If you hadn't already realised I am a bit (a lot) of a makeup fanatic. I'm not ashamed to admit I like to wear makeup everyday and I am one of those people who won't go to the corner shop with out a little makeup, thats just me! When I have a night out I don't only look forward to getting out and having a drink and a dance, I get just as excited to do my makeup (my eye makeup in particular) and I like my makeup to be perfect, so this could mean sitting in front of the mirror for an hour and half - I'm not going to lie I have probably spent 2 hours perfecting my makeup in the past and then of course there will be regular top ups through out the night. The makeup must go with my outfit, the lipstick must compliment my eyeshadow, these little things are important. Obviously not every girl is as obsessed with makeup as me but if you are going to wear it, you may as well wear it properly, otherwise its pointless. We all know about the major makeup faux pass; the tidemark, blusher overdose and being plain orange to name a few, but when it comes down to eyeshadow some will simply apply a block of colour on their lids and believe they're good to go. However eyeshadow is designed to compliment your eyes, make them pop, there are shades created for your eye colour in particular and applying that one block of colour is more likely to distract from the beauty of your eyes. So there are few things to consider when using eye makeup; colour, contrast, eye shape and size, application and most importantly blending!
Eye colour
So lets begin with colour, every persons eye colour is different, there are different shades of blue, green brown etc and what eyeshadow may look stunning on someone else's eyes may not look as great on your own. This is why you should find the shades that suit you, this doesn't mean to say you have to stick with a select few shades you can incorporate a colour that suits you with something that doesn't necessarily make your eyes stand out but gives them some definition. I have 'greeny blue' eyes, some days they will look really green and some days they look more on the blue side. I know that purple, pink and red colours compliment my eyes because they are opposite to green on a colour wheel which means these colours contrast, however they are not the colours I would opt for every day and such vibrant shades may clash with an outfit I am wearing, so I tend to go for browns, bronze and gold tones which contrast with blue on the colour chart. If you are uncertain on which eyeshadows may compliment your eyes you should ask at a makeup counter, this is what I done at MAC a few years ago and they recommended some colours for me, there are also lots of makeup tutorials on youtube for particular eye colours.
Here is a colour wheel, find the shade closest to your eye colour and the shades opposite that are contrasting colours which will compliment your eyes!
Eye shape
Eyes come in all different shapes and sizes and this is something to consider when applying eye shadow. Take a look at the picture below, what shape are your eyes? I would say I have 'almond eyes' which are pretty easy to work with. However for some eye shapes there are techniques which should be avoided, for example if you are someone with 'close set eyes' you should steer away from using dark shades in the inner corners of your eyes as this will draw them even closer together or if you have 'deep set eyes' I recommend you stick to using lighter colours on your eyes because dark colours will make them appear even deeper.
Blending
Blending is definitely the easiest step in eye makeup application but it is the step that people over look the most. I can not stress enough how important blending is, I see so many girls have missed out on this crucial step and I just want to get my MAC 217 and blend blend blend! Think eye makeup what springs to mind...what would you ask for if you were having your make up done by a pro... smokey eyes, always, and let me tell you theres no smoke with out blending. I think I have made myself clear.
Colour placement
Light/vibrant/metallic/shimmery colours - Should be used as the base colour, this colour is the main focus, applied on the lid or/and possibly on the lower lash line.
Darkest colours - Should be used in the outer corners and in the crease/socket to create definition and possibly on the lower lash line. NEVER on the brow bone!
Light/pale/sheer colours - Should be used as a brow bone and inner corner highlight to open the eyes.
Transition colours - This colour is used to blend and fade out the darker crease/socket colour.
An eye make up look I created on myself
Eyeliner
Lets not forget to mention eyeliner which is possibly used more regularly than eyeshadow. Eyeliner can certainly be tricky to apply but practise makes perfect and If it is used correctly it can really open up your eyes, however if it is applied too thick it will make your eyes appear smaller and tired. Eyeliner should be applied thinly from the inner corner and gradually become thicker towards the outer corner and to finish a flick should be created, which I like to call the 'feline flick'. This can be worn on its own or with eyeshadow however I would never just line my waterline with out applying eyeshadow as this really tiers my eyes.
Kendall Jenner with the perfect 'feline flick'
