How To: Colored Eye Shadow For Beginners

Hey guys! This is the first post in our brand new “How To” series in which we will be imparting tips and tricks from our burgeoning wealth of knowledge about makeup application and beauty. I hope you guys will enjoy following this series as much as we do making it.

Today’s post is all about the dreaded colored eye shadow which most people have a love-hate relationship with. You see Instagram overflowing with genius creations using colors but your attempts usually end in disaster. It’s okay. We have all been there.

I have a huge thing for colored eye shadows and eyeliners so I have learnt a thing or two about how to make them work. Different colors enhance your eyes depending on your natural or artificial eye color. A colored lid balanced with neutrals, however, works for everyone.

So, my aim is to show how you can achieve exactly that.

How To Do It?

Step 1: Prime Your Eyes

This will get rid of discoloration, give your shadows something to stick on and give you a smooth canvas to work it so make sure it is evenly applied. I applied Makeup Revolution Focus and Fix Eye Primer in Matte. Oily eyelids benefit from a dusting of translucent powder on top.

Step 2: Highlight Brow Bone

Always use a matte cream shade, like Glory from Makeup Academy’s Smokin Palette, to highlight your brow bone to prevent it from looking cheap and getting shimmer all over the place. I also used the same shade on my inner corner for now with a flat shader brush from Colorstudio Pro.

Step 3: Apply A Transition Shade

This is the shade between your lid and brow bone so it’s called the transition shade, which allows easy blending of the deeper crease color. I used Shade 5, a mid tone medium matte, brown from Makeup Academy’s Undressed Palette. You can also use a matte bronzer. Anything you put in your crease MUST be matte because we want that area to recede not sparkle. Use a fluffy blending brush like Morphe MB23 to disperse the pigment evenly.

Step 4: Apply Colored Lid Shade

Pack on your preferred lid color such as jewel tones like Unleash from Makeup Academy Smokin Palette, using a firm shader like Sigma E57. Keep this on your mobile lid or it will transfer all over your crease. (Tip: Your mobile lid is the part of your eye lid you can see with your eyes open from the front)

Step 5:  Deepen Your Crease

If you already have deep set eyes, then you might want to skip this step or apply this dark chocolate shade, like White from Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette, only on the outer 1/3 of your crease. If you have hooded eyes, then you can take it midway to your crease and blend it out thoroughly.

Step 6: Tight-line And Kohl Application

Tightline between your upper lashes with a black pencil, like Luscious Cream Kohl in Black Onyx , and apply it to your waterline too if you wish. Make sure not to go too far on your lower lash line and if you do, just clean it up with a cotton swab.

Step 7: Smudge Lower Lash Line And Apply Eyeliner

Never ever leave your kohl as it is: Always smudge it with a dark shadow like the same one I used in step 4 to deepen the crease: White from Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette. I used the Sigma E30 Pencil brush for this purpose. I don’t recommend a winged liner or even a dramatic one here because that will totally steal the focus from the colored lid. Either a very thin basic eye liner or a smoked one, like I did, works well. Alternatively, you could skip eyeliner altogether and just go for a pair of false lashes.

Step 8: Highlight The Inner Corner

If you are happy with a matte inner corner that’s fine but if you want to open up your eyes a bit more then put a cream shimmer, like Adorable from Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette. I used the sponge tip applicator that comes with it. You can use any small brush or even your pinkie.

Step 9: Apply Mascara

We all need some mascara to give our lashes some life. My current favorite is Essence I Like Long Lashes Volume and Length mascara which is excellent for long, defined, clump free lashes.

Step 10: Clean-Up & Conceal

 

There is always fallout so I never neglect using a cleanser to wipe it off and prefer to do my eyes before my face. Put on your favorite concealer and voila! You are done!

To show you that this same tutorial can be used with other colors I have done an EOTD with Icon from Makeup Academy Smokin Palette on my lid.

Here are some lip and cheek combos that keep colored lids in focus.

Remember your colored eye lids take center stage and nothing else on your face should compete with them including your brows so dramatic brows are a big no no here. When your lids are in the pink/plum/red category, go for a warm nude pink lip like Essence Stay Matt lip cream in Velvet Rose. A more purple/ violet eye lid calls for something a more mauve-y plum-y nude like Bell lipstick 161. My other picks are Colorstudio Pro Color Rush lipstick- Desire and Essence XXXL Long lasting lip gloss - Soft Nude.

For cheeks, I prefer cream blushes. Eyelids are in the pink/plum/red territory get Colourpop Super shock cheek in Cruel Intentions (A reddish berry pink). I like a bubblegum pink, like Sleek Blush by 3-Lemonade in Macaroon, for purple/ violet eyes. A rosy nude blush like Inglot Cream Blush 94 works perfectly for all other colors.

Now I hope you won’t be so afraid to try some color on your eyes. Feel free to ask any questions and I look forward to your active participation in our new “How To” series.

Love,

Sadaf

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com