Eyeshadow is commonly used to enhance the eyes by giving the eyes more depth and making them stand out further. For many, it can be an expression of art. Eyeshadow can also compliment your overall makeup look, there are many benefits to applying eyeshadow but then again if you do not apply it properly it can look like a hot mess on our eyelids.
so the question arises why would your eyeshadow look bad? There will be a few reasons if you don’t use the correct eyeshadow color, or even forget to use an eyeshadow primer which helps keep your eyeshadow intact, even if you have oily eyelids will affect how bad your eyeshadow will look.
Forgetting To Apply Eyeshadow Primer
As a newbie to makeup one of the main reasons why my eyeshadow looked horrible is because I didn’t know what an eyeshadow primer was. My eyeshadow would always crease and fade off throughout the day which would annoy the hell out of me, I eventually discovered eyeshadow primer which is usually applied before applying any eyeshadow, it allows the eyeshadow to last longer.
Eyeshadow primers allow your eyeshadow to stick to the eyelid preventing any fading and creasing of the eyeshadow. Another benefit to using eyeshadow is that it allows it to look a lot more vibrant and brighter which will help your eyes stand out more.
In regards to glitter eyeshadows, it’s best to use glitter eyeshadow primers. The formulations for glitter eyeshadow primers are usually more sticky, which means it allows the glitter eyeshadow to adhere to the eyelids. By using a glitter eyeshadow primer it prevents fallout of the eyeshadow along with any glitter particles.
When using an eyeshadow there are times you wish to use glitter, you will need to use an eyeshadow primer that would be able to sit on your eyelid and the glitter would need to be able to stick to the primer. If the glitter is not sticking to the eyeshadow then it means the primers formulation is not right and you will need a new eyeshadow primer.
Having Oily Eyelids
The second reason why your eyeshadow may look horrible is that you may have oily eyelids. Oily eyelids can cause your eyeshadow to crease and even change the formulation of your eyeshadow. A way to prevent oily eyelids from destroying your eyeshadow is by applying translucent powder to the eyelids before your eyeshadow primer and eyeshadow. By applying a translucent powder to the eyelid it absorbs the oils which prevent your eyeshadow from being destroyed.
These are the following steps that should be taken before applying the eyeshadow to your oily eyelids.
Step 1: Apply a translucent powder with a fluffy eyeshadow brush all over the eyelids
Step 2: Apply eyeshadow primer all over the eyelid
Step 3: Apply eyeshadow to the eyelid
Not Using The Correct Eyeshadow Brush
Eyeshadows that aren’t blended out correctly with the right tools can cause your eyeshadow to go on patchy. It can make things When applying eyeshadows, it’s really important to use the appropriate eyeshadow brushes.
Eyeshadow brushes blend out the eyeshadow evenly on the eyelid, using an eyeshadow brush to blend out eyeshadows it gives your eyeshadow an airbrush finish. There are only a few formulations that allow you to use your fingers when applying eyeshadow to the eyelids.
There are three main eyeshadow brushes that every makeup bag should have in it:
Small eye shadow brush: This brush allows you to apply eyeshadow in the inner corner of the eyes and gives you more precision to work with.
Medium width eyeshadow brush: Allows you to apply eyeshadow all over the eyelid
Tapered eyeshadow brush: Allows you to blend the eyeshadow out in the crease and all over the lid and has a more fluffy and soft texture.
Eyeshadow crease brush: Is usually rounded and stiff and allows you to apply eyeshadow in the creases of the eyelids.
These formulations are usually cream and mousse formulations which usually pick up more products by using your fingers if an eyeshadow brush was to be used it would cause the formulation to apply streakily.
Dirty Eyeshadow Brushes
Another reason why your eyeshadow may look like a mess is because of the dirty eyeshadow brushes. These can change the color and affect the application of the eyeshadow, It’s really important to wash your brushes regularly so you don’t face this common problem.
Darker colored eyeshadows that remain on the eyeshadow brush can destroy the pigmentation of lighter colored eyeshadows that are supposed to be applied on the same eyelid.
