A Basic Eyeshadow Application

Whoever said applying one shade of eyeshadow across your lids was an actual eyeshadow application method? With a few simple tips and tricks, the proper shadow application can lift and open your eyes, make your eye color pop and even change the shape and size of your eyes.

In this tutorial, we're going to explore the basic 3 color method of an eyeshadow application: highlighting, blending and contouring.

Highlighting lifts, brightens and opens an eye. This step will emphasize the shape of your eyebrow, open the eyes and create interest with the blending eyeshadow color below.

Eyeshadow Highlight Colors should be: Your lightest colors. Ivory, whites, lightest beiges, champagnes

Highlight eyeshadow colors should be applied across the brow bone, below eyebrow from inner corner of the eye to outer.

Step One

Apply the highlight or lightest eyeshadow shade to brow bone area from inner to outer eyebrow.

Step Two

Next we'll apply the blending eyeshadow shade to the crease area of the eye. To find the crease area, open your eye and where your lids crease in the middle, is where you apply the shadow. Blend slightly into your highlight color.

Step Three

And last is the contouring color. This will be your deepest color shade. Apply the darkest contrasting color to the outer, lower lid along the eyelashes. Blend into the medium eyeshadow contrast color.You can either apply this color over the entire bottom eyelid or you can create a < at the outer corner of the eye for interest. This method will also make the eyes appear wider.

The Highlight Eyeshadow Color:

Highlight Tips:

If you have wide set eyes, do not extend past outer eyebrow.

If you have close set eyes, add a daub of the highlight eyeshadow to inner corner of the eye, next to nose.

Highlight eyeshadow should have a hint of shimmer to the finish. This brightens the eyes.

You can also use the highlight color on the bottom lid. Only apply from the middle of the eye, to the inner corner. This looks great while using your darkest shade at the outer corner. Perfect for close set eyes.

The crease eyeshadow shade adds dept to the eyes and combined with the highlight color, makes the brow bone stand out even more.

Crease Colors should be: Your medium color. This is also where you can add your colored eyeshadow for a pop of color.

Medium colors should be applied in the crease of the eye. Blend upward, about halfway to the eyebrows.

The Crease Eyeshadow Color:

Crease Tips:

Skip this step if you have deep set eyes.

To widen your eyes, apply eyeshadow from the middle of the crease to the outer corner of the eye.

Even if you don't have a crease in the eye, you can still create the illusion of a crease. Simply close your eye and find the middle. This is where you'll apply the color.

The contour eyeshadow shade is used to emphasize the shape and color of your eyes. This adds visual interest and depth to your eyshadow application.

Eyeshadow contour Colors should be: Your darkest shadow shade. Deep browns, charcoals, deep greens and navy blues, royal dark plums etc.

Contour colors should be applied along the lash line. Or you can create a dramatic eyeshadow look by adding the contouring color to the outer corner of the eye, stopping at the middle, creating a <.

The Contour Eyeshadow Color:

Contour Tips: