Here, Kimberly Soane, the director of artistry at Bobbi Brown, offers up 10 easy tips for every product in your kit. Never put concealer or foundation on your eyelids as a base, it will cause your eye makeup to crease.
It's all personal preference, really, but taking care of your eye makeup looks first can save you a bit of cleanup later. "When applying eye shadow I suggest applying the eye shadow first before you apply foundation to avoid the fallout.
Having worked as a makeup artist for both Charlotte Tilbury and Givenchy, I've picked up a fair few tips along the way, and this was one of the major no-no's I found that many did, but didn't actually realise why it was a bad idea. To put it simply, your eyelids are incredibly oily, and concealer only makes that worse.
To avoid drawing unwanted attention to the area, many makeup artists would recommend not applying too much, if any, foundation around the eye. Instead, they suggest using a hydrating, lightweight concealer that has been designed specifically for the under eye area.
When using eyeshadow, it's important to prep your lids with a base product like an eye primer or concealer. These makeup essentials will prevent your shadow from creasing or fading, and they help the hues stay vibrant throughout the day.
Do: use dark colors on the outside, light colors on the inside. If all else fails, use lighter colors on your inner corners, and darker colors on your outer corners. By just remembering this simple trick, you'll add a lot of dimension to your hooded eyes, making them appear bigger and brighter.
You want foundation to look like skin, so just use foundation where you need it rather than rubbing it all over. The same rule of thumb is true for powder, which you should use to set the look. If you have oily skin, you can use powder all over.
“I recommend doing eyes first because that way if there's any fallout from the eyeshadow, you can clean it up before starting the complexion without having to redo foundation and concealer.” She also adds that it gives your skin care time to fully absorb first before layering face makeup on top.
Primer creates a base for the eyelids, absorbing excess oil and allowing for an even surface to apply makeup. Without primer, greasy eyelids can cause eyeshadows to get a creased effect throughout the day, create a patchy and uneven application or even disappear entirely in a matter of hours.
STEP #1: PRIME, PRIME, PRIME
This staple comes in handy to create a smooth canvas for the rest of your eye makeup application. If you don't have an eye primer, or if you're all out of it, simply dab a small amount of foundation or concealer onto your lids.
Can you use concealer on your eyelids? Even though this trend would save you time and money, the consensus is that it isn't worth ruining your eyeshadow look. Celebrity makeup artist Billie Gene tells Makeup.com that while it may be a popular new trend, you should avoid using concealer on your eyelids.
You can brighten your under-eye area by applying red lipstick beneath your concealer. In contrast to the deep purple and blue hues, the bright red colour helps neutralise them.
Step 1: Prep With Primer
Before anything else, always start with a primer. This step is key because it creates a clean, smooth base for the rest of your makeup and will help the rest of the products stay put longer.
Bauer agrees with Soni and Vakil. “I usually prefer doing the eye makeup first, followed by the foundation and then moving to the lip,” he says. “When doing eye makeup, especially smoky eyes or very graphic eye makeup, small particles can drop and fall onto the skin.
Powder is usually the final “setting” step to seal foundation and concealer, but some on TikTok suggest that using it before foundation can keep your makeup in place for longer and give a better finish.
Makeup can settle into wrinkles and make them look deeper, so it's best to begin with a flawless base that stops creasing before it starts. Unlike regular primers, blurring formulas soften and hide fine lines for a more youthful-looking finish.
If your skin is dry, your foundation is more likely to cling to any dry patches and settle into wrinkles. So make sure to hydrate your skin well before applying foundation. Margina: Hydrating the skin plumps up the skin, which helps to keep makeup from settling into fine lines.
Avoid wearing dark eyeshadow colors and bringing them way too high up on the hood, which could make your eyes appear narrow and sunken in. To open up the eye area, apply highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes.
Here, Kimberly Soane, the director of artistry at Bobbi Brown, offers up 10 easy tips for every product in your kit. Never put concealer or foundation on your eyelids as a base, it will cause your eye makeup to crease.