How to Apply Eyeshadow – Photo Tutorial

How to Apply Eyeshadow – Photo Tutorial

I actually never thought “How to Apply Eyeshadow” tutorial could be until until a reader asked a few days back. I have tried to explain things to the best of my capability. Hope this helps people who are just beginning to do eye makeup. If you have any questions, please let me know . I’ll try to explain. Also, from my personal experience all I can say is that it takes a lot of time to do some decent eye makeup. So even if your eye makeup does not come out fine for a long time, don’t give up. Just keep trying, Trust me, It’s no rocket science. 🙂

Here is the diagram of the eye for your reference. 🙂

eye makeup diagram

Let’s start!

As you can see my eye lids are quite oily so if I apply eyeshadows directly on my oily lids, the eyeshadows would not only fade but would also get accumulated in my crease. Not pretty! So you have to apply some kind of base that would keep the oils on your lids at bay and make your eyeshadows looking fresh all day long.

I use MAC Painterly Paint Pot. You can use your foundation / concealer as well but I would say that a specialized eyeshadow base would be a good investment. Beyu, Inglot and NYX also make eyeshadow bases.

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

Just apply it all over your eye lid area, above the crease and on lower lash line. You may use your finger or brush depending on your preference.

painterly all over the lid

To make the base even stronger apply some loose powder or compact powder all over the lid. The powder would suck any excess oil and give a smoother finish for eyeshadows to blend smoothly.

powder

Brushes play an important role in eyeshadow application. For just applying eyeshadow you must have flat brushes such as these. Two of these are from Sigma and one is from Colorbar.

Flat brushes

 

I am using Sleek Oh! So Special Palette for this look (will show your guys in detail). I am using  an eyeshadow called Celebrate. It is a jewel toned wine coloured eyeshadow with blackish brown base. It has a little fallout but you’d see how gorgeous the pigmentation is.

Pick some eyeshadow on one side of the brush.

Sleek oh! so special palette

and just pat it on your eyelids. Patting the colour on lid would not only result in less fall out but would also help in giving intensity to the eyeshadows.

I mostly start from the center, go outwards and then inwards. Don’t bother about blending, just get the colour right on your lids and also keep the colour close to the lashline. Just colour your lids. 🙂

Leave the very inner corner of your eye. Just follow your eye shape. Whether you have big eye lids or small, just fill them up right now.

It should look something like this.

eyeshadow all over the lid

Now comes the blending part. There are different kinds of blending brushes available in the market. Round (MAC 224), tapered (MAC 217 , Sigma E 25) .I prefer the tapered one more than the round one.

Blending brushes

Pick the same eyeshadow just on the tip of the brush-very little. Like so.

And now place the brush right on your crease. Feel the socket of your eyes and place the brush there.All you have to so is move your brush inwards and outwards following the shape of your eye. Keep doing it without putting too much pressure. Inwards -outwards, outwards- inwards. 😀 Don’t touch the lid , just the crease.

Socket of eye

You’d notice that the colour on the top starts fading.

It would fade into nothing. Something like in the pic below. Don’t pick more colour on the brush.

Now comes the role of precise round brushes for smaller areas of the eye. I am using this brush by Colorbar- not good actually but would work. MAC 219 and brush from sigma are quite popular pencil brushes.

Using a pencil brush pick up the lightest shade in the palette. It could be a cream, beige, or a shimmery lighter shade. The lighter shade would make your eyes look awake and add brightness to the otherwise dark look.

I am using the shade called Bow from the Sleek Makeup palette.

We left the inner corner of the eye empty. Apply this lighter shade on the very inner corner of the eye and also bring it on the lower part of the eye. It’s like making a small “V” on the inner part of your eye.

Using the same brush pick up the darker shade again.

Start from the outer corner of the lower lash line and go inwards.Merge it with the cream shade we applied in the inner corner of the eye.

Done! This is how you apply eyeshadow on your eyes. If you reach this stage nicely, after this only enhancements such as applying liner on waterline, on upper lashline and mascara on lashes are left.

Line your upper lashline, apply kajal on waterline and apply mascara.

mascara

Apply some loose powder or compact powder to give finishing touch to your eye makeup.

