Makeup Geek Starter Kit Challenge Winners

Recently, we launched a rather unique challenge to all our wonderful Makeup Geeks and you certainly meet that challenge head on. The key to this particular challenge was to create a dramatic or simple, but elegant look using only our Makeup Geek Starter Kit and no photo editing.
The purpose of this particular challenge was to see what our talented Makeup Geeks could do with a limited selection of colors, but also to give Starter Kit owners ideas of what they can do with their shadows. We are more than pleased with the results of this challenge and we wanted to be able to show them off! You can see all the entries of this Weekly Challenge in this forum thread and here are our favorite creations — enjoy!
Creative/Dramatic Look Winner - Viki
Viki’s look drew our eyes in from the moment we saw it. Using only three shades from the Makeup Geek Starter Kit, Viki was able to create this dramatic and stunning look. Viki placed Purple Rain on the outer and inner portion of her lower lid leaving the middle of the lid exposed and blended Unexpected in the crease of her eye. What really grabbed our attention was how she placed Shimma Shimma on to the middle of her lower eyelid drawing attention to the eyes significantly.
Products Used
Face
- Lancome Photogenic Lumessence (Amazon) (eBay)
- 10 Blush Palette (Makeup Geek Store)
Eyes
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow – Purple Rain (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Unexpected (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Shimma Shimma (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- NYX Doll Eye Mascara Volume (Makeup Geek Store)
- E.L.F. Eyelid Primer (Amazon) (eBay)
- Rimmel Extreme Definition Eyeliner in City Girl (eBay)
Lips
- NYX Round Lipstick in Pumpkin Pie (Makeup Geek Store)
- Oriflame Cosmetics Power Shine Lipgloss in Soft Pink (eBay)
Simple but Glamorous Look Winner - Laura
Laura wowed us with her simple but elegant look! Using 4 of the Makeup Geek eyeshadows, Laura added just the right amount of smoke to achieve an elegant but classic look. She began by placing Purely Naked on the lower part of her eyelid. Then she blended the shade Cocoa Bear into the crease of her eye and feathered the color out. Using Shimma Shimma as a highlight under the brow bone and in the inner corner gave just the right amount of pop to her eyes. To add a touch of extra glamour, Laura added a touch of Corrupt to the over v section of her eye.
Products Used
- Prime Time Eyelid Primer (Amazon) (eBay) (Sephora)
- L’Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner (Amazon) (eBay)
- Ardell Demi Wispies Lashes (Makeup Geek Store)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Purely Naked (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Cocoa Bear (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Corrupt (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Shimma Shimma (Pan Version / Compact Version)
Honorable Mention - Silje Beate
Even though we only had two winners, we couldn’t let one other entry slip by without special recongnition. The first thing you notice, and what we loved was that Silje created both a glamorous look and a simple look for each eye. On the right eye, Silje used Shimma Shimma, Purple Rain, Corrupt and Glamorous to achieve a dramatic look. On the left, she used the colors Shimma Shimma, Purely Naked, Glamorous and Mocha to accomplish a simple but glamorous look.
Products Used
- Urban Decay Primer Potion (Amazon) (eBay) (Sephora) (Macy’s)
- MAC Paint Pot – Painterly (Amazon) (eBay)
- Smashbox Brow Wax (Amazon) (eBay) (Nordstrom)
- MakeUp Store Tri Brow Color
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow – Shimma Shimma (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Purely Naked (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Glamorous (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Mocha (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Corrupt (Pan Version / Compact Version)
- Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Purple Rain (Pan Version / Compact Version)
Thanks and Keep Up The Great Work!
We are so proud of our Muggies for taking this challenge and exceeding our expectations and showing that you can create any look you desire with just a few colors. We look forward to doing more challenges similar to this in the future to see how creative you can be. Thank you so much to everyone who participated! We appreciate you and love our Muggies more than you know!







these were the best look you could find?!? makes me wish i had entered:(
tori! No kidding!! Not to disrespect the girls and their entries whatsoever! I did a look on myself that was truly beautiful, now I know, maybe I do have a standing chance if I enter the contests going forward!
I know you guys probably don’t mean to, but this sounds mean. Guys,come on. The MUG community is better than this.
Maybe you both should enter next time and hopefully you will win! It’s a fun way to share our looks and some ideas maybe we haven’t had!
I do like that the looks only required a couple of colors to create.
While they weren’t blow-your-mind amazing, I thought they were nice. Considering the limited palette and restrictions, they came out quite nice.
And I don’t think anyone has much excuse to complain if they didn’t bother to enter.
So enter next time and show your work!
http://ericcressey.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/internet_tough_guy_-_because_its_easy_to_be_a_6_foot_4_olympic_powerlifter_and_streetfighting_god_from_behind_the_confines_of_a_keyboard.jpg
HAHA! I agree, is this a joke? These girls must’ve gotten real lucky to win because these looks are lame.
buzz,,,if thats how they look they should have used ALOT more makeup
Wow! I’m appalled by the insensitive comments I am seeing! I know that we can are allowed to think what ever we choose, but I have always loved that this website fosters an environment of respect and support for one another. Had Marlena created these, I don’t believe I would see these post, just as we respect Marlena, these women deserve that! Congrats to the winners for being gutsy and letting the world view your creations!
I think these are all beautiful and imaginative looks. I’m glad you included the honorable mention, since both eyes are the most wearable for my skin tone and age. But, all are really great. Congrats to the winners!
Beautiful looks and best of all – easy to create and very wearable! I can totally see myself wearing Laura’s look for a day out!
I also find all these looks to be very wearable and all three will look great with my blue eyes too.
I love my MUG eye shadows and next time I think I may have to enter a contest or two. It just looks like fun.
These looks are not that great. Mediocre at best…. Disappointing…
Sorry but I have to agree with most of the girls here! I am very desapointed and don’t think that these looks are the best. Come on I am sure that there was better looks that could have win hands down. I am sorry but sometimes I don’t agree with your choices. I posted a look a while back the theme was twilight. I spent over 5 hours on my looks went to bed at 4 in the morning. I did my whole face, costume etc…. my look was perfect and flawless and I didn’t win. I am not complaining but I am just saying that a simple eye makeup that could be done in 10min won over me and that’s desapointing for me. Sometimes I am questionning myself on how the winners are choosen????? Come on we are here far from what Jangsara, Meridith Jessica, Petja, Tina from the Fancy Face and many more talented lady’s would achieved in this contest. SORRY BUT I am so so so so desapointed.
P.S Lady’s please don’t reply to my comment saying that I should be more respectful because I don’t think that I am disrespectful in anyway and I am aloud to share my opinion. We live in a world of free expression. So please don’t bother reply to my comment because I won’t respond to it. These are my toughts, opinions and how I feel about this and it will stay like this no matter what you guy’s say like it or not!!!
well, you can see the term effectivity in use
I am not sure to understand what you mean? Sorry I speak French so sometimes some sentences are difficult for me to understand. Can you explain what you mean by that?? Thank you hun… xxxx
well, tu est passé plus de cinq heures et n’a pas gagné et un makeup simple en utilisant 10 minutes (d’apres toi) a gagné. Sorry, my french is not that good, but my point was that spending a week by creating something is not always the best way to go. When you go to the dentist, do you prefer one who spends 4 hours with your cavity or one with sharp hands and eyes who is perfectly done in 15 minutes?
I understand what you mean and I respect your opinion. But in the past when Jangsara wasn’t working on the makeup geek website. She entered a lot of contest where she spent’s hours on her look and ended up winning all the time. So I tought that if I took the inspiration from her for my look and spent a little more time to make my look perfect and flawless I might have a chance to win. But I was so wrong! You know Marlena always said and recommand us to be creative, unique, original and going out of the box. That’s what I did and I did not win!! My look was complete I respect the theme, the colors where well blended, the mix of colors where gorgeous, my costume was original and spent a lot of money of my look to give myself a better chance to win and I did not. The girl who won over me did a one color lid there was no blending, no blush just lipgloss and that’s it and she won. Come on! I was really upset and desapointed, A lot of person compared my look to what Jangsara can achieved! I am still proud of what I did and love love love my look but…..I know for sure now that my last entry was my last constest entry because I am a lot suspicious about the way they choose there winners. Won’t say what I exactly think about that. But anyway these are my toughts. But thanks for sharring your opinion with me!
kokine: c’est la vie
Dramatic much? Lol
The girls look gorgeous whether the looks are easy to create or not. Maybe these were the best looks they had because the ppl who are complaining saying they can do better didn’t bother to enter?!
Just saying..lets not turn this into a bitchfest just be happy for the winners and enter the next one
Very well said!!!!
These looks are definitely very nicely thought out and creative, but I wonder if the first look only looks great because it’s paired with blue eyes, so they pop even more? That look is rather smoldering…
As for mediocrity, I have to point out that the goal was to use ONLY a select few eyeshadows. I mean, check out the best of Marlena’s looks, and note the LOOONG list of products we need for those, even for natural looks!
Lol John’s internet tough guy picture is funny and sums it up!
The part that peeves me a little is one of the looks is pretty much a direct copy cat to one that I watched a tutorial of Marlena doing with, I believe, the Naked 2 palette. I did enter and did not win, but oh well. I think if it is “creativity” that supposed to be graded then it shouldn’t be exactly the same technique and darn near the same colors and win. Just my 2 cents. I do think the looks are pretty and congrats to the winners. Not sure if I will be entering another challenge for a while though.
Jess,
Please let us know if you ever have concerns that a contest entry is a copy of another artist’s work, we take those allegations very seriously and always welcome the feedback.
As far as what we judges are grading looks on, it’s not simply based on creativity: skill level, execution and adherence to theme are also a large part of the overall picture. I’ve left a longer explanation at the bottom of the post. We appreciate each and every entry and hope this particular contest’s results won’t keep you from entering in the future!
Thanks!!!
