How to make the most of your Eye Shadows: A Tutorial

Hi everyone! I hope you are all well! A friend of mine recently told me something that I found to be quite interesting. She mentioned that she owns the exact eye shadow palette (by the brand e.l.f.) that I had used in my first tutorial, “Bad to the Bronze”, but stated that when she uses the eye shadows, the color pay-off is not as intense as when I had used them. I thought that this would be an interesting topic to talk about, as throughout my experimentation with makeup, I have learned several tricks that, when combined, can give the most vibrant color pay-off possible.

These are all of the brushes that I used to create this makeup look.

Firstly, before applying any eye shadows to the eye area, I always like to use a primer or base of some sort. The one that I used to create this look is the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer. Using a primer helps to prevent the eye shadows from creasing, as well as gives the eye shadows something to adhere to. Only a pea-sized amount should be used for both eyes, as using more than that may have the opposite effect on the eye shadows, causing them to crease.

Next, I applied a white cream eye shadow to my eyelids. I used the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk. Using a cream eye shadow underneath your powdered eye shadows is always a good idea, as this really serves to intensify the color pay-off that you can achieve. The white base that I chose to use helps the colorful eye shadows to show up true to color on the eyelids. Too much of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil should not be used however, as it does tend to crease due to its creamy texture. I recommend always using a primer before applying this product.

Next, I strategically placed the eye shadows on my eyelids.

This is the e.l.f. eye shadow palette that I used to create this look.

 I used a very light, bluish-green (almost white) shade on the inner third of my eye. 

The swatch to the extreme left shows the two shades combined.

Next, I combined shades of turquoise to create my lid color. 

The swatch to the extreme left shows the two shades combined.

As I began blending these eye shadows together, it can be seen that the color did fade a bit. The eye shadows in the e.l.f. eye shadow palette that I used do tend to be a bit chalky, so it is always important, as with any eye shadows you use, to layer the color on the eye lids. Using your finger to do this is the best method that I have tried. It gives a more concentrated application of color and reduces the amount of ‘fall-out’ from there may be.

Next, I mixed navy blue and black eye shadows and applied this to the outer corner of the eye, in an attempt to add some depth to the eye look. Again, it is important to layer the color in order to build up the intensity of the eye shadow. Especially with darker colors, it is easier to start with a little color, eventually building up the intensity to the desired amount.

Next, I added a black kohl eye liner to the lower water line of the eye. I used the Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eye Liner in Black Black. I then smudged that out using a purple eye shadow. Smudging the purple eye shadow into the black eye liner also helps to intensify the color of the eye shadow, as the purple eye shadow by itself is not very pigmented.

I then created a winged line on my upper lash line using the e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black. 

The swatches in the photo on the right show how thin a line can be made using the Cala Eyeliner brush.

This is the Cala Eyeliner brush which is an excellent brush for creating a precise line of eye liner!

I then layered the NYX Liquid Eye Liner over it. I did this in order to make the eye liner appear darker, as it can be seen that the liquid eye liner used by itself is not very pigmented, but layering it over the cream eye liner simply intensifies the color, and also creates a smooth, even line.

Next, I applied a coat of my Maybelline 'the Falsies Flared' mascara in Very Black to my top and bottom eye lashes.

To complete the look, I used a cream colored eye shadow to highlight my brow bone and also filled in my eye brows using a light brown eye shadow. 

Revlon matte eye shadow in Vintage Lace.

Jordana Brow & Eyeshadow Powder in Natural Taupe.

And that is the finished look!

I really do hope that this blog post is helpful, and that you are able to adapt my tips to suit your own makeup routines in order to make the most of your eye shadows!