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You’ve probably heard people with brown eyes lament and long for any other eye color. You might even hear them say, “Brown eyes are boring.” Well, actually, they’re probably the most versatile color to play off and enhance eye makeup! People with brown eyes don’t just have one perfect eye makeup look…they have dozens! So, truly, when you figure out what enhances those brown eyes, the rest is pure fun!

• What hue are your brown eyes? – To find what makeup look works best, we’ve got to figure out what shade of brown eyes you have. A good rule of thumb is that whatever your shade of eye (deep, medium, light), your best colors are usually found on the same level of colors. For instance, deep brown eyes usually look best with darker shadows, and can withstand darker liner…and so on.
• What shape are your brown eyes? – For the purposes of eye shadow application techniques, you will need to do some research on the shape of your eyes. Are they small, large, protruding, almond, hooded, wide set, close set? Once you find the shape, you will find the application technique that best enhances them.
• Don’t skip the basics – What are the basics? Primer and under-eye concealer, to be precise. Before any eye makeup look, on any eye color, you need to make sure that there’s a clean canvas. Primer ensures your shadow and liner stays put (or else why put it on in the first place?), and concealer eliminates any darkness or unevenness that may distract from your lovely eyes.
• Find your best colors – Each brown eye hue has a corresponding set of optimal colors that will help create the perfect eye makeup look for you. Dark brown – forest greens, dark grays, deep plums. Medium brown – purples, greens, coppers. Light brown – neutrals, golds, vibrant greens.
• Liner – Depending on the shape and shade of your eyes, as well as the eye look you are aiming for, there are a plethora of eyeliner colors and techniques you can employ! Just remember to stick with the colors levels that correspond to your eye shade (for instance, the lighter your eye color, the more you will need to avoid black liner). And don’t be afraid to add color with the liner: a plum or vibrant purple, a navy or bright blue.
• When in doubt, go for smokey! – It’s hard to beat a smokey eye, no matter what your eye color. Brown eyed beauties like Keira Knightly, Natalie Portman, and Kim Kardashian all love to rock a smokey look. Following the guidelines from steps 1-4 above, you should be able to create a smokey eye that you can turn to time and time again.
• Brows are crucial – Nothing ruins a beautiful eye look faster than a messy brow. Detect your perfect eyebrow shape, trim and groom them, define the arch. If your eyebrows are naturally light, they may tend to wash out your look. So, invest in an eyebrow tinting kit. Darkening by even one or two shades will make a huge difference to for your perfect eye makeup look, and your whole face, in general.
• Mascara is a must – You can’t have a perfect eye look without mascara of some sort. If your lashes are naturally light, consider sticking to a dark brown mascara (instead of black). And even if you don’t think it will make a difference, curl your lashes first! What good is knowing how to curl your eyelashes, if you don’t take a moment to do it? It will open up the look of your eyes like you won’t believe!
• A finishing touch of highlighter – No eye makeup is complete without highlighter. Sweep a light shimmering cream or pink color under your brow and in your tear duct to finish your look.

So, you have brown eyes, do you? You’ve got the best of the best, kid. The only eye color with no contrasting or complimentary eye color on the color wheel, as a brown-eyed baby, you can practically wear any color! Your perfect eye makeup is pretty much all of them…so get out there and flaunt it!

When the buzz about the uses and benefits of coconut oil first started up, lots of people just assumed it was either hype, or a bunch of nonsense from the “all-natural” advocates out there. Well, as it turns out, it’s neither. You can use it for everything from healthy cooking, to flavoring smoothies and coffee, to cleaning and conditioning wood! Coconut oil and what it can do really is remarkable. And in terms of its beauty uses? The possibilities are almost endless!

What to look for when buying coconut oil?

Once you decide to give this little miracle oil a try, you might be overwhelmed with your choices. To insure you’re using the best product for your skin, look for unrefined organic coconut oil. And also, you will want to get a large container of it, trust us. Not only will you be able to find more uses for it every day, but you’ll find that a little goes a long way.

So what are some of the ways coconut oil can be incorporated into your beauty routine?

