Bronze Beauties for Southwestern Makeup

Always keeping my eye out for colors that go with southwest looks. A few new ideas:

• Milani Lipstick in "Bronze Beauty
• Hard Candy Plumping Lip Serum in "Lion Tamer" 
• Wet n Wild Eye Shadow Palette in "Fire."

These will add a beautiful southwest glow to your face. They will easily be paired with leathers, earth tones or turquoise.

About Cheryl Yale Bruedigam

STYLE Santa Fe is published by Cheryl Bruedigam.
Publisher Southwest Flair Magazine 2005-present
Former professional model and skin care consultant
Fashion Degree - Flair Fashion College, Albuquerque, NM
Jewelry Designer and Stylist. Author and Publisher.


Visit and Shop Designs by Cheryl B

Olive and Turquoise Gorgeous Combination

Yesterday I designed and created olive and gold-toned necklaces. They turned out beautiful but I was thinking well I just rarely wear olive because I wear so much turquoise.

Then this morning, I saw a blouse in the closet that my daughter gave me with, you guessed it, turquoise mixed with olive. Who'da thought? Viola! Amazing gorgeous combination! 

I immediately did a photo shoot for my shop and blog using different lighting and backgrounds, really wanting to bring out that olive in the mix. Here you will see the photos and the look in this article.

This is just one more way to use the transitional colors of gold, olive, deep greens that come into play between summer and fall while keeping the southwest colors and style. I am so excited and loving this combination! I always thought I had to sacrifice my olive colors for my turquoise, no more!

If you can't find a shirt that has olive and turquoise print (which could be tricky) just do it with layers of olive and turquoise. blouses, tanks, skirts, dress, whatever, the solid colors will work as well and will be easy to put together to achieve the same combo. It could also be done with scarves in the olive and/or turquoise tones, which would be an inexpensive way to create this look and color combination. 

The shirt is a thrift store find. I got the brand new dress locally for $4 with the tag still on it. I made the belt from re-purposing a broken vintage concho belt, and the jewelry is my creation except my anniversary cross which was a gift from my husband. So little money has to be spent to put something like this together. Hit your own closet, hit your friends' closets, go to yard sales, check the thrift stores and you will be surprised what you can easily put together.

Olive necklace available from Designs by Cheryl B.

You do not have to break the bank to get this look. You probably already have a few nice turquoise pieces, if not, I have both the olive and various real or imitation turquoise available in my shop.

Once you have your outfit put together, finish this look with the coordinating makeup colors to really make the overall scheme "flow and jump": eyes in goldish brown with hints of olive and turquoise mixed. 

I started with a brown contouring base. Add highlighter to lid center and brow bone. Shade, darken or highlight and conntour as necessary per your features, coloring and age.

Smudge brown liner to line eyes.

Then frame beneath the eyes from the outer center of the pupil to the outer eye and sweep up with BOTH a blue or turquoise AND olive green eye shadow over your liner. Re-touch the liner after completing this step.

Add GOLD lipstick for the finishing touch. 

Thanks for joining me! Happy styling!

Browse my creations at Designs by Cheryl B.

From Author/Publisher, Stylist and Designer, Cheryl Bruedigam

About Cheryl Yale Bruedigam

STYLE Santa Fe is published by Cheryl Bruedigam.

Publisher Southwest Flair Magazine 2005-present

Former professional model and skin care consultant

Fashion Degree - Flair Fashion College, Albuquerque, NM 

Jewelry Designer and Stylist.

Author and Publisher.


Visit and Shop Designs by Cheryl B

Video - Jelly Pong Pong Neapolitian Eye Shadow Palette - Product Review

Watch the video review here or on my YouTube Channel

Watch the video to find out if you will enjoy this new eye shadow trio from Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics.

Desert Smoke Eye Shadow Tutorial

New, from STYLE Santa Fe, beautiful, colorful but smoky eyes reminiscent of the desert skies as the fires of summer burn in the distance leaving a darker layer of smoke in the distance; that was the inspiration for this amazing look and it is one of my favorites: Desert Smoke.

To begin, apply a primer or foundation.

Use a white matte beneath the brow to the edge of the brow bone.

Next, take a peachy peach and do the crease and inner eye area beneath the brow.

