– you don’t have to be a professional makeup artist. Wear what you like. However, in order to give yourself a little confidence in your makeup, you need to know at least the basics - color theory and what texture will look best on your skin.
At the same time, you should not get hung up on the color of the shadows - this is not the only criterion when choosing. If you realize that there are also different textures - matte, shiny, smooth - you can create a unique look.
In this article we will tell you what color and texture shadows will suit you both for daily use and for special occasions.
How to choose eye shadow
Skin tone
These days, skin tones are divided into two types: warm and cool. Despite this, different cosmetics companies will determine for their products which shade is cool and which is the opposite. There is no specific standard. That being said, different shades suit different shades, and it will be much easier for you if you know everything about your face.
In order to check what shade your skin is, you need to pay attention to the veins on your eyelids. In healthy people, veins are normally blue, and if the skin gives them a greenish color, then it has a yellow tint. If it gives violet, then your shade is red.
Once you figure out what's what, it's a small matter. Warm-colored shades go well with warm skin tones, and cold shades go well with cold skin tones. By choosing opposing colors, you can add a little extravagance or drama to your look.
If you have a warm skin tone, then the following colors will look most advantageous: bronze, vanilla, ivory, any shades of brown, pink and coral. If it's cold, experiment with light blue, lilac, greenish and turquoise.
Eye color
By using your eye color to determine the optimal eyeshadow palette, you will definitely hit the mark and focus the attention of others exactly where it is needed. Choosing a color that complements your eyes (opposite on the color wheel) will allow you to add interest to your look. If you use shadows that are similar to the color of your eyes, the effect will be softer and more natural.
Blue eyes: It's no secret that orange is the exact opposite of blue, so any shade of it in combination with blue eyes will look simply irresistible. In order to create a stunning look, it is best for blue-eyed girls to use all shades of orange, red and yellow. Copper, brown, gold, coral and pink - they are created just for you.
To create a more mysterious and slightly more natural look, purple and greenish colors are suitable. Lilac, plum or olive will look interesting, but not defiant.
Green eyes: When choosing eyeshadow, green-eyed girls should pay attention to shades of red, such as burgundy, pink and, directly, red. Violet, lavender and peach will help you create your dream look effortlessly and will perfectly complement the natural beauty of your eyes.
Warm metallic colors such as bronze and copper will not only highlight your eyes, but will also complement the gray or brown iris flecks that green-eyed people often boast.
Brown eyes: Brown doesn't mean boring. In fact, brown-eyed people are very lucky - the range of shades that playfully combine with their eyes is incredibly large. Makeup lovers with such eyes can safely experiment with amber, copper, gold, ash, lavender and gray.
In addition, do not forget that the three primary colors - yellow, red and blue, when mixed, form brown. Therefore, if you are lucky, choose any color that, in your opinion, harmonizes with brown and show your creativity - there will be no end to everyone's attention.
Read also: How to lose a guy because of bad makeup
Eye makeup
Hair color
In addition to eye color, it is also worth considering hair color, since it usually attracts a lot of attention, and against its background, makeup can either look too vulgar and provocative, or get lost and become invisible.
Black Brown: Brunettes always have the best luck when choosing eyeshadow, as almost any color suits them, especially deep, dark shades of black, brown and purple. Brunettes can achieve a more natural and soft look using gold, beige, cream, green and yellow.
Blonde: Typically, natural blondes have a naturally fairly light skin tone. Therefore, warm and calm colors of shadows will look most advantageous. Try pinkish, light purple and peach - you absolutely can’t go wrong and will add tenderness and naturalness to your look.
Ginger: For a long time, red-haired girls did not find a place for themselves in the fashion industry, and even the most daring decisions were not in their favor. However, over time, everything has changed, and now this color, especially natural, looks irresistible and unique.
For girls with red hair, neutral shadows, such as brown, ivory, and beige, are perfect. However, deep rich shades of green will give the image a more mysterious and bold look.
Bright, unnatural: For girls who love to experiment with hair and are not afraid of change, shadows of any color will be most suitable. The difference will only be in the image and effect. For a defiant, bold look, shades that are opposite your hair color on the color wheel are suitable. On the contrary, to create a more delicate and soft look, you need to use shadows of the same shade as your hair.
Advice: Remember that using shadows that are the same color as your eyes will make your look less noticeable - the colors will simply blend together. This does not mean that blue-eyed people should absolutely not wear blue shadows for makeup, and brown-eyed people should not wear brown ones. Just make sure to add some more shades to the look - in this case, the makeup will look a little more attractive and playful.