And you are done! This is the simplest eye makeup you can do.:)

Hope it helps. 🙂 Keep Practicing. 🙂

SleeK Eyeshadow Palette sent by brand for consideration

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175 thoughts on “How to Apply Eyeshadow – Photo Tutorial

  1. Wowwww, itna acha eye shadow photo tutorial kabhi nahi dekha :nono: :nono: , You showed all steps didnt ignore a single one, I am loving your eye make up and your effort to make us understand it !!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thanks: :thanks:

  2. You just made it look so simple that i feel even i can do it :dumb: :dumb: :dumb: :dumb: :dumb: :dumb:

    Waise even I have blue nail paint on my nails..same pinch :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:

        1. It has so nice everyday colours :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: Veryy prettyyy..Ratiii,I want to get a new set of brushes,like something I could use easily and which are easily available :sidefrown: :sidefrown:
          What is your pick ?

          1. Oh by the way,is this Sleek ,a UK brand ? I think I have seen its palletes before..my cousin has it :X-P:

          2. ritika, i guess I’d say sigma brushes. one time investment and you are sorted for life… atleast for many years :toothygrin:

  3. :puchhi: :puchhi: :puchhi: :puchhi: you know this is exactly what i wanted…..thk u so much….one more question…..lowerlash line…when i try to spread the color…it cms out like a :panda: :panda: :panda: so rads said dab…dab…dab…..how do u do it ?:) ?:)

    1. priya take less colour and then build it up. may be you are picking up lot of colour and trying to finish up the lining in one go only. ?:)

      thankoo :puchhi:

              1. bt you said you also want to eat.. if you making you toh would anyway eat.. :waiting: whoever is making kookiess send it to me. :smug:

                1. haaan wo to maine aisa hi likh dia 😛 😛
                  abhi u ka happy to u nhi hai 😛 jab hoga tab bhejenge 😀
                  aaj kya mast baaarish hui naa……ekdum jhkkkkassss
                  :jiggy1: :jiggy1: :jiggy1: :jiggy1:

                    1. hain????????????????? 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯
                      yahan to baaaad aa jati agr baarish band na hoti toh 😐 😐 😐
                      bhayankar heavy waali rainfall thi yahan 😐 😐 😐

  4. bhaaarryyyyy nice :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
    me do eye makeup too ,
    thankx for the tutu rati 😀 😀
    :puchhi: :puchhi: :puchhi:

        1. how many eye shadow palettes do u want rtai 😐 😐 😐 😐 😐 😐 😐 😐 :weep: :weep: :weep: :weep: :weep: :weep: :weep:

            1. hihiihhihuhuhuhuu…….. :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:
              dats wht u write ur name in most of ur mails to me, :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:
              rtai…..
              khihkhihki
              ab toh yeh palette aa gyi naa, me no get nangu palette far u :vampire: :vampire: :vampire:

                    1. aur mai toh 1 boook compile kar ri hu,
                      mata rani rati k 101 typozzzz……
                      :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
                      apni place correction k baad u wrote kyaa baar kar ri ho
                      😛 😛
                      i likes u :vampire: :vampire: :vampire: :vampire: :vampire: :vampire:

                    2. jinal…… :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy:
                      shaabaaaash cheethi…… :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:

                      rati…….. :shying: :shying: :shying: :shying: :shying: :stars: :stars: :stars: :stars: :stars:

                    3. hehe…..Rati aap aaj tired ho kya? Inniii saari typo…hawww…..hehe :puchhi:
                      Nupur….. :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy:

  5. :yes:
    This photo tutorial was very helpful and to the point….Ab lagta hai ki even I can at least try it out. I usually avoid eyeshadows,because it just isn’t my thing.But the tutorial makes it look like fun,so maybe. :dumb: :dumb: :dumb:
    :thanks: …If only my mum would let me get an eyeshadow palette. :waiting:

    1. pragnata you can buy maybelline eyeshadow quads na.. they are quite nice. For starting you can give those a try. :)) you know once this basic comes in place then you can keep experimenting with different looks and eyeshadows. 🙂

      1. Hihi~ You say my name wrong,dear Rati! :rotfl: You may call me Pragnya. =D
        and thanks so much for the suggestion!! 😀 I will try one of them once I finish getting myself some certain specific items on my wishlist! :stars:
        Also,this is probably a little random,but you have very pretty apple cheeks! 😀
        Almost edible like. Haha~ :toothygrin:

          1. :lol2: It’s alright,I get it a lot anyway. 😀

            hihi~ Don’t mention it

            …But of course. :makeup: Hopefully I’ll get it today…or sometime this month. :whistle:

  6. thanks ratidoo. i always have such chutku chutku problems with eyeshadow application. this tutorail has resolved all of those :toothygrin:

  7. U know Rati…I needed this tutorial-even though I have somehow learnt to apply shadows-still I miss out on the blending part-especially near the V-but recently I have discovered how nice the eyes look with a little highlighting shade in the inner corner…Thankuuuuu Rati-I will save the pics and make a slideshow for lookup 🙂 :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose:

    1. awww!! that is a good idea.. i think i should also do slideshow tutes .. the kinds we do for sunday bazaarr… good idea na.. 😛 😛

      i should be thanking you. :pigtail:

      1. Fraanship me no sari …no-thenk you…. becoz If I start thanking you it will become an infinite loop… hehehe :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :teddy: :heart: :heart: :heart: :rose: :rose: :rose:

  8. Ratiii..I accessed imbb through my cellphone in the evening and it looks amazing. Installs so fast and disabling smileys was a good call,the pages got loaded so soon :love: :love: :love: :love:

      1. 🙂 For others who are having trouble with IMBB’s new mobile version, there is an option at the bottom of the main page to switch to the desktop version. 🙂

        1. I will see that too 🙂
          Sanjeev,there was a problem I saw..the comments were according to the time tag and not according to who replied who ,if you are getting me 😐

        1. haan i msged u abt that too na rati….it is such a blessing…except i cant comment…it routes me to a page where i need to confirm mail id….so too much of work there…but am happy that i can atleast read and that too fast fast

          1. haann… bt i toh have a mahaan phone na so i cnat even see what’s happening.. :smug: I’ll tell this to sanjeev and see if he can do smething about it. 😀

  9. Thats a good one . the best part was mentioning which brush to use along with its number 🙂 . am learning. very useful !!

  10. WOW thats a perfect tutorial

    I think all I need now is a good set of brushes

    Hmm I knw sigma is the best but any other less xpnsive alternative to it coz I do such heavy make up’s v rarely

    Wat abt Vega Brushes?

    1. VH, yeah vega brushes you may try but you wont be able to find good blending or pencil brushes. If you are in Delhi, you may pick colorbar brushes. 🙂

  11. That is an awesome tutorial, Rati. You made it look simple! I’m bad at putting eyeshadow, this is very useful! :yahoo: And I love your eyeshadow palette, what a gorgeous shade!

    1. Thank you Bhumycka. 🙂 I’ll show you the palette in detail. You can order it online and it’s not that expensive and pretty good. :))

  12. Getting back to basics is always useful! and I love how you do your eyeliner Rati, its so thin!!! :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho: …. I always fail at trying to make it a thin line, since I have hooded eyes, even with those felt tip liners :weep:

    1. thank you LP. 🙂 have 2-3 more basic tutes that I want to do. I hopes i upload them soon. 🙂

      For hooded eyes , may be you could just tightline .. ummm or go through some of Suma’s tutes. She does a fab job with her hooded eyes. 🙂

      1. I do tightline from time to time, but most of the time I end up with a stye no matter how much I disinfect the pencil or any new pencil I use. Thanks for the suggestion Rati, Suma does eyemakeup really well so I would go take a peek 🙂

  13. I just needed this one, thanks a ton rati, u explained everything so clearly, did not leave even the minute details…..Thankoooo again, it was very very helpful :))

  14. Very nice Rati…..will keep coming back to this basic eye makeup…..I have loads of eye brushes now…..but all of them are useful!

    Keep it up! :yes:

      1. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: 😆 😆 :lol2: :lol2:

        ek bhi nahi…..its more than $25……..

        I use EcoTools, one Sonia K and couple other drugstore brands…..EcoTools work pretty well….

            1. I have one…and its good quality…..its a smudging brush….or you can use in crease or outer eye for V effect….its similar to MAC 219…..

              The bristles stay firm and dont fall out when I wash it.

                1. oh! for some reason we have no good drugstore brands for brushes.. it’s only mac or inglot. TBS is also there but they just ahve the basic brushes . :((

  15. very very very useful tut rati.. its gonna help many :jalwa: :jalwa: :jalwa: :jalwa: .. i too do the lid part in similar manner but ye blending abhi bhi karni seekhni hai :toothygrin: :toothygrin: .. i do inner corner same way n lower lashline too but ye blending part is :stars: :stars:

    1. hihihihihi nids you toh have a lovely brush set also na.. try .. it’ll look nicer. you toh have pweetty eyes , they’ll look pwettier :makeup:

      1. haan haan.. u udaoo my mazzaaakkk now :tongue: :tongue: .. achha tell me which is the blending brush in inglot. i want to order tht.. :)) :))

            1. they also have 4SS , which is a dupe of mac 244 but you may find it quite bigger for application. 6ss is less fluffier and would give a precise application.

