Explore Stunning Eyeshadow Looks To Try This Season

Hoarding eyeshadow palettes, starring bomb eyeshadow looks on the ‘Gram, yet ending up sticking to the same eye makeup each time. Sounds like you? We’re talking about the same basic eye makeup look on repeat mode. Well, time to step out of our comfort zone and try on more dramatic eye makeup looks. Pro-disclaimer: Once you take this road, there’s no going back.

From bold brights to comfy neutrals, the choice of hues for your eye makeup can transform your entire look with just a few swipes. It’s time you explore the magic you can create with your dream palette.

Scroll on to discover varied eyeshadow looks and learn how to execute them like a seasoned pro.

Eyeshadow Looks

1. Smoky

What’s it all about: Dark eyeshadow is applied to the upper and bottom lids and blended towards the outer corner for a smoky effect. The goal is softly blended edges and no harsh lines.

How to achieve this look: Start by patting a shimmery highlighter onto the inner corners of your eyes. Sweep the darker shade over the lids and blend towards your crease with your fingers. Also, apply this shade at the outer edge of your lower lids and sweep it across with a brush. Next, apply the transition shade from halfway up your eyelid towards the crease and blend it downward to achieve an ombre effect with the dark shade.

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2. Metallic Hues

What’s it all about: A shimmery eyeshadow look is created with metallic-finish shades. Less is more when it comes to this look, and it’s recommended to stick to just a couple of shades.

How to achieve this look: Start off by applying a primer over your lids to make your metallic shade glide smoother and stay vibrant. Now dab and sweep a metallic hue, blending towards the crease. To tone down the sheen factor, pair the metallic shade with a neutral matte shade and blend them to soften the edges.

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3. Ombre

What’s it all about: It’s all about that gradient pop of colours, baby. The ombre eyeshadow look is a multidimensional look achieved by the blending of lighter and darker shades.

How to achieve this look: Prep your lids with a primer. Start with a light shade and brush it over your entire lid way up to your brow bone. Now pick a darker shade and sweep it on just your crease. Use a blending brush to blend the two shades and smoothen the edges. Continue the drama with black eyeliner along your lids.

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4. Cut Crease

What’s it all about: As the name suggests, in this look your crease is cut across with a play of contrasting eyeshadows for added depth and dimension.

How to achieve this look: Prep your lids with a primer. Sweep a warm neutral shade above your natural crease line. Now cut the crease with concealer and set it with a translucent powder. Apply a lighter shade to your eyelids to create a contrast and blend it outwards. Finish off with a swipe of eyeliner for a rather dramatic winged-eye look.

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5. Cat Eye

What’s it all about: Raise your hands if you’ve spent hours struggling to get your cat eyeliner to look right only to say nah at the end. This is your chance to get it right with the eyeshadow. It’s a simple winged look that can go as far as you take it.

How to achieve this look: Prep your lids with primer. Apply a lighter base colour over your lids and flick out towards the brow bone to create a winged-out eyeshadow look. Then dust a shimmery shade over the crease for that iridescent effect. To sharpen the edges, remove the excess makeup at the outer corners with a single swipe of a Q-tip, dipped in micellar water.

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6. Graphic Eye

What’s it all about: This eye shadow style takes inspiration from my favourite show Euphoria (2019). These types of eye makeup looks are popular among Gen-Z who are embracing a pop of colour and going beyond the basic Millennial neutrals.

How to achieve this look: Apply some primer on your lids and choose a base colour for your lids. Take a water-activated eyeliner and draw lines on your eyelids. Create abstract lines on both sides and try to match them as much as possible. However, you don’t have to get them picture-perfect because asymmetry is the new symmetry anyway.

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7. Soft Glam

What’s it all about: A soft glam look is perfect for an everyday eyeshadow if you are a marketing girlie like me. It’s subtle, it’s chic, it’s very demure. You don’t need a lot of colours or freehand skills and with some eyeliner, you can finish this eye shadow look within minutes.

