Focus On is a work in progress. Have you ever talked yourself out of buying a product because the color was too odd, and you wondered how often you would really be able to use it? Or, you know those colors you LOVE because of some hidden versatility that you never imagined when you bought it? I do that ALL of the time. In the interests of loving what I HAVE, and learning its limitations, rather than relying on the influx of new colors, I will be doing this post every Saturday, focusing on a new color from my collection, with examples of past work, ideas for other uses. Please feel free to suggest colors you wish to see, or uses for the ones listed, or let me know what your favorites are for future posts.
Fyrinnae Parental Advisory is a gorgeous dark violet with tones of blue. In some lights, it looks bright blue, in others, bright violet. It has a subtle fuchsia sparkle when applied over Pixie Epoxy, or foiled.
Apply over a nonsticky pearly primer for a pastel violet
Pair it with blues to emphasize those tones.
Applied over dark pigment, it adds a blue-ish sheen.
But applied over dark cream base, it turns metallic blue-violet.
It works well paired with BRIGHT fuchsia, like Fyrinnae’s Kitten in Heels. over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Fyrinnae Optimism is another complex blue-violet, that Parental Adivsory works well paired with.
True-blue’s can bring out the actual purple in it.
Oranges and warm pinks also emphasize the purples.
Paired with periwinkles and reddish-violets, it looks almost ultraviolet!
The Painted Mask 
Dec 04, 2010 @ 01:04:37
Wonderful idea for your “Focus On” thread!! I adore the idea of finding more uses for our odd colors.
On another note, Focus On could help my addiction to purchasing the same neutral colors over and over…should I REALLY rationalize purchasing the Naked Palette when there is only one color that I can’t “dupe”? I’m waivering!
Dec 04, 2010 @ 16:41:06
I hoped it would do that for me! My obsessions are the neon bright colors….. But why do I need three different shades of matte hot pink/fuchsias, PLUS several more variations of shimmery/duochrome ones?
Have you played with UD Lounge? I bet you’d really like it. I wear it with the Naked palette sometimes, and it’s such a unique color! I Focused On it a bit back, and it’s still one of my favorite neutrals. I like the Naked palette, but you’re right-the colors aren’t terribly unique. If you like the Urban Decay eyeshadow texture, it’s worth it. Otherwise, you can easily toy with other palettes and colors without a really noticeable difference. I hadn’t planned on buying the naked palette. I walked past it in store twice, when it was really rare. The third time, I said “well. With how scarce it is, I think fate is telling me to get it!”
Dec 04, 2010 @ 17:24:09
Thanks for getting back to me! Is UD Lounge anything like MAC Club? Argh, I want them all!! I keep finding the Naked Palette now too. I actually bought it, but decided to give it to my daughter for her birthday right after Christmas. She’s starting out and not much $ for makeup yet. Maybe I still want it…AND now Lounge…LOL!! : )
Dec 04, 2010 @ 18:09:29
Lounge is similar to Club, but it’s CONSIDERABLY different in practice. It’s lighter, and redder toned. The shimmer is a pale leafy green rather than the deeper teal sparkles. You can work them similarly, but the colors really DO show up completely different in practice. I LOVE lounge. The reddish tones are extraordinary on blue or green eyes, and the pale duochrome just gives your eye makeup this sheen like polished leather…
Dec 04, 2010 @ 22:06:44
Hmmm, wonder what Lounge will do with my brown eyes, NW 25 skin…
You are so sweet to get back to me! I do admire your artistry and (guts) ability to wear those neon brights…I’m 60 though…bletch…don’t think I can q u i t e get away with too much.? ; ) But I may want to try at home! Love your inspirations!
Dec 04, 2010 @ 23:10:49
I’m curious as well. I’d love to see what you come up with. I bet the pale green duochrome will be really striking, and it’ll show up well in the crease, with taupes, antique golds, maybe a bronzey sparkle like MAC Tempting, if you’re brave. Or with tawny neutrals like MAC All That Glitters, for a more subtle look… OH! They won’t work together, but you may also like Fyrinnae Mephisto. It’s a REALLY complex color that works well in a lot of neutral looks.
Yeah, I’m going to be very distressed when the time comes to give up the bright colors, and rampant sparkles…. Somehow, I don’t think that putting the makeup on others will really feel the same as walking around in a painfully neon look that would be garish on almost any other coloring and personality. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed all of the color!
