how to wear Paranormal?

[zeebs]

So, I'm looking through my eyeshadows today, and I come across Paranormal, and I think, How the heck am I going to actually WEAR this? Without looking like a clown?

I mean, I think I've reached that "certain age" where it would be really easy to look like a fool in a bright color. Up to a certain point, if you see a woman with some tragic mess of eyeshadow on her, you can be like "Oh, how creative of her to experiment with her makeup," but once you hit a certain age, it's more like "Wow, I can't believe she still can't figure out how to wear eyeshadow." And I think, well, I think I'm there. So I'm scared.

Does anybody have photos of how they have worn it or other bright colors like it? Thanks!

[cclee00]

I'm a bit timid of it myself. It's the most gorgeous color, but I have yet to take the time to work it into a look. What I will most likely do is use it with the clear cream liner as eyeliner (I think that's why I originally bought it - I have brown eyes and blue makes them "pop") or work it into a smoky eye. I like doing a subtle brown smoky eye and working some purple into the crease; with Paranormal I would use cooler colors such as greys and blacks for a lowkey smoky. Something like Dove on the lid (although a shimmery grey might be better), Vapor on the browbone to highlight, maybe some Raven or Black Ice (or just a dark grey like Storm Cloud to be less dramatic) smudged along the lashline, and then layering Storm Cloud in the crease and blending Paranormal on top.

That's about the easiest way I've found of making wild colors workable - I even did a brown smoky eye and added bright red one time and it worked! Play with it, try a few other colors next to it, and see what strikes your fancy. I haven't gotten my hands on Deviant yet, but that's one that could work - somehow.

Sorry I don't have any pictures, but I have ZERO photos of myself, much less with good makeup.

Hope that helps!

[Cupcake]

Eyeliner, wet lined thinly on top for definition, slightly smudged towards the outer corner. Pale gold shimmer (probably Juiced, might have been Homecoming Queen) on the inner corner to soften the harsh colour block. Lashings of black mascara and very clean skin tone everywhere else so that the liner is the focus and not overwhelmed. When it's clean and understated, it's looks deliberate and chic rather than like you swapped makeup bags with a teenager.

[Maeva]

This is precisely the type of "pop" color I would like to see worked into a kit of more wearable colors to compliment individual eye colors and skin tones. (see Karen's thread, Lets Talk Kits)

I also do not have a camera

I have worn Paranormal against a background of Heart Throb (lid, crease, and smudged along the lower lash line) and Crush (touched over HT just at the center lid, and dusted on the lower brow bone). I drew a thin line of Vapor over the Crush just under my eyebrow, and just under the HT one the lower lash line.
I put a tiny concentrated "pop" of Paranormal in the lower first third of my crease (from the nose) where the light tends to catch and pulled a thin faded line of it to glaze over the HT through the mid and far crease. I added a few dots at the outer third of the lower lash line over the HT.
I kept the rest of my face pale and dewy. Powdered down my brows and erased my lips with Icing over Coy.

This worked with Renegade GWP and Saint. I can see it working well with coppers and golds, though I have not tried it.
It is definitely an evening look, and not the kind of color I can wear all over my eye unless I happen to also be wearing a leather catsuit.

[frckls]

Well, the similar color was used for Rodarte S/S 2012 by NARS makeup artist. Although it's kinda full-throttle for daily use.

I might be considered young, so I might get a little bit daring on some special nightouts. But Paranormal applied along the lash line and then smudged a bit with layers of mascara will create a lovely simple smokey eyes.
Creating smokey eyes look pairing Paranormal with highlights, pale blue, or grey/silver, or gold works great too.
I'd say try these in the silver/grey range: Spurs, Duct Tape, Platinum, Silver Lining.
Pale blue: Ice Queen, Butterfly Blue, Mist.
Highlights: Sonic, Fairy Dust, Gasp, Vapor, Whipped Cream.
Gold (my favorite pairing): Bling, Tailfeather, Rascal, Orbit, Meteor.

I have a palette of Wet 'n' Wild that has the blue exactly like Paranormal for the crease color, "gold" gold for the lid color, and super pale blue about Duct Tape depth and similar color for the highlight color. I've tried creating a smokey look with that and people told me I look awesome that night.

[zeebs]

Thanks everyone! I would love to hear more ideas from others, too.... it's a big jar.

[egerandi]

I use it as liner too, but don't restrict it for special occasions. Sometimes I wear just Boom or other neutral light shadow and line with Paranormal, sometimes I use it to line Sinner. I line first with Midnight then dot Paranormal on top. I have blue eyes, but it works because it makes the white of my eyes whiter.

I haven't tried it yet, but you could likely use it as nail polish?

[karen]

I think you probably could use it as a polish quite nicely. It might take a couple of coats, but it's solvent safe.

CosmeticViking worked it into a smokey eye look that I love...
http://www.cosmeticviking.com/2011/11/e ... ormal.html

I also dig it with the other purples in that collection- Scream and Howl.

I've come full circle on the "too old to wear that color" spectrum. I like seeing a confident woman strut her stuff!