just on the lids, with some silver CMP dabbed in the center of the eyelid and blended and it looked really fantastic on her. Really accentuated her eyes! We slapped on some big old, 60's style fake lashes too.
She wanted soft pink lipstick so I suggested Hip 'n Happy lip pencil all over, with Double Spin on top (she liked Venus too, but I thought it wasn't quite "party time" enough for her outfit and eye makeup). She's got quite thin lips, but this made them look much fuller.
She kept telling me how everyone at the parties we went to were complimenting her makeup, so that was pretty awesome. I thought I was going to mess up and smudge eye shadow all over her face.
I used that violet pink Electric Cool shadow from last summer all over my lid as a base for Tropica and holy moley, that is an excellent duo. I put a touch of Zestful near the tear ducts and very very lightly swept above the crease, but not all the way up to the brows, with Night Trail plw liner in the water lines and it was a gorgeous look that lasted all day and night. Those Electric Cool shadows were really excellent. I hope the day comes when they bring them back (although I'm not holding my breath). One of my favorite MAC eye shadow formulas, especially the non-sparkly ones like Infra Violet and the coral color.
Is there another brand that does something like them?
I finished my look with Rio on top of some Fiery Impact EDB - that was a good combo for toning down the warmth in Fiery Impact just a smidge. Then I went for Ronnie Red on the lips. Love Goddess might have been a better choice, but I didn't want to dig around for my tube and Ronnie Red was right there. It was a lot of color in this look - but hey, it's a party and it photographed well!