A little while ago, I shared with you some tips I picked up after going for a Dior makeover and I told you that one of the most interesting tips I learnt was to use eyeliner as a eyeshadow base. I realised that my text instructions were a little confusing, so here is a pictorial tutorial, as it were, on how to use this very easy, very effective trick to apply eyeshadow.
Incidentally, I had a Burberry Beauty makeover recently and the makeup artist used the same trick! He did use a different coloured liner for different results, but the essence is the same. This must be some secret makeup artist trick I’ve just stumbled on and how you have access to it too :)
I’m still practising with this, and I can tell you that it will look better and you will accomplish this much more quickly the more you do it. So please excuse the imperfections in the images below and just focus on the essence. Also, different eye shapes will produce different results so work with your eye shape :)
- Bare eye. You can prep your lid with a thin layer of concealer to even out the colour.
- Take a black pencil eyeliner and draw a thick line from your lash line upwards about 1/3 of your lid. Its ok if its not perfectly straight or even.
- Use a smudge brush, sponge or your fingers to smudge out the edges.
- This is what it should look with your eye open. You sould be able to see some of the black colour. Do note that different eye shapes will produce a different result.
- There is no picture #5 because I evidently cannot count! Oops :P
- Take a lid colour and dab it on your eyelid, starting in the center of your lid and then use the residual colour on your brush on the inner corner and outer corner. This draws attention to the center of your lid and gives your eye a 3D effect. Take a slightly deeper colour and dab on the outer corner. Its ok if its not smooth and even or has a harsh edge.
- This is how it will look with your eyes open.
- Keeping your eyes open, take a blending brush and blend away the harsh edges. Only do the edges. If you blend the lid colour, it’ll sheer out and look less intense.
- This is how it might look when you’re done.
- Take a fluffy eyeshadow brush and dab into a light highlight colour, and apply to your brow bone, starting from the arch and then blending sideways along the underside of your brow. This again gives you the 3D look.
- And this would be how it looks after you are done.
- To finish off, draw a liner on the lower lid starting from the outside to about 1/3 or half way in then blend the colour. To clean up the eye area, use an under eye concealer or illuminator and brush around the under eye area.
I was taught that if you use this trick, you may notice that your powder eyeshadow will stay on longer as the wax in the pencil acts as a base. Also, the other benefit is that you will not have to draw on eyeliner again, as the colour will naturally be deeper closer to your lashes where you started, and so it saves you one extra step. I do tightline, so when I start, I tightline and then draw in the liner. Make sure you fill up the gaps between your lashes so it looks more natural.
Another benefit is that its very quick. You can do a very impressive looking eye in just a few minutes with just 3 colours or a basic palette, and you can do this with any colour.
The fourth and final benefit is that a black base deepens the colour of eyeshadow so you get some pretty amazing lid popping colours with what you might have thought were simple, nondescript lid colours. Definitely worth a try :)
Do you already use this trick to apply eyeshadow? Does it intrigue you enough to try it?
I learnt at Burberry that if you want a softer look but with a similar sort of effect, use a brown pencil eyeliner. The effect is less eye popping, and if you then pair it with a cream or a brown shadow, you get a polished sort of look. Try it and see for yourself :)
For my daily use, I use the Guerlain Kohl eyeliner pencil in ME Black and for this post, I used the Dior Smokey Khaki palette as pictured above. My regularly used eye brushes are the MAC 239 for lid colour, Tony & Tina Blending brush (discontinued) to blend, and Sigma E55 Eye Shading brush for lid and for applying colour at the brow area because of the fluffier and wider brush head.
Paris B
Heh heh I’m pleased to say that I already know this trick, woohoo! It’s a great tip if you want to turn your everyday shimmery colors into jewel tones too! I use my gel eyeliners for the this and spread them out with a synthetic, flat eyeshadow brush that looks like a tiny foundation brush and a MAC 239 hybrid. ^.^
Also I’ve found out that using a nude eyeshadow base (MAC’s Soft Ochre or Painterly Paint Pot – even Bare Study) on the waterline, and setting it with a nude eyeshadow gives me the “white” eyeliner effect without looking too scary heh heh – perfect “dupe” for Stila’s Topaz Kajal liner, which is a peach. ^.^
Oh yes! Black makes a great base to reflect and show off jeweled tones. I tried it with a gel liner a while ago but I didn’t like the effect coz I found it too think. But a cream shadow makes a great alternative :)
I pull this one out for night, it’s awesome when you want to do a smokey eye. =D
And it so quick too! :D
I have read about this trick but haven’t tried it because I am not sure on how to do it…thanks for your detailed instructions, now I am confident to try it :)
Do let us know how you fare with it Issa. Its very quick and easy once you get the hang of it. But make sure you use a soft eyeliner pencil or it can be hard to draw on that much colour :)
Ah the eyeliner trick. Girls with oily lids have to prep their eyes properly though. It creases :-(
Thanks for the heads up, Lily. I tend to forget that, just because I don’t have a problem. Eeps!
Yay I do this sometimes as well! Your missing picture 5 cracked me up :)
I do actually still use my gel liner when I use this trick though. If I am not sporting eyeliner that is at least a little winged out, I just don’t feel my eyes look intense enough! Maybe it’s entirely psychological though!
