The girl behind the YouTube video alias Panacea81 and creator of her own makeup line, Lauren Luke hits the road this month for a nationwide tour with stops at Sephora stores from Miami to Los Angeles and a few lucky spots in between. Not your ordinary makeup personality, Lauren hit it big in the beauty biz with a mission to develop products that make people feel special. Lauren’s interest in makeup began as a distraction from her less than accepting peers at school. She started experimenting with celebrity looks and eventually launched her career with a DIY YouTube makeup demo in July 2007. Within moments of the video airing, it was a smash hit and a star was born. After recording numerous video looks from her home in the U.K., Lauren scored a deal to create her own line of five makeup palettes handpicked with her favorite shades. Each slick mirrored palette comes with primer, shimmery shadows, eyeliner, blush, lip color and a high shine gloss. Plus, every palette has a how-to video on Lauren’s web page so you can recreate each look at home. Not your typical cookie cutter demos, Lauren’s videos are candid, fun and feel like a friend (a friend with an endearing British accent) is teaching you how to apply your makeup. Lauren gets up close and personal in each video by looking into a mirror and facing the camera so viewers see her face to face as she’s explaining each step.
Forever stumped by the smoky eye myself, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and try out Lauren’s My Smokey Classics palette. Before grabbing my brushes and going to town with the coordinating colors, I watched her 15-minute tutorial. Like her other videos, Lauren infuses her carefree, friendly personality that’s seriously hard not to like. After her entertaining quips about New York’s humid weather she begins the Smokey Classics look with her signature shadow primer. Next, Lauren demonstrates how and where to apply shadow, highlighter and eyeliner and does each eye so you get to see it twice. Next, she gives helpful tips for a dusting of blush and tops off the look with two shades of lip color. After watching the video I camped out with my laptop and palette in front of the bathroom mirror and painlessly recreated the look. I like the versatility of the palette and Lauren’s suggestions to do it up or down with smudging and powder placement. Plus, the shadow colors are gorgeous and they stick for hours with the primer and cream liner.
Always in search of fan feedback and celebrity look requests, Lauren is making her way across the U.S. on her Inspiration Nation Tour! At each city she’ll be throwing parties at a local Sephora store to see what her fans think of her makeup line and get ideas for new looks and products. Don’t miss her when she lands in the Scottsdale Fashion Square on Thursday, Jan. 21, 6 to 8 p.m., where she’ll showcase her makeup palettes and demo an exclusive, Scottsdale-inspired look. For full Lauren Luke Inspiration Nation Tour details and updates visit bylaurenluke.com.
The Lauren Luke Launch Collection makeup palettes are available for $32.50 at bylaurenluke.com. For everything makeup, check out Lauren’s demos on her YouTube page.
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