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Getting a perfect professional looking eye shadow application is not out
of reach if you understand the the strategy of approach the "pros" use.
These five
steps, that I call the "B's" strategy are a simple but effectively
precise approach to doing your eye makeup that will give you confidence in
what you are doing, and beautiful professional looking results.
Precise
application strategy in five easy to learn steps:
- Step 1
Base first
- Step 2
Basic zones
- Step 3
Brushes
- Step 4
Build Color
- Step 5
Blend
Step 1
Base First
Creating a
base first is critical to eye shadow application. Why? Not only will
the makeup apply more evenly and more notably, it will have long wearing
capabilities.
Without a
base, the eye shadow will likely apply in patches as it clings to your skin,
color will lack vibrancy, and over time, it will seem to disappear as it
seeps into your skin.
So to apply a
base...
1.
Beginning with a primer for the eye area. This is optional but
recommended as it will create a smooth barrier between your eye makeup and
skin, and it will be an excellent base to build makeup layers upon.
or dust with translucent powder
2.
Well matching foundation should be applied and blended well, in small
increments, avoiding the lashes, ensuring that it does not collect in eye
area creases. Most will apply over eye area and rest of face, but if you
don't wear foundation, make sure that your foundation in the eye area blends
without a trace into the zones surrounding it.
3.
Once you have effectively blended your foundation, apply concealer to
areas as needed i.e. cover dark circles under the eye area by dotting
concealer along eye orbital bone, and blending upward gently with a clean
ring finger or concealer brush.
4.
Loose translucent powder follows foundation and concealer, and should be
lightly dusted over the eye area using a big powder brush.
MAKEUP
TIP: Pour a little loose powder into lid of container, dip powder brush
and tap off excess on a clean tissue, or give brush a shake over the sink.
Your are
ready to start with your eye shadow application.
Step 2
Basic Zones Of Placement
Get to
know the eye area and the smaller zones within the eye area in terms of four
basic zones of makeup placement. This is not to get too technical, but
to assist with more precise eye shadow application.
The diagram
below uses a black dotted line to give the general eye makeup application
area boundaries. That general area further sub-divides into smaller zones
as shown on the left.
Eye makeup
application begins with eye shadow in zone A. , followed by zone B., C., and
D in that application sequence.
Zone A.
This area is the upper lid starting at the upper lash line and moving into
the crease area under the brow bone. The base shade, the first eye shadow
shade, is applied here blending into the crease to the brown bone.
*Note
blending gently for smooth even application with appearance of shadow
diminishing into (under) brow bone, as well as, the left and right general
zone boundaries.
Zone B.
The crease area is the natural arc shaped recession on the upper lid, below
the brow bone. A deeper shade of shadow is used to sweep along the arc,
producing a literal arc of shadow that blends into zone A. and upwards under
the brow bone.
 Zone
C. This area is a small area above the brow bone. This area is
highlighted with color emphasis on the outer half. The lightest shade is
used here.
Zone D. This zone has often been left out when it comes to eye shadow
application. Typically a little eye liner and very little mascara work this
zone. However, recent styles have really played up this under lash lower
lid area with shadow. Shadow has been playing the role of liner in varying
degrees of thickness under the lashes for beautiful dramatic definition.
In the above diagram all four shadows used above the upper lashes, were
strategically placed under the lower lashes. Step 4. takes a very dark
eye shadow shade and places it finely along the upper lashes, extending it
horizontally, where the natural eye shape moves downward. To a smaller
degree, that same deep shade is placed centrally and directly under the lash
line, for a wide-eyed look. Those fine lines will also be softened with a
blending brush.
EYE SHADOW
APPLICATION TIP: Using a folded tissue place under the lower lashes
will avoid dust falling on cheeks etc. diminishing the clean, precise,
definition and professional looking finish.
Step 3
Brushes
Makeup brushes are critical to the precision of makeup application.
It is especially important with eye shadow application because the zone is
small and there is a lot of detail to the eye area.
In general, eye makeup brushes should be soft haired, but firm and
ideally, long handled (short handles are for on the go convenience).
Bristles should not be coarse or easily pulled out of brush.
Eye shadow
application can be effectively achieved using these three must have brushes;
medium eye shadow brush, medium tapered eye shadow brush, and a small
angled eye makeup brush.
1. Medium Eye Shadow Brush-
 Use
a medium head eye shadow brush, with soft but firm natural bristle hair, and
a complimentary eye shadow in a light to medium shade. Sweep across the
upper eye lid with a medium eye shadow brush starting on the inside and
moving along the upper lash line to the outer corner, from the out corner
back to the middle, over lapping blending strokes. Move upwards to the
crease or into the brow bone area in horizontal sweeps (blending into the
brow bone, not above).
*Note-Color should diminish and blend well as it reaches the imaginary lines
of the eye zone.
Fluff Brush- Medium
2. Medium Round Tapered Eye Shadow Brush-
 Using
the medium sized round tapered shadow brush, and a slightly deeper shadow
shade, apply shadow in the natural contour of the eyelid, under the brow
bone, in the shape of a shallow arc. Blend well both downward and upward
being sure that the contour does not extend beyond the imaginary lines on
either side of the eye.
*Note-Color should diminish and blend well as it reaches those imaginary
lines.
Pointed Crease Brush
The next step in eye shadow application is applying the highlight shade,
the lightest shade, at the brow bone and above it, blending it along and
under the actual eye brow with focus being on the outer side. The Medium
eye shadow brush great for this task too.
3. Small Angled Eye Makeup Brush-
 This
brush is great for eye makeup techniques that include blending pencil eye
liner, softening harsh lines, and applying precise wet or dry eye shadow
along lash lines.
Angle Liner Brush choose
Step 4 Build Color For
Dimension
When using one color in eye shadow application, you have
limited defining ability. When using multiple shades of colors, you have
great building potential of dimension and definition.
The only trick here is to have the eye shadow choices meet
the role needs of zone placement i.e. light to medium base shade, slightly
darker color choice for crease and lightest choice for a highlight. Further
dimension, as in step 4. of diagram, takes a very dark shade and places it
along the lash lines as desired.
EYE SHADOW
TIP: Ideally, the shades chosen for eye shadow application either all
belong to the same color family, OR they compliment one another
beautifully. Remember these shades are being blended together and really
need to work together.
Step 5 Blend
When one shade blends into the next, gradations of color
are created and beautiful dimension and definition occurs.
The idea here is to make the eye makeup less apparent, and
your beauty more apparent. Blending takes care of the harsh lines between
eye shadow color and skin tone, and between colors themselves. Blend every
application step so colors have no easily definable start and stop. This
ensures a soft, fresh, feature enhancing finish
Good brushes will make a tremendous difference in blending
ease and effectiveness.
Good blending will make the night and day difference between
an eye makeup finish that looks mediocre and sloppy, and an eye makeup
finish that compliments, defines, and enhances your eyes with a professional
touch.
EYE SHADOW
APPLICATION BLENDING TIP: It is important to keep makeup application
tidy working within that zone. Brush strokes should be gentle but precise
with makeup blending, diminishing, and disappearing as zone and sub-zone
boundaries are approached.
 All the brushes you need to blend, shade, line, smudge, and contour in one convenient carryall. N/A
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