People often say that your eyes are the windows to the soul, so why not decorate these windows with colours and create stunning eye makeup looks! If you are not a makeup pro, applying eyeshadow can seem like a daunting task. What is a transition shade? Does the inner corner highlight even do anything? Find answers to these common questions and learn how to apply eyeshadow with this step by step eyeshadow guide for beginners.
If you are just starting out with eyeshadow makeup looks, we say ditch the cut crease, the halo eyes, and the crazy gradient eyes. As impressive as these looks are, stick to the basic everyday eye makeup look to learn and master different eyeshadow techniques and then have fun as you get better at it! Let’s begin with a simple eye makeup for beginners that you can try right away!
Step 1: Always start with a primer
Just like you prime your face with a mattifying, dewy, or pore-filling primer before you go in with your face makeup products, you need to prime your eyelids too. An eyeshadow primer helps create a smooth and even surface for your eyeshadows to go on. It also helps to increase the staying power of your favourite eyeshadow! Don’t have an eyeshadow primer? Don’t worry, simply dot a tiny amount of your foundation or concealer and blend it all over your eyelids. Using a foundation or concealer is a great way to conceal any redness or darkness on your eyelids and making it match the rest of your face colour. Not sure how to pick the right foundation shade that will make your complexion look even? Find your shade match in just a few simple clicks on the Maybelline Foundation Finder tool. Applying foundation or concealer as an eyeshadow primer also makes your eyeshadow colours look more vibrant!
Step 2: Set the primer with a base colour
Use the lightest matte eyeshadow shade from the Maybelline City Mini Eyeshadow Palette and apply it all over your eyelid to set your primer and get rid of any stickiness. This will prevent your eyeshadows from creasing on your eyelid. You can use a flat stiff brush. If you want to add some natural-looking colour to your eyeshadow base instead, go in with a soft pink or blush shade from the Maybelline Blushed Nudes Palette. If you aren’t used to applying eyeshadow with a flat brush just yet, you can use your finger to pick up the eyeshadow and gently press it all over your eyelid as well.
Step 3: Define your crease
Add some more depth and dimension to your beginner eye makeup look by using a medium brown or taupe shade from the City Mini Palette. A simple eyeshadow technique to get the perfect crease transition shade is to load up a small, fluffy blending brush with the eyeshadow shade and running it gently across your crease in back and forth windshield wiper motion. Remember to use a very light hand as you do not want your crease colour to have any harsh lines or look patchy.
This additional step is optional but if you want to add even more dimension to your eye makeup look, you can use a slightly darker shade of brown and go over the outer half or three fourth of your crease. For the pink eye makeup look, use a deeper pink tone in the crease instead.
Blend the base shade and the crease shade using a clean blending brush for a seamless finish.
If you are finding it difficult to pick between the warm brown or soft pink eyeshadow looks, why not try both on with the Maybelline Virtual Try On tool. With Virtual Try On, you can give your eyes a fun, virtual makeover without even leaving your bed! All you need to do is click a picture using the live camera feature or upload a picture from your photo gallery, pick any of the 2 eyeshadow palettes (or you can also try the Nudes Palette or the 24K Nudes Palette for something more dramatic!) and try on the shades on your eyes in real time. You can also select other eye makeup products and create a complete eye makeup look with zero commitment. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to the Virtual Try On tool and see yourself in Maybelline!
Step 4: Highlight your inner corner and brow bone
Use the lightest shade from the eyeshadow palette and run it just below the arch of your eyebrow to make your brows look clean and sharp. Use a light gold or champagne shimmer eyeshadow and apply it using a small and dense brush to the inner corner, close to the tear duct. This makes your eyes look bright, refreshed, and wide open. You can also use a cream, powder, or liquid face highlighter instead of a shimmery eyeshadow to achieve the same effect.
Step 5: Finish the rest of your eye makeup
We have finally arrived at the last step of the eyeshadow guide! Take your eye makeup look to the next level by defining your waterline with a kajal, outlining your lash line with an eyeliner, and getting long and fluttery lashes with a generous coat of mascara. Do not go overboard with these three products as you want to keep your makeup look minimal and effortless.
Continue the rest of your face and lip makeup as usual and there you have it! An everyday eye makeup for beginners in just 5 easy to follow steps!
Aside from easier clean-up, DiStasio says that when she applies eyeshadow first, her final look ends up being lighter and more natural, especially when she’s going for the no-makeup makeup look. “When you do your face first, you end up wanting to clean your canvas, wipe off all imperfections and end up losing focus that you don’t need to perfect everything — imperfections are beautiful,” says DiStasio. “When you play up the eyes first, you’ll realize you don’t need ten pounds of concealer, but just a little bit of coverage.” She explains that when you place the focus on the eyes, you re-adjust how much foundation or concealer you think you need.
Another reason the makeup artists are on the eyeshadow first team? It gives them the freedom to experiment with their look and build up or emphasize different features as they work. “If I’m going to do a smoky eye, I’ll allow myself to build it up gradually rather than putting black all over off the bat,” says DiStasio. “Let’s say I decide to do a red lip and add more blush, I’ll leave the eye on the lighter, smoky side. But, if I decide on a nude lip, I’ll amp up the eye some more.”
The Argument: Apply Foundation Before Eyeshadow
While both makeup artists are on board with the eyeshadow first technique, I’m here to pose a counterargument. I wear eyeshadow day in and day out — mostly of the glitter variety — and I’ve never once done my eyeshadow before my foundation. My reasoning? It’s simply unnecessary. My everyday eyeshadow is either going to be a light neutral wash across my lid (maybe from my bronzer or blush palette) or a densely packed glitter pigment that I apply with my finger. Not only is it easier (and much quicker) for me to do my eyeshadow and bronzer all at once, but I rarely find myself dealing with any fallout. And if I do, I’ll simply wipe it away with a fan-like brush, use a tweezer to pick up glitter pigments or gently (I repeat: gently) pick up fallout with some tape. Easy as can be.
Another reason I like to work on my face first? It seems more natural to work from larger to smaller. I love beauty and can confidently navigate my way around a makeup bag, but I’m not a professional makeup artist. I find it a tad difficult to visualize what I want my eyeshadow to look like when my complexion is bare. Having my brows shaped and my concealer applied makes it much easier to decipher how high up my eyeshadow should go and how thick I want my eyeliner or shadow to be below my lash line.
What’s more, if I do eyeshadow first and then have to go back and apply my under-eye concealer (which I use a lot of), I find myself messing up my eyeshadow, smudging my lines and messing just about everything up. Maybe it’s just my personal preference, but I find the foundation first method to be way easier. To each their own, right?