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We Tried Out Sims 4 Makeup IRL

From Sweet

Since purchasing it last year, I've played The Sims 4 for a cumulative 12.5 days. When I've mentioned this to people during the past week, generally the reaction has been either "I haven't played The Sims in so long" or "I didn't even know there was a Sims 4." Well, there is. And I've played it. For 300 hours, which, again, is 12.5 days.

The Sim avatar I've created is me, but greater, more powerful. I've used cheats to make her rich and keep her forever in the game's "young adult" stage. As an immortal, Sim Rebecca has had time to explore the following career paths: best-selling writer and poet, a painter who produces only masterpieces (that's literally what the game calls them), a scientist who's invented a cloning device and a portal to another dimension, an astronaut with a rocket ship that she built in her own backyard, a professional gamer with a legion of fans, a coder who climbed the ranks of a cyber-criminal organization to achieve the plum title of The Oracle (I don't even fully understand what she does in this position, I just know she goes to work in the middle of the night wearing a black trench coat).

It seemed only right that I give a Sim woman who is this outrageously accomplished a rotation of equally bold beauty looks, with liners and shadows I'm too shy to wear in real life. Part of the appeal of The Sims franchise has always been that it offers players a chance to live out all of their what-if scenarios-what if I'd actually become an award-winning scientist, an astronaut, a full-time gamer, and reached the top of all of these careers wearing hot pink eyeliner and a dark purple lip? Or, what if I just weren't afraid to try out new makeup?

Luckily, Sweet's beauty editor, Chanel Parks, likes a good challenge. Together we went through five of Sim Rebecca's best looks, and turned them into beauty combinations a real human being can actually wear. Some translated easily into everyday wear. Others...not so much.

See five days' worth of beauty looks borrowed from The Sims 4, and find out how you can re-create these on your own!

The Classic Red

Chanel's Tips: A red lip is a good makeup go-to, as it looks great in almost any situation. Line your lips with the tip of your lipstick and then apply about three layers to your bottom and top lips. Now, for the hardest part: the cat eye. Using a black liquid eyeliner, apply a thick line to the upper lash line and draw a wing angled up toward the edge of your eyebrow. Finish off the look with a flushed-pink blush.

IRL Rebecca's Thoughts: The cat eye and red lip are classics for a reason. I don't think there's anyone who has looked worse because they went with a Mustang red lip and winged liner. 10/10 would wear again.

Alternative Wedding Blues

Chanel's Tips: The smoldering metallic blue eye shadow exudes romantic vibes, and if you're attending any weddings this summer, a frosty shimmer could be the right way to accent a delicate sundress. Draw a cat eye (see the Classic Red look above for instructions), and then add white liner along the lower lash line. This will wake up tired-looking eyes. With a small eye shadow brush, use the blue shadow to outline another wing right under your lower lid and extend the color toward the tip of the liner on your top lid. Blend the blue to fill in the shape. Add a swipe of neutral-toned lipstick. Use a cream shadow, as it has better hold and reduces mess.

IRL Rebecca's Thoughts: OK, well, I probably won't ever try this one again. This just works better in the Sim universe than it does on actual human flesh. When our photo editor, Christian, walked over to my desk to take my photo, he literally said, "Whoa," and then, "I'm sorry." Then my husband told me that the look "defamiliarized" my face. The opinions of boys aside, I'd rather wear this shimmery shadow on my top lid for a pretty frosted effect. But I love the nude lipstick, and will try to incorporate that into another look later this week.

Summer Sorbet

Chanel's Tips: Apply a magenta eye shadow to your lids up to the crease. Now it's time for an ultra-bright eyeliner! Using an almost neon shade of pink, draw color onto the waterlines of your lower lids. Add just a little mascara to give the hazy look some definition.

IRL Rebecca's Thoughts: I was surprised by how much I liked this look. I almost always use an eye shadow palette made of various neutral tones, but these pinks didn't feel so outlandish. The neon on my lower waterline was a kicky little pop of color, without being too much of a statement.

Berry Goth

Chanel's Tips: Precise application is the key to achieving the perfect dark and brooding pout. Before you start, make sure your lipstick and lip liner match. Fill in your lips with the liner as a base coat, and draw a strong line to define the edges of your mouth. Slowly apply lipstick over the liner, and add several layers until you reach your desired level of darkness. Blot the color on a tissue and clean up rogue color one of two ways: cover it up with concealer and a small brush, or remove with a cotton swab dipped in makeup remover.

IRL Rebecca's Thoughts: I like to think of this as a nod to the Goth family, the only pre-programmed Sims family to last throughout each of The Sims' iterations. I enjoyed how dramatic this look was, and it's actually one I could see myself doing every few days. However, I should note that it took quite a few coats of lipstick to get an even shade. Also, you must, must, must take the lipstick with you throughout the day and reapply after every meal or coffee break.

And Now: Rebecca's Most Wearable Look

Chanel's Tips: Combining elements from our favorite Sim Rebecca's looks, we decided that a casual, everyday look should include easy-to-wear colors, but not without a signature touch. Rebecca's cat eye is the focal point, as she can exquisitely execute it in little time, but she balances out the rest of her face with a fresh wash of blush on her cheeks and a barely-there lip color that melds beautifully with her complexion.

IRL Rebecca's Thoughts: The Marc Jacobs nude lipstick is the MLBB (that's short for "my lips but better," which Chanel just taught me) shade I didn't know I needed. It leaves a smooth, satin finish that made my lips seem plumper. I might wear this color every day for the next week. The nude shade also helps the cat eye seem less theatrical.