Depending on the formulation of the eyeshadow that was last used on the eyelid it can change the texture of the brush causing it to be stiffer which won’t apply the eyeshadow correctly. To be able to avoid this problem check out an article I wrote on how to sanitize your makeup and stop the spread of bacteria over here.
Not Knowing Your Eyeshadow Formula
Another reason why your eyeshadow may look bad is that you may not know how to use your eyeshadow formulation. Different formulations of eyeshadows have different ways to apply the eyeshadow to the eyelids.
Powder Eyeshadows: Come in two forms which are loose and pressed forms. A loose powdered eyeshadow has a lot of falls out once you dip your eyeshadow brush in the eyeshadow. These types of eyeshadows are best applied with your fingers or when mixed with a setting spray. By adding a setting spray to a loose pigment it brings out the true pigmentation.
The other form of powdered eyeshadow is pressed pigment which is usually best applied with eyeshadow brushes.
Cream Eyeshadows Are a cream texture. Many of these formulas have become long-lasting which means that once it settles then it won’t budge. These types of formulas have a lot of pigmentation and are best applied with your fingers when blending out. With this type of formulation, another way to set it is by using powdered eyeshadow for a long-lasting finish.
Liquid Eyeshadows: Have the most intensity. This type of formula needs to be worked with quickly. Sometimes this formulation can be used as an eyeliner due to the level of intensity.
There are four types of finishes when it comes to eyeshadow formulations.
Matte: Has no shine or shimmer it’s known for creating a natural look. The pigmentation is usually at a higher level and works great with defining and sculpting the different eye shapes.
Shimmer: Have a hint of sparkle and offer sheer coverage. Usually with these finishes when applied to the skin the skin underneath would be revealed. These formulas are usually known for highlighting the inner corner and even the brow bone
Satin: Are a blend between and matte and a shimmer. This type of eyeshadow gives a sheen to the eyelids.
Frosted: Has a lot of shine. It’s usually more opaque than a shimmer eyeshadow. This type of eyeshadow can be more difficult to work with due to its formula that may have large chunks and particles. This type of eyeshadow looks bad on mature skin because it can accentuate the fine lines.
By understanding the formulation of eyeshadow will give you an idea of how each eyeshadow will blend on your eyelid. Always swatch your eyeshadow on your arm so you can have an idea of how it will look on the eyelids.
Wearing The Incorrect Eyeshadow Color
When it comes to wearing the right color of eyeshadow it’s really important to understand what shades complement your skin’s undertone. What may look good on one person may look bad on yourself and the reason being is because their skin undertone maybe different from yours. An example would be a cool tone eyeshadow on a warm undertone that will give you a more deadly and ashy look.
There are three different types of skin undertones Cool, Warm, and Neutral. Cooler skin undertones should wear colors that more on the cool side such as ice blues, purples, magenta pinks, and emeralds. Warm eyeshadows would be more oranges, rubies, and pinks. Neutral colors would be more greys, navy blues, and white.
One way to determine your skin’s undertone is by looking at your veins. If your veins are blue then it means your skin tone is more likely to be on the cool side. If your veins are more on the green side then it means your skin’s undertone is more on the warm side.
Not Knowing Where To Apply Your Eyeshadow
One of the most common mistakes that are made when it comes to applying eyeshadow on the eyelids is applying one solid color all over the eyelid. This can make the eyes appear a lot smaller especially if your eye shape is already small. There are basic three steps that should be considered when it comes to the application of eyeshadow.
The three shades to consider are a highlight color, mid-tone, and contour color.
The highlight color is usually applied in the inner corner of the eyes and on the brow bone. This color is usually a shimmer and brings forward the features when the light hits it.
A mid-tone color is usually a deeper color than the highlight shade. The purpose of the mid-tone is so that it can start reshaping your eyelids. This color usually starts at the front of the crease of the eyelid to the outside corner which helps create the perfect shape for applying a mid-tone color.
The contour color is usually the deepest shade. The contour shade will usually give your eye shape more of an in-depth color which will help reshape your eyelid. This usually adds definition to the eye shape and is applied in the crease of the eyelid and blended out to the outer half of the eyelash line.
