The eyes and cheeks take centre stage as Christian Louboutin Beauty announces the launch of their new eye and blush palettes. Inspired by the iconic studded shoe design, the Abracadabra La Palette collection features three eyeshadow palettes and three blush palettes.
With mask-wearing still a norm during the pandemic, campaign makeup artist Lloyd Simmonds shares tips on how you can create the signature Abracadabra looks.
What was your inspiration for creating these three looks?
I wanted to highlight what is magical and special about each palette, demonstrating the different possibilities to shape, colour, and design a look. I was also inspired by each woman that I was working with, and her unique eye shape, eye colour, and complexion.
How would you describe your signature look, and how have you translated it on Abracadabra La Palette looks?
I always try to respect and enhance the uniqueness of each woman that I work with and bring out her beauty and individuality. I find this approach in Abracadabra La Palette, because the palettes help you to bring out your personality, individuality, beauty, and eye shape. That’s the magic of the palette!
What do you love the most about La Palette textures?
What I love most is the softness, the ease of application, and the blendability of the textures. I also really like how you can contrast and shape with different colours and textures: there’s a matte for depth, a metallic for impact, a shimmer for highlight… there’s so much possibility.
Do you have some pro tips to share for a perfect eye-catching look?
There is a quick and easy way to create a perfect eye look using just two colours. First, choose a medium tone and then sweep it across the eyelid, working from the inside to the outside in one movement. Then, choose any of the darker tones to shape the eye along the root of the lash, starting at the outside of the eye and blending inwards. The contrast of the two colours will automatically extend and enlarge your eye shape.
You can also add drama to that shape by using a highlight or shimmer colour on the browbone. Blend out the brow or smudge another colour in the centre of the lid to give it some light. These are fast ways to make your eye makeup pop!
What is your technique to get very wide eyes?
It’s very similar to a catchy eye. Going from light tones on the inner eyelid to darker tones on the outside will create a contrast that instantly opens and enlarges the eyes. You can even extend the darker outside corner to draw it out. Just remember to keep to dark tones on the outside and light ones on the inside.
What are the mandatory zones to highlight for a glamorous look?
Highlighter goes on top of every area, every bone you want to bring out. That could be the apple of the cheekbones, the high point under the eyebrows, maybe even along the bridge or tip of the nose, or a tiny bit along the chin. The rule about highlighting is that you need to make it harmonious and use a delicate touch.
Rouge Follies, Rogue Pigalles and Bronze Eloise, $108 for the refill and $108 for the palette
How do you transform a makeup look from light to bold?
There are many ways to go from light to bold, and you can do just one—or all of them!
The simplest way to go from day to night, or from light to bold, is to add another layer of mascara on top of what you’re already wearing; it will instantly give you a completely different look. Get lift by curling your lashes and adding the mascara mainly to the top lashes.
The second easy way to transform your makeup look is to add a dark colour to your day makeup. That could be an eyeshadow, liquid eyeshadow, or a pencil liner. Add the dark colour to the roots of your eyelashes, then smudge it with your fingers, and you can easily have a smoky eye look in 20 seconds. And if you’re already wearing eyeshadow, you can layer on more. That will give you drama!
Another tip is to take a metallic eye colour and put it in the centre of the eyelid or on the inside corner of the eye. This will give you an instant metallic evening look.
One of my last tips is to use a bright or glittery colour to your eye look. Adding a touch on the inner corner of the eye or the browbone will give you immediate contrast for a beautiful, bold eye look.
So Chick, So Delikate and So Prive, $108 for the refill and $108 for the palette
Louboutin is all about the colour red. What is the best way to wear red eyeshadow?
Anyone who might be intimidated to wear red eyeshadow can add just a touch or use it as an undertone beneath more classic colors. This will give you the hint of red that you’re after. The other way to wear red eyeshadow is to embrace the drama and go for it! I think it’s a fantastic look. I also love contrasting red with gold, peach, or warm pink tones on the eyes.
The new Christian Louboutin Beauty Abracadabra La Palettes will be available on Christian Louboutin Beauty at TANGS at Tang Plaza and Tangs.com from 1 June 2021. Each La Palette case is priced at $108. Blush refills and eyeshadow refills are sold separately, priced at $108 per refill.
