introducing your new favorite makeup palette

If it seems like we're all drowning in a sea of nude eyeshadow and "natural" contour sticks, well, you're not far off. And while we love a glimmering brown look, we've grown a little weary. So while working on our Sweet 16 issue, we contacted one of our favorite Korean beauty brands, Memebox, to collaborate on a vibrant makeup palette. Gathering inspiration from some of our most of-the-moment cover stars, we created eight original shades (under the direction of our senior beauty editor Jade Taylor and e-commerce assistant Blake Vulgamott): a shimmering opalescent rose wash ("The Moment"), a matte white ("Lilo"), a glittering olive ("Mary-Kate"), a deep red ("Mischa"), a sparkling copper ("Lana"), an eye-capturing hazel ("Paris"), a bluish-brown ("Nicole"), and a highly pigmented hot pink ("Sweet 16"). Each color is specifically designed to be your go-to palette—you know, the one you throw in your bag and can use to take you from day to night in a pinch.  

Scroll down to see three super-fun looks we created—The Party Girl, The New Smokey Eye, and the New-Age Grunge. With a step-by-step tutorial by makeup artist Michael Chua, you can recreate each look yourself. So go ahead, pick up a palette here and, if you feel so inclined, crash some Sweet 16s.

The NYLON #ItGirlPalette is available for pre-sale at a 20% discount exclusively on nylonshop and us.memebox.com/nylon

The Party Girl

modeled by Taylor LaShae, photo by Alana Tyler Slutsky, makeup by Michael Chua

Step 1:

Prime eyelids with a wash of concealer as a base, and to cancel out any redness, follow by a dusting of translucent powder all over. Gently pat on NYLON’s signature hot pink shade in “Sweet 16," a beautiful bright matte pink on the lid up to the crease. Blend the edges out with a fluffy blending brush, then pick up “The Moment," a gorgeous shimmering champagne pink and continue to blend, taking the color just past the crease, creating a beautiful halo of contrasting texture.

Step 2:

Line the lower lash line with a white eyeliner pencil, followed by patting on “Lilo,” a fresh matte white to further brighten and soften the liner.

Step 3:

Curl lashes and apply mascara to both top and bottom lashes.

Step 4:Complement your work with a natural flushed cheek, a pink gloss, and a groomed brow.    

The New Smokey Eye

modeled by Elisa Johnson, photo by Alana Tyler Slutsky, makeup by Michael Chua

Step 1:

Prime the eye with a wash of concealer and a dusting of loose translucent powder. Using an eyeshadow brush, lay down “Mary Kate," a sparkly olive on the inner third of the eyes, then pat a little "Lana," a gorgeous antique gold all over the lid before accentuating the outer “V” of the eyes with “Nicole," a multi-dimensional blue-hued brown. Take the color slightly into the outer third of the crease for a little definition and then blend outwards into a cat eye shape. Using a pencil brush, run a little “Lana” along the lower lashline for a wash of color and a touch of definition while keeping the eye open and bright.

Step 2:

Curl lashes and apply mascara to top and bottom lashes.

Step 3:

Brush through brows and lightly fill in where needed and brush through once more for a defined but natural looking shape.

Step 4:

Line and fill in lips with a berry wine color and finish off the look with a complementary cheek color.

New-Age Grunge

modeled by Aliana Lohan, photo by Alana Tyler Slutsky, makeup  by Michael Chua

Step 1:

Using a fluffy blending brush like a MAC 217 or Bdellium Tools 776, deposit “Mischa,” a grungy rust color along the top and bottom lash lines, then blend and buff all over the eyelid, past the crease for a diffused, lived in look. Use the same brush without picking up anymore eyeshadow and blend out the lower lash line as well. To create a little more interest, use a flat shadow brush or your finger and dab a little “Paris,” an expensive-looking hazel to the middle of the upper lid.

Step 2:

Apply generous amount of mascara to top and bottom lashes. A little clumping works, as the look is meant to look effortless and lived in.

Step 3:

A little brow gel brushed through the brows upwards helps accentuate fullness and give a rebellious “perfectly imperfect” effect.

Step 4:

Apply a soft gray-toned contour cream in the cheek hollows and a lipstick or lip stain to complete the look. 

Photographer: Alana Tyler Slutsky

Hair Stylist: Karl Payton

Nail Artist: Jessica Tong

Stylist: Blake Vulgamott

Video: Daniel Huskey