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Eye Makeup - Eyeshadows

Last updated: 14th October 2000

 

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Different Effects

Eyeshadow Brushes

 

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Different colour co-ordinations

 

 

 

Different Effects

There are basicly four different kinds of effects: natural, washed, defined, smoky. From these effects we can always create more variations, using techniques you have developed through practice and experience, and more important of all - observations and research. Say in the picutre above, is a variation of smoky eyes, with more emphasis on the upper eyelid, with lighter shades nearer the eyebrow. This is acutally one of my favourite.

In the following I might use some reference to colours of M.A.C.'s eyeshadows, what you can do is go to their shop, have a look at the colour, try out the texture. The colour is just a reference, that I have them on hand at the moment (M.A.C.'s eyeshadows are my favourite). With the colour here as reference, I am sure you can get similar colours at brands that you used to shop.

   
    Natural
    This look is usually created by using natural colour, like ivory, beige, brown and some brownish pink. While usually no or minimum eyeline is needed for this look, application of mascara is fairly important in creating this look, black or brown are good ones. Choose those that create "illusions" of longer lashes rather than lashes (thicker lashes look fake).
     
    Washed
    This effect can easily be obtained by washing the whole eyelid (from eyeline to eyebrow) with the same colour. It's probably the easiest look to create. For beginners, you might want to choose ligher colour, say white, beige and pale pink. They are fool-proof, believe me. Creating this effect using darker shades can be quite difficult, since a little bit of uneven can be very obvious. Again as I mentioned in the foundation section of this website, always use a light hand when you put on makeup. For this effect, even when you use light colours, layering the eyeshadow using a rather fluffy eyeshadow brush. It will help you to get the right intensity of colour that you want. Using a fluffy eyeshadow will also help distributing the colour more evenly.
   
    Defined
    A very defined and "clear-cut" eyeline is the feature of this look. Draw a either black for deep brown eyeline along the eyelashes. The thinker the line, the more dramatic the look will be. Just cover the whole eyelid with a very very thin layer of white or beige colour eyeshadow to absorb any oil that might make your makeover look messy in the middle of the day. Together with a well defined lipline filled with red lipstick, nothing can be more attractive.
     
    Smoky
 

This seems like the most complicated one right?

Easy version
1. Pick two shades, one lighter one real darker. (say white and deep blue)
2. Use a fluffy eyeshadow brush, rest the brush near the eyeline, brush back and forth along the eyeline and then upwards. Repeat several times. This will create a higher intensity of white near the eyeline and gradually fade towards the eyebrows. Higher quantity of eyeshadow powder along nearer the eyeline will also make it easier to smuge the darker shade that we will put on afterwards.

3. Use a smaller, flat eyeshadow brush, like drawing an eyeline, apply the deep blue eyeshadow from the inner corner to the outer corner along the upper eyeline. Reapply once or twice, each time make the line thicker.
4. This step we start creating the smoky effect. Without getting any eyeshadow, using the same flat brush, start from the eyeline, brushing along the eyeline back and forth and also at the same time trave the whole movement upwards, pushing the colour upwards. Remeber you have that white at the bottom? Now it's easy to smuge the colour upwards and outwards, and the result will naturally be a linear gradient from deep blue to white.
5. Repeat step 3 and 4 until you got the intensity or "area" (the smoky on the picture on the left is small, it's only a bit outter the eyeline, some people put it to the socket bone). The larger the area you want the further you smuge towards the eyebrow. The deeper the colour you want, the more eyeshadow you layer. Remember to layer bit by bit. As mentioned before, a light hand is always important, especially when you are handling dark colours, too much of it is difficult to take away, so when you make a mistake you might have to do it all over again by going to the bathroom and wash away your makeup. Sure you don't want to do that right? So to play safe, layering the eyeshadow until it's the colour is as dark or as deep as you wish.

More complicated version
Coming soon.....