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Eyeshadow Application for a Dramatic Effect

There are a wide variety of eyeshadow colors on the market today. Shadows have come a long way baby!

The possibilities of color blends are endless! That works in your favor. When it comes to shadows, variety is the spice of life!

Whatever colors and brands you use, be sure to apply foundation first, then apply your eye makeup. It's also good advice to know what colors look best on you!

eyeshadow application image

Basic Eyeshadow Application

Having a foundation or makeup primer on your lids make it easier to blend and apply eyeshadow. This also gives them more staying power! Apply foundations and primers to the entire lid. If they're in liquid form then allow to dry before shadow application.

Use brushes or sponge applicators for shadow application. Brushes however are easier to control and it's advised to have two sizes. A small shadow brush and a small slanted shadow brush will work well.

Dramatic Eyes

For a dramatic effect, use four colors. You'll need a base color in a neutral shade, a second color that is your main color, a darker shade for dramatic emphasis, and a lighter shade for highlighting.

(If you don't have 4 colors, you can use 3 colors instead. Just use the neutral color as your main color also. For a dramatic effect, you will need at least 3 colors!) Highlighters are versatile, so you can use any highlighter you have that blends well with your other color shades.

Choose base, main, and darker shades in the same color family. For drama, use all blues, all greens, all browns, etc. You can mix and match colors that blend well with each other or use all one color family. Your makeup is entirely up to you!

Highlighters are usually lighter colors that blend well with the other shades but don’t necessarily fall into the same color shade category.

Highlighting colors are used to light up your eyes and are generally applied on the brow bone and on the inside corner of your eyes. They are usually a lighter shimmery or pearl color.

Apply neutral color to the entire lid.

Blend the neutral color from the eyelashes to the brow and from corner to corner. Blend slightly beyond the outside corner.

Apply the main shadow color to the base lid. (Up to the socket line)

Avoid build up on the inside corner by blending outward.

Use a small pointed shadow brush and apply the dark shade to the eyelid.

The dark shade will run along the crease of your eyes or socket line. For a dramatic effect, apply the entire length of the lid, from the inner corner to the outer corner.

For a dramatic effect, leave the line along the socket only. For a softer effect, blend or smudge the line upwards and/or downwards using your medium brush or a q-tip.

Use the small pointed brush and apply a shadow line under the bottom lashes.

The line should start about half way across the eye out to the outer corner.

Wipe the small brush clean on a tissue.

Apply the lighter color shadow just under the brow on your brow bone in a wide sweeping line. Be sure not to get any lighter color in your actual brow hair. If you accidentally do this, just use a q-tip or brow brush to remove it. Use an eyebrow pencil on brows to fill in any unevenness and mascara on lashes to finish and enhance the effect. For more glamour, use a glossy mascara. If you want a flair of color, use colored mascara.

If you are in a hurry, you can use peel off shadows that are quick and easy to use. When you are learning how to apply makeup, you should also know your color season.

You will achieve kudos for your dramatic eyes with the correct use of eyeshadow colors! You can buy eyeshadow trios or make your own color blends by buying individual shadows and combining them. Just use blends of colors that you know look good together on you.

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