Now, with a light purple, do the inner eye lid on the top.

Come to the outer corner now with a smoky gray and make a wing or a number seven on each side even with the waterline of the bottom eye area.

Blend well without blending the eye color out into the other areas.

Now ring the gray with the purple, on the outer edges of the wing or number seven on each eye corner.

Line the under eye with the light purple outward to the outer edge of the pupil. Fill in the outer edge with a little more gray, touch up the outer light purple if needed.

Dot the center of the top eye lid with a shimmery white or pale pink and blend in being careful not to extend the white or pale pink beyond either side of the pupil. 

Highlight with a touch of gold beneath the lower outer eye corner from the pupil to the wing, very lightly.

Blend all lightly, using more peach and white highlighter if needed. If desired, add a final light sweep of pink blusher to intensify and set the look.

You may use eye-liner but this look does not call for it. Add mascara as usual.

The finished look, Desert Smoke, from STYLE Santa Fe

I hope that you love and enjoy this look as much as I do!

Video - Cinnamon Girl Makeup Look Quick Tips

Get the quick tips that you need to create this new makeup look from STYLE Santa Fe, Cinnamon Girl. Quick and easy. This is a great look for fall.

Watch the video here or at my Youtube Channel

Tie-Dyed Eyes Makeup Look

Tie-Dyed Eyes

Makeup Look from STYLE Santa Fe

Experimenting with fun and bold colors can help you express your inner creative goddess. One fun look that I have developed is Tie-Dyed Eyes. Tie-dye is very much a part of Santa Fe-style as the style was partly influenced by the hippie movement, by bohemian artists and free-spirited creative minds.

You may pick your own colors. I am going to suggest working with about four colors for your tie-dyed eyes. You may select these colors based on your favorite tie-dyed piece of clothing. For this tutorial, I will be matching the colors to a tie-dyed top that I own in beautiful blues, browns and golds.

First, after completing your other makeup applications, line the eyes as you normally would to shape and define. Use a brown, brownish-black, black or even a blue, depending upon your tie-dyed color choices and your skin tones.

Begin with a matte, base brown. Apply from the inner eye up and out across the crease and on the inner area to just below the brow and outward.

Next, select a bright blue shade of eye shadow. Using a wet-dry eye-shadow brush, dab a light application of the blue in the inner eye corners extending out just a fraction like an eighth of an inch, a fourth at the most.

Now take the same blue color and wet or dampen your brush and swipe your color and apply to the outer area of the lower lid from the outside of the pupil to the corner of the eye and extend upward to “lift” the eye. Repeat the process on the upper lid from the outer corner of the pupil to the outer edge of the eye, meeting the lower line that you extended upward. Smooth and soften with a small dry brush.

Now use the gold eye shadow and apply from the mid-lower lid up toward the brow area above the crease. Blend well. Choose a gold that is really shiny, even metallic, that will really “pop.” Wet your brush and apply. Wetting the brush for these colors will make them jump out even more and it will give them longer staying power. (I applied this look in the morning and by bedtime it was just as pretty). Blend well. With a small liner brush, just hit under the eyes with a light brush of the gold for extra sparkle.

Highlight with a white (matte is better because we really just wanted to blend and smooth). Go over all eye colors lightly with the white blending and smoothing, especially blending the edges of the gold into the blues on inner and outer corners.

Use a sponge to wipe any excess colors that “drifted” outwards of the cat eye corner, and blend upward at an angle. Brush over the entire look with your favorite bronzer if it is for evening-wear. If it is for daytime, brush over the entire area with a soft matt blusher on pink or tan just to tone the sparkle down a bit so as not to overdo for daytime. Go back with the gold if you need to refresh any areas.

Touch up your eyeliner in any areas that need touched up or re-lined. I used the Mr. Write pencil liner in gold that I recently reviewed and although I did not care for it as an eye-liner per say, it does work nicely to add a little more gold sparkle to the inner eyelid corners. Dust all and set with translucent powder.

This particular look can be finished and complimented nicely with a sparkly gold lipstick.

Have fun with it and be creative. If you do not have the eye shades that you want, do not be afraid to mix your own. This technique may be tailored to work with any color of tie-dyed outfit to suit your color schemes and skin tones.