Well said Jess – I also entered and although I’m happy for the winners, I’m not sure how this was judged fairly. Don’t think I’ll spend my time doing any more contests any time soon. Just wish there was more specification on how they are judged. I think if you follow all the rules, the best look should win. Not sure if that was the case here. Maybe it was and I’m just not seeing it…
Your look was my favorite, such an interesting blending of the colors… for what that’s worth. *smile*
Aw, thanks Jess. Just found out that my look wasn’t chosen because I was “disqualified” they said I used photoshop to alter my images…if cropping your image in Microsoft Paint is “photoshop” then I’m guilty! I used a dual view Samsung DIGITAL camera on the “beauty shot/self portrait mode” which according to the challenge is not against the rules. I did NOT use a photographer with special lighting in a studio like one of the winners did… I took MY OWN picture. Just think this whole thing is a bit unfair. Congrats to the winners but I will not be entering any more contests.
Everyone who puts time and effort into something so personal as their makeup look think they deserve to win and that their look is better than all the rest. That is why there are non biased judges who evaluate each submission. To say that “my look was better and I deserved to win over what was chosen” is very childish. The Makeup Geek staff belived that the winners they chose exemplified the challenge that was set forth and for some to say that the judging is unfair becuase they did not win is ridiculous. If you think the judging is unfair don’t enter another challenge and certainly don’t complain about it. Poor sportsmanship and whiney complaints do not look good on anyone. I think the winners looks are beautiful.
MUGs,
First, I want to say, I really am disappointed whenever I see such negativity surrounding a contest- especially from those that could not be bothered to enter themselves.
We judges understand and appreciate the time everyone spends creating looks for these challenges- whether it be 10 minutes or 4 hours. There are many things we take into consideration when choosing a winner, and I’d love to give you some insight. First, into how we “fairly” choose a winner in what is essentially a subjective contest. The process is actually pretty simple. After reviewing each and every single entry (a process that sometimes takes several hours) finalists are chosen by each panel member independently of one another (meaning, judges do not speak about our choices until they are put into writing). We then come together and see where the common thread is.
We take a lot of things into account: skill level (in case you’re wondering, our panel is made up of trained makeup artists. I myself have been both a regional artist and trainer for several major brands) originality, adherence to the theme. The latter can greatly influence our choice of winners: we’ve seen some amazing looks that may have ranked higher in technical skill, but since they didn’t fit the theme of the contest as well, they weren’t chosen as winner. This particular challenge had several examples of incredible looks, but since the theme was specifically to use the only the shadows in the MUG starter kit, we felt it was unfair to choose a look that relied largely on another product (ie: the major component of the look was a product- lashes, eye crayon, liner, etc…that was not in the MUG starter kit). We feel we make the rules regarding each challenge as clear as possible, but PLEASE feel free to post any questions you may have before you create your look- chances are, if you’re wondering, so is someone else!
Also, please realize, depending on the theme, editorial/avant-garde looks are not always guaranteed to win. Of course, we love to see the creativity of our community, but again, execution is a large part of what we judges look for- this is a *skill* based contest, after all. Among other qualities, we look for: clean lines, well-chosen color combinations, anatomically flattering placement, and appropriate blending. Attention to details like this can give a look the edge it needs to stand out, and it is why you may often see a look that seems relatively simple win over a seemingly more complicated, artistic look.
Finally, I would like to remind everybody that we here at MUG are human. Though we do consider ourselves well-versed in the beauty community, we can not possibly be privy to everything out there, nor can we hold everything we’ve ever seen in our minds for an infinite amount of time. We’ve done everything we can think of to ensure that these contests are fair and that submissions are above the board. Our judging panel is VERY well versed in the use of Photoshop, and while many of you may not even realize an entry you like is altered, we do (likewise, if you think you can enter a photo that’s altered, and we won’t notice- we do). You’ve all heard the phrase “there’s nothing new under the sun” and indeed, sometimes that seems to be the case. If you see anything you feel is a blatant copy of another look, please do not hesitate to let us know. Do realize, however, that inspiration is everywhere, and just because a look is similar to another doesn’t mean it’s less valid.
Thank you for addressing the negativity. I hope that your clarifying post alleviates some of the upset. I think its great that MUG posted it, I do however think maybe the “rules” of the contest should be posted before hand (not sure if they were here), doing so allows the contestants to assure they are being true with their submissions. And its only fair knowing the expectations on which one will be judged.
I don’t understand how I can alter an image with me, a samsung digital camera, and Microsoft Paint? Perhaps you should define photoshop more in your rules. Don’t post the “How to take amazing pictures of your makeup” article in the contest rules because I followed that post EXACTLY and I would say my image is identical in quality to starryskies214, the image in the article used as an example. If you are not allowed to use the self portrait mode on your camera you should say that – because using a specific camera does not count as photoshop…. Photoshop is altering your images on your computer….
I’m no makeup artist and that was my first ever attempt of anything like this. I thought I had a chance because I had the MUG starter kit and figured the odds were in my favor. It’s ok if the MUG team liked the other looks over mine I’m not saying my look was the best one at all but to disqualify me I think is unfair.