These eye makeup tips are meant to be fun, allow you to more effectively express your personal style and enhance your beauty confidence.  A little know how can go a long way...

REMEMBER, stay true to you...

But don't 'pigeon hole' yourself into one style all the time.  Different times of the day, different events, and different style moods afford you the means to be creative and try new things.  So have a little fun... 

These are the general makeup applications to the eye area:

• base steps; primer, foundation, concealer, eye brightener, loose powder

• eye shadow; liquid, cream, powder

• eye liner; pencil, gel, liquid

• mascara; primer mascara, color mascara

• false eye lashes

• brows; pencil, wax, color mascara for brows, setting powder, gel

How much you wear and the sequence will depend on your personal beauty style.  Below you will find eye makeup tips to help you achieve a variety of styles, and the tools used to create them.

Check out the eye makeup tips on using these applications... 

Eye Makeup Tip #1 
HYDRATE

Not makeup but important to the success of your makeup application success is ensuring that you hydrate the eye area well with an eye cream that suits your needs.

No matter what your style is, this tip can't be skipped.  Looking for a little more radiance to your look but just can't figure out what's missing?  Freshen your look with a little help from teeth whitening products...

According to a national study conducted by Harris Interactive Nasdaq (global leader in marketing research) , the number one thing people notice first upon meeting someone was their smile (94% !).  This study also revealed that the majority of us believe an attractive smile is paramount to your professional life success, making friends and finding a mate.

Eye Makeup Tip #2 
PREP YOUR EYE AREA WITH BASE 

Always begin with a base if you plan to wear any eye makeup beyond mascara.  I can guarantee you will be much happier with both the application process and the results.  Not only do you even out your skin tone and eliminate shadowy undertones, makeup will apply more evenly, be more easily visible and stay put much longer.

Pick and choose based on desired finish, most people will at a minimum use concealer and loose powder.

Primer- Preps the canvas...Usually a polymer base formulation that improves the skins surface, creates an even hydration surface, smoothes out rough texture, reduces fine lines and leaves a matte finish. (Make sure you choose a formulation that is suitable for the eye area).

Foundation- Even out general facial skin tone...Use as sheer and as lightweight as possible, depending of coarse on your skin concerns, AND please make sure it is a good match to facial skin tone.

Concealer- Cover...Usually, a heavier consistency for durable coverage.  Placed strategically, as needed, to address dark shadowy areas of eyes; under eye circles, between bridge of nose and inner corner of eye, directly under lash line, and any other marks/ blemishes. (Avoid area under outer corner of eye because of potential for makeup collecting in creases and exaggerated fine lines, crows feet etc.

Eye Brightener-Illuminate... These are products that have "illuminating" qualities; light reflective properties that can freshen the look of skin around the eyes, hydrate, as well as brighten the appearance of the eye itself.

Loose Powder- Set... This final step for base, lightly dusting the eye area with translucent loose powder, sets the products beneath for staying power, and creates a surface to latch on to for product such as liner and shadow.  Again, keep it light with minimal dusting under outer corners of eye area.

Eye Makeup Tip #3 
SHADOWS 

TIP?...whatever you do, use at least two colors for a  dimensional effect (one single color can look really flat).           

Above: General Makeup Brush Head Styles

Generally there are usually three shades; base medium shade, definition deep shade, highlight light shade.

Three essential eyeshadow brushes that will apply and blend the general zone, like a dream; 

• medium head flat tapered -for upper lid placement, end can be used for crease

• blunt head shader- blending whole upper lid area

• smudge- works lash line- softens pencil lines, and shadow lines under lower lashes

Three essential smaller eye shadow/ liner brushes, like the small angled eye liner brush, fine liner, and smudge, that usually work the lash line area, and I have included them in the eye liner information below.

Cream- Lightweight look...  Since their arrival, I have been loving these cream to powder shadows for their durability, intensity, and ease of application.  You do need a special cream eye shadow brush (fingers really can't deliver precision for a polished look).  
Great product example? Shiseido Hydro Powder Eye Shadow

Liquid-Sheer Finish... There have been a handful of liquid shadows that come with a wand as a means of application.  They are very sheer and can be thinned out for low key summer shimmer as well as, layered for greater intensity.
Great product example? Prescriptives Moonbeam Reflective Eye Shadow

Powder- Heavier appearance relative to above...
Matte- Not reflective, ideal for daytime
Satin- Some shimmer, can be worn in day time
Frost-Very reflective, night time only 

Great product examples? Eye shadows made by NARS, MAC, Cargo are all fantastic quality shadows.

Eye shadow brushes come in a variety of sizes and brush head shapes for good reason...there is a variety in the size and shape of the eye areas receiving application.  Using quality brushes that are actually designed for the areas, and a specific makeup, will not only make precise application easier, but create a polished, clean, beautiful finish.

Great product examples? Top brushes- Bobbi Brown, Kevin Aucoin, NARS / Good value brushes- Sephora brand, Sonia Kashuk

• For more on high precision, professional finish, eye shadow application, click here...

• For how to create popular eyeshadow styles, click here.

Eye Makeup Tip #4 
LINER 

Liners in general are used to define the lash line by thickening the appearance of lashes. The thickness of the lines, will generate different degrees of drama.

Pencil is the easiest to use since its makeup and tool, all in one ( choose a pencil that is firm but still soft enough to smudge).  Also, whether you desire a fine precise line or a smudged thick line, keep your pencil sharpened for precision application ease and professional finish.

Shadow can be used to line eyes by applying with an angled eye liner brush (or a flat tip, but the angled brush is more versatile if you want to keep the number of brushes you use to a minimum.).  Some powder shadows are suitable to wet which can create very fine lines.

Gel has excellent staying power and create very wet, dramatic, rich lines, both fine and smudge-able.  It also is more forgiving in its application in technical ability that liquid.  I have to say MAC Gel liner is absolutely brilliant for both those tasks and can be applied with a small fine head shadow brush.

Liquid liner is in a format that comes packaged like a mascara tube and wand (the wand has a very fine point brush).  Liquid formulation is just that...liquid and a little trickier to apply than gel.  A good steady hand is needed and will need some practice but the results are classic.

For more on eye liner techniques and styles, click here....

Eye Makeup Tip #5 
MASCARA 

Mascara is a must...even if its the only eye makeup you wear...That seems a little obvious to state but I have seen complete eye makeup on women, minus the mascara.  Wearing it alone, or as the final touch, sparse lashes or not, dramatically improves definition drawing attention to your eyes.

The trick is how to choose the best mascara for you?

Eye Makeup Tip #6 
BROWS

Grooming/shaping your eye brows, does make a big difference... That doesn't mean thin, penciled arcs above your eyes. Few can pull those off (I am not even sure they were the best option for Marlene Dietrich).  Three main factors determine the look of your eyebrows; 

• awareness of them (have you ever met individuals he seem to be put together fashion wise, take the time to apply makeup, but completely unaware of their crazy eyebrows?)

• the brows that you were born with 

• your personal style; coifed glamour, natural, dramatic 

When in doubt...In my opinion, when in doubt about what to do with your brows, keep it simple.  Stick closely to what you were born with shape wise...a little thinning, trimming, filling, and/or coloring maybe necessary.  

For more on shaping your brows, click here. 

Eye Makeup Tip #7 
FINISHING TOUCHES

So you've got the eye makeup tips on the style techniques you like, and your eyes look great, now what?  Don't forget the finishing touches...

What do I mean?  Depending on what sequence you do your makeup it may mean finish your makeup look  (...don't just do your eyes) or it may simply mean, clear away shadow dust, mascara marks, corner of the eye build up etc for a polished finish.

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