Video Review - Dirty Little Secret Illuminating Baked Highlighter in Bellisima

Watch the video here or on my YouTube Channel

You may also read the review.

Mellow Cosmetics Eye Shadow/Plum - Quick Product Review

Just a quick look at Mellow Cosmetics' Baked Eye Shadow in Plum. Watch the video to find out if you will like this product.

Watch here or on the YouTube Channel




This color is so rich and beautiful that I made a video so that it could be seen better.

This baked eye-shadow is from Mellow Cosmetics. It is also available in Coco.

I found this product very similar to the Dirty Little Secret Eye Shadow that I recently reviewed. As a matter of fact, it was so similar that the two go extremely well together. I used the DLS Bellisima as a highlighter with this Mellow Plum and it was gorgeous. 

This product is available online. It is very affordable and I would absolutely buy more of these shadows. 

Review by Cheryl Bruedigam of STYLE Santa Fe.

Dirty Little Secret Illuminating Baked Highlighter in Bellisima - Product Review

by Cheryl Bruedigam

Watch the video or read the article below

This product is wonderful.  Though it is a cool shade, it gives the “southwest sunset” look that I have been working with an added burst in this unusual shade of what I would classify as near-peach. 

As a highlighter on eyes or checks, it goes on rich and generously.

Because it is rich and does go on generously, be careful not to overdo though it is so lovable you may be tempted.

Another bonus is that it is a very large pot as far as eye-shadows and their containers go so you definitely get your money’s worth with this purchase.

In the line, there are also shades of Rosa and Sunkist, both of which I would love to try.

Bellisima retails for $9.00. Is it worth it? Every penny

Turquoise Eyes, Santa Fe-style

Turquoise has long been associated with the Natives of the Southwest, as well as the Santa Fe area. Its color near-reflecting the amazing blue skies, tribal attire, cultural heritage. It is no surprise that it is a basic foundation in any look that sports Santa Fe-style.

Today I am reflecting back to a look I wore in the eighties, edging the outer corners of my eyes with turquoise eye shadow, usually with a base of various shaded of browns and tans over the full eye area. I love this look. I had stopped wearing it, it seemed like the nineties were more simplified and subtle as environmental awareness began to kick in, women were in straight hair with tiny little eye glasses and funky toned-down cargos or capri’s. It was all very Michelle Pfeiffer. I was raising kids anyway so I did not miss the glamour look at that point. Gradually though, after the new millennium, I have worked my way back to my true love of vibrant and lively colors. When I am older, I shall wear purple (or in this case, turquoise).

You will see a lot of turquoise eye palettes here at STYLE Santa Fe because, well, it is STYLE Santa Fe and turquoise really adds to a unique makeup look as well offering that earthy, yet vibrant pop of color that is so Santa Fe-style. Is it even possible to have too much turquoise? Probably, I have seen a few women who may overdo, but hey, that’s their own style and that is the very point of STYLE Santa Fe; helping you to use these colors to create your own unique look.

Here are some photo examples of what I am talking about. They are however, a little more dramatic than my own personal application but you may take the concept and tone it down (or even rev it up more if you are feeling really bold) to adjust the look so that it suits your face, eyes and preferences. I missed this look and I am happy to have it back. 

This look is fun, a little daring, and really brings out the eyes to compliment any coordinated attire, especially in a Santa Fe-style.

If you are uncertain how to achieve this look or to adjust it to your personal coloring and features, contact me for a personal consultation.

Southwest Summer Sunset – Makeup Look

There is nothing that is much beautiful than the colors of a southwestern sunset. Purples, deep golds, pinks, rust and a hint of blue. I have taken my inspiration from these colors of the New Mexico skies that I love so much, and brought them all together into an amazing look for eyes.

To create this look,  start with a lined eye however you normally do your eye-liner. Use a medium brown or light brown eye shadow and apply (depending on your skin tone) in the crease. Smooth.

Next add a deep beautiful purple or lavender hue on top of it.

Then add an orange on top of all of that. Blend well.

Apply a light shimmering pink across the lid. Blend and highlight with this pink beneath the brow as well.

Add a dab of off-white or pearl to the center of the lid on top of the pink. Blend well.

As you work on each color, it may take more than one stroke or application to get it to really pop out to the degree that you are looking for so apply generously until you achieve the look. A sprinkle of gold can also really add to the look as a finishing touch. Touch up eyeliner if necessary.

