Eyeshadow tips and tricks

Perk up your peepers with these expert-backed easy tips to apply eyeshadow
  • 04 Sep - 10 Sep, 2021
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Beauty

Forget what you thought you knew about eyeshadow and all its rather laborious associated “rules”. Cut creases are out and the new way to wear it is with wild abandon: a swoosh of colour dusted over eyelids in an insouciant fashion. Take your cues from these expert-backed tips and tricks below:

Don’t spend time finessing the shape

One of the biggest trends right now is to swipe eyeshadow over the eyes using little more than your fingers. It looks so fresh and works for all different ages. The look works particularly well with shimmer-finish shadows, but you can also try matte pastel hues and other colours. Put simply, it’s the easiest way to wear it (and looks great too).

Priming the lid is a must

Eyeshadow primer is a well-kept secret in the beauty world. Priming your eyelids builds a blank canvas for product and helps it last all day. You can get a legit eyeshadow primer or dab on your favourite concealer. This process also helps cover any veins or discolouration in your eyelids, which tend to become more pronounced when we’re tired.

Follow up your lid primer with your favourite setting powder to lock it in place and avoid smudging. The key with lid primer is to neither pack it on nor overdo it. After a few tries, you’ll begin to see how long your eyeshadow holds depending on the amount of primer you’re using.

Consider texture and finish over colour

Instead of focusing on what colour to go for, seek out eyeshadows which deliver the right finish, in a soft, malleable texture to make it easier to blend on the skin. Shimmers and metallics actually blend much more easily, so you don’t need to be a pro to make it work. It offers true ease of application. Experts advise mixing different textures to add dimension and bring light to the eye.

The colour rulebook no longer exists

Forget what you’ve heard about the “correct” shades to bring out the colours of your eyes (i.e. browns on blue eyes), you really can wear anything you choose to. We’ve been stuck in this beauty rut where if you have a certain colour eye, you’re told that you must wear make-up in certain colours, but it’s not true. All you need to do is manage the depth of colour for your skin tone, but then play in whatever colour scheme you want. The world of eyeshadow? Your oyster.

Try this universally flattering tone

One hue that does suit all skin tones – and which is very much de rigueur at the moment – is a rosy rust colour. They just work on everyone and it doesn’t matter what your skin tone is – for us, it’s the new neutral and everyone’s gravitating towards it.

Make it a multi-tasker

Eyeshadow doesn’t just have to be for your eyelids. You can also use it as eyeliner, along both lower and upper lash lines, to softly define the eye. A densely-packed brush is your best friend. You can use Hourglass’s No 11 Smudge Brush, a very fine, precise smudger, which is the best way to control the pigment. We recommend using pressing motions first, and then with leftover pigment, you can use blending motions. It is all about the tool. Any lighter eyeshadow shades can also be used on cheekbones as a highlighter.

Blend it all

Are you even doing your makeup if you’re not blending? Knowing how to apply eyeshadow seamlessly comes down to some serious blending. You can blend as much as or as little as you’d like depending on how natural or refined you want your eyeshadow to look.

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