It stinks when you doll yourself up only to discover that your eye shadow has practically disappeared into your eyelid creases. All of that time, the stunning colors, the smooth blending, and it resulted in a sold line in the middle of your eyelid!
You often notice this disappointment when you take a bathroom break mid-dinner date. Or during a family selfie after one of your kid’s special events. Or during a seasonal family photo shoot. Or when you’re trying to look fancy for a romantic moment with your husband.
Mamas don’t have oodles of money to spend on top-of-the-line makeup (that money can go toward a date night or a family vacation instead!). You also don’t want to spend additional precious minutes perfecting your makeup routine.
Here are 3 tips to prevent eye shadow creasing, fading, and melting, which will make you a Fabulous Mama!
Tip #1: Use a primer.
A makeup primer is similar to a paint primer. It evens out the surface, fills in pores, absorbs excess moisture or oil, and preps your skin for foundation. It also ensures that your makeup and eye shadow will remain in place all day long.
Some under eye primers have a slight iridescent sheen to them, while eye shadow primers commonly fill in fine lines or wrinkles on your eyelids. Swipe this evenly over your eye area and allow to fully dry (if using a liquid primer) or make sure it isn’t clumped together (if using a powder).
Tip #2: Apply concealer or foundation first.
Apply your concealer or foundation under your eyes and on your eyelids. (If you’re a Mama of little ones, this is the best makeup advice!) Application of a concealer or foundation under the eyes reduces the appearance of dark circles and brightens up your eyes in general; it can also limit puffiness. Applying on top of your eyelids preps your eyelid for colorful eye shadow.
Try a pressed or loose powder to disguise dark circles. Less is best because too much powder will inadvertently collect in any lines or wrinkles. A liquid foundation typically offers thicker coverage, but less is still best. Try layering the two together if you have especially dark circles (or babies who don’t sleep through the night yet) or want a thicker base for your eye shadow.
Some women like to apply this first to enhance their eyes. It also allows your eye shadow pallet to be more visible. Other ladies prefer to do this step last in case any eye shadow sprinkles down below the eye. Either way, don’t skip this tip!
Tip #3: Add color.
You’re primed and concealed your entire eye area. Now it’s time for color!
Experiment with various colors of eye shadow. A helpful tip is to pick colors that are on the opposite side of the color wheel than your eye color. Here’s a simple guideline:
- Brown eyes: earthy greens and blues
- Hazel eyes: purples and greens
- Green eyes: earthy browns or neutral red/pink
- Blue eyes: blues, cream, or brown
- Gray eyes: silver or light blue
- All eye colors: purples
Wondering how to apply your eye shadow? Here’s a few tips:
- Apply lighter colors on the areas that you want to highlight. For example, if your eyes are deeply set, you want to apply lighter colors near your eyelashes.
- Use darker shades on the places you don’t want emphasized. Using the same example as above, place a darker shade of eye shadow closer to your eyebrow bone.
- Use a circular motion with darker shades to fully blend the color.
- For eyebrows that look lifted, use bright or iridescent colors near your eyebrow.
- Pat and press the eye shadow on with a brush; don’t swipe.
Don’t forget about colored eyeliners and mascara too! These add a fun flair while also emphasizing your eye color. Who knew that a navy eyeliner or a purple tinted mascara could make such a difference?
No more creasing!
Say bye-bye to eye shadow creasing, fading, and melting with these 3 fabulous tips!