Contour a bronze blush and highlight on top of the cheekbones with a pink. Give the eyes a final dusting with the pink blush if desired.

For lips, try layering! Line lips in a nude, tan or complimenting lip color. Contour if desired. Apply a brown lip color similar to the same shade as the bronzer and the brown eye shadow.

Layer on top of this with a shiny pink shade or gloss. (Try my UltraFem line of glosses)

This look is amazing. I love it. I will wear it all summer. Enjoy your summer southwest sunset look!

If you are uncertain how to achieve this look or to adjust it to your personal coloring and features, contact me for a personal consultation.

5 Reasons to Apply a Dry Powdered Eye Shadow Wet

by Cheryl B. 

Beauty Q&A

When and Why Would I Wet Dry Eye Shadow

Though it is possible to purchase creams eye shadows, most eye shadows come in a dry pressed powder and now more readily with the popularity of mineral makeup, many come in loose powder. But why when and why would you ever need to apply a dry shadow wet?

There are several different reasons that at times it may be preferable to apply your powdered eye shadow wet.

Shaping/Contouring

Applied wet, powdered shadow is easier to work with if you are contouring or shaping. Let’s say that you would like to apply a dab of color at the outer corners of each eye to really get your eye color to pop or to enhance the clothing colors that you may be wearing that day. This effect may be done with dry eye shadow but if you wet the applicator just a tiny bit, the effect goes from “just there” to “amazing eyes.”

Staying Power

Another reason to apply wet, is that it will give the shadow more staying power; it will not rub off as easily. It stays put where it dries. Just be sure to blend generously while it is still damp and blendable so there are no noticeable lines.

Control

More control is another reason to apply your shadow wet, and by wet, I do mean just a dab of water on the tip of the brush or applicator. Too much and it will become messy and then difficult to correct. There is a fine line in how much wetness and you will need to find it to achieve the look you desire. You will though have way more control over exactly where the color goes and how it goes on so because of this, you need to give a little more attention when working with wet shadow.

Enhanced Colors and Options

Lastly, wetting the shadow deepens and awakens the color considerably. It enhances the color to its fullest potential. It is especially effective for evening looks. 

Mixing Colors

In addition to enhancing the colors, if you enjoy mixing eye colors to get just the right look or colors for you, or coming up with your own new exciting blends, you will find it much easier to mix your shades wet than dry.

Remember, just a dab of water on the tip of the brush. You may need to re-dab with each stroke of shadow. Once you try this method, I am sure that you will fall completely in love with the results and find that it gives you way more choice in looks and style than previously had with only dry application. It basically doubles your options for the same amount of shadows.

Have fun, experiment and before you know it, you will have deepened your colors, increased your selections, learned optimal control in shaping, enhancing and contouring your eyes while developing a new level and look to your eye shadow application. 

How to Add a Santa Fe Base Color to Your Eye-Shadow

One of the best colors to add to your eye-shadow collection to act as a base for a Santa Fe look is a reddish brick. Of course this is a warm color so make sure that it is suitable to your own coloring.

This brick coloring is available from many various brands. The reason it is one of the best base colors is that when blended with other colors, it can take you from season to season. It is the color of the beautiful red rock formations in Georgia O'Keeffe country.

• With the base brick in the crease of the eye, add a light pink on the lid and beneath brow and you are set for spring. 
• Change to the addition of a light bronze blended with the brick and you instantly have a summer look. 
• For fall, change to a light, rusty colored brown on the lid, with a cream beneath the brow. 
• For winter, move to a darker matted brown to blend in the crease with the brick, add cream color on lid and beneath brow. 
• For evening, these brick base colors are beautiful applied in the crease paired with a dark gray triangled on the outer eye corners. Add glitzy sparkly pink, gold or light silver for lids and brow highlighting.

A brick eye-shadow is one of the most versatile base shades for Santa Fe coloring.

Ease Into Summer With Pink and Bronze

The two best colors to ease into summer with are pink and bronze.  

Especially eye shadows, lip gloss, sandals and accessories.  Pink perks everything up and takes spring right on into summer's bronze and gives it a shimmer and a glow; so go pink, go bronze.