Eyeshadow is used to create depth around your eyes, and can even make the eye appear larger than it normally would without eyeshadow.
Additionally, you can use eyeshadow as blush, eyeliner, to contour, and to fill in your eyebrows.
It’s also worth mentioning that eyeshadow can give you a boost of confidence, brighten up your face, and hide veins on your eyelids – all of which combine to give you a youthful appearance.
Keeping these benefits in mind, here are some makeup tips when searching for eyeshadow, and also some eyeshadow application tips.
Find Perfect Eyeshadow Palette
Consider your Lifestyle
Your lifestyle will play a major role in choosing an eyeshadow palette that suits your needs.
For instance, you wouldn’t want to purchase a palette that has a rainbow variety of colors if your job requires you to look professional. Instead, you’d be better off purchasing neutral color palettes like the cost-effective Physicians Formula Shimmer Stripes Nude Eyes. The only downside to the Physicians Formula Nude eyes palette is that it doesn’t offer any matte shades.
Another option that’s easy on the wallet is NYX Butt Naked Palette because it offers a large variety of colors, and also comes with pretty blushes, bronzers and a highlight pressed powder as well.
If you have the money to spend, or just prefer to have one palette that’s easy to travel with and flexible in terms of eye looks, then both the Naked Palette and Naked 2 Palette by Urban Decay will give you plenty of options.
Assuming you’re a person who enjoys colorful eye looks, then something like Ben Nye eyeshadows may suit your style. You’ll get a lot of pigment in each of their eyeshadows, and you’ll be able to create unique looks out of colors straight from the rainbow.
One more option to consider is Coastal Scents Go Palette Sydney. You may have to build the color a bit to have an intense color combination makeup look with this product, but the price is right.
Quality doesn’t have to cost
When it comes to makeup, there’s often a misconception that the more expensive the product is, the better. In reality though, this isn’t the case, especially with eyeshadow!
There are so many brands that offer you very good colors at reasonable prices like Eyes Lips Face (ELF) cosmetics, Wet’n Wild, CoverGirl and NYX. All of these drugstore brands give you some of the best eyeshadows without draining your savings.
Eyeshadow Brushes and Applicators
Not everyone has the money to purchase eyeshadow brushes (makeup brushes) that cost twice as much as the actual eyeshadow, and you shouldn’t have to either.
The best tools we have are our fingers; however, your fingers will also limit your options a little. In any case, you can use your ring finger to blend, apply and smudge the eyeshadow out. Still, having a few brushes makes the job a little easier.
As for the applicators that come with the eyeshadow, they’re only good for packing the product on your eyelid, and do little for blending the colors out.
You only need a couple of brushes like a fluffy blending brush, an angled brush for precision, and a flat brush for patting the color on your lid to achieve a professional-looking image.
Using Primer
If you want long-lasting eyeshadow wear, then you’ll want to use an eyeshadow primer before applying anything to your eyelids. The primer can also help to cover veins that might poke through sheer eyeshadows.
One more point worth noting is that:
Primer makes the color more prominent, and keeps it from flaking off throughout the day.
Complimenting Eye Color
If you’re wondering which colors compliment your eye color, here are a few examples:
- Brown eyes really stand out when you use various shades of blue, gray, purple, brown and green.
- If you have hazel or green eyes, your complimentary colors are various shades of brown, deep plum purple, bronze and green.
- Blue eyes look great with various shades of blue, gray, brown, green and red. Of course, you don’t have to follow these guidelines because each person will have a different shade of eye color, skin tone and preference.
If you want a little color, but don’t want to use eyeshadow, you can always use colored eyeliner for an extra pop of color.
Apply a thin line above a line of black eyeliner along your upper lash line, and wing both liners out for a dramatic look.
Makeup Tips on Application
Applying eyeshadow can be as easy as swiping a medium or neutral tone color over your lid and up to your crease.
Or it can be as difficult as using three or more colors to create a smoky-eye makeup look if you have time to spare. That said, here are a few basic tips for those interested in learning how to apply eyeshadow.
You don’t want to look like a clown, so blend the colors out really well.
Dark eyeshadows are ideal for your crease, lash line, or outer V that is located on the outer part of your eyelid. Use a brush to blend the colors out so that you don’t have harsh lines.
Light or neutral eyeshadows are great as an inner-corner color, or as a highlight on your brow bone.
Overly-sparkly eyeshadows aren’t ideal for daytime wear or for use at work, so save those for nighttime. Heavy makeup can look a little out of place when worn during the day, but at night, dark eyeshadows will enhance your eyes instead of making you look showy.
How Create a Smokey Eye Look
When you’re using a palette with a variety of colors, it’s best to apply only two or three at a time.
- Begin by applying the lightest color like a pearly white near the inner corner of your eye.
- Then choose a medium-toned color like a taupe along the lash line and up to your crease.
- Finish by using a dark brown color on the outer corner of your eye in the shape of a horizontal V.
- Blend the colors together by using small circular motions while working with a fluffy eyeshadow brush.
Finishes
There are a few different types of eyeshadow formulas to choose from, and some are better than others.
- Matte eyeshadows don’t have any form of glitter, shine or shimmer, and are great to use as a basis for different formulas of other eyeshadows.
- Matte shadows are also good for covering discoloration on your eyelids. You can look for matte eyeshadows in both cream and pressed powder form.
- Satin eyeshadow finishes aren’t completely matte, but give you a nice and light shimmer similar to a peal, and can be found in pressed powder, pencil, or liquid forms of eyeshadow.
- Shimmer shadows aren’t full-on glittery, but are more sparkly than satin, and can sometimes be sheer enough to allow your skin to peek through. Shimmer eyeshadows that are skin-toned are great to use as highlights on your brow bone, cheekbones, cupids bow, and the bridge of your nose. You’ll find shimmer finishes in powder, liquid or pigment formulas.
- Frost eyeshadows are meant to be full coverage, but the texture will vary from brand to brand. Frost eyeshadow is best for young girls because this formula tends to fall into wrinkles and magnify them. Look for frost eyeshadows in powder or cream shadow formulas.