Eyeshadow
Texture
Many girls, when choosing eyeshadow, focus only on color - this is a fairly common mistake. Different textures of eyeshadow can help you achieve different effects, but unfortunately, only a few people understand this.
What is texture
Texture describes how a particular shadow looks. To some extent, the texture can even be called their finish. Texture determines price, ease of use and, of course, the final result. It applies to all forms of eyeshadow - pressed powder, liquid and cream.
Texture is one of the most important things to pay attention to when working with a camera - especially when shooting with flash - but a basic knowledge will help you create your ideal look for every day.
Read also: The power of makeup: women post selfies with half their face makeup
Matte shadows
Matte shadows: The main stage of creating the perfect makeup should begin with the use of matte shadows. They have no shine, so they are great for creating a base and contour. Because matte shadows do not reflect light, they can be used in camera to create a clear, defined shadow effect on your model's eyes.
Some matte shadows can be found in cream form - they glide on slightly, but most of them come in pressed powder form. To get exactly the effect you are looking for, you should first check the color saturation and how finely the powder is crushed.
To outline the eyebrows or creases, use gray and brown, and black, dark blue or purple are great for eyeliner. Matte shadows can also be used to contour individual parts of the face, such as the nose or cheekbones. If you have fair skin, your colors are vanilla, cream and ivory. If the skin is darker, then beige or ocher shades will suit you.
Don't despair if you urgently need to go out and have run out of makeup foundation - matte shadows will be an excellent replacement for it, without affecting the makeup applied on top of them.
Pearlescent shadows: Despite the name, such shadows do not have a pronounced shine - they only have a hint of it. Their shine is soft and does not stand out. They can cover the eyelids either partially or brightly and thickly - it depends on the method of application and the final result you want to get.
Using them will help you create a casual and modern look. As a rule, such shadows are distributed evenly over the entire surface of the eyelid and do not accumulate in the folds. This makes them ideal for use by both young and old people.
In order to highlight the deepened parts of the eyelids and visually enlarge the eyes, it is better to use light shadows. Dark shades will help you create a mysterious and bright image without being too vulgar.
Satin shadows: These semi-matte shadows are, one might say, a kind of hybrid between pearlescent and matte. They shine a little more than matte ones, but they cannot be called fully shiny. These shadows resemble silk fabric in color and texture. They are equally suitable for any age.
Because they are so versatile, they are great at both adding depth to certain areas of the eye and brightening up the surface. They can also be used to enhance edges, contour and refraction of light.
Satin shadows are great for creating a base for eye makeup. If you need to visually lift your eyebrows or line your eyes a little, this is exactly what you need. You can safely use deeper and brighter shades, since shadows with such a texture do not look provocative or vulgar.
Shadow texture
Shimmer Shadows: We couldn't ignore the shimmering shadows, which with their unique shine and cool shades can add mystery to the look. Their pearlescent glow perfectly recreates the icy effect. Their only drawback is that they are suitable for younger girls, as they tend to accumulate in folds and make them more noticeable.
In addition, they must be used extremely carefully and wisely, since if applied in excess, they can look garish and overly vulgar.
Glossy shadows: Glossy eyeshadows reflect light well and, because of this, often look even brighter than glitter or shimmer eyeshadows. They are great for lifting and highlighting an area. The shades of such shadows are very diverse.
The effect resulting from the use of glossy shadows often looks slightly wet. Unlike matte shadows, glossy makeup looks fashionable and modern. They are perfect for covering any areas around the eyes and look great on any eye shape except protruding eyes.
Metallic shadows: That's right, you heard right - metallic shadows look exactly like their name, but they are made of much safer materials. They imitate real-life metals - silver, gold, copper, bronze, platinum and many others.
These shadows are ideal for completing natural makeup, as they can give it a unique, mysterious look and perfectly shade the skin tone. They also have a sensual effect and, using them as the main ones in your makeup, you will add mystery and sexuality to your look.
Metallic shades like rose and yellow gold are always on-trend, suitable for any season and never go out of style.
How to paint your eyes correctly
Sparkling Shadows: Such shadows themselves do not reflect light, but they contain special small particles that have this property. At the same time, they reflect light not over the entire surface, but in separate areas.
Sparkling shadows are perfect for brave girls who want to add some zest to their image, more brightness and mystery. Their advantage is that they can be used both in evening makeup and for an everyday look. Soft, light shades perfectly reveal the natural beauty of the eyes.
