Basic Eyeshadow Tutorial

Applying eyeshadow can seem daunting, but it's not nearly as tricky as it may appear.  The key is blending.  In this post, I am  going to walk you through an easy, everyday eye look that will pair with any lip colour and any blush.  The technique can be used with any colour combination so once you get the technique down, experiment with blues and purples, etc.  Have fun with it!  Remember, it's just makeup; if you make a mistake you can literally just wipe it off and start all over.

For this look I am using 5 different brushes although you can achieve it with fewer.  For the shadow, I opted for a matte palette from Hard Candy which I purchased for about $8.00 at Walmart.

Tools of the trade.

Makeup staples.

 It's not necessary to spend a ton of money on brushes. Morphe Brushes offers every conceivable shape with prices ranging from $3 up to about $23. ELF cosmetics is even more affordable while still offering good quality brushes.  If you prefer not to shop online, look for the Real Techniques brush sets at Walmart and Rexall Pharmaplus.


For this look, I have stuck with all drugstore items with the exception of the eyeliner which is from Urban Decay (I don't have a drugstore brown liner but can recommend the Silkissime line from L'Oreal).

I've tried to keep the products to a minimum to keep this as beginner-friendly as possible.  So let's dive in.




STEP ONE

Blend!! 

First, apply a thin layer of the Maybelline Color Tattoo in the shade Barely Branded using a brush or your finger.  This acts as a primer and helps to prevent the shadow from creasing or fading throughout the day.  Then lightly pat a shadow that matches your skintone on top of the base.  This sets the primer and allows the other colours to blend more easily.

Then, using a fluffy brush, buff a light matte eyeshadow into  and above the crease of your eye.  I chose a soft warm brown.



STEP TWO

Blend, blend, blend.

Using a more tapered blending brush, apply a darker shade to the outer edge of your eye, making a V shape.  Then blend that bad boy out.  Buff it along the crease of your eye keeping it a bit lower than the first colour.  I typically fill in the V so that the entire outer third of my lid is covered in the darker shade.  I then blend the edge out using the fluffy brush from Step One without picking up any additional product.

Depending on the look you are going for, you may need to repeat these steps a couple of times to build up the intensity of the eyeshadow.

Just remember to continually blend.


STEP THREE

Again with the blending!

Using a flat smudger brush (short dense bristles), apply some of the same dark shade that you used in Step Two along your lower lash line.  Apply it lightly then build it up to your desired intensity; it's easier to build it up than it is to take it away if you go in too heavily at first.

I often bring the shadow along the entire lower lash line, but in this look I only brought it in about halfway to keep the look a bit softer.


STEP FOUR

Oh look.  More blending.

Then apply a light colour (I used white) to the inner tear duct area.  This helps to bright the look and makes your eyes look more awake.

I also apply a small amount of white under my brow bone to help softly define the arch of my eyebrow.  After doing so, I go back in with the original fluffy blending brush and make sure that there are no harsh edges.



STEPS FIVE AND SIX

Finally, a break from the blending. 

Next, apply a pencil eyeliner to the outer third of your top lash line.  I like to smudge it out using my finger so that the liner isn't too harsh.  I typically also apply the liner in my lower waterline but thought images of that might scare people away.  It's not a necessary step and I skipped it in this look.

Finally, apply a generous coat of your favourite mascara to your lashes.  I apply it to my top and bottom lashes but if you do not have many lower lashes, I'd say skip it as it can draw attention to the fact that your lower lashes are sparse.

I don't have a picture of it, but I also applied a tinted brow gel to tame the face caterpillars. :)


FINAL EYELOOK

The final look is soft and subtle but adds some definition to the eye and helps to brighten it up, making them look wider and more alert.

The mascara has helped to add length and curl to my lashes (I didn't use an actual lash curler and rarely do because I can never remember that step).

Finally, the inner corner highlight makes a big difference in terms of brightening up that tear duct area.

I hope that helps to take some of the mystery out of eyeshadow application.  Once you're comfortable with the techniques, a look like this will take about 10-15 minutes to apply.