Do you like using eyeshadow with a dampened brush?

I don’t mind, but I prefer something that can work both dry as well as damp so it’s versatile but also something I can be lazier with if I don’t feel like dampening my brush!

— Christine

18 Comments

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Lauren Avatar

I pick up the shadow on the brush or my finger and then spray. You can let the brush dry before doing the other eye if you need to pick up more shadow (usually I can just put product on it once or on both sides and spray and that is plenty) or just use a different brush. You don’t need to saturate your brush – just one fine spritz is typically enough! I haven’t had any of mine get hard pan with this method.

Erica Avatar

I agree. This is what I do as well. No hard pan and it dries quickly so no issue with bacteria. But I do only do this for formulas that are meant to be used wet or dry

Lesley Avatar

I spray the brush (Sigma natural fiber) after picking up the shadow, using a Ben Nye product. I found it added some intensity to my less pigmented formulas. Once I put my glasses on, though, the change in the finish is lost so it’s not a technique I bother with very often.

Erica Avatar

I agree, I don’t think it is something I should do to make a mediocre formula work. I only do it for formulas that are meant to be applied wet or dry like MAC Extra Dimension shadows. You get one look with a dry brush and you get another color entirely when it’s applied with a wet brush!

Ana Maria Avatar

No. Partially because I don’t like touching my eyelids with a damp or wet brush, like I don’t like the sensation of setting spray… I’m an weirdo, I know.
Partially because I am concerned I will ruin the eyeshadow, causing hard pan and adding bacteria to the product via the moisture.

Lauren Avatar

I’ll wet a brush (or honestly just my finger most of the time) to give a shadow extra “oomph”, but I absolutely want shadows to perform well without having to be wet. The only reason I want to wet a brush is if I want to make a shadow brighter/more metallic for evening looks.

Sarah Avatar

I’ll do it if I have to, but prefer not to. However, I’ve found that for many shimmery and metallic shades, using a glitter primer (I use Nyx’s) in the area where I plan to lay down the shade I want to pop can have a very similar end result, and feels less messy and fussy than picking up shadow, spraying my brush (while hoping I got enough moisture on the brush but not so much that the pigment gets sheered out), and then trying to keep the now-moist-to-wet shadow in the right spot on my lid.

Z Avatar

For something truly special or unique, yes, for day to day? Nope. I’ll do it for my loose shadows or really special indie multichromes to make them pop a little extra. Otherwise I always apply my lid color with my finger, it’s habit and I enjoy it, and that’s enough to make any worthwhile shadow pop without wetting.

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