January 2011 -

Your eyes are one of the very first things a person notices about you. If your eyes are blue, you are fortunate to be able to pull off a vast array of amazing color choices when it comes to eye make up. Choosing the best colors for eye make up for blue eyes can help you achieve the best eye make up look. Brown shades will accentuate blue eyes. Consider using brown mascara! Before you rush out to purchase eye makeup, two important factors should come into consideration before committing to a look: Your hair color and skin tone.

Consider your hair color and skin tone. If you have dark hair and a warm skin tone, you can pull off bolder colors, such as deeper shades of blue, rust, and purple, and also look great in metallic shadows. The limited edition Smashbox Eye Wish Palette ($243 Value) Eye Wish Palette (above) is a perfect choice for blue-eyed beauties with darker skin and hair and includes fabulous color choices such as Eggplant, Warm Brown, and Deep Teal Dark brown or black mascara and a light layer of a dark brown or black eye liner will complete the look.

Choosing make up for blue eyes and fair skin and hair is not difficult, as women with these features can also pull off just about any color. The trick, however, is to look for softer versions of the eye shadow, liners, and mascaras you want to wear. For women with fair skin and hair coloring, softer blues, lavenders, and grays play up the beautiful blue eye color without overpowering them. An excellent choice of eye shadow would be the Smashbox In Bloom Eye Shadow Palette & Brush (above), which includes soft shades of grey, orchid, and moss that will draw attention to the eyes without giving you the appearance of being washed out. Softer colored mascara, such as Dior DiorShow Iconic Mascara in Chestnut is a better color choice than traditional black mascara. You will also want to avoid dark black eye liner and opt for a brown or smokey gray, such as the Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Tiger’s Eye or Smokey Quartz. This will prevent your eyes from looking “over done”.

Make up tip: The way in which you apply eye makeup can also make or break your look. Start with a neutral shadow color and cover the entire lid, starting from the brow and working down. Next, take a darker complimenting eye shadow color and cover the lid from the crease of your eye down. Sweep a lighter color (a champagne or soft ivory color works best) over your eyelid from the crease up to the brow and blend these colors together evenly. Blending your main shadow color with more neutral colors in the same color family will allow the main shadow color to show your eyes off best. Avoid layering eye shadow colors that are in the same color family. For example, don’t use three different shades of blue at the same time. Also, avoid bright blue mascaras and eyeliners. While they may be fun to wear, it is not look that particularly compliments any eye color. Navy, however, will make the eye whites appear brighter. Making the right choices in color for make up for blue eyes will result in eyes that command attention and make you feel more confident about the way you look.

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

About the Author: Carleen Pruess Coulter

Allison Evans is a writer and editor for the health and beauty website Fit&Fab Living and the Fit&Fab Living blog, Running With Mascara.

Jeans are one of the most quintessential fashion pieces! They’re extremely versatile—from laying around on the weekend to wanting to look your best for a night out, they’re perfect for almost any occasion. Because there are so many styles of jeans, they have the potential to flatter every body type. Purchasing the wrong pair, however, can accentuate your trouble spots. With this jean guide, you’ll never have to stress over jeans shopping again because you’ll know exactly what to look for to flaunt what you want and hide what you don’t!

Apple – This shape is “top heavy,” with a wide torso and full waist and upper back. Apple shapes have a noticeably larger upper body.

The Jeans For You – While skinny jeans are all the rage right now, it’s best to avoid them. If you have a pair that you love, the most flattering way to wear them is with a long tunic shirt or sweater over them. Apple shapes tend to have great lower bodies, including legs and hips, so don’t be afraid to go for hip-hugging jeans. Wide leg and flare jeans are also good options to give you a more proportional look.

Rectangular – This body shape has little to no curves. They are often considered slim and athletic-looking.

The Jeans For You – Straight leg jeans are your best friend. If you want a curvier look, find jeans with lighter shading on the thigh area. If you want to accentuate your butt, pick jeans with flap pockets or fun embellishments. Stay away from baggy jeans as these can make a woman without many curves appear boyish.

Pear – This shape is the opposite of the apple shape. They are “bottom heavy” shapes with smaller upper bodies and larger lower bodies. They have round hips with a defined waist. The hips and thigh area tend to collect weight resulting in a curvier bottom.

The Jeans For You – Stay away from high-waisted jeans, skinny jeans or jeans lacking shape. Go for mid-rise styles, with waistlines that sit just below your natural waistline. To make your butt appear smaller, look for jeans with larger back pockets. Avoid pockets with flaps or embellishments, as these will draw attention to your rear end. Boot-cut jeans are your best option because they offset wide hips. Straight leg jeans will also give you the appearance of longer legs. Wear jeans that skim the thighs, not hug them, which means that although stretch material is comfortable, it’s probably best to skip it.

Hourglass – The hourglass figure is the most desired body shape by woman. This shape has proportioned curves. Hourglass shapes have well defined waists, with hips and shoulders that are well-balanced.

The Jeans For You – Since you’ve got a great waistline, flaunt it! Wear jeans that accentuate your waistline. Look for mid-rise jeans with larger hips and a smaller waist. Straight or wide-leg jeans will show off your curves. A slight flare of the leg will balance out slightly wider hips.

Round – This shape has most of the weight concentrated around the stomach area. The waistline is not well defined, and the shoulders and hips appear narrow.

The Jeans For You – Jeans with flared legs or boot-cut is the best style for you. Avoid skinny jeans and anything with a tapered leg. Pick a mid-rise jean that will lie across your stomach, not above or below it. Also, keep in mind that darker washes will make you appear slimmer.