Eyeshadow best practices?

Nov 12, 2013

Shannon C.

My eyeshadow always looks like crap. What are some general rules I should keep in mind when applying it? I have absolutely no idea what in doing apparently. I try to apply different colors on the lid, crease, and brow bone, but it ends up looking a mess...too dark, too light, messed up shading, etc.

Nov 12, 2013

Symone B.

Some things that may be helpful:
-apply primer (get a product or apply concealer or white shadow or pencil)
- wetting the brush makes it more opaque(I only do this for brow bone highlight and on the mobile lid
- the general basic rules: color of choice on lid, darkest color in crease, lightest color on tear duct and brow bone)
-make sure you have good brushes (more important than product since they can make or break your look)
-doing a firm swipe with a makeup wipe on the outer edges makes the look neater

Nov 12, 2013

Saiqa B.

This is so useful.

Nov 12, 2013

Nicole S.

Also, when starting out, stick with neutrals, and nothing extreme, then it won't be quite as crazy. Don't expect to be able to do everything the pros can on your first try... Overall with some pratice, you will get it eventually!

Nov 13, 2013

Annmarie K.

Great tips! In my experience when I started I wasn't blending as much as I should have and having the right brushes makes a world of difference.

Nov 13, 2013

Dani A.

Great advices! I'll just add to pay attention to the products you use because that makes difference too buy quality even if its more expensive you'll get

Nov 13, 2013

Dani A.

a better result

Nov 13, 2013

Vally W.

And blend blend BLEND lol.

Nov 14, 2013

Shannon C.

Thank you ladies!

Nov 14, 2013

Audra B.

The quality of the eyeshadows really does make a huge difference but if your having a hard time enjoying the shadow you have now, I imagine it probably isnt that necessary for you to go out and spend $20 on one eyeshadow color or $50 on a palette. Try getting your brush or whatever you are using for application, get it a little wet. either with some eyedrops or just water. you can also take a cream eyeshadow and use that as a base. both methods will make eyeshadow much more pigmented and they will stick, allowing you to blend them together nicely rather then a muddy mess. I do recommend you get a few eyeshadow brushes. Elf has some really good ones for $3 each. get a fluffy one to blend with and a tapered one (ends go to a slight point) should do the trick at least until you get the hang of it. I would recommend you try putting white shadow starting at the inside (closest to your nose) and blend that across the lid. Then take a orangey brown with the tapered brush and make small circles on the other side of your lid slightly above your crease. just feel for the brow bone and thats where you want to focus the color. make small circles around that same spot then using a windshield wiper motion come towards your inner eye without adding any more product. thats where the blending brush comes in. just brush it back and forth with very light pressure like 10 times and you should be good. stick with only 2 colors for now until you get the hang of it!

Nov 15, 2013

Bree B.

I agree to start slow. You can achieve a lot with one pretty eyeshadow. I am an eyeshadow snob. I've tried cheap shadows and the pigment, blendability, fallout, etc. it doesn't pay off for me. I would rather go buy two shades from M.A.C that I can try, swatch the color and get good color payoff.
Use a primer or a base. I like either Urban Decays Primer Potion or M.A.C's Paint Pots in Painterly. It's going to make your shadows apply more opaque and last all day. If you're going through the trouble of applying shadow you don't want it gone by 10am.
I think it's fine to start with two shadows. A light shadow you can do all over your lid, no liner, with mascara and a bolder lip. Or with a winged liner. Or add the 2nd darker shade to the crease, you do this with a fluffier blending brush and using a sweeping windshield washer back and forth motion. You can also take that 2nd darker color and apply it all over the lid, then use it to line underneath the eye.

Nov 15, 2013

Michele S.

I have to blend more, that's my problem

Nov 16, 2013

Deborah T.

Thanks ladies!! Even am not the person that posted the question but I have really benefited from your responses. Great work!!

Nov 16, 2013

Yesenia P.

Eyeshadow primer. Use a flat shader brush to pat the lid color on. They use an angled eyeshadow brush to put the crease color onto the crease. Use a blending brush to blend. Just don't use too much product 😊

Nov 16, 2013

Melanie V.

I just picked up the Milani eye primer and the texture is phenomenal. You can do amazing things with a good primer and a 3 dollar e.l.f blush. Even barely pigmented shadow can look great with the right primer. If you have deep eyes like mine, don't bother with Smokey eyes.