Being a college girl, there comes the need to find a balance between youth and sophistication. Eyeshadow can really help add depth to your eyes. However, I’ve always been afraid to use it because I don’t know anything about shading–what is appropriate for my eyeshape, skintone, etc. There is not one make-up product I have found more tricky to apply. Usually what I do is just use a highlighting shade all over my lids and in the inner corners of my eye–but just that, no colors to help define or create any dimension. So, I decided to interview one of my best friends, Jen, to find out how she started using eyeshadow and to get some tips on how to apply it.
Pantra: So I wanted to ask you questions about eyeshadow since I know nothing about it. I’m so bad with eyeshadow.
Jen: I like just started with eyeshadow, but ask away!
Pantra: Really? I can’t believe you just started!
Jen: I mean, well, like spring break? But I don’t do anything super dramatic
Pantra: Yeah but it looks so good though! You look like you know what you’re doing! I find eyeshadow to be so daunting, and I know that many girls who just started using make-up probably feel the same. There are so many colors and shades. What made you start using eyeshadow?
Jen: Youtube. Just watching all the tutorials and stuff And I think because I have monolids, it encourages me to create depth on my eyes.
Pantra: How do you create that depth?
Jen: Blend a brown color on my crease, like the color Tease from the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette or snakebite from the same palette. Well, Tease is more taupe-y though.
Pantra: How do you know where to place your eyeshadow and what colors to use where?
Jen: I actually just put on whatever I think might be a good color combination. But usually for me it’s a light color on the inner half of my lid, then a darker color on the outer half of my lid and then I blend.
Pantra: Do you use the same brush for everything?
Jen: When I started, yes, because I didn’t know if I wanted to actually invest in a brush set. But for every day, I use the eye shading brush to pack on color on my lid, tapered blending brush to blend, pencil brush to put color on the lower lash line and small angled brush to line my eyes. Usually I just use a really dark eyeshadow to line my eyes.
Pantra: Do you think that your techniques are specific for monolids or do you think people with double-eyelids could follow them too?
Jen: Yeah definitely the double-eyelid technique and the monolid technique are pretty much the same.
Pantra: You don’t have to use glue to create a fold?
Jen: Nope.
Pantra: That’s so nice how this technique is universal. What are some colors you think every girl should own?
Jen: A highlight color for inner corner and under the eyebrows, some sort of darker brown to create depth and blend, and a copper toned color and just a really dark color like black or close to black to create smokey-eyes for night or to line the eyes. But I think you have to be mindful that not all colors will look good on all skin tones. I’d say copper color because it’s pretty popular in Asia right now.
Pantra: Do you ever use any non-neutral shades? If so, how do you incorporate them into your routine?
Jen: If I did, I would probably just do a light neutral shade on my lid, light brown on the outer half of my lower lash line, and white highlight color on my inner corner to the middle of my lower lash line and then I would put a pop of color between the highlight color and the brown, so it would be on my lower lash line. I hope that made sense!! Oh you should mention eye primer! Urban Decay primer potion is the best!! I’ve literally been sweating so much at work from the weather and our air conditioner is broken and my eyeshadow stayed put all day.
Pantra: When you said you use the eyeshadow as a liner, does that work as well as using other types of liners?
Jen: I guess it doesn’t look as defined as gel/liquid.
Pantra: Does that work well for your lids or does it just come off at the end of the day?
Jen: I think it’s easier than gel or liquid. If you use primer, it definitely stays put. Well, for me it does. Primer is amazing. I either use pencil or eyeshadow as liner and the primer really helps it glide onto my eye and stay for hours and hours.
Pantra: What is the secret to creating the illusion of a crease for monolids or for those with double-eyelids who just want to look like they have bigger lids?
Jen: Well, I know my friend just draws a line on her crease, like a dark thick line, so when her eyes are open the crease is really defined. But when they close their eyes , you can see the line.
Pantra: Would you use like a brownish color?
Jen: Brown, or dark grey/black. It looks weird once you close your eyes though.
Pantra: Is this after the shading or before?
Jen: After. Like you would put on your normal eyeshadow, and then just take a pencil eyeliner I suppose and then in the crease, just draw a line like from the end of the eye to maybe the middle? Or whatever looks good, I suppose. But I’ve never done this so I can’t really be sure
Pantra: It’s ok. I’m grateful for any advice at all! Thanks so much Jen!!
Doesn’t sound too bad, right? I decided to follow Jen’s instructions (see the italicized parts) and recreate her look myself. I used the Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Quad for my dark brown liner color (espresso) and my shimmery copper color for underneath my eyes (toffee metallic). For my highlighting color, I used the cream eyeshadow in R.S.V.P. from Benefit. For my crease color I used mahogany from the Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Palette. Earth tones are universally flattering, so I think anyone could try this look!
What do you guys think? Please leave your comments below!
Pantra Y has 15 post(s) on RTR On Campus
