Buy The Look: Day to Night with NeNe Leakes

 

photo credit: Derek Blanks

NeNe Leakes does an excellent job of keeping her “eyes poppin’ and lips bustin’ as she transitions her look from day to night. What makes her day-to-night looks work? COLOR, and lots of it. Last week’s entry, “Fall Addiction” prepared your summer skin for the fall season. Now this entry is going to transform your natural, barely-there summer look into an awesome autumn look…with color, of course. And with NeNe as my color muse of the moment, you’ll become an attention-getting diva in no time.

NeNe’s “Daytime Fresh” look is perfect for lunching with friends. This reality-show diva is clearly unafraid of making a statement with color. Her almond-shaped eyes, accented with shimmery orange/gold eyeshadow gives her a warm glow and softens her face. Brown eyeshadow used as an eyeliner on the corners and in the crease of her eyelids create intensity and depth. You can use my drugstore-obsession, Wet n Wild i-sparkle Eyeshadow in Solar Eclipse ($4.99, available at drugstores), to achieve this show-stopping look. The price doesn’t break the bank and the eye-popping, floral motif is really pretty to look at.

But could i-sparkle deliver color to deeper skin tones? My litmus test: if I can’t see it on my skin or if it fades too quickly, then it won’t be purchased and in turn, all of you will hear about it. Unfortunately, many mass and prestige brands don’t deliver quality color on deeper skin tones, ultimately leaving me very disappointed. But as I applied each of the colors from the i-sparkle pallette, I was happily surprised by how vibrant each color appeared on my eyelids. The downside: I had to use a heavy hand during my application to really make the color pop. It started to fade about an hour later, but not significantly. Overall, I think i-sparkle eyeshadow is worth buying. Quick tip: use an eyeshadow base to make the eyecolor stay on longer.     

To get NeNe’s lip effect try  Mattesse Elite Lipstick in Bi ($10) on your lips and   Kevyn Aucoin’s Liquid Cyberlip in Datura ($27) on the center of your lips to create dimension. (One of my dedicated reader’s put Kevyn’s color cosmetics back on my radar.) Complete her daytime look with a sweep of Pearls of Perfection Blush in Nude by Physician’s Formula ($9.99), which has a twinge of rose color in it, on the apple of your cheeks to bring stunning attention to your cheek bones.

Transitioning NeNe’s day look to night is quite simple now that the base has been laid. For a near-nothing investment, Wet n Wild’s i-sparkle Eyeshadow in Galactic Realm ($4.99, available at drugstores), can help you achieve NeNe’s “Sultry After Dark” look. First apply the grey eyeshadow on the eye lid, then apply the black powder along the top and bottom lash lines from left to right and within the crease of your eye. Further accentuate your eyes by applying the white eyeshadow just below your brow bone.

For oh-so-glamourous lips like NeNe’s, adorn them first with MAC’s Front Lit Lipstick ($14), and gloss it up with  Bobbi Brown’s Crystal Lipgloss ($17). Sephora’s own brand, Blush Me! Trio in Warm Bronze by Sephora ($15) will serve to highlight and contour your cheeks to perfection like NeNe’s. Now, you’re ready for a sexy night out.

MY PRO TIPS:

Tip 1: Make your eyes POP. Step out of your comfort zone by using brown, charcoal, blue and grey eyeshadows to bring attention to your eyes.

Tip 2: Make lip gloss your best friend. Incorporate pigment-rich lipstick colors like berry, plum and blue-red into your makeup bag for a more interesting look for fall. A gloss can always be used to add another element of sexy to your pout. Mwah!

Tip 3: “Mattify” and “prettify” your face. A flawless complexion is always in season especially if you have oily skin. I recently tried Yves Saint Laurent Matt Touch Foundation ($50) and instantly fell in love. On the positive side, it “mattified” and “prettified” my face for a short time. Unfortunately, within an hour or so my forehead became a grease slick. So this product is not ideal for those with extremely oily skin but may work for those with mildly oily skin.

Hue Knew It? I did!

Comments

[Ev]

I love this site. It offers women of color options. I look forward to reading more! Loyal Fan in NYC

[Karyn]

I agree! I feel like there's finally a place where we can get beauty info about us. I hope everyone is enjoying it as much as I do.

[Lawntawnda Jankins]

Ne Ne look like she gone hit somebody in dat right picture..

[JJ]

all I know is that is a pretty ass mug shot if I ever saw one

[Gloria]

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I hope Everyone Enjoy it!
Its Amazing!!!
Sincerely Gloria