I was recently asked to share my eyeshadow application technique so I’ve made a short video plus taken photos of each stage so you can get a close-up view of what I actually do.
6 Step Easy Eyeshadow Application
See images below for step by step reference.
Before you start, consider whether you want to use an eyeshadow with sheen, or one that is matte. My tips for making that decision:
Does your skin look shinier or is it more matte?
Is your skin
Step 1: Eyeshadow Base
This is essential for me, it’s an eyelid primer that stops my eyeshadow disappearing into the crease within minutes of me applying shadow. It creates a slightly tacky surface that sticks the eyeshadow on so it stays all day and right into the night.
Step 2: Highlight Colour
This is the all over the eyelid colour that I take up to my brows. For me, I use a light pink as it makes my blue eyes bluer (get my tips on which colour eyeshadows to choose for your eyes here).
Step 3: Contour Colour
This is a medium cool pinkish brown that I use (I don’t like to go too dark for daytime), which I apply in a C shape to the outer edges of my eyelids. Because my eyes are deeper set and my skin above my moveable lids is starting to droop with age, I take it across the crease line and above the crease line to help ‘push back’ the overhang (remember, darker colours recede, light colours advance, so when applying shadow think about what you want to push backwards versus what you want to bring forward and make more prominent). If you have a prominent eye, you’d do your darker colour over the mobile lid (where your eye is) and not above the crease.
Step 4: Eyeshadow Liner
I tend to prefer using an eyeshadow as an eyeliner as it’s softer and easier to apply as skin becomes more moveable with age. I wear either a navy, charcoal or deep cool brown as my eyeliner colour. Black is too harsh now that I’m blonde and not a deep brunette.
Step 5: Highlight Inner Corners
To make my eyes pop, I like to highlight the inner corners of my eyes with a light shadow, this is because the inner corners is where we normally get those dark shadows that make us look more tired. Depending on what I’m wearing, I use either a silver or a light teal (here I’m using the light teal) shadow.
Step 6: Mascara
Last, but never least is mascara – which is my ‘desert island essential’ beauty product as I’ve always had very light eyelashes and it makes the biggest difference to how noticeable my eyes are.
This total process takes me no more than 2 minutes (tops)
A decent set of makeup brushes makes a difference – if you need to replace your brushes here are some good and very well priced options:
Buy Makeup Brush Set (Australia)
Once you’ve finished your eye makeup, don’t forget your eyebrows (see how I do mine here).
More Makeup Tips
Linking Up to High Latitude Style, Currently Wearing, Not Dressed as Lamb, Style Nudge, Style with a Smile
Imogen, curious about the silver or teal — do you put that on the inner corners more like a shadow, or like a liner? I’d like to try it!
I use them like a liner – just a short one on the inner corners!
Lovely Imogen. I see you have a matte look . What do you think of all these highlighters and the dewy look? Can any age wear them .
Thank you
Marion
If you have shiny skin, then pearlesence works, if you have matte skin, work with matte https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2015/01/how-to-choose-makeup-and-fabrics-based-on-skin-sheen.html
I just wanted to thank you for this post….it’s the most useful one I’ve come across not least because it’s unusual to find someone who has the same eyes as me and not perfect eyelids. You’re explanation of applying the darker colour in a C shape really helped me and I’ve been doing it since and it works! For years I’ve been attempting to do it as a triangle but never quite got the hang of it.
Thanks Sarah – I know too many of the beauty bloggers are young without the ‘old age’ overhang my eyes have! Glad the tips have helped!