Hoarding eyeshadow palettes, starring bomb eyeshadow looks on the ‘Gram, yet ending up sticking to the same eye makeup each time. Sounds like you? We’re talking the same basic eye makeup look on repeat mode. Well, time to step out of our comfort zone and try on more dramatic eye makeup looks. Pro-disclaimer: Once you take this road, there’s no going back.
From bold brights to comfy neutrals, the choice of hues for your eye makeup can transform your entire look with just a few swipes. It’s time you explore the magic you can create with your dream palette.
Scroll on to discover varied eyeshadow looks and learn how to execute them like a seasoned pro.
1. Smoky
What’s it all about: Dark eyeshadow is applied to the upper and bottom lids and blended towards the outer corner for a smoky effect. The goal is softly blended edges and no harsh lines.
How to achieve this look: Start by patting a shimmery highlighter onto the inner corners of your eyes. Sweep the darker shade over the lids and blend towards your crease with fingers. Also apply this shade at the outer edge of your lower lids and sweep it across with a brush. Next apply the transition shade from halfway up your eyelid towards the crease and blend it downward to achieve an ombre effect with the dark shade.
Nykaa Recommends: Deborah Perfect Smokey Eye Palette - 03 Black Smokey
2. Metallic hues
What’s it all about: A shimmery eyeshadow look is created with metallic-finish shades. Less is more when it comes to this look, and it’s recommended to stick to just a couple of shades.
How to achieve this look: Start off by applying a primer over your lids to make your metallic shade glide smoother and stay vibrant. Now dab and sweep a metallic hue, blending towards the crease. To tone down the sheen factor, pair the metallic shade with a neutral matte shade and blend them to soften the edges.
Nykaa Recommends: Swiss Beauty Loose Foil Pigments – 12
3. Ombre
What’s it all about: It’s all about that gradient pop of colors, baby. The ombre eyeshadow look is a multidimensional look achieved by blending of lighter and darker shades.
How to achieve this look: Prep your lids with a primer. Pick a shade from the lighter fam and brush it over your entire lid way up to your brow bone. Now pick a darker shade and sweep it on just your crease. Use a blending brush to blend the two shades and smoothen the edges. Continue the drama with a black eyeliner along your lids.
Nykaa Recommends: Kiko Milano High Pigment Wet And Dry Eyeshadow - 20 Pearly Tangerine
4. Cut Crease
What’s it all about: As the name suggests, in this look your crease is cut across with a play of contrasting eyeshadows for added depth and dimension.
How to achieve this look: Prep your lids with a primer. Sweep a warm neutral shade above your natural crease line. Now cut the crease with concealer and set it with a translucent powder. Apply a lighter shade to your lids to create a contrast and blend it outwards. Finish off with a swipe of eyeliner for a rather dramatic winged eye look.
Nykaa Recommends: NYX Professional Makeup Eye Shadow Base – White
5. Cat eye
What’s it all about: Raise your hands if you’ve spent hours struggling to get your cat eyeliner look right only to say nah at the end. This is your chance to get it right with the eyeshadow. It’s a simple winged look that can go as far as you take it.
How to achieve this look: Prep your lids with primer. Apply a lighter base color over your lids and flick out towards the brow bone to create a winged-out eyeshadow look. Then dust a shimmery shade over the crease for that iridescent effect. To sharpen the edges, remove off the excess makeup at the outer corners with a single swipe of a Q-tip, dipped in micellar water.
Nykaa Recommends: PAC Pressed Glitter Eyeshadow - 43 B.A.E
Here’s a list of the popular color-based eye shadow looks to bring life to your boring eye makeup.
1. Blue
Think of a dreamy swoop over your lids that draws inspiration from all over the earth – from the skies to the seas – you name it. You might need a little ‘getting used to’ to the pop of blue before going full force. We’re getting it stat.
Nykaa Recommends: Miss Claire Single Eyeshadow – 0456
2. Brown
Brown shadow with a dust of shimmer is saccharine and even better when punctuated with falsies. Brown is preferred over black when you’re trying for a softer look while still aiming for a stronger style statement.
