A lot of my clients ask me how to apply eye makeup without smudges, stains, eye shadow powder on the cheeks, bad blending, over-the-edge liner etc.
With time and experience, I’ve come up with some tips that I’m going to share with you today!
1. To avoid going over the outer corner of the lid
It’s not always easy to respect the imaginary line between the outer corner of the eye and the end of the eyebrow. The dark eye shadow should never go over this line.
Two techniques : most of the time i ask the person I’m making up to hold a folded tissue where the line should be or sometimes I place a tape (not too sticky so as not to hurt the client when I pull it off) in the right place and I take it off when the makeup is finished. Very effective!
2. To avoid eye shadow powder or sparkles falling under the eye
One of the most common problems!
Three techniques: First, I use the same folded tissue and ask the person I’m making up to hold it. She should hold it tightly and it should be perfectly pressed on the skin (no space between the tissue and the skin). For best results, hold it with two hands or two fingers, one at each extremity of the tissue. The second one is to apply a lot of translucent powder under the eye with a fan-shaped brush (the skin should be saturated with powder and should not be visible) and I brush it off when the eye shadow has been applied. This prevents the eye shadow from sticking to the skin. If it falls onto the powder, it’s easy to remove afterwards. The third way is to apply eyes shadow sitting at a table with the mirror propped up on it. This way, you look downwards which means that the eye shadow will fall on the table and not on your cheek. However, it’s not my favourite technique. If your eye shadow is not too sparkly or powdery, you could simply try to apply it with a sponge applicator or even with your fingers rather than a brush. It will adhere better and won’t fall off.
3. To avoid smudges when applying mascara
So many people make a mess when applying mascara!
To avoid this problem, there’s a simple technique. Place a finger or a pencil horizontally behind the lashes when applying the mascara and press the brush on your finger so that the lashes stick to it. This is also an effective way of curling your lashes (because they’re pressed over your finger) and separating them because you press harder with the brush. Your finger will be messy but it’s easier to wash your fingers than remove smudges from your face!
If you apply mascara to your lower lashes, use a pencil because your finger is too big for this area. The same goes for your upper lashes if they are very short. Use a pencil here too.
4. for perfect eyebrows
For those who find it difficult to get symmetrical eyebrows, stencils cane be very useful. There are many shapes. When you’ve found yours, fill in the holes with a pencil or eyebrow powder and voilà, the perfect shape! For those who haven’t got a very good eye for this sort of thing, you can get stencils with an elastic band that goes around your head so that you get your eyebrows at the same level!
5. for perfect eyeliner
It’s difficult for beginners to get a perfect line. If you’re a beginner and you’re not sure of yourself, the painting by numbers technique works well. Draw several little dots at strategic points and join them up. Try it!
6. If you make a mess of it
Nobody avoids smudges and smears 100% of the time. If it happens, don’t panic. Dip a cotton swab into liquid foundation and roll it over the smear. Add a touch of powder and there you are! Nobody will be any the wiser!
How about you, do you have any no-mess tips to share with us?