My first attempts at eyeshadow resulted in messy fallout and smudging by the end of the day. Now I know to always use a primer. It helps the shadow stay put. Many of them also conceal to create a smooth canvas to apply color. I use a Mac Paint Pot in Soft Ochre (I got it a LONG time ago to try out and since it works well I have no reason to replace it) but I also recommend Urban Decay’s Primer Potion. The Original is a great natural base and a little bit goes a long way. They also have some shinier versions for when you want to glam it up with some sparkle!

That is where you are more likely to want to catch the light. When you use reflective shadows on the lid, make sure when you apply them that you don’t go up into the crease.

Reflective shadows just reflect the light, taking away the dimension you get from the depth of the crease. For me this is especially important since I have semi-hooded eyes (see image below). Hooded eyes make it so that unless you blink, your lid is covered and you can’t really see the crease. If I use a shiny crease color the light will reflect and I will look like I have no crease at all. Instead, I use a matte color there and bring the color slightly above my actual crease and blend it out.

(source below)

I can not tell you how much this changes my eye looks. When I don’t do this, my eyes look unfinished. When I do, I look more awake and put together. Crazy, I know, but just try it!

When you start doing more complicated eye looks, start using eyeliner. There are different ways to line your eyes.

1. • Pencil Liner – better on the bottom part of the eye. In my experience, eye pencils can either be too soft (and they smear) or dry (and don’t go on smooth). So, if I use a pencil, it’s for the bottom part of the eye because it can be messy and you can blend it out with a pencil brush. (This one is not like a regular pencil liner and I LOVE it! More in widget below)

1. • Gel Liner – some people love this. I liked it for awhile but I found it hard to apply and I often made it too thick because once I would mess up I would have to even out the other side and it just kept getting thicker and thicker. If you use gel liner, you will need to have a brush that works with it. Here are a few types.

1. • Liquid liner – This is my favorite. There are a few different types of liquid liner. I like ones with a foam rather than brush tip, such as this one here. It’s easy to use and goes on smooth.
   • Black eyeshadow – This actually works great for eyeliner. I got this tip from a YouTuber who suggested that using eyeshadow as a liner looks more natural. It totally does, so for those of you just starting out, this might be a good option. Many palettes come with a black color. Then all you would need is a liner brush.

7. Use the right tools.

Eyeshadow won’t look right if it is flaking off a brush that is too big and fluffy. It will go too far above the crease if the brush is too big. (see video 3 below for some good examples of the different types of brushes) My favorite brushes are:

1. 1. Flat, dense brush to apply color precisely on the lid. (You can also use this brush for eyeshadow under the brow bone and to highlight the inner corner as well)
   2. Thicker, slightly bigger brush for the crease
   3. Pencil brush to smudge out the eyeliner under the eye.
   4. Fluffy, soft brush to blend. (see next tip) – This will be the hardest brush to find because it needs to be fluffy enough to blend and also fit in your eye crease. Since everyone’s crease is different some brushes may be too small and others too big. This is the one I use.

8. Blend, blend, blend.

You will see this in the video below, but basically, blending makes the shadow seem less harsh, especially where the colors meet.

A few of the videos that were on repeat as I learned to do shadow:

This video was one of the first tutorials where I got the gist of where to use colors.

This second video is using the same palette, from my favorite beauty YouTuber, Jaclyn Hill. She has helped me understand where to place shadows and why. The beginning of the clip she focuses on the eyes.

Finally, this last video is by another one of my YouTube favorites, Kathleen Lights. This video is for you if you want to try a natural look that doesn’t break the bank! I bought the Wet and Wild Walking on Eggshells Trio she features in this video and use it every other day. It’s awesome.

The video as a whole is great, but if you want to specifically watch her apply the eye makeup, skip ahead to 12:40.

This one also shows examples of the different brushes for shadow and liner.

