Simply Glamorous: Eye shadow fundamentals

Hello, my name is Ashley, and recently I have been really into make up. Previously I have always done my make-up one basic way and never tried anything to fancy. I have been interested in learning new techniques and new ways to do my make up and that's when I got interested to buy a make-up techniques book. Today, more precisely I am working on the fundamentals of eye-shadow. This reflects on eye shape, eye and hair color, shimmers, matte, etc. After reading Gary Cockerill Simply Glamorous make up book, I have been introduced to the right techniques for different eye shapes, and the right colors to be applying due to eye and hair color. Here are some pictures of the look I created:

These are the colors I used to create the this look

As you can see there is shimmery pinks on my eyelids and hints of gold/brown in the upper crease. I was inspired to use these colors from Gary Cockerill,"Hazel eyes: Purples, rich gold, yellowy browns, dusty pinks, taupes... Red hair: Pinks, golds, greens, olives, black" (Cockerill 119). After reading this, I became much more clear on which colors to use on me to enhance my features. I really focused on the pinks as you can see in the picture.  Here are the colors for different eye colors, skin tones, and hair colors:

Also I was introduced to the eye shape I have. My eye shape is, "upturned, almond".  Knowing your eye shape will help you know where to apply the eye-shadow to give you the best look possible. Personally for me, according to Gary Cockerhill, with my eye shape I can apply eye shadow under the eyes. "The lower lids can sometimes be as pronounced as the top lids, which means you can put eye shadow under the eyes as well, for extra drama" (95). I decided to use this and it truly did complete the look. As you can see in the pictures below my eyes, I included a darker brown/gold color under the lash line.
Here are all the eye shapes that Cockerhill introduces:

This is the eye shapes Cockerill introduced

After reading these few pages from this book I already feel much more confident, and I hope this can a step to you being more confident in your skin! Knowing the right colors and where I should be applying these colors has made me much more confident to leave the house with eye shadow on. I hope you can include some of these tips the next time you are applying eye shadow. I also hope you can use the colors I used to create a look, especially if you have hazel eyes, like me. Also, looking at those pictures I included will help you significantly!

What colors do you think looks best on you? Are you an eye shadow kind of person? What is your eye shape?

Cockerill, Gary, et al. Simply Glamorous: Make-up Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabolous. Jacqui Small, 2015.

Makeup Manual: Eye shadow Basics

I have always had a love for makeup, but i never knew there were so many "rules" you had to follow. I usually just sit at my vanity and play around with makeup trying new techniques, but ever since i started reading Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual by Bobbi Brown, i have learned that makeup is an art and there are different techniques for all skin types, eye shapes, brow shapes, and skin tones. Bobbi Brown has taught me that are multiple techniques in order to achieve a look that fits your eye shape, skin type and facial features the best. 

Today i am focusing on eye shadow basics. Before reading this book I used any random color on my eyes not knowing if it would compliment my eye color. However, Bobbi Brown has taught me that there are certain eye shadows that compliment different eye colors. "For everyday application, pick shades of shadow that bring out the eye color rather than shadows that make a statement" (Brown 94).

This picture above is a guide that Brown placed in her book to help readers discover what eye shadow colors go best with their own personal eye color.

I have green eyes so i created a look using browns with hints of gold (Camel, Taupe; in picture above). When contouring (crease color or transition shade) your eyes , there are different ways to approach this technique depending on what eye shape you have. I personally have deep-set eyes and according to Bobbi Brown, when contouring your eyes, "Deep-set eyes need to be brought out with light and medium shades of shadow. Colors that are too dark recede and will make the eyes look even more deep set" (Brown 96).  

Posted below is the look i created:

I took Brown's advice and used a medium to light brown in my crease to contour it to ensure that i did not make my eyes look even more deep set. I also placed light browns and golds on my lid to help compliment my green eyes.

There were many products used to create this look all the way from multiple eye shadow palettes to the best brushes possible to achieve this look.

For my eye shadow, I used the Urban Decay Naked 2 and the Urban Decay Naked Smokey:

 Urban Decay Naked 2

Urban Decay Naked Smokey

As you can see above, the colors circled are all colors that i used and that are meant to compliment my eye color and eye shape.

To create this look, i first used the light white matte color in the naked smokey palette and placed that all over my eye lid as a base color. Then i took the matte brown from the same palette and placed it in my crease to contour it. I then took the shimmery brown shade in the smokey palette and placed it on top of the matte brown in my crease along with the 2 colors on the far right and far left in the naked 2 palette to add shimmer. Finally, for my lid i took the middle color circled in the naked 2 palette and the far left color circled in the smokey palette to create a light brown/golden shimmer color for my lid.

The brushes that you use are also very important in order to achieve a flawless eye look. For this look i used an eye blender brush, eye smudge brush, and an eye shadow brush. Each of these 3 brushes all do different things. 

I used the eye shadow brush to apply the color to my lid because "This brush has natural, soft, rounded bristles with beveled edges that deposit a sweep of shadow across the lower lid without leaving any harsh lines" (Brown 12). I used the smudge brush to help blend and place the color on the "outer v" of my eye. Lastly i used the blending brush to blend my crease colors and transition shades together because it is "a soft, fluffy, natural-hair brush with long bristles designed to blend eye shadow and eliminate lines of demarcation on the lids after applying multiple shades" (Brown 11).

Posted below are the brushes i used:

The brush on the far left is a dual ended brush. On the top there is a smudge brush and on the bottom there is a blender brush. The brush in the middle is an eye shadow brush and the brush on the far right is a blender brush. 

Now that i finally know what colors work the best for my eye color and shape and what brushes to use in order to achieve it, i am much more confident in my eye shadow looks that i create. I hope that you can benefit from my tips that i learned through Bobbi Brown and i hope that those interested will try to create an eye shadow look that suits their eye color and eye shape the best.

Have you heard of these tips before? What eye color and eye shape do you have? Are you interested in creating this look?

Brown, Bobbi, et al. Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: for Everyone from Beginner to Pro. Springboard Press, 2011.