How to Apply Eye Shadow to Define Your Eyes
Your eyes are your most distinctive feature. They express who you are and how you feel. Playing up the appearance of your eyes will bring a natural definition to your face. One of the most important tools used in defining your eyes is eye shadow. There are a number of different colors of eye shadow that come in powders and creams, allowing for a variety of creative blends. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Foundation
- Translucent powder
- Eye shadow shades (light, medium and dark)
- Mirror
- Sponge-tipped application brush
Instructions
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Preparation
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1
Choose three eye shadow shades--light, medium and dark--that best suit your eye color. Blue eyes can be emphasized by shades of blue, gold, brown and pink. Brown eyes are accentuated with shades of brown, copper, beige, green and gold. Green eyes are set off with shades of purple, green and brown. Shades of purple, pink, green and brown bring out hazel eyes. Experiment with different shades.
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2
Apply a foundation that matches your skin color to your eyelids and under your eyes, followed by a translucent face powder over the same areas. This helps prevent the eye shadow from creasing, smooths the skin's surface and prolongs the eye shadow's performance. It also allows for easy cleaning if any color falls when applying the eye shadow. Rogue flakes can be gently whisked away after you have finished your application.
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3
Determine the best shading shape for your eyes. There are two basic shading shapes. The first is "rounded," which is the classic way to apply eye shadow, and the second is "winged," where eye shadow is accented in a wing or wedge shape on the outer edge of the eye. Try applying one shading shape to one eye and the other shading shape to the other eye and determine which looks best on you.
Rounded Shape
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4
Apply the lighter of the three eye shadow shades, known as the highlighter, using the broad side of the sponge-tipped applicator across the eyelid and up under the eyebrow. The lighter color will give a brightening effect on the eyes and make them appear larger.
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5
Apply the medium shade eye shadow across the entire eyelid and smudge it slightly under the bottom eyelashes.
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6
Use the dark eye shadow to accent your eyelid crease. Smudge the color into the medium color on your eyelid.
Winged Shape
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7
Apply the light eye shadow shade or highlighter using the broad tip of the sponge applicator, brushing it across the eyelid and up under the eyebrow.
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8
Cover the entire eyelid with the medium shade of eye shadow color. Smudge a small amount of the medium shade under the bottom eyelashes.
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9
Brush on the darker eye shadow starting in the middle of the eyelid crease and bring it down to the outer corner of the eye and extend it under the lower lash line in a wedge shape. Use your pinkie finger to blend it in with the surrounding eye shadow.
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Tips & Warnings
Winged shading looks best on a younger woman's eyes where the skin on the outer corner of the eyes is firm. The round shading looks best when the brow bone markedly curves around the eye and also on eyes where sagging skin is more noticeable.
A matte eye shadow looks better than a frosted eye shadow if you're tired. Frosted eye shadows draws attention to wrinkles and dark circles.
Use shadow colors that are on the light side of the color spectrum on deep-set eyes to bring them out.
To make smaller eyes appear larger, apply the medium shade to the eyelid and extend it to slightly above the eyelid crease on the outer edge.
Eye shadow usually has a shelf life of two to three years. Throw away any eye shadow that is older than that.
Always use clean brushes to apply makeup.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit eye make up image by Lovrencg from Fotolia.com
