How to Apply Purple Eye Shadow

Warm-toned purple eyeshadow

Regardless of how darkly pigmented purple eyeshadow appears in its packaging, it is possible to wear it without leaving a mess all over your eyes. If you want to avoid the bruised look that purple sometimes creates when used as an eyeshadow, just stay away from reddish purples and opt instead for brownish or deep-hued purples with a bluish tinge. A warm, rich berry, in particular, is universally flattering, and is always stylish during the fall and winter.

Things You'll Need

• Eye makeup primer
• Flesh-tone eyeshadow or creamy concealer
• Mid-size fluffy brush
• Translucent powder
• Flat-head eyeshadow brush
• Mid-tone to dark purple eyeshadow
• Fluffy eyeshadow brush
• Tissue
• Sheer light purple eyeshadow
• Creamy eye pencil
• Brow color
• Eyelash curler
• Mascara

Instructions

1. Apply an eye makeup primer all over clean eyelids, from lash line to browbone. After the primer absorbs, blend on either a flesh tone eyeshadow or a creamy concealer, also from lash line to browbone. This will help the eyeshadow adhere to your lids, as well as make the purple pop.

2. Use a mid-size fluffy brush to lay down a thick layer of translucent powder under each eye. The powder will catch eyeshadow fallout, especially from any dark purple shadows you use.

3. Dip a flat-head eyeshadow brush into a mid-tone to dark purple eyeshadow and tap off excess. Stipple the eyeshadow on from lash line to slightly past the crease. Press the eyeshadow on instead of applying it with a blending or sweeping motion, which leads to product fallout. Run the eyeshadow brush along lower lash lines to lightly transfer some of the eyeshadow to the lower lids for a balanced look.

4. Add dimension to your eye makeup by using a clean fluffy eyeshadow brush to blend the mid-tone to dark purple eyeshadow upward from the crease to just under the browbone. This softens the appearance of your eyeshadow and adds a professional touch. Wipe the fluffy eyeshadow brush on a piece of tissue before swirling it into a sheer light purple eyeshadow and applying this to browbones. Buff away any hard lines in your eye makeup, still using the fluffy eyeshadow brush. There should be no definite edges that tell where one color ends and another begins.

5. Bring out the shape of your eyes by working a creamy eye pencil into top and bottom lash lines. Choose either black, brown, dark blue or dark purple, depending on your preferences.

6. Fill in your eyebrows, curl your eyelashes and apply mascara to polish off your eye makeup. With the mid-size fluffy brush, briskly sweep away the translucent powder and all the product fallout from under your eyes.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your cheeks and lips subtle color to keep the rest of your face from looking naked. Soft pink hues are appropriate for those with cool undertones; go with a peachy-pink blush and lip color, on the other hand, if you have warm undertones.

Resources

• eHow article, "How to Pick Purple Eye Shadows"