Glitter Shadows: If you are a lover of extravagant looks and are not afraid of experiments, these shadows are made for you. They reflect light with their entire surface and give the image an impressive and bold brightness. If you want to draw attention to your makeup and even make it a little aggressive, feel free to use shiny shadows.
In this case, such makeup is not suitable for daily trips to the store. But in combination with an evening outfit, correctly applied shiny shadows will show others who is the real star at the holiday.
There are a large number of eye shadows available today. They vary in texture, shades and properties. Despite their huge variety, they are all divided into matte and pearlescent. I would like to talk about the latter in more detail. Namely, talk about how to properly do makeup with pearlescent shadows.
Unlike matte ones, they contain small particles that shine beautifully and shimmer in the sun. This is what often attracts girls and women who want to look more dazzling and beautiful.
However, in everything you need to know when to stop. Shadows with mother-of-pearl are designed to give freshness to the look, make it clearer, highlight the natural color of the eyes and relieve visible fatigue. But, in the pursuit of all this, some ladies forget that such shadows are not a panacea at all and, despite all their beauty, cannot be used for every occasion.
The first rule is that you shouldn’t apply them at all before going to work, and if you add them to your make-up, then only a little bit. The places where they look best are the inner corner of the eye, the middle of the upper moving eyelid and the area of the eyelid under the eyebrow.
But applying them in a continuous layer over the entire moving eyelid is a mistake. And here's why: pearlescent shadows can highlight any skin irregularities, especially wrinkles. Therefore, they should be chosen only by girls who are completely confident that time has not yet affected their appearance.
Unfortunately, women who already have visible crow's feet around their eyes should abandon this type of makeup in favor of matte shadows. The latter effectively hide all imperfections, unlike mother-of-pearl, which with its shine exposes any uneven line on the surface of the skin or its defects.
But, if you have no doubt that the condition of your eyelids allows you to safely use mother-of-pearl, do not forget that it is most suitable for evening makeup (or for special occasions). Only on rare days can you allow yourself to be one of the most brilliant and charming; on all other days such shadows should remain on the sidelines.
For those who have not yet decided on the color of a suitable mother of pearl, it is worth starting with more neutral and almost universal shades - light peach, dazzling white, gray, radiant chestnut, pale pink or gold. They can be matched either to the tone of the iris or to the color of the base shadows. You cannot use only pearlescent shadows in makeup; it is best to combine them with matte ones. So, the latter are applied to the entire moving eyelid and the area under the eyebrow, and shadows with reflective particles are only used as accents. However, it must be remembered that mother-of-pearl around the inner corner of the eye, as well as at the very edge of the outer corner, is not appropriate, thereby it will only emphasize fatigue and make the eyes faded.
And in order for the make-up to be called complete, the eyes should be emphasized with a thin arrow (although this is optional, of course) and the eyelashes should be lengthened with mascara.
By the way, if you choose pearlescent shadows to create your look, you cannot combine them with the same powder and lipstick. All together they will create the impression of sloppy or even too flashy makeup. In this case, it is best to focus on pastel colors, which especially applies to lipstick. It should never be as bright as the eyes.
Every girl must decide for herself whether to have such shadows in her cosmetic bag or not, but the fact that they will become indispensable at any party is a fact. Therefore, you need to learn to use them correctly, so that if something happens you don’t look too stupid or funny by going too far with the color or number of shadows.
Read also
Beautifully shaded eyes are the key to successful stylish makeup. But before applying shadows correctly, it is important to prepare the base, use mattifying foundation or powder. In addition, each type of makeup has its own characteristics.
Eyeshadows are classified by pigment type and consistency. With pigmentation everything is quite simple. There are colorants with shimmer and matte. It is also necessary to highlight mother-of-pearl ones separately. These shadows are supplemented with iridescent reflective pigment, due to which they can change their color depending on the lighting.
The consistency of the shadows is:
- Baked(Avon True Color Eyeshadow - Avon). The most common. They are characterized by a dense structure, manufactured by pressing and subsequent heat treatment. Due to prolonged exposure to high degrees, some colored particles melt and acquire a pleasant metallic tint. Known for ease of application and durability: even after a long time they do not form into lumps;
- Powdery or pressed(L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Les Ombres Quadro - L'Oreal, Naked by Urban Decay). Powder shadows can come in several shades at once. They are produced similarly to baked ones, but they are not made using high temperature processing. They may have different grinds, so when choosing, you should give preference to premium brands. Otherwise, it will begin to roll off before the eyes or even damage the delicate skin of the eyelids when applied;
- Liquid or creamy(Tammy Tanuki, Max Factor Drama). They are also called pencil shadows; to use this eye cosmetics correctly, you need to apply them on top of a dry matte base. Then they will lie evenly over the entire surface of the eyelid without gaps. A special feature is the ability to give off a wet shine, which allows you to create many different makeup looks.
