Makeup advice please!

[ginghamstarfish]

I'm fed up with trying to get eyeshadow right! I have a huge space between eye and brow, and whatever I do it looks awful so I end up wiping it off. I put shadow in the crease, but then there's about an inch of space to my brows. If I blend the shadow up then it just looks wrong, somehow grubby, or emphasises skin texture (am in my 50s). I like neutral taupe shades, have tried powder, cream, different brands.Any advice please?

[atticusclaw2]

need a photo of your eyes really

[Queenbean]

I genuinely think that most people look better without eyeshadow, otherwise it often looks too two-tone

Post a pic of your eyes and someone will be able to help

[ginghamstarfish]

OK here is a pic, no makeup, brows not done ...

[cheeseandmarmite15]

Personally I would darken your eyebrows a bit with a brown eye shadow subtlety brushed and blended. The space between eye lids and brows will look less if you do. Then a mid brown in the socket and a brown or khaki eyeliner pencil along the top of your eyelashes. I sometimes make the line above my eyelashes deep in hue but bonded by using a fine eyeshades brush and eyeshades to get really close to the lash line.

[Queenbean]

Agree with cheese, defo eyebrows. Then just a light brown in the bit above your eyelash line just to the crease

Agree also with brown eyeliner, black will look too heavy with your colouring. Then black mascara and lashings of

[ginghamstarfish]

Thanks, I always do my brows ( not done in pic), but don't use eyeliner - maybe I will try that. Also use eyelash curler and mascara mostly on outer lashes to counteract the droop ...

[ZacharyQuack]

Try a matte shadow that matches your skin tone from lashes up to brows. Then a slightly darker matte from crease fading out closer to brows, then a slightly darker matte shade in crease. Use progressively smaller brushes the darker you go. You can either take the darker shades all the way down to the lashes for a smoky eye, or leave the mobile lid space with a lighter shadow (shimmer or matte) for a more contoured look.

It's the progression of light, medium and darker matte shades above the crease, using larger, smaller, smallest fluffy blending brushes that will give a nice gradient and blend the shadow into your skin.

[atticusclaw2]

My eyes are a similar shape to yours. I cover the whole area with a light beige colour (or shimmery beige if I'm going out). I then use browns greys or charcoal colours to draw an arch over my eye, higher than the crease. I join this at the outer corner of my eye but beyond where my eye ends IYSWIM.

This then gives the illusion that my eyes are bigger than they are.

Exactly like this picture

[ginghamstarfish]

Thanks all, will try your suggestions tomorrow. I haven't really put much effort into blending different shades before, so will have a go and also try a soft eyeliner.

[ZacharyQuack]

This is a really good tutorial.

[burnishedsilver]

For those of us over 40, a mat eyeshadow is better. Most eyeshadows have some level of shimmer which can be very aging.

[ginghamstarfish]

Thanks for the tutorial, Zachary! Will give that a try, seems I've been doing it wrong and ending up with the 'muddy' look. And thanks too, burnished, yes it is hard to find Matt colours but will look for a new palette this weekend, and new brush - look forward to trying a new look!