How to achieve this look: Apply some primer to your lids and take a neutral pink or champagne shade with some glitter action. Apply it to your lids and smudge it with your fingertips for a natural finish. Add a thin layer of black eyeliner on your lash line to give it some drama.

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Colour-Based Eyeshadow Looks

Here’s a list of the popular colour-based eye shadow looks to bring life to your boring eye makeup.

1. Blue

Think of a dreamy swoop over your lids that draws inspiration from all over the earth – from the skies to the seas – you name it. You might need a little ‘getting used to’ to the pop of blue before going full force. We’re getting it STAT!

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2. Brown

Brown shadow with a dust of shimmer is timeless and even better when punctuated with falsies. Brown is preferred over black when you’re trying for a softer look while still aiming for a stronger style statement.

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3. Black

Let’s be real. The modest black can dominate on its own. The burst of black at the crease with smudged edges at the brow bone makes it, unarguably, the best pick for occasions that demand you to make an intense impression. We’re getting it stat.

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4. Gold

The dust of golden shimmer on the matte shadow is a pick that takes centre stage at bridal events and why not? This divine eyeshadow look with flecks of gold glitter is undoubtedly mesmerizing. After all, there’s no such thing as too much glitter, right?

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5. Sunshine Yellow

Add a pop of colour to the inner corner of your eyes to add that much-needed pizzazz to your mundane makeup looks. This shade of yellow will surrey brighten your mood and make your day a little bit fun.

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6. Unicorn Island

Can’t pick one pastel shade? Go for a unicorn-inspired pastel ombre effect that is easy to create and hard to forget! Start with a lighter teal on the inner corner and move to a darker purple as you head outwards.

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Occasion-Based Eyeshadow Looks

Here’s helping you achieve an eyeshadow look for different occasions with easy-to-follow eye makeup steps. You can thank us later.

1. Bridal Eye Makeup

Step 1: Prep your lids with a primer.
Step 2: Sweep the lighter shade over the lids starting from the inner corner of the eyes and blending towards your crease with your fingers.
Step 3: Next apply the darker shade from halfway up your eyelid towards the crease and blend it to achieve an ombre effect with the lighter shade.
Step 4: Now cut the crease with a smooth concealer stick and set it with a translucent powder.
Step 5: For a dramatic finish, create a winged line with rich black eyeliner.

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2. Evening Date Eye Makeup

Step 1: First prep your lids with primer.
Step 2: Sweep a warm neutral shade over the lids and blend up towards the brow bone by smudging it with a brush.
Step 3: Draw a simple short line using black eyeliner over the upper lash line.
Step 4: At the inner corner of your eyes, dab some highlighter powder. This will really bring out the eyes.

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3. Halloween Eye Makeup

Step 1: After applying primer on lids, paint the crease with a shade with a lighter shade and smoothly blend outwards.
Step 2: Generously sweep black eyeshadow over the lids. Layer with orange and smudge towards the crease. This will create an ombre effect.
Step 3: Run a black eyeliner along the upper lash line.
Step 4: Finish the look by patting a bit of shimmer highlighter on the inner corner of your eyes.

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4. Festive Eye Makeup

Step 1: Once you have applied primer on your eyelids, take a neutral nude and apply it generously on your eyelids.
Step 2: Take a darker shade of pink such as mauve, blush, or peach and apply it under your crease.
Step 3: Add a bit of glitter over the pinks and finish the look with a lined lash line.
Step 4: Accentuate the look with a pair of false eyelashes for that dramatic festive look.

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Eye Makeup Tips

We’ve listed down eye makeup tips that will help you ace them all – simple to bold eye makeup. Read on to discover this life-changing, we meant eye-changing tips.

