Basic Eye Makeup

            Most eye makeup assortments offer three basic shades or colors.

• Highlighter – the lightest shade, designed to bring out the areas it is applied to.
• Mid Shade – this shade should be closest to your natural skin color. It is the most subtle of the colors, but the most important.
• Contour – the darkest shade causes the area to recede.

Eye Makeup Ideas for Common Problems

Hooded Eyes

With a hooded eye, the lids look partly closed. So, to open up the eye, you can use makeup to minimize the eyelid.

• Start by drawing more attention to your eyebrows. Ensure they are properly shaped and use them to entice interest upwards from the eyelid.
• Cover the skin from the brow bone to the upper lash line with the highlight color.
• Next apply the mid shade to most of the surface of the eyelid.
• With the contour shade, brush on the outer half of the lid and up towards the brow.
• Follow with a fine line of contour under the lower lashes.
• This eye type really benefits from having eye makeup – either shadow or eyeliner - under the lower lashes.
• When using eyeliner, also extend the line from the outer upper lashes slightly past the edge of the eye.

General Eye Makeup Tips

Your eye makeup can really define your "look". Use it sparingly to create modest, yet beautiful eyes for the work day, and apply it heavier for dramatic, sexy eyes that are perfect for an evening out on the town.

Whether you're preparing for day or night, it's a good idea to begin by applying an eye shadow primer base to your lids to help your eye makeup look fresh longer.

Tips for Applying Eye Shadow

The skillful use of eye shadow can certainly compliment the natural beauty of your eyes, accentuating your iris color and overall eye shape. The following eye makeup tips can also help enhance Mother Nature's original handy work or if you feel the need for a change.

Creating Wide Set Eyes

To accentuate wide set eyes or to give the illusion of more distance between close set eyes, try following these eye makeup tips:

• Apply a light to medium shade of eye shadow to your entire lid area.
• Then, using a darker, complimentary color, apply this shade to the outer third of your main lid area, extending slightly beyond the outer corner of your eye.
• Use your finger tip to blend the darker color and soften the edges
• Add pencil liner, slightly widening the line at the outer edges of the eyes.
• Brush mascara onto the tips of the lashes near the inner corners, and on the full length of the lashes near the outer edges.

Creating Closer Eyes

If you feel your eyes are set a bit too wide apart, you can give them the illusion of being closer.

• Use a light to medium shade of eye shadow on your main lid area.
• Apply a slightly darker, but complimentary shade of shadow just in the inner corner of your lids, and then draw it out in a fine line along your lid crease, just to the outer corners of your eyes and blend slightly. The darker shade adds a bit of depth, and tends to draw focus, creating the illusion that your eyes are closer than they actually are.
• Add liner and mascara if you wish.

Creating Big, Bold Eyes

To really make your eyes "pop", try these eye makeup tips:

• Apply a light shade of shadow just below your brow line for a highlight effect.
• Apply a medium shade of shadow to your main lid.
• Apply a line of darker shadow along the crease of your lid to the outer edge, then soften and blend it with your fingertip.
• Apply eye liner along the length of your upper lid, just above your lash line. Then repeat just beneath the lash line on your lower lid, meeting the upper line at the outer corners of your eyes. If you use a liner pencil, you may want to use your finger to gently smudge the liner for a smokier look.

Softening Prominent Eyes

If you feel your eyes are too prominent, you can darken the lids to create the illusion of deeper set eyes.

• Apply a medium shade of shadow to the lids and skip highlighting the brow line.
• Use a darker shade of shadow or pencil liner to draw a line along the lash line of your top lids, then apply mascara to your lashes.

Tips for Applying Eye Liner

The technique you use to apply your liner will depend on the type of liner you choose.

Liquid Liner

Liquid liner is applied with a very fine tip brush and requires a very steady hand to create a smooth line.

• Provide support for your elbow while you are drawing your lines. This will help keep your hand steadier, resulting in a better line that doesn't wobble unevenly.
• You can also apply a thin line of a similar shade of eye shadow along your lash lines, and then glide a thin line of liquid liner over the top of it. This can help define your eyes, while at the same time provide a little camouflage in case your lines aren't perfect.

Pencil Liner

This type of liner is generally easier to apply, and you can use different techniques to vary the look.

• For very defined lines, sharpen your eye liner pencil before you apply.
• For softer lines, use your fingers to gently smudge the lines after application.

Tips for Applying Mascara

The most important part of applying mascara is selecting a high quality brand in the first place. You'll spend a little more, but it's worth it for mascara that doesn't clump, flake or run when wet.

• For the most natural look, brush mascara on just the outer tips of your lashes. This still helps to define and deepen your lashes, but it will barely look like you're wearing it.
• For a full, bold look, brush mascara on the entire length of your lashes, and use an eyelash curler to curl your lashes away from your eyes. The dramatic effect is especially great for evening looks.

Cleansing Tips

Soap and water is a bit too harsh for cleansing your delicate eye area. To remove your eye makeup, use a cotton ball and an eye makeup cleanser that is specially formulated to dissolve shadows, liner and mascara. Use repeated gentle strokes rather than scrubbing your makeup away, or you may damage your skin and lashes.

Conclusion

Eye makeup can be fun, but it also takes practice, so take time to experiment with it at home until you find the colors and techniques that make your eyes look their very best..