Nykaa Recommends: Kay Beauty Matte Eyeshadow Stick – Glory
3. Black
Let’s be real. The modest black can dominate on its own. The burst of black at the crease with smudged edges at the brow bone makes it, unarguably, the best pick for occasions that demand you to make an intense impression.We’re getting it stat.
Nykaa Recommends: Coloressence H.D. Matte Eye Shade – Black
4. Gold
The dust of golden shimmer on matte shadow is a pick that takes center stage at bridal events and why not? This divine eyeshadow look with flecks of gold glitter is undoubtedly mesmerizing. After all, there’s no such as thing as too much glitter, right?
Nykaa Recommends: Kay Beauty Metallic Eyeshadow Stick - Golden Hour
Here’s helping you achieve nail eyeshadow looks for different occasions with easy-to-follow eye makeup steps. You can thank us later.
1. Bridal Eye Makeup
Step 1: Prep your lids with a primer.
Step 2: Sweep the lighter shade over the lids starting from the inner corner of eyes and blending towards your crease with fingers.
Step 3: Next apply the darker shade from halfway up your eyelid towards the crease and blend it to achieve an ombre effect with the lighter shade.
Step 4: Now cut the crease with a smooth concealer stick and set it with a translucent powder.
Step 5: For a dramatic finish, create a winged line with rich black eyeliner.
Nykaa Recommends: PAC Eyeshadow (Refill) – 012
2. Evening Date Eye Makeup
Step 1: First prep your lids with primer.
Step 2: Sweep a warm neutral shade over the lids and blend up towards the brow bone by smudging it with a brush.
Step 3: Draw a simple short line using a black eyeliner over the upper lash line.
Step 4: At the inner corner of your eyes, dab some highlighter powder. This will really bring out the eyes.
Nykaa Recommends: Incolor Highlighter Eyeshadow
3. Halloween eye makeup
Step 1: After applying primer on lids, paint the crease with a shade from the lighter fam and smoothly blend outwards.
Step 2: Generously sweep black eyeshadow over the lids. Layer and smudge towards the crease. This will create an ombre effect.
Step 3: Run a black eyeliner along the upper lash line.
Step 4: Finish the look by patting a bit of shimmer highlighter on the inner corner of your eyes.
Nykaa Recommends: Palladio Baked Eye Shadow Singles - Jet Black
Eye makeup tips
We’ve listed down eye makeup tips that will help you ace them all – simple to bold eye makeup. Read on to discover these life-changing, we meant eye changing tips.
- Patchy eyeshadow sure tops the list of makeup mishaps. Don’t sweat it, you can avoid patchy and crease free lids by first prepping your lids with an eye primer.
- Pick the right brushes depending on what look you wish to create. The flat angled brush will help you create a wing whereas the smudging brush will help soften your eyeshadow look.
- Don’t hesitate to mix a couple of eyeshadow shades on your brush to create a perfectly-blended look.
- Eye makeup for small eyes may differ in minute details from eye makeup for big eyes. For example, in case of mono lids, the smoky look will help make the eyes look wider. If you’ve got big eyes, focus on highlighting the inner corner of your eyes.
- Dip a cotton swab in micellar water and buff out any excess makeup to get rid of smudged lines or product fall out. Nothing more satisfying than a flawless eye makeup, ain’t that right?
- The trick when it comes to choosing the right eyeshadow color from the palette is going for the one that is opposite to the color of your eyes. Green and brown eyes should ideally opt for the purple range whereas golden and brown are the best bets for black eyes.
- If your skin tone is more inclined towards the richer and darker side, opt for eyeshadows that are warmer.
- Pick your eyeshadow formulation based on the kind of use. Here are a few basic kinds of eyeshadow formulas:
1. Cream eyeshadow: Ideal for base color or for single coverage in eye makeup look.
2. Pressed eyeshadow: Beloved by makeup rookies as they blend easily while dialing down the mess.
3. Loose eyeshadow: Ideal for creating glitter and smoky eye makeup look and are made to help smoothen application.
