Eye makeup is usually what catches me and most people I talk to off guard. I usually notice that most questions that I get asked by friends or otherwise are almost always related to eye makeup. While it isn’t rocket science, because of the limited area and the sheer amount of products to be used, people are usually confounded by the idea of creating eye makeup looks or using eyeshadow is somehow daunting. Well, we put our heads together at the beauty table and came up with some eye makeup tips and tricks to take you from beginner to pro. Don’t worry, most of them are quick and time-saving!
1. Line your waterline according to your makeup look
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You might have heard a lot of times that if you want to look brighter and more awake you should line your waterline with a white or a nude eye colour for the doe-eyed look. This definitely works, but not when you have an intense eye look going on. With such looks, you will usually line the bottom lash line as well. So lining the waterline with a nude eye pencil just looks out of place. Use this trick when you have heavy lashes on or most of your eye makeup is concentrated on your upper lid for a doe-eyed effect.
2. It’s OK to make mistakes
I know the moment you finish perfecting your eye makeup and then open your eyes too soon after mascara or eyeliner and see those tiny dots on your lid. Those dots are almost as awful as when you’re waiting for someone’s reply on iMessage. But here’s a super awesome trick we learnt from celebrity makeup artist and Plixxo influencer, Namrata Soni. Use a Q-tip to clear the mistakes, but unlike popular beliefs, don’t dip it in eye makeup remover. Instead, just wait for the dots to dry then take the Q-tip, lightly press it on the dot and lift it off your lid by rolling the Q-tip on the dot. You’re basically creating a suction for that particle to come off without smudging or ruining the rest of your eye makeup. Cool right?
Also Read: Makeup Hacks For Eyes and Skin
3. Invest in a shadow stick
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Seriously, friends, this is a time and life saver. Buy an eyeshadow stick and dump it in your bag with a kohl pencil and a mascara. A sudden night out? Do a quick smokey eye by covering half your lid with the shadow stick and smudging it out with your fingers lightly. Tightline your eyes with the kohl and use it as an eyeliner on your upper lash line as well. Add 2 coats of mascara, and paint the town red! Urgent meeting? Take the shadow stick and use it as an eyeliner. Apply some mascara and get that contract.
Also Read 8 Makeup Tips To Enhance Your Brown Eyes
4. Use a blow-dryer on your eyelash curler
Need a falsies effect without falsies? You need two different mascaras one for volume, one for curling and lengthening. Then you need an extra mascara wand, some loose powder, an eyelash curler and your blow dryer. This is a little extra work but trust me, your lashes will go from meh to va-va-voom! Hold your blow dryer against your curler for about 30 seconds. Then wait until it is lukewarm and curl your lashes. Dip the extra mascara wand in the loose powder and generously apply the powder through your lashes on top and below. Again curl your lashes the same way, then apply the volumising mascara with a zigzag motion from root to tip. Now comes the tricky part, apply another coat of the loose powder but remember just do it once in an upward motion to avoid clumping. Then add the lengthening mascara but focus on the ends. Trust me, this works! Another thing I like to do is do one eye at a time instead of getting both done.
5. Fill, line and set your brows
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This excruciating heat is painful, and you don’t feel like putting anything on your face. But you gotta meet some people and can’t go with a bare face, well seriously, just do your brows properly. Just that. Fill them in and set them and watch your face transform. Add a bright lip and you will be ready for anything!
6. The fullproof method of applying falsies
I know applying them is so difficult, but I mean you need to put in some work into the falsies before you even begin to apply them. Just like our personalities, our eyes are not the same. But falsies come in a standard size. The first thing you need to do is measure the lashes against your eyelid and then cut off the ends if needed. Sometimes the lashes are too long and they bother the inner corner of your eyes and the bridge of the nose, so they don’t fit right and keep coming off. Now invest in a black eyelash glue instead of the white. When you apply the lashes, just before you do, wrap the lashes around a makeup wand or stick and hold it there for 30-45 seconds. This gives the strip a curve which sits right on your lid. Finally, always use tweezers or an eyelash application tool, this gives you more control over the application. And instead of looking up, look down. Keep your mirror a little lower, a semi shut eyelid gives you more control on the placement.
7. Always conceal your under-eye area
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Okay don’t do it if your going absolutely sans makeup, but if you apply mascara, eyeliner or even do an everyday eye makeup look, ensure you take care of the under eye area. The eye makeup, however subtle, draws the attention to your eyes and also highlights your dark circles.
8. Avoid panda eyes
All you kohl lovers, this is what you do to avoid your kohl line from running and smudging. First, take a thin eyeshadow brush and take a black or whatever colour you’ve used and set your kohl with it. Then take a flat eyeshadow brush that is clean and dip it in tinted powder or compact and a line adjacent to your kohl line. This should keep it in place.
9. Your wings need an artist
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No, I don’t mean enroll in a painting class, I mean you can if that’s your interest but not to paint your wing. What you do is use a think eyeliner pencil and draw out your wing, even fill it in. That gives you more precision and mistake control. Once you’re okay with the shape of your wing, top it off with a liquid liner.
10. The leakproof method of applying glitter
I am loving some of these glitter pigments but I am always afraid of walking around with a full face of glitter. Instead of using the pigment by itself, dip your brush in your favourite liquid highlighter or glowy fixing spray, then pick the powder up and dab it on your lid. This allowed precision and gives you more pigmentation.
Bonus: Use all your makeup as eye makeup
Just for a fresh change, top your lid with your favourite highlighter and blush or use your favourite liquid lipstick for a different coloured eyeliner.
We hope these tricks help!