Makeup | 3-C Eye Definition
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Many variations of eyeshadow applications exist, depending on the shape of the eye and the level of expertise, but the following steps are useful for everyday sexy, using a natural eyeshadow palette.
Technically speaking, the following steps apply to any three (3) shades of eyeshadows – a natural palette, or a trio with blues, purples, greens – it doesn’t matter really. It’s still the same basic concept.
It’s just that… well for my darker skinned Sally’s especially, wearing eye makeup during the day that does not incorporate natural colour as the base, is generally not flattering, especially if the makeup is not expertly applied (using eyelid primers and what not to prevent dark/ bright shadows from creasing), and if you do not intend to reapply the makeup during the day. It’s not that eyeshadows in natural colours do not crease or wear, they are just not as obvious when they do.
1. Apply the mid-tone eyeshadow from lash line to eyebrow
You will need a large, fluffy eyeshadow brush, not the little sponges that come with eyeshadow compacts – they deposit too much color at a time and do not facilitate blending. Fill the entire space with an eyeshadow that closely matches, or is a shade lighter than, your natural eye lid colour, and blend. One with a little shimmer looks especially flattering; shimmer though not glitter.
2. Apply the highlighter eyeshadow to the inside corner of the eye area and on the brow bone.
Using a smaller, but still fluffy and flexible eyeshadow brush, sparingly apply eye shadow at the inner corners of the eyes as well as on the brow bone. It’s a light colour, so a little goes a very long way, especially if the colour is metallic.
If you aren’t sure where your brow bone is, you can feel for it. Just under your eyebrows, feel for the skeletal bone, where the eye socket begins. Apply the highlighter shadow along that bone, say from under the middle of your eyebrow, toward its outer corner.
Blend WELL into the mid-tone colour that you just applied.
The two highlighters can either connect in a sort of a high arch over the eyeball, or they can be left separate from each other, so long as you blend the colour well into the mid-tone colour.
NB – If you have perky (large) eyes just apply the highlighter to your brow bone only. Forget the inner corner of the eye as this will just make your eyes look even larger.
3. Line eyes with dark brown or black eyeliner and blend
Using a black eyeliner, line the upper lash line with black soft kohl eyeliner pencil. Smudge the line with fingertips or a soft brush to diffuse the harshness of the line a bit.
You can line both the upper and lower lash line, this opens up the eye. If you are using a traditional eyeliner pencil rather than a mechanical one, sharpen the pencil to a thin to medium point and line eyes. A fat eyeliner point can give a line that is overly dramatic for a daytime, natural look.
If you have large eyes, line the upper lash line only.
The purpose of the eyeliner is to give the appearance of thicker eye-lashes. As a result, eyeliner should always be applied as closely to the lash line as possible, even when worn alone. Any skips or gaps between the eyeliner and the lash line looks messy. Take your time. If necessary, you can gently pull along the side of your (closed) eye horizontally, with the ring finger of your next hand to make eyeliner application easier.
4. Apply the accent tone around the lash line
In a basic 3 colour eyeshadow application, the accent colour is limited to the lash line, with particular focus being paid to the outer corners of the eye. This opens up the eyes and adds definition and glam.
Starting from the outer corner of the eye, apply just a little of the eyeshadow using short, controlled strokes on the upper lash line toward the middle of the eye using a stiff eyeshadow brush. For this application you can also use those q-tip looking applicator pads that come with most eyeshadow compacts. The accent color is the colour that you want to apply more precisely, so this type of applicator works excellently.
At the middle of the upper lashline, blend this accent colour into the corner of the eyes, where it meets the highlighter that you’ve previously applied, using the brush that you applied the highlighter with.
Blend, blend, blend, the edges of the accent line, into the surrounding eyeshadow colour to soften.
Take a step back and take in the look.
You can always add more of the accent colour if you wish; Experiment to figure out just how much works for you.
*Optional* With a very small eyeshadow brush, or with those teeny, firm eye shadow sponges that normally come with eye shadow compacts, apply accent colour on the outer bottom lash line, and blend toward the middle of the eye and blend. Apply the highlighter shade in the same fashion, but on the inner half of your lower eye lash.
Blend the free outer edge of the accent colour on the lower lash upward, to meet the accent eyeshadow of the upper lash lid.
5. Apply Mascara
Apply masacara on top lashes, focusing on the outer lashes. One coat on the inside of the lashes and one coat on the outside of them – this makes them really pop!
There you have it folks, everyday eye sexy. A little eye definition goes a long way.
Happy Shadowing!
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