As requested by a dear friend of mine, here are two professional looks that are office appropriate. The first one (above) is a smoky eye/natural lip combo while the second (below) is a minimal eye/strong lip combo. In the photo above, I used two shades of gray shadows-- a dark gray and a bluish gray. I applied the bluish gray to the entire lid and the darker gray on the lash line. I also applied black liquid liner on the upper lash line and finished it off with brownish black mascara. Black shadow shouldn't be selected for this look; it is too intense and therefore distracting. You should also never go above the crease when wearing a smoky eye to the office--save that look for the club. As for the lips, I used two different glosses to make a natural and shiny color that would offset the smoky eye for a clean and balanced-out look.
This look is considerably different from the first. The eye makeup is minimal-- a thin black line on the lids and one coat of mascara applied to curled lashes. Instead of focusing on the eyes, attention is given to the mouth. Despite what you may have heard, red lips ARE office appropriate, given that it is the right shade of red (something muted as I'm wearing above, nothing too bright) and that the eyes are downplayed.
I think both looks are equally fun to wear. Each one can be tweaked to complement your skin tone, outfit, and personal style. When wearing makeup to the office it's important to remember that less is more, but don't be afraid to push the limits a little bit--while keeping it in good taste!
