Makeup Lowdown: Tricks of The Trade {Eyes Edition}

Throughout the many years that I have been painting faces and playing with makeup, I have picked up a few generous tips from my fellow colleagues, throughout practicing on others, and of course, being my own personal guinea pig. Here's to "All About The Eyes":                                

• Applying eyeliner on the upper lash line near the inner corner: With the eyes still open, ask her to look downwards and outwards. For example, if you are starting with her left eye, have her look down and out to her left hand side.This makes it a lot easier to reach that small inner corner of the eye when the gaze is looking to the side and the inner corner will be exposed.                                          

• Applying false lashes without causing the eyes to get "stuck" together with lash glue: Always apply the lashes with her looking downwards but without completely shutting the eyes. If the eyes are shut, that makes it easier for lash glue to seep downwards to the lower lash line. This technique can be applied with individual cluster lashes as well. Also, it helps to not over saturate the false lash with glue in the first place!

Eyeliner brush not making fine enough strokes? If you use a pointed eyeliner brush with cake, eye shadow, or gel eyeliner products and it is hard to create the fine line you are going for, go ahead and trim that brush. Using a small pair of sterile nail scissors, carefully trim the sides of the brush so it creates a finer point. Make sure to rinse the brush and dry to rid it of any loose brush hairs before using. You can still build up the liner with the new fine tipped brush for those days you are feeling extra bold.

• Help prevent eye makeup from smudging: In addition to wearing long-wearing eyeliners and mascara, don't forget to set well with setting powder under the eye after all eye makeup and under eye concealers are applied. Any makeup with a creamy consistency will want to smear under the eye if there is no powder to offset the cream products. 
• "Eyeliner always looks too harsh on me": A softer look can easily be achieved using a damp eye liner brush with a quality eye shadow, plus you will open up a lot more eyeliner shade possibilities just looking through your eye shadow assortment. 
• Spider lashes- Just say NO: One of my first makeup artist mentors, recommended using a flat liner brush to lightly "paint" on mascara to the lower lashes for a natural application. You will notice a lot less clumps than using the traditional mascara wand. If you are doing someone elses' mascara, you can also paint the upper lashes' top side which helps coat those with red or blonde lashes when a mascara wand just won't cut it.
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• Eye shape falls a little flat: So you have beautiful almond shaped eyes but they could use a little oomph. Add dimension not only to the outer crease but also a slight eye shadow contour on the upper eyelid's inner crease like the illustration below. Make sure to blend well and do not overdo the contouring. 
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• "Wearing eyeliner on my upper and lower lash lines makes my eyes look even smaller": Many of us who choose to define our eyes with eyeliner seem to stick to just one simple shade- black. When we use black all around the eye sometimes the eyes may appear more "squint-y". Try alternating the liner shade for the lower lash line with something one shade lighter than the top. Or if you are feeling daring, try a fun color like emerald, navy blue, or plum paired with black, dark brown, or pewter on the top! Also, be careful how far you take the lower lash line's eyeliner. If you are not doing a smokey eye look, taper off the liner going inwards like the illustration above.

~Nadia-Artistry