Good luck resisting the continued call of the Naked palette. Have you seen Urban Decay’s Underground or Shag deluxe eyeshadow? I’ve been debating writing a Focus On piece for them, except that I wouldn’t really be able to say anything but “beautiful neutral, great texture, blends above every bright lid for a natural falloff and depth”. It would be difficult to stretch that into 4-5 separate usages or effects.
Dec 05, 2010 @ 17:15:34
Oh! I love all your ideas (I even have all the MAC colors you mentioned)! So last night I took my Sephora $15 coupon and bought the UD Deluxe Shadow Box cuz it had the Shag, Underground and Ransom that you’d mentioned in this and other threads. AND I ordered the UD 24/7 Jackpot (a bunch of colored pencils) to GO FOR IT with color! Yes, I ordered the UD Lounge as well. Yes, I hid the receipt from my husband LOL! Color, here I come! (Now I need you to keep showing me how to use it all! ; ) ) Thank you so much; this is fun.
Dec 05, 2010 @ 18:18:04
Ahahaha! my boyfriend has learned not to ask about my splurges. We have a tacit agreement that I spend my money on makeup and books, he spends his on games, DVDs, meals out, and more books. Every time one of us gives the others purchase the raised brow, we get really ashamed because we KNOW that we’re neck-and-neck for silliest uses of money. I have $50 finishing powders, foundation, and night cream, he has the complete Ghostbusters TV show, a truly dizzying collection of graphic novels, and almost every animated comic series kids show aired on TV.
Hope you enjoy the shadow box and jackpot, though! UD’s liners are GREAT. I rarely use pencils for anything other than waterline(they tend to smudge on me, and be difficult to do delicate liner and details. I’d rather have a nice liquid or cream liner in the pretty colors!), but I still can’t help but heave a sigh every time I see the prettiness that is the 24/7 collection. Looking forward to checking out their cream shadow pencils after the new year. In the meantime, though, I use their deluxe shadow box even more than I use the Naked palette, for the pretty brights!
You sort of put me in the mood for Lounge. If you check back later today, I’ll post a pretty glamorous smoky eye with Lounge, All that Glitters, and a deep dark forest green in the corner(Fyrinnae Dokkalfur). The whole look is much browner than I usually like, but it has a more conventional sort of sultriness for it, and shows off Lounge’s duochrome. Probably look better on your skin tone, though. No bronzer works on me, and even doing a subtle bronze blush doesn’t quite have the same effect. I feel a little like a drag queen.
Hope your purchases work well. Definitely let me know how you like them!
If you end up on a budget, but still want more color, you might also check out Fyrinnae and Shiro cosmetics. Both are shockingly cheap, have some beautiful finishes, and can be good if you get that craving where you just HAVE to have yellowed-chartreuse(Or some other mythic-ally horrid color) eyeshadow to play with. Plus, Dokkalfur or Fyre and Ice applied wet are the most beautiful slightly-sparkly subtle liners for hazel or brown eyes. They don’t apply as opaque as a pencil or liquid, or some other wet shadows(MAC Beauty Marked was my favorite for eyeliner for quite a while). But it’s really easy to get a very subtle contour with those shades, and to build up the intensity very gracefully.
Dec 11, 2010 @ 18:26:07
The UD Lounge came to my doorstep yesterday, and this morning I HAD to try it without remembering many of the combos you suggested (I have now written them down!) and did MAC All that Glitters on lid, Lounge on crease, MAC Schroom on highlight & inner corner, smudged black pencil (thin) for liner. Oh and Lounge for under lower lashes. I think you’re right; it’s gonna be one of my favorites!
I think Lounge is AWFULLY close to my Limited Edition Holiday Wet n Wild “Night Elf” (third one down on left side). Anyway it’s closer to that than Club.
I LOVE IT!! Thank you so much for the tip!! I can’t wait to try the Dark green in outter corner, Tempting etc.
Dec 11, 2010 @ 19:11:05
Glad you like it! I haven’t seen “Night Elf”. My first thought for a duplicate shade was one of the colors from the Burmese Beauty quad(From MAC Fabulous Felines collection). But, of course, that palette has been LONG sold out, and the shade itself applies a bit differently than Lounge.
Have fun working your way through the color combo’s!