Sigh… The elusive #5 :P I totally didn’t notice that the images were misnumbered. I haven’t used gel liner in ages! Perhaps I should dig them out and hope they haven’t dried out ;)
Haha no number 5 :D This Dior palette colours look great on you!! This golden one- just wow! I need to get something else than browns and beiges… :D
Looking at pictures I started to wonder how do you remove after this eyeliner which is basically between lashes? I have big problem with this, Im doing something wrong or its just my long thick lashes or maybe my Bioderma micellar solution? Im doing it with my black powder eyeshadow without base.
Btw, every country got Guerlain and here in Paris I was told they will have holiday collection on 15 november… Big joke!
Haha try Khaki, Catherine. It adds colour but isn’t overwhelming and it’s sort of neutral too. I use a normal eye makeup remover for eye makeup. I’m using the Loreal one, where I just soak a cotton pad, hold it over my eye for a few seconds and then wipe off. Seems to remove the worst of it, and then I just wipe a couple more times. Perhaps if you have thick lashes then it might be harder? I’m not sure cos I’m not that blessed ;) btw I found that Bioderma didn’t do a good job at cleaning my eye makeup at all so I go back to my regular bi-phase remover. And boo to Guerlain!
That is a very good tip.
Glad you think so too Marla ;)
Thank you for the step by step instructions! Will definately try this one out.
You’re most welcome, Jas Min :) hope you give it a try soon!
I recently tried this trick of using black waxy stuff as base! I do this using gel liner. Recently, Lisa Eldrige has this really nice video on using black and base, and all the colourful makeup on top will just pop yet be subtle enough to wear.
I used to use a lot of black shadow for this purpose! Just never thought to use eyeliner :) I’ll go check out Lisa Eldridge :)
cool! with this method the eyeshadow makeup looks very natural!
but what eyeliner pencil u use? case the few i have can smudge easily but won’t stay long..
I use the Guerlain Kohl liner pencil. It smudges easily but stays on well for me. Another I have tried with is Canmake. It’s so easy and the colours really look outstanding yet natural. Putting shadow over the liner helps it stay on better too, so maybe try it and see? Or prep with a primer first?
glad that i learnt this tip too! it really helps to enhance the intensity by 1000, effortlessly.
Haha indeed! Ups the intensity of all shadows! Perfect.
I learnt the trick a while ago too. :) It’s also look very nice if you are after a gradient effect. Thanks for the post, PB! I always like your eye application tips. Easy to be followed, but the result is still as sultry. Any tips for oily lids other than applying primer ? I have tried that and set it with powder too, but it’s still give me a panda eye.. :(
Thank you Nani :) I’m glad you like these tips. As for oily lids, I’m afraid I don’t know of anything better than using a lid primer, I’m afraid. I never had oily lids so I can’t really relate to the problem. Another thing I can think of is to use a gel or liquid liner instead of a pencil liner. It should stay on better. I’ll be sure to ask experts for tips for oily lids if I come across any :)
I’ve tried this but I need to use an eye primer because waxy pencil all over oily lids equals to crease city. The effect is similar to using a dark eyeshadow or eye crayon (which has better staying power) as a base.
I still think this is a fantastic tip and it looks like it’s working out very well for you :-)
Thanks Lyn and for the suggestions for oily lid gals. I guess I should count myself lucky not to have oily lids, but it sometimes befuddles me when people ask for help and I’ve o idea what the problem is :P
Nice picture tutorial, dear! I do this all the time; it works for my single-lidded eyes. ;)
Thank you so much, Mag. I love the way you do your eye makeup. Simple yet eye catching!
Aww, thank you. :) Gradation/blending is key!
I’ve tried this trick a couple of times, but always went back to using a proper eye primer. When I use an eyeliner as a base, my makeup tends to crease after a few hours. :(
I think this works only for those who don’t have a problem with oily lids. But you can’t beat a black base colour for making shadow colours really stand out! ;)
ohh damn Paris that’s some sexy blending right there! Love this look, and I’ve heard of this trick for smokey eyes before but forgot all about it haha. It works really well, although I do layer primer underneath because my lids need it. Thanks for reminding me, gonna try this next time I go out!
I’m sure you’d slay it too! I forgot about the primer bit cos I keep forgetting that others have a problem with oily lids. But using the black as a base colour really brings out the tones in your shadows and that’s what I think does it for me :)
Yes I found this trick unintensionally :) I also use different colored eyeliners to mix with eyeshadows and it usually looks perfect. This look is not only for smoky makeup I use it in my daily life too, and I always get compliments!
Hurrah! I haven’t tried using other liners because I don’t have many colored liners lol! But I plan to check out some and try them and see how they look. I’ve taken to wearing it daily too. So easy to make eyes look defined ;)
I agree on this trick! But I still highly recommend people to use a primer underneath as there could be some transferring that could happen especially on a super humid weather!
PB, the eye makeup you did looks WONDERFUL!!!!
Aww shucks, thank you Nikki! And thanks for the primer reminder too!
Gorgeous eye look and tutorial, Paris! I love me a black base, too. It’s great for either a neutral everyday eye or a dramatic smokey eye.
Thanks Arianne, praise indeed coming from you :)
the eye shadow color is very pretty!
I used this trick, but not as clean and detailed as you described. should give it a try!
Thank you Bita, practice makes perfect! ;) also, to clean up the eye area, you can use a brush dabbed with some under eye concealer and just run it around th eye area then blend it away. ;)
thanks :) you are so cooool!