Eye Make Up

How to Apply Makeup Like an Artist

Posted on January 23, 2012 by SharonWalker

Be an Artist at Home

Applying eye makeup is can be as simple as putting on some mascara to as detailed as putting on false eyelashes for a very dramatic appearance. As they say, the devil is in the details. Most women want to learn how to make their eyes more attractive and have a little bit of ‘pop’ without being overly glammed up. Some of the essential steps to applying eye makeup are included here and as you learn to bring your eyes out, you will add to your knowledge base.

The Tools and a Clean Palette

Before an artist can create a masterpiece he has to have the right tools and before you can apply your eye makeup you need the right tools. You should always make sure you start with a clean face that has been properly moisturized. If you use foundation, you will want to apply this before starting on your eyes. The other tools you need include, but are not limited to:

Primer: This will go under your eyeshadow to help keep it looking fresh all day.
Concealer: If you have dark circles or other imperfections, you might want to use this help hide them.
Filler: This relatively new product helps to plump up the under eye area and fill in lines.
Mascara: Choose one that is non-clumping. You should also look at the different types available, such as waterproof, hypoallergenic, thickening and lengthening. You can also get different colors if you like.
Eyeliner: You should always have a good black on hand in both pencil and liquid form. You can also have different colors if you want to bring out certain colors in your eyes.
Eyeshadow: The sky is the limit on colors; however, keep in mind that you are accenting your eyes, not painting them. Choose colors that will enhance them. Often, women find several colors they like and stick with those.
Tweezers: Your eyebrows are part of your eyes and if they get out of shape you can quickly pluck those stray hairs.
Eyebrow Pencil: Sometimes, as women age, their eyebrows become too thin. An eyebrow pencil can help fill in the gaps.
Brushes/Applicators: Some people prefer to use sponge applicators for applying eye makeup; however, for a professional look and ease in applying, brushes are recommended. There are many different types of eye makeup brushes including: base brushes, crease brushes, highlight brushes and blending brushes. You can also get an eyebrow comb/brush if you would like.
Eyelash Curler: This is a tool that will help curl your eyelashes before applying mascara or after, depending on whom you talk to.

Once you have your tools and a clean palette you are ready to get started.

Create Your Masterpiece

The first thing to keep in mind when applying eye makeup, particularly eyeshadow is that a little bit can go a long way. You should always start out light and build on it rather than starting out heavy and having to start over. Also keep in mind that what you wear to the office and what you wear for a night out are usually very different, at night you can go a little more dramatic. Finally, before starting, feel your eye and learn the shape of is so that you know where your mobile eyelid is (the part of the eyelid that moves when your eyes do), feel your brow bone; your eyeshadow should not go above it.

Brush Your Way to Perfect Eyes

Start out with your base brush or a medium sized eye makeup brush if you are just starting out and don’t have a full set. Use this to apply your color choice to your mobile eye. As you apply the eyeshadow work the brush slightly upwards to get color up toward the brow bone but not on it.

Next, apply a second, slightly lighter color, to the brow bone area. This will highlight your eyes and bring them out. If you want to use more colors, you can add them to the crease of your eye or the outer corners.

Once you have applied the colors you want on your eye, you need to use your blending brush to smooth the colors so that they don’t look like crayon marks where you can see the start of one and the end of the other.

You should try to make the second eye look like the first so that they are equal. If your eye shadow is dramatically different on each eye you will look unbalanced and the attention you draw won’t be the attention you really want.

Finish the Look

You are now ready to apply your mascara and eyeliner to complete your look. You should make sure your mascara doesn’t have clumps and brush it on in upwards sweeping motions. Eyeliner should be lighter during the day than at night.

Learning how to apply eye makeup is fun and at the same time helps you look beautiful and ready to face the world with confidence and poise.

Posted in Tips and Tricks | Tagged eye makeup, eyeshadow | Leave a comment

Make Your Eyes Pop by Knowing How to Apply Eyeshadow

Posted on January 9, 2012 by SharonWalker

No Clowning Around

Little girls grow up anxious and excited about being able to wear makeup. They can’t wait for the day they can put on a little eyeshadow and some lip gloss. It’s practically a rite of passage. However, if they aren’t shown how to apply eyeshadow effectively, they can wind up looking like a clown instead of accentuating their beauty. Learning how to apply eye makeup is not hard, it simply takes time to learn and some makeup education.

Buying Eyeshadow

It might be tempting to go in and buy every color of the rainbow in eyeshadow. However, it is best to learn which colors are flattering and which ones are best left for a night out on the town or other special occasion. Runway models make it look easy to wear some pretty extraordinary colors but they are not the image with which you should gauge your eyeshadow. You want your eyeshadow you make your eyes look brighter and pop a little without going overboard.

When you first start wearing eyeshadow buy a few neutral tones and use those to learn how to apply colors. You will soon enough know how to apply it correctly so that you can use practically any color you want, with the right technique.

You should also buy good quality eyeshadow if you want it to last all day. Some of the cheaper versions tend to be faded away before you even get through your first coffee break. Some of the more expensive brands have a richer palette of colors as well.

You should also avoid glittering, super shimmery eyeshadows unless you are young and completely wrinkle free. The shimmering aspect may make your eyes appear brighter but it also highlights any wrinkles and lines that you may have forming around your eyes. If you simply must use something shiny, use a matte, neutral on your eyelid and a light shimmer on your brow bone.

Primer

Many women don’t learn about eyeshadow primer until later in life, unless they happen to have someone teaching them about makeup that knows all the tips and tricks. Primer is applied before the eyeshadow to help the eyeshadow stay in place longer. This allows you to go to the office and stop for drinks after without having to reapply your makeup.

