You don’t have to be a beauty-expert or a makeup artist to learn how to apply eye makeup for a beautiful look. With just a few of the right tools and makeup essentials, you can learn two looks which are sure to leave your eyes looking very pretty. This article will explain how you can get a gorgeous look, as well as how to appropriately make your eyes up for day and evening.
Daytime look
For a daytime look, it’s most appropriate to look pulled-together, simple and pretty. Most employers don’t want the women they hire to wear a full face of generously applied makeup (which would be more appropriate for a party, date or going out with your girlfriends) to work. To avoid looking overly made-up, stick to light applications and colors that are not too bold. You want people to notice your eyes, not your makeup.
Follow the steps below to achieve a pretty, daytime-appropriate look.
1. Apply a thin layer or concealer all over the eyelid, as well as the under-eye area. Blend the concealer thoroughly using your fingers or a makeup sponge. This will even your skin tone and give your eye-shadow a nice surface to stick to.
2. Using a medium-sized shadow-brush, apply a very light colored (pearly pink, very light lilac, very pale blue, pearly white, champagne, or beige) powder eye-shadow all over the eyelid (from lash line all the way to the bottom of the eyebrows.)
3. Using a crease-brush, (if you don’t have one, you can use the pointy end of the sponge-tip applicator that usually comes with eye-shadow) apply a slightly darker, yet similar color to the crease (the area in between the lid and brow bone). For example, if you used lilac eye-shadow to fill in the whole eye-lid, use a slightly darker lilac eye-shadow or something in the purple or plum family to fill in the crease.
4. Carefully line the inner rim or your lower lid with a white eye pencil.
5. Carefully line the inner rim of your upper lid, only from the outer edge to the middle of the eye, with a black or grey eye pencil.
6. Using an eyelash curler, curl the upper lashes of both eyes for 10 seconds per eye.
7. Using a tissue, wipe the wand of a brown or black mascara. Apply one to two coats on the upper lashes.
Evening look
For a great evening look for a date, party, or clubbing, follow the steps below.
1. Apply concealer to the eyelids and under-eye area. Blend well using your fingers or a makeup sponge.
2. Apply a light or fairly light eye-shadow (use a medium-sized shadow brush) all over the eyelid (lash line to brow bone.) Light-grey, light purple, light brown, or medium pink are all good for this step.
3. Using a crease-brush or sponge-tip applicator, apply a similar color that is slightly darker to the crease. (Dark grey if you used light grey, plum if you used purple, etc.) Blend well, and bring the color slightly past the corners of the eyes, and upward toward the brow to create a “cat-eye” look.
4. Apply a bright, light, shiny or glittery eye shadow directly onto the outer third of the brow bone. (A pearly, iridescent white is the best for this step. It can, however, be adjusted to match your already applied colors or to substitute what you have. Very bright light pinks, yellows, and champagne colors are fine, too.) Blend well using your fingers.
5. Get a black eye-pencil very sharp. Starting in the middle or last third of the outer part of the eye (depending upon your preference and what you feel looks best on your own eyes) line the eyes with the black pencil, staying as close to the lash line as possible. Using tiny, quick strokes instead of trying to line the eye in one step helps to keep in nice and neat. When you get to the outer corner of the eye, line the eye with a thicker application than toward the middle. Wing the outer edge out slightly (you can do this by either extending the line out a little further than the edge, or by simply smudging the line with your pinkie finger.) If you’d like a smoky look, you can use your pinkie finger or a sponge-tip applicator to slightly smudge the eye-liner.
6. Using a sponge-tip applicator or an eyeliner brush, line the outer third of the bottom lash line using the color you blended into the crease of your eye. Some makeup may fall down just below your eye, leaving a dusting of color out of place. If this happens, dip a larger blush or powder brush into loose powder (packed powder will work if it is all you have) and sweep the eye shadow away using a light touch. (Pressing even a little too hard will blend the color into your skin. Grey eye shadow will not compliment your cheekbones!)
7. Line the inner rims of the upper and lower lids with the same black eye-pencil. If you feel your makeup looks too heavy this way, apply the liner only to the last third of the upper and lower inner rims.
8. Curl the upper lashes of each eye for ten seconds per eye.
9. Wipe off the wand of a black mascara using a tissue. Apply one coat to the upper and lower lashes. Dip the wand back into the mascara, wipe the wand, and apply another coat to the upper lashes. Repeat the dip, wipe and apply step once more to only the upper lashes.
Either of these looks can be adjusted to suit your likes and dislikes. If you feel either look has too much or not enough makeup, add or omit a small amount. These looks can also be changed in small ways to make many different looks. If you become bored with these looks, try a different splash of color in the crease of the eye. You can also make the “cat-eye” liner more dramatic by extending the line further past the outer edge of the eye. There are many ways to play with either of these looks. The easiest way to change it up a bit is to simply use different colors. Using either the day or night look, you will look lovely and appropriate for the occasion!1