• Patchy eyeshadow sure tops the list of makeup mishaps. Don’t sweat it, you can avoid patchy and crease-free lids by first prepping your lids with an eye primer.
• Pick the right brushes depending on what look you wish to create. The flat angled brush will help you create a wing whereas the smudging brush will help soften your eyeshadow look.
• Don’t hesitate to mix a couple of eyeshadow shades on your brush to create a perfectly blended look.
• Eye makeup for small eyes may differ in minute details from eye makeup for big eyes. For example, in the case of mono lids, the smoky look will help make the eyes look wider. If you’ve got big eyes, focus on highlighting the inner corner of your eyes.
• Dip a cotton swab in micellar water and buff out any excess makeup to get rid of smudged lines or product fallout. Nothing is more satisfying than flawless eye makeup, ain’t that right?
• The trick when it comes to choosing the right eyeshadow colour from the palette is going for the one that is opposite to the colour of your eyes. Green and brown eyes should ideally opt for the purple range whereas golden and brown are the best bets for black eyes.
• If your skin tone is more inclined towards the richer and darker side, opt for eyeshadows that are warmer.
• Pick your eyeshadow formulation based on the kind of use. Here are a few basic kinds of eyeshadow formulas:
1. Cream eyeshadow: Ideal for base colour or for single coverage in an eye makeup look.
2. Pressed eyeshadow: Beloved by makeup rookies as they blend easily while dialling down the mess.
3. Loose eyeshadow: Ideal for creating glitter and smoky eye makeup looks and is made to help smoothen application.

10 Mistakes To Avoid While Applying Eyeshadow

Avoid these 10 mistakes while applying eyeshadow:

1. Don’t skip on your eye primer, it will help you skip creases and clumps.
2. Don’t use the wrong brush, use a fluffy brush for coverage and a fine brush to cut crease.
3. Avoid applying too much product since eyeshadows are usually very pigmented.
4. Don’t forget to blend when you are trying to achieve an ombre look.
5. Don’t jump from one shade to another without a transition shade, this will help you blend your colours seamlessly.
6. For more depth and dimension, use more than one colour for a professional eye shadow look.
7. Don’t choose colours that don’t suit your skin tone, if you wish to use colours that don’t appear on your skin tone, make sure to use a white-based primer or colour corrector for a plain canvas.
8. Don’t apply glitter everywhere, glitter particles are very light and they can spread easily, so always start with a little and make your way up.
9. Don’t forget to consider your eye shape before choosing the type of eye makeup. Different types of eyeshadow look different depending on everyone's eye shape. For example, a cut crease may not look good on hooded eyes.
10. Don’t forget to apply a setting spray once you are happy with your eye shadow style to avoid any smudge.

Parting Thoughts

Different types of eye makeup serve different purposes. A nude eyeshadow with a dash of glitter works for an everyday office look, but a golden shimmery cut creates looks better for festive occasions such as wedding celebrations, Diwali, and family gatherings. Explore these eyeshadow styles the next time you are looking for inspiration for a party, a meeting, or even a date.

FAQs

1. How to apply eyeshadow?

   Start with a cream-based primer on your lids so the pigment sticks and doesn’t melt or move. Start applying the colour of your choice and blend it softly with your fingertips towards the outer corner of your eyes. Add some glitter in the centre of your lids for a subtle shimmer.

2. What are some eyeshadow looks?

   Some eye shadow styles are cat-eye shadow, cut-crease eyeshadow, smokey eyeshadow, and ombre eyeshadow are some of the styles you can try.

3. What type of eyeshadow is best?

   Cream eyeshadow offers the best coverage, pressed eyeshadow is beginner-friendly, and loose eyeshadow is the best to blend when trying to achieve a smokey or ombre eyeshadow look.

4. What eyeshadow looks the most natural?

   The most natural eyeshadow look is to match it with your skin tone, we recommend a spectrum of browns, nudes, and pinks.

5. What is the most minimal eyeshadow look?

   The most minimal eyeshadow look is to apply some colour to the inner corner of your eyes.