  16. I use the MAC one you gave me or I use Inglot one…me copycat copy copycat :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup: :makeup:

  17. I m frm Hyd Rati 🙂 bt i think colorbar has online shopping ryt wil chk if i can get brushes in dat site

  18. Aaah that site doesn’t have brushes hmmmm Rati wat abt TBS brushes any idea?
    Also any alternative fr d fluffy concealer brush u use?

    1. TBS brushes are really nice. 🙂 super soft bt they also dont have a proper blending brush.. you’d get the flat brush in that. and super awesome kabuki brush. 😀

      i have seen that fluffy brush only in sigma, inglot and mac. :((

  19. This was such basic tut Rati…. very precise and simple…loved it 🙂 :))

    Btw what nail paint are you wearing? Me loving that blooooo :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

  20. Rati, bourjois kabuki brush price is Rs 480 re, so me thinking if I add few more bucks, I can body shop wala na? Whats the current price of body shop kabuki price?? Body shop me sale laga he kya???

    1. tapas it’s for 1145 abhi even after sale it would be max 20 percent less so you see if it fits your budget. i think they’d have sale within this month only. 🙂

  21. I wanted another thing, me thinking of buying some Mac products, so wanted to know whats the price of Mac wonder woman Utility Belt Face Brush Set and wonder woman blush duo

    1. I’ll post the palette photees today. you;’d love them bee. :)) Have a bit of fall out but gorgeous color payoff and not too expensive. This palette is for $ 12. 😀

  22. Hey Rati thanks fr the inputs 🙂
    I have already ordered sum brushes frm buyincoins.com
    dey r nt ecotools but sum other brand
    waiting fr dem to cum 🙂 🙂
    Might ask u on der usage if i have any doubts

  23. Great Rati, for pros like you you wont even realise that this is needed.but its of gr8 help for people like me..for whom eye makeup is only Liner & macara!!!!!

  24. every step so nicely explained..i have recently started wearin eye shadows..n this tut will be of great help..thnx Rati 🙂

  25. rati, i have a request for you….pls cater to it, if possible…
    i have lakme trio earth blush, i use it pretty well, but somehw i dont think i am using each of the 3 blushes that well…

    can you please put a tute explaining of how it can be used, i mean all the 3 blushes, also pls show me the brushes that you use…as they have not provided any brush…and i am not sure if what i am doing is correct :worship: :worship:

  26. Awesome Rati !!
    Just loved the tutorial. So explanatory with very clear pics !! you are doing a great job!! :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:
    I am gonna bookmark this page. This is a huge help for a starter like me. :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

    :thanks:

  27. dear,
    Rati jst wanna knw hw to b a member of this blog,jst luvin this blog….
    nd u hve gt a vry beautyful eyebrows ha….. 😐

    1. Ashmita,
      I am new here too. I think you should send email to her id which is there in Contact section. I did the same and I got a reply saying she will get back to me. Not sure if that is an automated email message. I am still waiting for her email

      Rati,
      So many of us are interested in your blog. You guys are doing a great job :waytogo:
      One suggestion, can you please mention something about how to become a member, how to do posts here, etc.. because I am not even sure if I am allowed to post in this blog. Some info about your usual process would be really helpful for the new users. Thanks Rati !!

      1. Ashmita and Suganya,

        Umm..you are already a member of this blog. 🙂 But if you are asking about posting a review, send it to the email ID mentioned in the contact section.

        We try to reply to emails as much as we can but there are always emails left to reply. This cannot be helped. The blog takes nearly all our time and replying to emails can only be done when we are free.

        But if you want to post some review, just send it as an MS word file to us. If it’s good enough, we shall post it with your name. 🙂

          1. Sanjeev,
            Ofcourse I knew Rati & you are the master minds :woot:. I assumed that it’s her email id that’s there in contacts section and also I’ve been a silent reader for so many days now. Apart from the posts, I do read the comments which is even more interesting and people talk about Rati all the time. Not just that !! The post about your Dubai trip says it all :heh:

  28. thanks a lot for this post!!! i was waitin for such a tutorial!! :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: been experimentin on my poor roomies till now 😀

  29. Rati this is awesome…I needed this…Thank u :teddy: :teddy:
    GOSH!! I was missing IMBB badly last few days and wow so many posts to read up.. :whistle: :whistle:

  30. Very detailed and helpful post Rati….The problem i face is blending… When I blend, i do it all over, around, outside the eye…:-(..

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