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The Artistry of Eyeshadow Contouring

Should eyeshadow follow the same rules as contouring?

EYE SHADOW * CONTOURING * HIGHLIGHTING

Makeup is best understood as a medium used in the artistry of creating an optical illusion to accentuate or change a natural shape to make it look more or less noticeable.  Based on the foundational principal of light brings forward and dark recedes, contouring is used to create the illusion of realistic shadow and depth, either by defining and emphasizing features or by downplaying and de-emphasizing features.

In balancing features contouring is often combined with highlighting techniques which accentuate the parts of the face you want to stand out and appear lighter and brighter with a touch of light-catching shimmer.  Without highlighting you’re only creating shadows rather than defining the features through the contrast between light and dark.  Since highlighting is the opposite of contouring and helps create the balance between depth and lightness, it’s best to do both.

With the eyes being the window to the soul it is one of the first features we notice about people.  When contouring and highlighting are combined in defining the eyes, they sensationalize them and let our unique loveliness shine through.  For mesmerizing eyes, simply keep in mind the general rule of shadowing and highlighting.

Learning how to contour eyes using shade variations of eye shadow colors is an adventure.  Focus is on accentuating and enhancing the captivating eye, its natural shape and iris color.  Best contouring results are achieved when using the right color in the right place to enhance and showcase its natural beauty.  We let the spirit of our mood be our guide as we express ourselves and choose colors to accentuate and light up our eyes to make them pop.

An easy way to take the guess work out of designing a matching color palette of complimentary shades for eyes are my favorite Eye Shadow Quads  from Artistry.  

YOUR EYE SHAPE MATTERS

Start with knowing what your eye shape is since shadow looks completely different on different shaped eyes.  The most common eye shapes include almond, round, hooded, small, close-set, wide-set, deep-set, monolid, protruding and down-turned eyes.

Before attempting any eye shadow contouring learn the best application technique unique to your eye shape of distinctive angles.  Make sure any eye makeup tutorial you follow is for your eye shape which determines how that style is going to look on you or simply adapt to fit your eyes.

As with any art form, when using contouring there are no set rules and many variations. This leaves us free to put our own personal spin on how we want our eyes to look while using a range of color combination options from neutral tones, to neon and glitters!

No matter what look you choose to embrace, celebrate your unique beauty and share a little of your “Sparkle” wherever you go! 

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To find out more,  see tutorials and what products I recommend using in your daily skincare or makeup routine, check out my News Topics or shoot me a message. I’ll be happy to help!