Products and Tools from this post:

Well, if you’ve made it this far, way to go! That was a long post. I hope, though, that it was helpful to you. Bookmark it or pin it for when you’re ready to play with eyeshadows and “up the amp.” If you missed the first post in this series, find it here.

If you have any questions or recommendations, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to read!

Today’s post is the first in a series about my Journey Into Beauty. I didn’t start wearing makeup until college and even then I felt awkward applying it. I felt like everyone would be able to TELL I was wearing it. Over the years I’ve realized that makeup helps me feel more grown up and look more professional.

For myself, I started with Foundation and added some blush. Years later I added Mascara and it wasn’t until a year or two ago (and my engagement pictures!) that I finally figured out some eye shadow basics.  Were I to do it over, this is what I would do and so this is what I’m going to recommend:

I love watching youtube beauty bloggers and one step that they all emphasize is to put something underneath your foundation to help it stick. Some people use primers (which I will cover in another post) but moisturizers keep your skin healthy (definitely an important step for beauty!) as well as help your foundation stick. The two pictured above are the two I have used. Simple Ultra-Lightis a water-based, gel moisturizer that is good for combination to oily skin. The Garnier Skin Perfector BB Cream is what I used before I found Simple and is great for the summer because it is tinted. Since it is so pigmented, I often will use it on its own during the summer or with some light powder.

I have always struggled with facial blemishes and a number of beauty bloggers recommended this product. I now use it to conceal blemishes as well as the natural redness that occurs in women around our nose and between the eyebrows. MAC’s Studio Finish Concealer comes in a number of colors to go along with your skin tone as well as what it is you want to conceal. If you have a MAC counter or store nearby (check local department stores) I would definitely check this product out. I apply it with the BareMinerals Max Coverage Concealer Brush for precise application (and because I already had it on hand).

Foundation smooths out your face and evens out skin tone. For a long time I followed the craze and used mineral foundations. I have used a few different brands but the one I liked best (and that I still use often during the summer) is Laura Mercier’s Mineral Powder (or here), applied with a generic kabuki brush I found at Target. It is a powder but still full coverage! The only issue I had with it is that it didn’t quite seem to last through the day.

Most of my beauty bloggers use a liquid foundation applied with either a brush or a beauty sponge. Jaclyn Hill recommends the L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi foundation and Makeup Geek recommend the Revlon Colorstay Liquid foundation. I use both mixed together, applied with a beauty blender sponge almost exactly as in this youtube video.

A big question I had about Beauty Blenders was can I get away with using a cheaper version? The answer is Yes. I only just bought The Original Beauty Blender two weeks ago. I LOVE it because the beauty blender puffs up faster when water is applied and the makeup really does just mostly sit on top of the sponge, saving makeup and making a more flawless finish. However, I was very satisfied with my Real Techniques Complexion Sponge until I tried the Original. The Real techniques is only $6 and lasted for 2 months. I would not use any other brand since the other knock-off brands I’ve tried are made of different materials and did not apply the product in the same way. If you want to try a beauty blender for the first time I would recommend to check your local drugstore (or stop by Ulta) for the Real Techniques brand. If you love it, a jump up to the BB might be the next step.

The last step for “Makeup Firsts” is to add a little blush and mascara. Blush and mascara took awhile for me to get used to because they are for enhancing features rather than just smoothing out a complexion. I haven’t tried a lot of blushes because I’ve been very satisfied with what I’ve been using. I use Bare Minerals Ready Blush in the color Indecent Proposal (brush from Target). For the eyes, per the recommendation of Emily at http://www.thesweetestthingblog.com/, I use Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. It’s spendy but it is awesome. For a cheaper alternative to start out with, try this one from the drugstore.

Well, that ended up longer than I thought but hopefully there were some good tips in there. Stay tuned for the next installment where I plan on focusing on eye makeup.

Many of these items don’t need to be ordered online. Find out your store’s return policy though, in case you don’t pick the right color the first time around. I buy mine at Fred Meyers when I can because they let you return makeup and often have 50% sales on the top brands.