Eye Shadow Techniques You Ought To Know

from makeup

The shape of most Asian eyelids are flatter than other women's eyes. That's not a bad thing. You can change your look so much because you have a lot of lid space to work with. You just have to know what to do and how to do it.

To create depth, I like to work with eye shadow in layers, with the darkest color closest to the lash line, neutral tones in the middle, and highlight colors at the top to accentuate the brow bone.

You can apply only one color of shadow or layer up to four different shadows. Going beyond that is unnecessary.

Eyeliner is a key item for Asian eyes because we can use eyeliner to create the illusion of different eye shapes and to create focal points and depth. It's also useful to make lashes appear fuller.

Eye Shadow

Notice the different color eye shadows give the eyes a completely different look. For the day look the copper eye shadow is used in layer 2. This makes the eyes look bright, even the pupil looks lighter. For the evening the green eye shadow is blended into layer 3, with a hint of black liner inside her lower eyelid and smudged under the eyes to give her a smoldery look. Two totally different looks but both are beautiful.

For under the eyes, continue to work in layers. For multiple layers work upside down. Layer 4 closest to the lash line, then layer 3, then 2. Of course this needs to be done in very thin layers, given the limited space. Then I like to use layer 1 in the inner corner of the eyes only (optional).

This is the highlight area of the eye. Using a light shimmer or light matte tone accentuates the brow bone and "opens up" the eye. Use light opal tones when working with cool colors and light gold tones when working with warm colors. Use off-white or pale yellow tones for a more natural highlight. When using this layer alone go from the brow bone and blend all the way to the lash line.

Darker Skin

Choose highlight colors in slightly darker tones like gold or a darker opal. Using colors that are too light makes skin appear to be ashy or gray.

Layer 2

When applying this layer of shadow alone it should be a neutral tone. Think of soft, warm colors like taupe. This creates a very natural daytime look. As shown here, you want to start the shadow at the base of the lashes and blend up close to the brow bone.

Using Layer 2 for Evening Styles

If you're going for a smoky evening look or a stronger daytime look this is the layer where you would apply your brighter colors that you might not normally wear, like pinks, purples, greens, and even blues. Add layers 1, 3, and 4 to warm up the look. (Stick with softer or muted versions of the aforementioned colors to give you a more natural look that still has a bit of punch.)

Layer 3

Adding this layer of eye shadow creates a smoky look. I usually choose colors that are darker versions of layer 2, but you can also use dark browns and black shadows for a darker smoky effect. When using layer 3 as the only eye shadow layer, you can use any color: light to create a bright rim around the eye to black to create an evening look. I like to use dark shimmery cream eye shadows in charcoal grays, dark greens, or bronzes.

For thicker eyelids you can also add this color into the crease of the lid to create a dramatic look.

Layer 4

Use eyeliner for this last layer. Typically it's dark brown for day and black for evening. Liner can give the eye a strong or natural look, the illusion of thicker lashes, and add depth to a flat lid. It can also be used to emphasize the shape of the eye. Using this layer alone usually just for period looks.