Contrary to what one might think applying a rainbow of eyeshadows is a heck of a lot easier than it looks. Fuel yourself with inspiration from Instagram and knowledge that it’s a favourite look of Fenty Beauty and Pat McGrath. But, above all, ensure your arm yourself with quality brushes and a heap of patience, because these are essential for creating a dramatic look that gets noticed for the right reasons. Understanding that it doesn’t need to be perfect is key to making this look work. Take inspiration from bold certainty of contemporary art and invest in a palette that shows off your artistic self-expression…
1. The Smudge
In a rush? Pick the smudge. All this requires is a touch of confidence and self-restraint with mascara. Pick two shades that sit well together and smooth one from your tear duct to the centre of your eye and then the other from your outer corner inward. And, don’t worry that the two colours don’t meet up the middle because that’s part of the aesthetic. If you’re willing to go the extra mile, lightly dust the shades you used on your lids beneath the eye, but in the reverse order for a sense of balance and asymmetry.
2. The Idiot-Proof Option
By far the easiest choice, but no less effective, this look is idiot-proof. Simply pick two contrasting pastel shades of eyeshadow and sweep one on each lid. Pro tip: ensure your base is neutral and natural looking to make your eyes the centre of focus.
3. Multidimensional
Joanna Kutcha has swept a lilac shade over her eyelid and drawn a line with a brighter rose hue beneath her bottom lashes, before dotting on glitter. To make sure your glitter stays in place, dab a touch of vaseline on your lids before applying the glinting pailettes one-by-one.
4. The Blend
Start by lightly sweeping a bold hue at the base of your eyebrows, a tangerine tone has been used here. With a steady hand apply the palest colour over the base of the lid, in this case, a golden shade. Then, build in a contrast layer at the lash line, once done finish by wetting your bush and applying that last shade as an eyeliner. Once touch dry use a smudging brush to run the shades together.
5. Crayola Bright
It doesn’t really matter if you’re a little messy with the application as long as it looks purposeful. Use this as your excuse to go brighter and bolder than you normally would with your colour choices.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.