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Eyeshadow is one of the most fun and versatile products you can include in your makeup routine in order to switch up your look and experiment with new trends, making your eyes stand out. However, while the perfect shade can allow you to appear bright-eyed and fresh, applying your eyeshadow incorrectly can actually have the opposite effect on your appearance, causing you to look sallow and drawn. Especially as you grow older it becomes increasingly important to know how to apply your makeup in a way which highlights your natural beauty rather than hindering it, so we asked two makeup artists to give their professional insight on the worst mistakes you could make with your shadows. Here’s what they had to say.
Too Much Shimmer
Shimmery eyeshadow may transport you back to your youth, but that doesn’t mean it’s effective in allowing you to actually appear younger. “Eyeshadows with any amount of shimmer or luminosity should be avoided in the crease because not only do they accentuate the thinning texture of the skin as we age, but when light reflects from the crease, it can make the eyes look puffy and the shape appear distorted,” explains celebrity makeup artist and brand founder Jenny Patinkin. “It's always better to use a matte color in your socket line to create shading that helps eyes to look smoothly shaped and bigger.” Stow away your shimmery shadows in favor of solid shades to help enhance your beautiful eyes without drawing attention to signs of aging.
White Under The Brow Bone
Applying white eyeshadow under the brow bone has traditionally been thought to brighten your eyes and create a lifted appearance, but Patinkin warns this shadow could actually be aging you even further. “White or opalescent eyeshadow under the arch of the brow is a very dated look and as with shimmery shadows in your socket line, can make your brow area look puffy. It's better to opt either for a matte shadow or a slightly satiny shadow in one shade lighter than your own skin tone which will give you a more naturally lifted look,” explains Patinkin. Additionally, applying white to the inner corners instead may be more effective in opening your eyes, creating the awake and alert look you’re going for.
Skipping Primer
Primer is one of the most important steps for locking eyeshadow in place, but it can also even out the texture of your lid so that the shadow appears smoother and brighter. As you grow older your eyelids can begin to appear thinner and more crepey, so applying a primer acts as a base for the shadow to be its most pigmented, concealing signs of aging. “An eye shadow primer will hold your shadow in place all day which will overall give the appearance of youthful and put together look,” says makeup artist Christina Milano. “My current favorite one is Bare Minerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer, since it’s talc free and won’t irritate your eyes.”
