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What's the best way to start wearing bright or bold eye makeup?
What’s the best way to start wearing bright or bold eye makeup? Share your tips!
I like bold eyeliner for a good first step, and another alternative is to use a bolder or richer shade in the crease. Sometimes the key is just to try it out and get comfortable seeing that level of color on your face with your features.
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I think a bold lid colour blended out with a matte brown (like Lorac taupe or ud buck) through the crease! That or using more neutral bright colors like coppery reds/Marsala, and oranges, which are more toned down bolder colours
Start slowly, with a brighter eyeliner, or a light pop of color on a neutral eye. Wear some prints or clothes that match the bolder eye color, so it looks coordinated. Keep your lips and cheeks neutral. Look in magazines or on pinterest for inspiration.
I agree with you about the eyeliner being a wonderful gateway into brighter eye makeup looks. Back when I was first getting into makeup in 1972, all we really had was colorful, but mostly light & frosty eyeshadow, and then in the 80’s we did get crazy & bright color, but still just shadows. However, now the options for color in a variety of products are really endless and so much more fun!
Work with colorful accents first and slowly build up the intensity so you gradually get used to wearing full-on color.
I started with color and then eons later, I embraced neutrals. So I say go just slap it on! But please do it where it goes. Follow your gut. Does not everyone start out as a child in bright blue? I’m not sure I understand why this would be challenging. It’s no different than any other color! 🙂
I was the same way. Waaaay back, before my job required us to wear department specific scrub colors, I would coordinate my eyeshadow with the color of my pants. Maybe it was a little too ‘matchy-matchy’ for some folks, but I liked it.
Our dress code for work changed, so we’re not allowed to wear bright eye makeup anymore, but when I did color, I just picked one, and slapped it onto my eye lid. Wham, bam, done. 🙂
I also find that using a bright shadow or liner under my lower lashes is a great way to incorporate colour without feeling overwhelmed or like everyone is looking at you as though you’re weird. Same with using the bright colour in the deeper part of the crease, where it’s “hidden” much of the time. I’ll also apply it just at the outer corner – not winging it out but just a touch on my mobile lid, where it ends – because there too, it’s not too obviousl In these ways, over time, you can become more at ease about wearing bright shades more visibly because you and others will be accustomed to having seen small doses of the bright shades over time.
Colored eyeliner for a pop of color works well. The other thing that’s worked for me is finding good eyeshadow in my favorite color. I’ve gone from a muted green to brighter greens because I love green and it looks so good with my brown eyes.
I agree eyeliner is a great place to start. A pop of color on the lower lashline is fun, easy, and not too drastic. Colored mascara is good, too. Darker shades: Navy, plums, and deep greens are easy to use in place of black or brown. Bright mascaras can be used on just the lower lashes, or just on the tips or outer corners for an accent. Then I would move on to lining the entire eye or using a bright/bold on the eyelid or outer corners of the eye.
Definitely bold eyeliner; that’s my all-time favourite way to wear colour. Also, don’t go for an all colour look. Use neutrals in the crease with colour on the lid for example. I also like to switch it around and do something like a soft, shimmering gold on the lid with a bright colour in the crease such as teal or purple. You don’t have to apply it heavily, even a lovely wash of colour can be nice with neutrals to add dimension.
I definitely agree that eyeliners are the easiest and probably most addicting way to add color to the eyes. They’re easy to apply, don’t require any tedious blending and they’re not too overpowering. I think pairing bright shadows on the lid and using soft neutrals on the crease is another really good way too
The absolutely best way is to take the plunge: DIY by practicing everyday and/or just hand someone good with makeup a colorful palette and ask them to do one. I think a lot of people get “used” to their own face and their own methodology with makeup and can become stuck in a rut. Having someone else do it can give you a fresh perspective and inspiration on what else could work for you. Just be sure that person (MUA, SA, or even a friend) does work you like (by looking at her face or her work on others). And it helps to state an occasion–a show, a date, prom, clubbing, festival, wedding event, etc.
I think Urban Decay recommends practicing a look every night before washing your face.
Very true. Tutorials and looks on blogs, YouTube videos, etc. are great, too. I’ve copied some techniques and looks and learned some new tricks from these youngsters. In the old days, we’d copy looks from fashion magazines.
Depending on the depth of color, the shadow could be applied on the inner or outer 1/3 of the lid. A bright light color could be placed as a small spot in the lid center.
The color could also be slightly neutralized until used to it then gradually let more brightness show through.
What a cowink-a-dink, I was just asking myself this question! I agree with colored liners. Besides that, I like to put the bright color on the inner corner of the eye. I think it looks cute with just a simple black liner. Plus its easy, and is actually visible on my deep set, hooded eyes. Same with below the lower lash line.