Not Using Complimentary Colors For Your Eye Color
Another reason why eyeshadow is not popping on your eyelids is that you’re not looking at the colors that compliment your eye colors but instead looking at dull colors that don’t compliment your eye color.
One of the main benefits of using eyeshadow daily is finding a color that complements our eye color. It’s really important not to take this for granted. If we now apply the color wheel to our eye color then we will understand that the colors that are opposite from the color wheel will complement our eye color, this will help the eye color pop.
The following are colors to consider when it comes to applying complementary colors.
Brown eyes: purples, plums, burgundy, navy, bronze, goldens
Blue eyes: copper, raisin, charcoal, golden brown, warm taupe and charcoal
Green eyes: dark purple, warm brown, soft violet, rich taupes
Gray eyes: charcoal, deep burgundy and cool browns
By using the above list will help you find out which colors compliment your eye color.
Avoiding Concealer
As a newbie to eye makeup, the one step that I used to skip was applying concealer. This step is very important, the reason being is because if we put a lot of time and effort into our makeup and not concealing any dark circles around our eye area it can make our eyes appear tired looking.
When we have dark circles around the eye area the eyeshadow might not stand out the way it’s supposed to. Instead what we should consider is looking at ways to conceal the eye area.
Look at concealers that are two shades lighter than your foundation so it can help brighten the eye area. If the dark circles still show through the flesh-toned concealer then it’s best to look at color correcting concealers.
For brown colored dark circles look at peach color correcting concealers
For purple dark circles look at yellow color correcting concealers
Color correcting concealers should be applied under your normal flesh-toned concealers.
Skipping The Eye Creams
If the eye area is not fully taken care of with skincare it can cause your eyeshadow to look flakey. By adding an eye cream to your skincare regime keeps the eye area hydrated and plump. This also helps prevent fine lines and dry skin around the eye area. By implementing this one step it can make your eyeshadow compliment your skin rather than the texture of your skin.
Not Maintaining The Eyebrows
This is one mistake that I always seem to have made when I was an amateur at eye makeup. By not grooming the eyebrows regularly it makes your eyeshadow appear messy looking. Eyebrows are complimentary to the face shape because it frames the face well. It’s important to maintain our eyebrows and have great eyebrow shape by consistently threading and waxing the eyebrows. There should always be three main points to your eyebrows which can be determined through point A, B, and C. point
Point A is where the eyebrow starts ‘A’ is usually the beginning of the eyebrows which can be measured with a small straight stick such as a pencil. Using the pencil it would be held vertically against the side of your nose and this will eventually meet the brows
Point B of the eyebrows determines the arch of the eyebrow. This is where that same straight stick is used horizontally and measured just above the pupil.
Point C is usually the tail of the eyebrow this is where the eyebrow ends. This can be determined through your pencil by placing your pencil against the nostril and it being extended diagonally to the outer corner of the eye.
Once these three points are made they should be connected giving you an understanding of a general eyebrow shape. Once the eyebrows have been shaped it should be trimmed, threaded, and waxed regularly so that it can frame the face beautifully and compliment the eyeshadow.
Using An Expired Formula
Lastly, the reason why your eyeshadow may look like a hot mess is that the formulation of the eyeshadow may simply be expired. Eyeshadows have an expiry date and it is really important to be up to date with this. When certain formulas are out of date the color pay off may not be the same especially with a liquid formulation. It may come out chunky and clumpy.
In regards to pressed formulations, the eyeshadow may appear dull and patchy and may not apply the same as it used to. Always check the labels of your eyeshadow as to how long it lasts, most eyeshadows last from 12 months to 24 months.
Conclusion
In conclusion, by understanding the above tips you can see why your eye shadow won’t look that great. It’s really important to incorporate a lot of steps into your daily eye shadow routine. Eye shadow is supposed to make your eyes stand out and bring forward one of our strong features like our eyes.
It’s important to take necessary steps such as applying eye shadow primers and complementary eye shadow colors. It’s also very important to understand the importance of skincare to help keep the eye area looking bright and vibrant which can help your eye shadow appear even better.