How to Apply Eye Shadow

Your eyes are the feature that you are likely to want to emphasize, and eye makeup is probably the one area that you will want to experiment with different colours, shading, and types. Eye makeup should be applied skilfully and professionally if you are to get the look you want.

Using Eye Shadow

The first step is to pick the colours that best suits you. While dark shades of eye shadow are used to add dimension, lighter shades can perk them up. If you have small eyes and want to give the impression of larger eyes, you want to stay with lighter shades. If you have large eyes or protruding eyes, you would want to use darker shades. Applying foundation on the eyelids provides a good canvas to spread the eye shadow.

Applying Eye Shadow

1. The first rule when applying eye shadow is to blend it well so there are no harsh edges.

2. Using a fine, blunt-ended brush, gently apply the base colour to the entire lid from the inside to the outside corner and from the base of the lashes to the eyelid crease.

3. Use a lighter shade under the browbone to highlight the eyes.

4. The darkest shade can be skillfully used to create depth. Use darker shades on the lid and the crease of the eye.

5. Blend the shadows well, using your fingertips or a cotton swab.

TIP: The easiest type of shadow to use and the type that has the widest variety of colours, is pressed powder.

Eyebrows
Eyebrows really define and accent the face even without makeup. So the right shape eyebrows is essential. Perfectly groomed brows are an absolute must.

If you have thick or unruly eyebrows, you may want to tweeze them to get a better shape. Never ever shave the eyebrows. If you are unsure of how to go about tweezing and giving your eyebrow a shape, go in for professional help.

Eyebrow: Shaping and Shading

1. Tweeze only the hairs underneath your brows and not from the top. This will cause the natural arch to flatten out.

2. The eyebrow should follow the length of the eye but it shouldn’t extend into the temple area. It must be about the same thickness along the entire length diminishing only slightly at the outer tip.

3. The beginning of the brow should align with the center of the nostril.

4. The arch of the brow should fall at the back third of the eye.

5. To fill in the gaps in the eyebrow shape, use the color that is the closest to your eyebrow color or a shade lighter than that.

6. Avoid over-tweezing above the brow. few stray hairs are fine to remove, but too much and it can create an unnatural look.

7. Always pluck out eyebrows in the direction the hairs grow. Tweezing the brows after the shower is much easier and less painful.

TIP: Apply an ice cube after shaping your eyebrows to reduce swelling and redness.