How To Blend Your Eye Shadow Like A Pro…

Having recently posted a number of my favourite make-up looks a few of you lovely ladies lavished me with some rather blush-inducing compliments on my blending skills and very kindly requested a run through of my how I create my eye looks. Never one to disappoint, who I am to turn down the opportunity of a fun tutorial, right gals? 😉

Okay, so some of you might remember in my last spree I picked up this interesting looking little goodie! It’s the Work The Colour palette from Collection in the Shade Purple. Yep, most definitely keeping it simple over in the naming department of Collection HQ…

  

Being a huuuuge fan of these stunning tones I couldn’t resist the treat, and at a mere £3.99 it happily made it’s way into my guilt-free shopping basket. Considering that the colours are soft, easy to blend, produce impressive pigmentation & are surprisingly long lasting, it seemed a perfect choice for using in today’s feature. Best of all it has a rather helpful little step-by-step tutorial on the back for those that feel more confident having a little bit of guidance close to hand.

Let’s get blending ladies…

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Starting with a completely naked face *Ooo Err* it’s time to load the lids up with my favourite primer. I’m a huge fan of the Urban Decay Primer Potion which helps my shadow from creasing and keeps the colours looking vibrant throughout the day… & well into the night I must add too. Creating your eye-shadow look before applying foundation is a great way to avoid any fall out or messy mishaps in advance.

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In order to give my shadow a clean, airbrushed look I place a small amount of tape either side’s of my eyes. Before applying the tape I always tend to dab the sticky side on the back of my hand a few times so it’s not too painful or dramatic when it comes to removing later in the process. Whatever you do just make sure you avoid covering your bottom lashes so as you don’t give yourself and unexpected waxing – ouch!

I usually keep this mini tape dispenser in my shadow drawer so it’s always close to hand. I tend to find the semi opaque magic tape works the best. Surgical tape is also ideal which can be picked up in pretty much any supermarket or local drug store!

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The great thing about this little palette is how easy peasy they’ve made it to follow. Whether you’re a newbie to blending or simply just wanting to experiment with new shades, it’s literally as simple as 1,2,3.

  

1) I start off by applying a generous amount of the lightest shadow (No 1) all over the lid, taking it slightly up past the crease and working it towards the outer corner of the eye where the tape is.

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2) Using a clean brush, begin applying the medium colour (No 2) on the middle of your lid & blend it softly out toward the edge of the tape. I find using a slightly stiffer brush and patting it down helps to build a pop of colour, especially when applying lilac or soft grey which can often seem a bit weak in pigmentation. Remember, adding layers is always better than piling on huge amounts so gently does it!

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Finally it’s time to add the darkest shade to the outer crease in order to add a sassy sprinkling of depth & definition. I tend to prefer using a small fluffy brush for this step as it blends the colour out a little more softly. Once again start off with a small amount and build until you have the depth of tone you require.

Once you’re done SLOWLY remove the tape to reveal a beautifully sharp shadow line! If you notice any shadow fall out on your cheeks then simply use a wet wipe to remove & you’re ready to move on to the next stage

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Once you’ve finally applied the remainder of your make-up (face, lips & brows) it’s then back to the eyes for some highlighting. For those that prefer a little less sparkle the highlighter in this palette is a soft concealer consistency as opposed to a sparkly powder so you’re at minimal risk of resembling a disco ball. I tend to prefer using a small flat brush that is easy to run along the edges of the brow including the inner corner. This adds a lovely little pop of brightness to help bring out the colour of your eyes.

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Once your done all’s left is to add the finishing touches. As I’ve already applied my Rimmel Glam Eye’s Professional Liquid Liner my last step is to add some mascara. For this I’m using one of my current favourites, Max Factor False Effect – two coats and I’m ready to go!

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What’s a favourite step in your make-up routine? Have you a favourite brand of shadows you adore dressing your lids with? Or have you any shadow application tips you’d like to share? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below. As always thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

Cheerio chums…

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