If you've tried an internet search on how to apply eye makeup, you
will likely get millions of websites in your search results. You could
make yourself crazy trying to follow the advice of several authors, or
websites, or companies, and then try to compare them to each other to
see who is correct. My best advice for you is to find an expert whom you
like and stick with that person's advice.
How do you know if you
have a basic eye shape? The basic eye shape is where the eyelid follows
the shape of the eye, is easily seen, and creates a crease between the
eyelid and the area below the browbone. You may be told that your eyes
look "normal" and that is because not one area is more prominent than
another.
To apply makeup to a basic eye shape you need to use
three different eye shadows. Yes, three. To get a perfect, well-blended
look, three is the minimum. Some different eye shadow application
techniques may require more. If you use only two, your eye makeup will
look flat and lack depth. The lightest color you will use is called the
highlight, the medium color is the midtone, and the darkest is the
accent, which is usually used sparingly.
First, you will use your
highlighter shade over your eyelid and across your browbone (just under
your eyebrow). Next, you will sweep the midtone shade across the crease
of your eye starting from the inner third of your eye and outward to the
edge of your eye. Lastly, you will use your accent shade in the very
outer third of your crease, then sweep the accent along your upper and
lower lashline going only a third of the way in. This technique is good
for those whose eyes are spaced perfectly.
What if your eyes are
set narrowly, but you still have a basic eye shape? You will be
especially careful not to bring the midtone eye color in towards your
nose. You will keep the midtone shade on the outer third of your crease,
blending it in towards your nose only as far as half way - depending
upon how close your eyes are set together. You can extend your midtone
shade past your outer eye a little. This technique will help pull your
eyes further apart.
What if the opposite is true for you - that
your eyes are set wide apart? You will do the opposite above and use
your midtone shade starting from the inner corner of your eye and sweep
it outwards along the crease, but not going into the outer third region
of the crease. This will help bring your eyes closer together. As for
the accent color, you will still use it along your upper and lower
lashline, but use it starting from the inner corners of your eye and
working it outwards, never going past the outer corners of your
lashline.
To get your eye makeup colors to blend perfectly, you
must use appropriately shaped brushes. There is another benefit of using
eye brushes versus using a sponge-tip applicator or, heaven forbid--
your fingers! That benefit is brushes are gentler on the delicate skin
of your eyes. They don't pull or tug at your skin and help blend the
colors beautifully. If you can avoid using your fingers to hold your eye
in place, you avoid stretching out that delicate material and causing
premature wrinkling around your eye.
Practice applying makeup
without tugging on your eyes and just use tools to apply your eye
makeup. You may need to get a mirror that tilts, or a hand held one so
as not to crink your neck to position your head correctly when applying
your makeup.
Here's some last words of advice: Remember that
makeup on bad skin looks like makeup on bad skin. So take care of it so
people will notice your eyes more instead of being distracted by your
skin's imperfections!
By
Kaelyn Hales
