Applying Eyeshadow: Tips and tricks

Eye shadow is perhaps the most beloved cosmetic of creative makeup artists. Since eyes is the most important focal point of the face, the eye makeup techniques and choice of colors for eyeshadow should suit the shape and color of your eyes. The most important trick to keep in mind is that the light colors highlight the spots while dark colors tame them down. The first step in applying the eyeshadow is to apply a neutral concealer that matches your skin tone on the eyelid and then sweep the lightest shade over the entire area from the lash line to the brow line to create the smudge resistant base. Apply the medium shade on the lower lid and blend it into your base shade. A third color can also be added along the lash line and outer corner of the eyes as an accent to create the depth in eyes. The other tips that you can use are:

• 1. Blondes with blue eyes should opt for browns and taupes while those with green eyes can go for soft mauves and lilacs.
• 2. Blue eyeshadow should only be worn only if you either have fair skin, black or platinum hair and brown or gray eyes or very dark skin.
• 3. Don't match your shadow with your eyes or your clothes so that attention remains with your eyes and not your makeup!
• 4. Emphasizing the inner corner of the eyes to make them look closer to each other. This can be done by applying a neutral base color over the whole eye and then dust a medium color on the inner half of the eyelid and blend it outward. You can then use eyeliner to line the lid from the inner corner of the eye to the middle and blend it outward.
• 5. For day makeup, base color and mascara are the only things you need to wear for eyes.
• 6. High quality powder eyeshadows can be used wet for heavier application by dampening your applicator a little.
• 7. Lighter shadows help the bigger while darker shades make them look smaller. For bigger eyes, sweep a light shade over lid and darker shade on the outer corner of the lid and the crease. Outline the eyes using the eyeliner on the outer side of upper and lower lids while tapering a bit on the outside the eye to elongate it. Dab a white or cream shadow in the middle of the brow bone as a last step.
• 8. Neutral shades like browns and beiges look natural while brighter shades like blue and green look dramatic and artificial.
• 9. On mature skin and puffy eyelids, avoid using iridescent, frosted, light colors and white eyeshadows and opt for soft matte colors instead.
• 10. Only use cream eyeshadows that do not cause creasing upon application and should be coordinated with powder shadows that are to be used on top of them. They should be applied using fingertips.
• 11. Sweep a light or medium-tone shade on the lid and slightly darker shade above the eye crease to downplay the brow bone. Eyeliner should be thick in the middle of the eye and tapering at both ends. Add light highlighter to brow bone.
• 12. To add definition to your eyelids, apply a medium-toned shade across the lid and brow bone and dust the under brow area with a light highlighter shade. Use a very fine pencil liner of natural color to line the upper and lower lash lines.
• 13. To glamorize eyes for night outs, add shimmer to highlight your eyes.
• 14. To lift up tired eyes extend the color from the outer corner of the lid upwards to give them a feline shape. A light highlighter on the brow bone without the eyeliner brightens up the eyes. Concentrate mascara on the inner corner of the eye.
• 15. To make them look wider apart, keep the inside corners of the eyes lighter than the outer edges. Apply concealer one shade lighter than your skin at the inner corner of the lids and the sides of your nose and blend it well. Use a matte medium to dark eyeshadow and stroke it outward and slightly upward from middle of the lid to its outer half. Use the eyeliner a bit in from the inner corner of the eye and make the line tapering up and out a bit past the outer corner of the eyes.