Eyeshadow is an important part of your makeup. It can emphasize your eyes and complement your overall look, but its application can be tricky. I hope these tips will help you achieve a flawless, perfectly-blended look that will last for the entire day:
1. Use a good eyeshadow base
An eyeshadow base makes the color adhere to your lid better and last for hours without creasing and fading. My favourite is Too Faced Shadow Insurance. If you want your eyeshadow color to really pop, you can try a colored base like MAC Paint Pots, which will greatly intensify its color payoff. There are also some bases, such as Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, designed to make the shimmers and glitters in your eyeshadows stand out and give the shades a foiled look without using water.
2. Invest in good makeup brushes
Throw away those sponge applicators that come with eyeshadows. They’re usually useless. For a precise and flawless application you need to invest in good makeup brushes that are dense but soft and pick up a good amount of color. And if you take proper care of them, they will last for years. MAC Brushes are really good, but there are lots of cheaper options around that work just as well. My favourite drugstore eyeshadow brushes are Gosh Flat Eyeshadow Brush and Round Eyeshadow Brush and E.L.F. Eyeshadow Brush.
3. Clean your brushes after every use
It is really important to clean your brushes after every use to remove any residue of color that may still be on them, otherwise that will interfere with the new one you’re gonna apply next. To clean them, you can use makeup remover wipes or a brush cleanser such as Kiko Brush Cleanser. This way, you can wait a bit longer between washes too.
4. Start with monochromatic looks
If you’re just learning how to apply and blend eyeshadows, start with monochromatic looks. Blending colors that are in the same color family is much easier than blending contrasting ones. Browns eyeshadows are the easiest to blend and are appropriate for any occasion too. And once you’ve learned the technique, you can experiment with more daring combinations.
5. Use gentle motions
When blending eyeshadows make sure you use a light hand and gentle motions for better results. To blend, you can either sweep the brush back and forth gently or use circular motions. The latter is usually done with a fluffy crease brush. When blending colors on the lids, you can just sweep the lighter shade on top of the dark one (in this case, you’re just going forward, instead than back and forth).
6. Fix mistakes with a q-tip
Have you made a mistake, smudged your eyeliner or simply need to remove eyeshadow fallout? Then soak a q-tip in makeup remover and use it to fix your mistakes.
7. Practice makes perfect
Don’t worry if your makeup doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time. Blending, like everything else, takes practice. Even the best makeup artists had to spend lots of time improving their skills, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t get the hang of it straight away and just keep practicing until you’ve mastered the technique. Remember, practice makes perfect.
Do you have any other tips on how to apply and blend eyeshadows? Share them in the comments!
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are incredible tips, Gio! For me, having a good primer was a game changer. Before that, my eye shadows faded fast because of my oily eyelids.
Dao´s last [type] ..Unleash Your Inner Dragon!
Dao, thanks. I had your same problem as my lids are oily too and primer definitely solved that. It was a game changer indeed and I could never do without now.
great tips! I’ve a big believer of #7. One can have #1 til #6 but #7 is vital unless one has natural talent
Connie De Alwis´s last [type] ..Review + Look: Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose
Connie, I agree. Even when you know what to do, it takes practice to do it well.
Awesome post, Gio! I think the makeup brush thing is the most important. It’s just that it seems most people just use those sponge-tip applicators that come with eye shadow. And those things are terrible.
Trisha´s last [type] ..For Valentine’s Day: Japonesque Artisan Slant Tip Tweezers
Trisha, I agree. It’s so important to use the right tools. You could never achieve the same results with those horrible sponge tip applicators.
Having a good brush does make huge difference actually. And practicing too. I remember how I stood in front of the mirror for hours, putting on a lot of different colors and styles…this made me the best makeup “artist” among my friends, I get to do their makeup all the time when we go out.
It is fun. Your advice about cleaning the brush is very important too.
Anna´s last [type] ..DO NOT EVER go to the dentist and let them TREAT you unless you are in pain! Do you agree?
Anna, I agree. With the right tools and lots of practice, you’ll soon be able to apply eyeshadows well. And it must be so much fun to do your friends’ makeup when going out, how nice!
Great tips! And now I feel like playing with my eyeshadows after reading this, even though it’s almost 10 pm! Haha!
Vonvon´s last [type] ..Happy Lunar New Year Of The Water Dragon!
Vonvon, it’s never to late to play with eyeshadows lol.
♥ the post!!
Gauri´s last [type] ..The 9 Best MAC Cosmetics Collaborations of all Time
Gauri, glad you do.
Great tips for those just starting to play with make-up!
Dee´s last [type] ..greens aren’t my forte.
Dee, I hope they will be helpful for newbies.
A good brush is so important! Especially a soft one or makeup won’t be fun to put on at all. :]
Janessa, I so agree with that, well said!