easy on the eyes!

And so are you *where is the wink emoji when you need it?* Before I get too carried away, heres a simple overview of eye makeup and product suggestions. I must say the eyes are my favourite feature to work on. Its like a little masterpiece. Does anyone else get sad when they have to remove their eye makeup at the end of the day? No? Just me?

Long gone are the days of boring techniques- the lightest corner in the inner lid, darkest shadow on the outer. Nothing wrong with that as it provides you with the basics but I urge you to be creative! If theres anything I have learnt as a retail makeup artist, there are many different eye shapes out there. So, what works for someone with almond eyes (or "Asian" eyes to put it simply) will be very different to someone with hooded eyes (where you can't see the mobile lid when your eyes are open). With that being said, here is the beginner's guide to the eyes!

1. P R I M E R + B A S E

If you don't have a specific eye primer, concealer on the lids and powder will also work! A base for the eyes is so important as it does a few magical things (in the following order!):

- Smooths out the skin on the lids

- Allows for easier blending - Maximises the eyeshadow colour

- Eyeshadow stays on all day

So really, you are setting yourself up for a win if you put in 2 more seconds to pop on some primer! My go-to product suggestions: Too Faced Shadow Insurance (I've had mine for 2 years?!) and MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly (again, I use this everyday and in my kit, has lasted me so long!).

2. S H A D O W

Oh yeah. We are getting to the good stuff. Again, its hard to describe how to apply eyeshadow in words but I'm sure we have all fumbled our way through that one eyeshadow palette at home! My top tip is to blend, blend, blend. Eyeshadow should look seamless with soft transitions. If you aren't feeling confident, always take colours that are similar in tones and buff it out with a darker colour. My go-to palettes: Zoeva Coca Blend Palette (soft browns and golds = winner) and Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette (all your "safe" and adventurous colours!)

3. L I N E R

Little short strokes. Thats all I can say, don't attempt a continuous line because even I can't do that! (You don't want to wreck all your beautiful shadow work!) Start from the middle of the eye, little short feather strokes to the end and finish in the inner corner. Angle the liner parallel to your face (almost touching your face) rather than straight out. Why?

-You aren't poking your eye from a harsh angle

-Helps you guide the liner along!

My go-to suggestion: Urban Decay 24/7 Pencils (super soft, easy to smudge out)

4. M A S C A R A

A girl's good old favourite! With so many on the market, I'm sure you have one you love! Best application tip: look down in the mirror, zig zag the brush up and through the lashes. To avoid clumpy looking lashes, make sure you allow your first coat of mascara to dry before the next!

My go-to suggestions: Maybelline Push Up Angel (nice fine brush!) and Dior Iconic Overcurl (brush is shaped like your eye, makes application easy!).

So there it is! A very, very broad brushstroke of the eyes. Hopefully you can take away one tip and apply it next time you have fun with your eyeshadow palette! I would definitely do a more in-depth post on each element but for now, don't be afraid to have a bit of fun!

Let me know how you go!