In addition, shadows can be two-color (where two shades are combined in one stick or pencil), three-color, four-color and more. Most often, such sets combine shades of similar colors or those suitable for creating a certain type of makeup (evening or daytime).
How to properly apply eye shadow step by step
The simplest way to apply shadow is to shade the upper eyelid at the hollow and properly lighten its main part. This will “open” your eyes and make them more expressive. For daytime makeup, two shades will be enough, and for evening or holiday makeup, three.
How to apply eye shadow step by step in the classic way:
Video: How to properly apply and shade eyeshadow
Video: How to properly apply eye shadow
There is not a single girl who would not dream of making herself a smokey eye. This is a special type of eye makeup, for which a certain color scheme must be followed. With the right technique and shading, the effect of a soft veil enveloping the eye will be created.
How to apply dark shadows for smokey eyes:
Loose shadows of a dark shade can be with sparkles - this is a great idea for a festive makeup look.
Selection of shadows according to eye color
Each makeup will look even more profitable and interesting if you choose the right color scheme. For any eye color there are more and less advantageous shades. For convenience, we have highlighted the main ones.
The shades of green and purple (lilac, lavender, lilac, indigo) look most advantageous. Brown color is favorably emphasized by almost the entire warm palette (peach, pink, dark brown), but it can unsightly shade the eyes, making them look tired and dull. Therefore, eyeliner should be an almost constant attribute in the makeup of brown-eyed girls.
Green eyes
Bright and unusual green eyes can be made even deeper and more sensual if you use brown, golden, warm pearlescent and pinkish shades in the shadows. If you prefer matte shades, beige and copper tones, such as Maybelline's The Nudes, are best.
Gray and gray-blue-eyed owners
Smoky blue and gray eyes look great under copper and coral eyeshadow. Liquid metallic colors look great, especially the warm palette of orange and pinkish ash.
Girls with blue eyes
Crystal blue eyes are considered the most universal: almost all known shades of shadows suit them. Cold violet, purple and silver metallic highlight this heavenly color especially favorably. Warm orange, pinkish and beige tones look no less bright and charismatic. It is recommended to use a classic black eyeliner to accentuate all of the listed tones.
How to apply eyebrow shadow
If you are tired of pigmenting your eyebrows with a tattoo machine all the time, then there is a simple way to solve this problem: color them with shadows. Eyebrow shadows are most often produced as a set. Which includes two eyeshadow options, wax and a brush.
Instructions on how to color your eyebrows with shadows step by step:
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Peculiarities
Pearlescent shadows are the most popular and loved by many women. They consist of small particles that have a metallic sheen. Also sometimes this effect is called shimmer, when sparkling particles predominate in the shadows. The texture allows you to make your eyes appear more open, remove a layer of fatigue and refresh your look. It’s very easy to see the capabilities of mother-of-pearl, you just need to take a little light shadow and apply it to the moving eyelid, the area under the eyebrows and to the inner corner of the eye.
It is recommended to use such shadows in creating images for walks, dates, and establishments. The main thing to remember is ideal eyelid skin. If there are wrinkles on it, it is better to abandon pearlescent shadows in favor of matte ones. Pearlescent shadows will not be able to correct the shape of the eye or make the look deep, but in combination with matte shadows you will achieve a striking effect (see photo).
Palette
It’s safe to say that in almost all collections of any brands - from the most elite, professional and famous - to budget options, the majority of eyeshadows produced are pearlescent. Therefore, choosing a suitable shade from a whole palette is not difficult. The most in demand are light shades of pearlescent shadows, as they are used as a highlighter in any makeup. Bright and rich summer shades will allow you to create many spring and summer looks. Calm and deep dark tones - warm and cold, suitable for evening and holiday makeup, autumn and business.
How to apply?
Shadows with mother-of-pearl are applied using special applicators. Usually they come complete with sets of shadows. Unfortunately, they are not always easy to use. The applicator head is very small, the handles are short, they often slip and fall out of your hands. To use pearl shadows in eye makeup, it is best to purchase applicators separately, choosing ones with long handles and a comfortable head shape. You can apply such shadows with a wide flat brush, but applicators are still more convenient.