Makeup Brushes

Invest in a set of quality makeup brushes; you will be glad you did. There are many different eye makeup brushes from an eyeshadow brush with a square head to a blending brush that is softer and tapered. At the very least you should have these two brushes. If you can, you should also have a crease brush for applying color in the creases.

Applying Your Eyeshadow

There was a time when everywhere you looked you saw monochromatic eyes. Women wore one color of eyeshadow and it extended all the way to their eyebrow. In hindsight this look is not at all attractive. You should at least have two colors that complement each other and your eyes.

After applying primer to the eyes, you should start with a base color. This is the color that is going to cover the area of the eyelid that is directly on the eye and slightly above it. Use your eyeshadow brush to sweep the color across the eyelid and approximately halfway up the eye. You can extend to the outer corners if you like in a V shape or you can leave as is.

If you are using three colors to create a more dramatic effect, the next color will be your contour color. It should be applied in the crease of the eye and extend to the outer corner. This should be where the V shape is if you are using this second color, otherwise, the V shape will be from the base color.

Next, if you are using two colors only, apply the lighter color to the brow bone area. Avoid getting eyeshadow in the eyebrow. This color should accent your eyes and make then pop, not be a rainbow of color.

At this point, if you are not going to use a third color, you should take your blending brush and use it to blend the areas where the colors meet so that there are no obvious color lines from one to the other. Blend each area and look closely at your eyes when finished. If you aren’t able to see distinct lines between the colors, you are ready to add some eyeliner and mascara for drop dead eyes.

When you learn how to apply eyeshadow correctly without going overboard you will have fun creating different looks using various colors and even changing up how you apply it, such as creating smokey eyes instead of bright eyes. You will soon find that you can accentuate your beauty without overpowering it and be all that you can be.

Posted in Basics | Tagged eye makeup, eyeshadow | Leave a comment

How to Apply Mascara Like a Pro

Posted on December 26, 2011 by SharonWalker

How to Apply Mascara

Mascara can be the key component to making your eyes stand out. It doesn’t matter how beautiful your eyeshadow is, if you forget your mascara no one is going to notice your eyes. On the other hand, if you don’t know how to apply mascara, everyone is going to notice the clumps on your eyelashes and probably the raccoon circles under your eyes. Don’t despair, knowing how to apply mascara is simply a matter of practice and some tips from the experts.

Buy the Right Mascara

It might be tempting to save money and buy the cheapest mascara available, until you get home and put it on only to find out that it smears too easily or doesn’t go on well. It is well worth the money to invest in quality mascara. Some things to keep in mind when purchasing mascara:

Formula: Some mascaras state that are designed to create extra long lashes, others are for sensitive eyes, while others are for thickening the eyelashes. Make sure you read the label and choose one that is right for you.
Waterproof: Waterproof mascara is good for people who are going to wear it for a long day, who perspire a lot or are going to be in the sun and perspiration is inevitable. It is more difficult to wash off, but then again that is why you buy it. Women with sensitive eyes should avoid waterproof mascara since it contains chemicals to help make it waterproof.
Colors: Some women like a variety of colors while others simply want the one they wear everyday and others want a colorless mascara to simply lengthen their eyelashes. Colors can be fun, especially at night for going out. Black is the typical color of choice, it adds drama and creates a sexy, fuller look.

Applying Mascara

Now that you have bought your mascara you are ready to apply it. The first time you do may be awkward; however, you will soon find yourself able to put your mascara on just about anywhere there is a mirror.

First, don’t make the mistakes that many women make and pump the brush in and out of the tube. This not only doesn’t get mascara on the brush it pushes more air into the tube which causes the mascara to clump up and dry out faster. Open the tube and pull the wand slightly out of the bottle but not to where you can see the brush. Twirl the brush around a few times and you will have enough mascara for your use on one eye. Repeat for the second eye.

Check the mascara wound to make sure there are no hairs that could have fallen onto it from your head. If you start applying mascara and there is something on the wand, you will get mascara on your face and have to start over.

Next, start applying the mascara to one eye. Start at the root of the upper eyelid. As you bring the brush up the eyelash, slightly zigzagging as you pull it up the eyelash to help keep the individual lashes separate. If you want your eyelashes to sweep to outer corners of the eye, pull the brush that direction as you apply the mascara.

Apply one or two more coats for the perfect look. You need to apply your second and third coats while the first one is still wet or you will get clumps that are unattractive. This means that you put your second and third coats on quickly and before you move to the other eye.

At this point, some women use an eyelash curler to make their eyelashes curl upwards and out. If you are going to use one, you should do so before the eyelashes dry and then apply a final coat of mascara after you curl.

Once you have the upper eyelashes complete on the first eye, repeat the process with the second eye. You will come back to the lower lashes. This will give the upper lashes time to dry so that if you blink while doing your lower lashes you won’t have mascara underneath your eyes.

Lower Lashes

Now that you have completed the upper eyelashes on your second eye, go back to the first eye and apply mascara to the lower lashes. Use less mascara on your lower eyelashes than you do your uppers. You should start at the base of the lower eyelid and very slowly pull the brush down the eyelash. Repeat with the other eye.

Knowing how to apply mascara is a technique that takes time to learn. You will undoubtedly have better days than others. If you notice you have clumpy eyelashes, check your mascara, it may be time to get a new tube or even switch brands. Pay attention to your eyes at the end of the day also, if your mascara has rubbed onto your skin and you look like a raccoon, you might want to try a waterproof one. In time, you will have beautiful eyelashes just like Cleopatra.

Posted in Tips and Tricks | Tagged makeup, mascara | Leave a comment