Nicole creates her bold signature look by keeping the eyes soft and neutral with a matte palette and soft eyeliner wing, then builds up the complexion before trying four different bold lip options so you can see how each one reads from soft pink to full red.
Key takeaways
- Keep your eye makeup neutral and soft when you're wearing a bold lip so the two don't compete for attention.
- Color-correct and prime your eyes and skin before foundation so your bold look sits on a smooth, even base.
- Lip liner can go slightly past your natural lip line and connect just above the cupid's bow for a fuller look.
- Applying a lip gloss underneath a bold lipstick softens the color if you're not ready for full intensity.
- Do your lips before blush and highlighter so you can balance the rest of the face around the bold color.
- A statement look doesn't have to be only lipstick, it can also be a bold earring, jacket, or accessory.
Nikol's step-by-step routine
- Apply a lightweight hydrating serum and let it sink in before starting makeup.
- Smooth on Fiercely Smooth Face Primer in the center of the face first.
- Starting with the eyes, use Eye Primer with a Concealer Brush to neutralize pigmentation and discoloration on the lid and inner corner.
- Set the eye primer with Nikita Banana Brightening Powder if your eyelid tends to crease.
- Apply a mid-tone matte shadow from the Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, starting at the inner corner and blending outward, then deepen the outer lash line with the darkest shade for soft definition.
- Curl lashes before lining the eyes so the cream liner isn't disturbed.
- Tightline along the base of the upper lashes with a WaterProof Eyeliner Pencil in a soft dark shade, winging slightly up and softening the line with a smudge brush.
- Clean up any liner that lands on the skin with an alcohol prep pad for crisp edges.
- Apply Volume Up Mascara to top lashes (and bottom lashes if you want a more dramatic finish).
- Fill in brows lightly with a Skinny Brow Pencil shade that matches your hair, using light pressure for a soft, natural look.
- Color-correct redness and darkness with Just Peachy Color Corrector and No Redness Color Corrector, then blend with a Concealer Brush.
- Apply Serum Foundation, mixing shades if needed, and buff in with a Foundation Buffing Brush.
- Prep lips with Rose Lip Balm #100, and if fine lines are an issue, outline first with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner.
- Choose a bold lip look: line lips with a matching WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil, fill in with a Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick shade, and top with Manifest & Glow for extra shine or a softer finish.
- Finish the face with Classic Beach Glow for blush, bronzer, and highlighter, and add Eye Brightener under the eyes for extra lift.
What does it mean to create a 'bold signature look'?
Nicole explains that a bold, signature look isn't only about lipstick. It can be a statement earring, a bold jacket, eyeglasses in a certain color, or costume jewelry you love. The common thread is that it's a personality piece, something that calls attention and starts a conversation.
For this class, she focuses on how a bold lip specifically can be that signature statement, and she pairs it with a soft, neutral eye so the two don't compete.
How do you prep and neutralize the eyes before eyeshadow?
Nicole starts with the eyes before the rest of the face because she wants to neutralize pigmentation first. She applies Eye Primer with a Concealer Brush from the lash line up to the brow bone and into the inner corner, explaining that skipping the inner corner leaves a look unfinished.
If her lid tends to crease, she sets the primer with Nikita Banana Brightening Powder. She notes that applying eyeshadow over unprimed, pigmented skin creates a muddy third color instead of the clean shade in the palette.
How do you create a soft, neutral eye to pair with a bold lip?
Using the Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, Nicole taps the mid-tone shade onto a flat shadow brush and starts in the inner corner, pulling the color outward so she can control how much product goes on. She uses the lightest shade to soften or 'take down' the color if it looks too strong, then builds back up with the mid-tone as needed.
She deepens the outer lash line and crease with the darkest shade using a tapered blending brush for precision and a short smudge brush for diffusing, always lifting the color up and out rather than pulling it down.
What's the technique for soft, lifted eyeliner?
Nicole curls her lashes before lining so the curler doesn't disturb a freshly drawn line. She tightlines at the base of the upper lashes with a WaterProof Eyeliner Pencil, working in small strokes without heavy pressure since the pencils are soft and rounded, not sharp.
She follows the shape of her shadow, winging the liner slightly upward rather than down, then softens the line with a smudge brush and cleans any liner that lands on the skin with an alcohol prep pad for a crisp finish.
How do you finish the eyes and fill in brows?
To finish the eyes, Nicole applies Volume Up Mascara starting at the base of the lashes, wiggling the wand back before pulling through to grab even the shortest lashes. She also runs mascara along the bottom lashes for extra drama in this bold look.
For brows, she uses light strokes with a brow pencil, choosing a shade close to her natural brow color and using light versus firm pressure to control intensity.
How do you color-correct and apply foundation for a bold look?
Before foundation, Nicole color-corrects with Just Peachy Color Corrector for darkness around the eyes and No Redness Color Corrector in small strokes over any redness, blending both in with a Concealer Brush.
She applies Serum Foundation, sometimes mixing two shades together to get the right warmth, and buffs it in with a Foundation Buffing Brush rather than her fingers or a sponge for a more even, controlled application.
How do you try different bold lip looks without committing right away?
Nicole preps lips with Rose Lip Balm #100 and, if she sees fine lines, outlines with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner so color doesn't migrate. She then demonstrates four options: a soft pink using a WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil with Actually, I Can Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #33; a punchy fuchsia she previewed ahead of its release; a warm coral using Beach House Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #122, applying a gloss first to soften the color for anyone new to bold lips; and a deep berry-red finish with Confidence Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #173 for the most dramatic statement.
She lines slightly outside her natural lip line and connects just above the cupid's bow for a fuller look, and finishes some looks with Manifest & Glow for added shine.
What do you add after the bold lip to finish the look?
Nicole waits to do blush and highlighter until after the bold lip is in place so she can balance the color. She uses Classic Beach Glow for blush, bronzer, and highlighter all from one compact, applying blush up toward the cheekbone, a touch of bronzer at the base of the cheekbone, and highlighter on the high points.
She finishes with Eye Brightener dabbed under the eyes and blended with an eyeshadow brush for a final lift before completing the outfit with jewelry and a jacket.
Shop the look
Nikol uses Fiercely Smooth Face Primer, Eye Primer, Concealer Brush, Nikita Banana Brightening Powder. Explore the lips collection for more of the pro-aging makeup she created for women over 40.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best way to try a bold lipstick if I'm not used to wearing one?
Nicole suggests applying a lip gloss first and then your lipstick over it, which deposits softer color than going straight from the bullet, so you can ease into the intensity.
Should I line my waterline for this look?
No, Nicole tightlines at the base of the upper lashes rather than inside the waterline, which she says gives definition without taking up too much space on the eye.
How do I keep my eyeshadow from looking muddy over a color corrector?
Let your eye primer or color corrector fully set, then tap your shadow brush instead of rubbing, which helps the true eyeshadow color show instead of a mixed, muddy tone.
How can I make a bold lip look fuller without changing my natural shape too much?
Nicole lines slightly outside her natural lip line and connects just above the cupid's bow for a softer, fuller look rather than drawing an entirely new shape.
In what order should I apply blush, highlighter, and a bold lip?
Nicole does the lips first so she can see how strong the color reads, then adds blush, bronzer, and highlighter afterward to balance the rest of the face.