In order for shadows with mother-of-pearl not to emphasize imperfections, but to emphasize the beauty of the look, it is necessary to carefully study the condition of the skin around the eyes. These shadows are suitable for elastic, young skin, without a hint of wrinkles. Otherwise, such shadows will only make you look older.
Typically, shadows are applied only to the middle of the upper eyelid, under the eyebrow and in the corner of the eye. They are usually combined with matte ones. You can also do multi-layered makeup, only in this case use darker and deeper shades.
Makeup example
- Before you start painting your eyes, cover your eyelids with a special moisturizer, and then dust them with light translucent powder. Thanks to this, the shadows will fit much better on the eyelid, and the color will come out more saturated.
- Paint the upper eyelid with matte shadows in the main tone. Apply a darker shade to the outer corner of the eyelid. Carefully blend the transitions so that they are practically invisible.
- To create contrast, apply pearlescent shadows to the middle part of the upper eyelid, approximately in the area of the iris. The bright spot should only be on the eyelid.
- Paint the outer part of the fold with dark shadows. This area should be the darkest. Highlight the area above the fold with a grayish color.
- Apply light shadows, matching the tone of the main colors used in makeup, under the eyebrow, and also following an arc from the outer corner to the inner one. Blur all borders.
- If desired, you can line your eyes with eyeliner and apply mascara.
How to do this make-up - look at the photo.
And last but not least. If you use pearlescent shadows in your makeup, it is not recommended to combine them with shiny lipstick or shiny blush. The emphasis in makeup should be only on the eyes, otherwise the makeup will look too vulgar and tasteless.
Video
Today we will look at a fashionable eye makeup option. Pearlescent textures are gaining momentum and it would be a crime not to take advantage of this opportunity. They are suitable for both evening and daytime looks. The main thing is to choose the right shades of shadows.
In order to do this eye makeup, cosmetics were used that you can safely replace with other analogues:
- black and dark brown watercolor Make up Atelier Paris (can be replaced with a dark brown long-lasting pencil or cream shadows);
- dark brown Cascade eyeliner (for drawing the inner eyelid);
- beige neutral and milky shadows Paese;
- pearlescent powder shadows from Cinecitta No. 19;
- Mascara.
First, we cleanse the face, apply a makeup base, hide dark circles under the eyes, tone the face, and shape a beautiful eyebrow. Since “smoky” makeup is quite provocative, it requires a clean face so as not to further aggravate the situation.
Before applying shadows, we tint the eyelid with a light layer and cover it with shadows to match the color of the skin.
The most important task is to create a beautiful eye shape with the help of shadows, which we will simply need to decorate. The master class uses dark brown watercolor, which needs to be diluted a little with water. You can use any cosmetics, even eyeliner. The main thing is that it is durable and has a sticky texture, since loose shadows must stick to something.
First, draw an arrow along the upper eyelid, which will lengthen the upper eyelash row. Then from there we direct the part up the crease and along the lower eyelid. We get a continuation and lengthening of the eye. Please note that the corner of the part should not be lower than the corner of the eye. All lines should end smoothly and go inward no further than the pupil. We put a mark above the inner iris of the eye - this is where we need to paint over the empty space on the apple with watercolors.
When painted over, we begin to shade it with a small flat brush. We shade the lower eyelid towards the ear, the upper towards the temple and the middle towards the head of the eyebrow. If you have a large, fixed eyelid, as in the photo, then do not apply the shading too high.
As a result, we get a rich color and a beautiful shape, which now needs to be decorated.
We decorate the eyebrow and corner of the eye with light milky shadows. Let's go through the shading with a fluffy brush with beige neutral shadows. This will smooth out the transition, add a gentle haze and this is where we want the shadows to not stick intensely.
Now we’ll decorate the eyelid with pearlescent crumbly shadows. Since the base is brown, brown mother-of-pearl with a turquoise tint is perfect. It’s better to take a wide flat brush and apply them all over the eyelid with slapping movements, without being shy. First, shape the middle, lower eyelid, then blend the shadows onto the haze with very light movements, without going beyond it.
Now along the upper eyelid we draw a wide arrow that matches your eye shape.
To give the look more mystery and depth, we will line the lower inner eyelid with a brown pencil. But we don’t paint with it to the end, but we shade it starting from the middle. We complete the eye makeup with mascara.
The result is a very impressive and fashionable eye makeup with pearlescent shadows, with which you will be at your best!
