How to Add a Pop of Color to Your Eye Shadow

Adding a little pop of bright color on your lids brings attention to your eyes. I’ll show you how to achieve this peek-a-boo purple effect. You can use any bright color you want (like something that matches your outfit or a bright lipstick). The trick to making the bright color subtle is to use neutral colors on the rest of your eye.

You will need four eye shadows — a highlighter color, a crease color, a bright color, and black. I used my Coastal Scents Ultra Shimmer 88 Eye Shadow Palette, and I circled the colors that I used below.

STEP 1

Apply the bright color to your lower lids. Bring it out to the inner corners and to the outer V area. (If you are not yet familiar with these terms, take a look at my eye makeup map!)

STEP 2

Now use a fluffy blending brush like MAC 224 and pick up some of the crease (neutral) color, like the brown I’ve chosen here. Apply this color to your crease using windshield-wiper motions, and also apply it on your outer V. Use a light hand when doing this — this means lightly apply the brush tip on your crease area. If you press the brush tip too hard on your crease, you’ll end up with a blob of color, and it’ll be harder to blend out. A trick to using a light hand is to ease the grip you have on the brush handle. If the color comes out too light, just build up the color by repeating this step.

STEP 3

Now apply the highlight/brow bone color. Lightly blend the highlight and crease colors where the two colors meet.

STEP 4

To add more depth to this look, apply a black eye shadow to the outer V and blend it out.

STEP 5

Line your upper lash line with your favorite black eyeliner. I’m using Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in “Black Ink”.

STEP 6 (Optional)

Sometimes I like to add black kohl eyeliner to my lower waterline for a more dramatic look. My favorite for the waterline area is MAC Eye Kohl in “Smolder”, since from my experience (and watery eyes), this kohl lasts the longest and doesn’t smear. Just compare the pictures from Steps 5 and 6 to figure out if you want to line your waterline as well.

That’s it for the eye shadow and liner part!

Now pick an outfit or lipstick color to match the bright color you’ve selected. :) The lipstick I used is MAC “Lavender Whip”.

February 6th, 2010 in Looks, Techniques | Share
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