I think the best way to start is by wearing a bright or colourful top to blend a shade into. Either, as Christine suggested, use a bold eyeliner or choose a brighter, matching shade of eyeshadow and blend it into the crease as a suggestion of colour. Then it won’t be too overwhelming.
If you happen to have less than perfect vision, try doing bolder looks on days when you’re wearing your glasses. You get used to seeing the brighter colors on your own face, and the frames lessen the impact
I also take advantage of Halloween and other costumey opportunities to play with looks that are way outside my comfort zone and see which ones can be adapted for regular wear.
i think that using a bright color in the inner corners or on the waterline is a good way to start. ive always used bold colors, but if im applying it to someone who isnt used to it, ill start with a jewel tone (deep purple, green, blue) on the waterline and lower lid, blended out into a smoky grey or black, with a pop of highlight in the inner corners.
i personally also like to use a bright color as a cat eye color, then i use a black liquid liner over it, so it’s a dual layer thing – a bright red or pink, then the liquid liner on the lashline to keep a clean defined look.
i also like to use a bright color in the crease, and blend it so its seamless into a darker variation of the color in the outer crease. (example, using stars and rockets (mac) towards the inner crease, then using entremauve (mac pigment) in the middle crease, then carbon at the outer crease – keeps a bright pop of color with a blend to dark so it’s still not like, shockingly bright or will cause undue attention at work). i’d then line the waterline with entremauve to tie it together.
Thanks much for the examples – I had not thought to blend from vivid to muted in the crease or as a sort of ombré eyeliner look. I will layer liners, or do a bolder hue on one lash line and a related neutral on the other, but that’s as far as I’ve gone with that. You’d think someone who pulls tearsheets from fashion mags, for project inspiration, would have thought o’ that, huh? 😀
I, too, love starting with a bold eyeliner on top of a black liquid liner, then a pop of color in the tearduct….something other than creamy white or a bone-colored shade. I also have put a pop of color in the center of my upper lid. ColourPop has great eye colors/pigments just for that. I’ve been using pastel colors, then placing a pop of color, such as Slave2Pink from ColourPop to the upper lip with just using the tip of my finger. I get so many compliments on it. Another color I’ve used is “Too Soon” by ColourPop and have already hit pan!
Coloured liner is definitely the baby step. After that I’d say use the bright as a lid colour – don’t go into the crease! – and blend out from the crease with neutral colours (This suits my eye shape, at least). Gorgeous and not too much since colour is only lid, but it’s still visible when eyes are open.
I actually like to build up the color slowly, or mix it with neutrals. For example I’m not stranger to hot pink, but I got a new one (junkshow in the latest UD Vice palette) and I did a nude eye look with the palette and did a wash of junkshow just in the center of the eye. It looked amazing and was a good way to “test drive” the color before I tried to do a really bright eye look with it. It’s how I use all my bright shades when I first get them. 🙂
I am a MAC NC50. I love a bright liner on the lower inner lash line. I have been loving:
NARS Abbey Road and Khao San Road, from the Larger than Life Longwear Line.
I started using bright bold colours, and found neutrals years or even aeons later.
I do think, if you’d want to try a bright, bold eyemakeup, find a colour you like and then swatch it at the counter to see how much it can be sheered out and how much it can be built up to be true to the pan, and then chose one that can be used as a sheer wash, but also built up to be bolder.
start with the pops of color on the lid with neutral crease then slowly add colors to the crease areas as you get more comfy and then bright or darker eye liner with wings 🙂
I would say try a bright eyeliner or a bright cheek color then gradually move to bright lips then eyes. I think bright lips and a very soft and neutral eye look beautiful and very polishes but still bright. I personally started with bright pink lips and just mascara then eventually moved to bright eyeliner on my lower lash line then bright winged liner and so on
The best way in trying out either bold or dark colors is taking baby steps. Start with eye shadow. Depending on the color, try a light wash on the lids. If you like the color, in my case , black eye shadow, you can deepen the color until you reach the intensity you desire. Then if you like what you see, stick with it.
Thanks for everyone’s feedback! I just now noticed this question had been featured. (D’oh!) I’ve always been a bit hesitant to try really bold eye shades since I’m über-pale. Plus, with large eyes, even behind glasses, my lids cover a lot of real estate. And I still shiver at my high school pix featuring that dreaded 80s teal eyeshadow. Yugh!
As a social tool, I would recommend wearing around your friends etc. that react positively to new make up. It’s a bit of an Australian tendency to wear very little visible make up so when I first bought Urban Decay’s Electric palette, I wore it out with my dear friend who doesn’t necessarily do ‘wild’ make up herself, but is always super enthusiastic about it. The ego boost is great 🙂