How To Apply Eyeshadow
A Few Techniques, Many Styles...

The eye above (your left) is divided into the mini zones and the other eye outlines the general eye zone.  It seems obvious, but many end up with makeup extending beyond this and it can look very unflattering.  Unless you have a pro at the work, tidy, clean and in the zone looks best.

How To Apply Eyeshadow
Second...EYE ZONES & TOOLS.

Consider the eye area a zone, with smaller mini zones in it.   
Each mini zone has:

• specific types of makeup i.e.  shadow, liner, mascara

• specific tools to apply the type of makeup i.e. eyeshadow brushes, eyelash curler...

• AND tools designed to accommodate the zone shape, size & technique (you wouldn't use a fine eye liner brush to apply eyeshadow to your upper lid).

Here are some versatile eyeshadow brushes that I would consider staples, divided into two groups; upper lid and crease AND lash lines.

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How To Apply Eyeshadow
Third...EYESHADOW APPLICATION.

Here are three basic styles of eyeshadow application sequences.

They are the building blocks to most eye makeup looks.  Knowing these and a variety of eye liner techniques, will help you dissect and create styles you see and like.

From left to right:

• Classic

• Dramatic

• Smokey

•  this style is more notable in presence of makeup (not low key) and glamorous.
• the drama of the color used can be in choice of color (brighter choices) and/or contrast of light to dark in color choices
• there are many ways to create a dramatic eye, the above is a popular celebrity/diva style/ cats eye.
• Key Points to this look; HIGH DEFINITION, GLAMOROUS,  POLISHED

• very popular, extreme definition of the eye and  often used on models in fashion ads 
• signature is the black smudged liner into deep  eyeshadow shades creating that "smoked out" makeup style
• there are many modifications that can be made to suit individual beauty aesthetic
• Key Points to this look; SMUDGED, CHIC,  LOW KEY MOUTH (otherwise can seem harsh).

1. Start with your medium color and medium eyeshadow brush, sweep from upper lash line to brow bone, blending into brow bone.  Sweep under lower lash line for added definition.

2.  Using your deepest color and the tapered end of the medium brush, sweep along the crease area in  horizontal arcing shape (natural fold of tissue above eye and under brow will guide your brush).  Blend well.  

3.  Highlight the outer brow bone, and inner corner of eye with lightest color.

4.  Take a soft blending brush and blend over entire lid area.

5.  Take a sharpened dark neutral pencil, and use short angled strokes tightly place at the lash line and in between the lashes.  

6.  Take an angled brush and sweep along the liner, as close to lash line as possible, and work the strokes together until they appear to be a single precise softened line at lash line (there should be no patches of bare skin between line and lashes).

FOR STAYING POWER...
7. Set liner with dark shadow, using the angled liner brush by pressing it and shifting along lash line.

8.  Finish with a couple of coats dark brown/ black or black mascara. (For best shaping of lashes, work and separate lashes with wand while application underway...remove clumps after).

2. Now extend color slightly beyond outer corner of eye by placing the brush head just above outer corner (handle end towards face) and sweep towards center of upper lid on approximately 45º angle to horizontal.

3.Take your medium color, and same brush and work crease area into brow bone.

4. Use lightest shade to highlight brow bone and sweep under lower lash line (can use medium shade for more lower lash definition).

5.  Using a black gel eyeshadow (easiest) and fine liner brush, OR black pencil in combination with angled brush, and black shadow, line the upper lash line.  The line is fairly thin at the inner corner and begins to wide in thickness from the lash line, with its widest thickness at the outer third. 

6.  Beyond the outer third is the slight curl created by an angled brush (or free hand with fine liner brush). When you turn the angle point from inwards to outwards, with a little flick of the brush, a curl or 'tail' is created (3. in diagram).

*Note: The beauty of an angle brush head is its ability to create thin to thick lines controlled by how much you are turning the brush in your fingers...experiment and you will see.

7.  If you are using gel eyeliner, it has great staying power.  If you used a black pencil, set it with black eyeshadow using your liner brush by pressing the powder into the lash line.

8.  Lots of coats of black mascara on top lashes. A couple of coats on lower lashes but make sure the ends are pinched off with your fingers so you don't end up with 'cabaret' in place of Hollywood glamour.

1.  Start with a soft 'smudge-able', sharp, dark eye pencil along the upper lash line.  (black for THE SMOKIEST 'smoked out' effect).

A great technique that will avoid any gaps between liner and upper lashes, are short angled strokes between the lashes (at the root), from outer corner to inner corner. Once you've got those gaps, move the pencil a little more freely horizontally along the lash line.

2.  Using a smudge brush (or Qtip if without it), in a horizontal motion, soften and *"smudge" the liner from inner to just past outer corner, half way up to crease.

*Refer to diagram above.

3.  Using your medium eyeshadow brush and your deepest eyeshadow color; plum, gray, moss etc., work along and into black smudged area and up, into crease.

4.  With your angled liner, or very tip of medium brush, take that same color, and sweep under lower lash line (not too thick...that's done shortly).

5.  Brush off the deep shade on the medium brush, and take your a medium to light color and work crease up and into  brown bone.

6.  Brush of the smudge brush, using that same light color, sweep under the lash line horizontally working the  medium tone into a softer smudged appearance, plus extending the thickness under the lash line softly.

7.  TRADEMARK STEP: Take black pencil liner and apply to lower lid, complete inner rim from inner corner to outer corner.

8.  Complete look defintion with multiple layers of black mascara to upper and lower lashes.

• Black, Black-Brown Eyeliner pencil- good quality, 'smudge-able'
• Trio of neutral eyeshadow color, with light, medium, and dark shade
• Brushes & Tools:  Med. Eyeshadow Brush, Angled Eyeliner, Eyelash curler

• Black Eyeliner pencil- good quality, 'smudge-able' OR GEL Eyeliner
• Playful variety, contrasting colors, of eyeshadow
• High Volume Black Mascara
• Brushes & Tools:  Med. Eyeshadow Brush, Angled Eyeliner and/or Fine liner brush, Eyelash curler

• Black, pencil- good quality, 'smudge-able'
• Trio of deep to light eyeshadow color; grays, plums etc
• Brushes & Tools:  Med. Eyeshadow Brush, Smudge Brush, Angled Eyeliner, Eyelash curler