Whether you like a subtle look or nighttime drama, using the proper eyeshadow colors gives you a finished presentation and a touch of glam. Some people focus on coordinating their eyeshadow color with their other makeup or with their outfits, but you can also use eyeshadow to create a standout look or to complement your eye color. Make the most of your eye makeup by trying out different products, brushes and effects to determine which applications emphasize your assets.
Smoky Eye
The mysterious and moody smoky eye look can incorporate various eyeshadow colors. Avoid stark black, which adds too much drama for this more understated effect. Instead, go with kohl, blue gray or even a deep brown. A bronze or steel blue liner ramps up the smoky eye look, giving it some shine. Brighten the brow bone and the under eye area with a sweep of peach or beige.
Two Tone
Applying two tones of eyeshadow can brighten your eyes and make a more dramatic look. An everyday two-tone application, suitable for work and play, begins by using an eyeshadow brush to apply a neutral hue in a peach or earth tone over the entire eyelid and up to the brow bone. For detail work, use a smaller brush to add eyeshadow darker than the neutral from the area right above your eyelid down to the lash line. Create a half-moon shape by brushing across the area a few times. Make eyes appear wider by using a lighter application or a lighter shade on the inner corner of your eyelid and gradually darkening the tone as you sweep outward.
Eye Color and Eyeshadow
Certain eyeshadow colors bring out your eye color. A classic pairing with blue eyes is a deep, blue-based hue, such as violet, stone gray, dark blue, purple and blue-based smoky black. For a bit of contrast, try a blue-based rose as an accent eyeshadow. Complement green or hazel eyes with dark khaki, forest green, plum or apricot, or add a dash of copper or gold for evening. Brown eyes look their brightest when you use bronze, beige, tangerine, champagne, copper, light khaki green or lime green. If your brown eyes have flecks of gold color, bring them out with gold eyeshadow as a highlight. Navy blue and charcoal work with virtually any eye color.
Photo Credit
- applying eyeshadow image by Tracy Martinez from Fotolia.com