• Body lotion – This one is probably the first use you’d suspect for using coconut oil as a beauty implement. Why not just use a regular store-bought lotion? Many, if not most, of them are petroleum or water-based. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is all natural and can moisturize your skin more effectively without any additives.
• Shaving cream – Constantly suffer from those tiny red bumps after shaving? Skin too sensitive to use with many shaving creams and lotions? Try coconut oil! Use it as you would any other shaving product. Wet the area, smooth on the oil, and shave. Your skin will be unbelievably soft and supple afterwards.
• Face mask – Coconut oil is naturally antiseptic, with many antifungal and antibacterial properties. It’s also antioxidant rich, which works wonders for your skin. There loads of great face mask recipes online, all using coconut oil as the base. You are sure to find one or more that will address your skin concerns and skin type beautifully!
• Makeup remover – Many makeup removers use oils to breakdown the heavy-duty mascaras, shadows, and liners we use these days…but not all the oils they use are good for your skin. Coconut oil, though, being all natural, will remove all your eye makeup completely while not aggravating your skin. Simply apply a bit to a cotton pad, remove your eye makeup, and rinse the area clean of any remaining oil. Remove the rest of your makeup as usual.
• Makeup brush cleaner – You know that you risk a serious bacteria build-up by not cleaning your makeup brushes at least once a month. The good news is that by combining a little antibacterial soap with a little coconut oil, you can not only get your brushes clean and free from bacteria, but for those brushes made from natural hair, the oils will help to condition the bristles.

It’s easy to spend lots of money on every bag trend that comes along, trust us. But no one can possibly afford keeping up with that game. The truth is, with just 7 bags (more or less), you can be completely prepared…and completely fabulous… no matter what the occasion, or the outfit!

• The Tote – This is the carryall, and it usually comes with two straps for carrying options – shorter straps to be worn close under your arm on your shoulder, one longer strap to provide a bit more room under your arm. This classic Michael Kors will be perfect! Ideally, you would have 3 totes – one in black, one in brown, and one in a neutral nude color. But you can start with the black one…it usually goes with anything!
• Day Clutch – This clever little tool can be kept inside your larger bag. A day clutch is perfect for carrying just the essentials on those quick trips to the store or to lunch from work, when you don’t want to lug around your tote. It can also make appearances at fun weekend meetings and lunch dates.
• Metallic Evening Clutch – You know your tote won’t really go well with sequins or that fab lace crop top. You also don’t want to have to carry around all that stuff. You want to be partying it up on the dance floor, or laughing with your girls, drink in-hand. That’s where a metallic evening clutch comes in. It doesn’t necessarily need to be metallic, but do try for something fun and/or sparkly. And for even more maneuverability, opt for one with a wrist strap, like these from Coach.
• Weekend Casual Bag – This bag is somewhere in between your favorite tote carryall, and your evening clutch. It carries some of your necessities, but not the full “kit and caboodle.” The ideal weekend bag is more on the casual side, and can be worn multiple ways…crook of the arm, under the arm, cross-body. It should also be a neutral in color, so it’s sure to go with everything.
• The Cross-Body – It could be a hobo, messenger, or satchel style, but everyone needs a mid-sized bag that can be slung on cross-body to keep you hands-free while you’re on the move. Some cross-body bags can be casual, some can be dressier (often having a chain as the strap), but this clever little bag will be a lifesaver when going into big crowds.
• Classy Backpack – These aren’t the backpacks that used to crease your shoulders carrying 900 pounds of books in high school. The classy backpack is huge this Winter, and we’re loving it. Avoid those made from cloth material, to keep it from looking too casual. Instead, any leather or leather-look that you would want in a tote, you should want in your backpack. Keep it simple too…don’t choose one with too many pockets or attachments. Thin-to-medium straps are also a must…nothing too thick and bulky.
• Pop of Color Bag – This is the wildcard. This is where you can really let loose and have a bit of fun. This is the bag that will brighten up an otherwise “safe,” neutral, or monotone outfit. You can go for a bag in a bright hue (or several hues in one), maybe something with a little more in the way of zippers, buttons, chains, fringe, adornments. Just remember…think fun!