Eye makeup becomes a lot richer and less precisely applied in autumn. Smudging jewel-tones and metallics all around the eyes gives a sexy, lived-in look, that can be achieved in a flash.


The Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Colour-Coded Luxury Eyeshadow Palette is simply made for this season. Containing a pearlescent, oyster shade, a rich russet, a chunky, golden glitter and a deep, antiqued bronze, the shades combine to create a wonderfully warm, smokey eye. There's no thought needed with this palette, it's a complete eye look in one. Texture wise, the powder shadows feel more like creamy butter, as they're so finely milled. All the products in the makeup maestro's range scream luxury but, whilst they're a real treat, it would be a shame to only keep them for special occasions.

The rose-toned shades that make up the Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette also provide lots of great, warm options. With twelve shades and a brush in one, handy compact, you're spoilt for choice with looks to create. The brand's soft shadows are always highly pigmented, but they do create some fall-down if you don't tap off any excess powder on your brush, before applying. I used to be wary of using such pink shades on my eyes, fearing it would make them look irritated and sore, but if you swipe on some liner and add lashings of lashes, then there's no need to worry. My favourite, most-worn shades for this time of year, are Burnout, Buzz and Factory.

Nars Larger Than Life Longwear Eyeliners - Night Clubbing, Night Porter, Via Appia & Campo De Fiori Swatches

Kiko Glamorous Eye Pencils 404 & 413 Swatches

Want a subtler way of incorporating colour into your eye make-up? Eyeliner is the way to go. The Nars Larger Than Life Longwear Eyeliners are some of the best, long-wear liners around. Soft and creamy, they don't drag the delicate eye area and blend out easily. Sometimes, I buff the eyeliner across my whole lid and use it as a base to intensify any shadows I apply over the top, instead of using a traditional primer. Part of the autumn 2014 Night Series collection, are four new shades and I picked up Night Clubbing (a black shot through with golden glitter) and Night Porter (a black teaming with emerald glitter), to arm me for A/W. Mesmerizing, the flecks of colour glint as they catch the light and add some sparkle to the eyes. From the permanent range, I also love Via Appia (a metallic, coppery bronze) and Campo De Fiori (a bright, molten gold).

If Nars' longwear eyeliners don't fit your budget, then Kiko is the brand to turn to. The Kiko Glamorous Eye Pencils offer strong colour payoff and a nice consistency. Being waterproof, these liners don't budge once set and rival Nars' formula. For the price, they're impressive, although the finish isn't fully opaque in one swipe and the brighter colours can stain slightly. 404 is a deep, shimmery, plum shade, and 413 is a rich, shimmery khaki colour, making them both ideal for recreating the jewel-inspired makeup looks around at the moment. 

MAC Eyeshadows - Sumptuous Olive, Tempting & Twinks Swatches

MAC Eyeshadows - Amber Lights, Club & Mulch Swatches

Of course, you can't forget MAC Eyeshadows when it comes to colourful hues. I tend to reach for my MAC palettes most during the colder months, as they get warmer and darker shades so right. If you want to keep things safe and neutral, whilst still adding a warmth to the eyes then, Tempting (a sparkly, muted copper shade), Mulch (a deep, warm, bronzed brown) and Twinks (a rich, plum-brown with golden sheen), are my favourites. Fancy drawing all the attention to your eyes without looking like a five-year-old who just found their mother's makeup bag? Then Club (a duo-chrome, blue-brown shade, giving the effect of oiled, tarnished metal), Sumptuous Olive (a pearlescent, golden khaki) and Amber Lights (a stark, orangey-yellow gold that accentuates blue eyes like no other), will do just that. All of these shadows are so easy to apply and blend, giving insane pigments that you'll feel confident wearing. The fact that you can create your own, personal, customised palette full of your favourite shades, makes MAC the best choice for those of you that are daunted by eyeshadows.

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre 827 Initiation, 837 Fatal & Bourjois Color Edition 24hr Cream Eyeshadow Petale De Glace Swatches

To ramp up the metallic look further, cream shadows are perfect. With a mousse-like texture, the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Longwear Cream Eyeshadow formula is so light and creamy, blending smoothly onto the lids. Even the smallest dab of product gives an intense colour payoff that lasts as long as you need it to, with minor fading and no creasing after around ten hours, even without using a primer first. Some shades from the range do feel gritty and aren't as impressive, so it's best to do some research and swatch for yourself before purchasing. Saying that, the two shades that I have Initiation and Fatal (both limited additions I'm afraid, but Mirage and Ebloui are similar) are lovely. Despite looking more cool-toned and purple in my swatch above, Fatal is a plum shade that has a tinge of burgundy to it and a helping of silver shimmer. Initiation is a warm bronze with more chunky, golden glitter. Both shades sheer out to give a subtle wash of colour, the more you blend them, but can be built up to a wet-look, frosted finish.

A drugstore alternative to the premium option, are the Bourjois Color Edition 24hr Eyeshadows. These shadows have more of a silicone feel to them, as opposed to a mousse texture, but they feel just as light on the skin and dry down to a powder effect. With these, I'd advise using a flat, eyeshadow brush to press on the cream and continue to layer and gently blend for a while, to build up colour vibrancy and avoid a patchy result. Used alone, they resist any creasing, but do start to fade after around five hours, so be sure to use a primer to ensure they last all day. 24 hour wear? Not quite, but a good attempt. Petale De Glace is a light, frosted, oyster pink shade, that adds a hint of colour, or acts as a great base for other shadows.


Do you like to mix up your eye makeup during autumn, or stick to the same looks all year round?

AGB X