Makeup should emphasize beauty and highlight your best features, not become a mask for which to hide. It is the eyes, the windows to your heart and character that are seen first. Your eyes create a focal point for creativity, fun, and elegance. Therefore, when applying eye makeup, it is necessary to create balance and harmony to reveal your true beauty.

Applying eye makeup can be a frightening concept if you are not equipped with the correct knowledge and equipment. Once you know the basics, you will find that applying eye makeup is fun. All you need is the right color, shadow brushes, an eye lining pencil, an eyelash curler, and mascara.

First, it is important to know that your eyes are a great place to begin to express yourself. Adding color to the eyes will automatically draw attention to them. Because of this, when you apply shadow, choose colors that complement your skin tone and eye color. Use the iris as a guide in choosing your color scheme. You want to create a polished elegant look.

Color Guide:

Blue Eyes To emphasize blue eyes use gray, rose, mauve, purple, orange, peach, gold, or any shade of bronze. When selecting a shade of blue to go with the eyes follow the rule of opposites. (If the eye is dark blue, use sky blue; if the eye is icy blue, use darker blues, even indigo.)

Green Eyes To emphasize green eyes use chestnut, royal purple, violet, plum, forest green, and brown. If the iris is a deep green, try using a darker eye shadow; if the iris is a pale green use a pale green eye shadow.

Hazel Eyes To emphasize the green in hazel eyes use royal purple, rose, violet, and forest green. To make the eye more brown, use chestnut.

Brown Eyes To emphasize brown eyes use copper, bronze, champagne, beige, forest green, gold, and other metallics. Using shades of green will complement brown eyes.

Brown-Black Eyes To emphasize deep brown eyes use tones that are lighter and pearly to bounce more light. Try a sheer green.

The secret to applying Eye Makeup

When applying eye makeup, remember that a small amount goes a long way. It is best to start applying the shadow lightly, building up to intensity desired. Since you can alter the shape and look of your eyes using eye makeup, begin by tracing the brow bone with your finger or shadow tool to get a feel for the shape of your eye. It is important to note that you do no want to apply eye shadow above your brow bone; rather, you will be blending upward towards the brow bone.

How to use a brush to apply your eye shadows

Apply your shadow using a shadow brush in a medium size. The brush will give you more control. A larger eye shadow brush will give more coverage for the total eye. A smaller shadow brush will give a more defining line. Keep in mind that you will want to use a synthetic brush for creams and a natural hair brush for powder. Using these brushes for specific eye makeup will make clean-up easier.

1. Begin applying the shadow to the mobile eye, making sure that the shadow covers evenly and is blended carefully in an upward movement. Remember to blend toward the brow bone. Keeping the brush moving in circular movements will help create an even blend of color. Shadow should be applied toward the lachrymal area, or inner corner, and blended.

2. Apply the shadow on the opposite eye. Be sure to create equal looks. Uneven shadow will upset the balance and harmony.

3. Apply the eyeliner to the top of the eye, close to the lashes. This will create thickness. You can also line the bottom lashes lightly for a more dramatic and defined look. Remember that when you apply loner, black is more commonly used for nighttime and brown or navy for daytime.

4. For more emphasis, apply a pearly white or ivory in the inner corner of the eyes and above the brow bone to highlight the eyes. Blend carefully so that the shadow highlights and does not appear as a polka dot in the corner of the eye or a harsh line below the brow.

5. Finish applying eye makeup with mascara. Curl the lashes to further open the eyes. Once again, when applying eye makeup, it is best to begin with a light coat of mascara on both top and bottom lashes. You can build intensity by applying another coat, depending on the look desired. Look up when applying mascara to the lashes.

Critical factors to consider when applying eye make up

Remember: Your goal is to emphasize your natural beauty and create harmony. Keep these factors in mind when selecting and applying your eye makeup:

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