I was lucky enough to have a mother who taught me the art of makeup from an early enough age. I used to makeover my younger sister, Emily, and do photo shoots with her. Makeup has been in my life for what seems like a very long time, and I will never give that up.
I had the pleasure of doing my friend's makeup for her husband's homecoming, but sadly did not get a picture. She has told me on several occasions that she does not know how to do her makeup, let alone apply eye shadow properly. I decided to do a "basics" series, that will hopefully give some hints & tips on what tools are needed that will help achieve any eye shadow look you want.
First, brushes. I cannot put enough emphasis on using brushes to apply eye shadow. Brushes will make your life a million times easier. Brushes range anywhere from $1 to $50 and up. The most I have spent on a brush is $34, my very first foundation brush from MAC. It is still in perfect shape even though it is close to 8 years old. My cheapest brushes were $3 from Target by e.l.f. Don't you know my $3 brushes are the most amazing concealer & contour brushes ever!?! I suggest starting off with four types of brushes (pictured below):
Pencil brush. Good for lining top and bottom lash line. The "pencil" will put color exactly where you want it to go, hence perfect for lining. The one I have is by Sonia Kashuk from Target and costs about $7.
Contour brush. Use this brush to add color into your crease line. It is domed, almost like a pencil eraser in shape. I have tried using other types of brushes for my crease, but color gets all over the place or not enough is distributed evenly. The one I have is also from Target by e.l.f.brand. It is literally called "contour brush" and only costs $3!!! (There has been absolutely no shedding of the bristles and the brush stays in shape through multiple washings.)
Flat brush. My all time most favorite brush in the world is the MAC 239 shader brush. It has a tapered, rounded edge with firmer bristles. I cannot remember when I got this brush, but it has passed the test of time. I use it to pack color on my lids, get in the inner corner or brow bone for a high light. It picks up color very well and applies it smoothly. This brush costs $25 and is the one brush that I recommend most.
Fluffy brush. Good for distributing color all over the eye, (lid and brow bone). This one is the Sephora Classic Collection Crease Shadow Brush. But I hate it for in my crease, it is too big, so I use it mainly for my brow bone or to blend shadows. The cost is $16.
After you have your brushes ready, the first step is primer. Without primer, eye shadow does not stick to the lid, the colors are muted, and won't last all day. Loreal, Urban Decay, Nars, (most brands) carry an eye primer. I have currently been using Too Faced's Shadow Insurance. I squeeze some onto my pointer finger and blend it all over my eye. Let it dry for a minute or two and you're ready.
Cream, powder, long lasting, chalky, bright, nude. Eye shadow can be scary. There are so many colors from so many brands to choose from. Where to start? First do you want to wear bright colors? Or is a more natural eye your style? Shadow preferences are different depending on the person. I personally am not afraid of color, but have learned to tone it down so I don't wind up looking like a clown. For beginners I suggest picking up a natural palette. Wet 'n' Wild has great pigmentation for very cheap. I am not a fan of Cover Girl shadows, they are chalky and don't last long. MAC has the most amazing pigmentation I have ever had in a shadow. My favorite natural eye shadow palette though, is Urban Decay's Naked 1. All of the shades can be mixed and matched together for a flawless look. There are matte shadows as well as shimmers, 12 colors in all for $52. It seems pricey, but the breakdown is just over $4 a shade.
Mascara can be scary as well. There are so many to choose from!!! I suggest CoverGirl's Clump Crusher as a basic overall amazing mascara. Not only is it around $7, the wand is amazing...I have yet to get any clumps from it and it lasts longer than and works better than most of my high end $20 - $30 mascaras. Again, mascara is a personal preference thing that you have to shop around for to find the one that you like.
Whew, that was lengthy, but I hope you found it useful. For me, makeup is trial and error. Sometimes something I had high hopes for failed for me miserably, but thank goodness for good return policies! If you don't like something you bought, don't be afraid to return it, even if it is used. Look around, read reviews if ordering from Sephora or Ulta, or watch You Tube videos on products you are interested in.
I really love your writing style. I wish I could wear makeup, besides my under eye cover, I don't got much else. Keep it up Girly.
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