Idiot's guide to eye make-up?

[beanandspud]

I am terrible with make-up but eye make-up in general. I can just about manage foundation, mascara and lipstick/gloss.

But please can someone tell me how to apply eye liner and eye shadow and avoid looking like either Cleopatra or some soft-focus 80's porn star?

I see all these ladies with stunning, natural looking eye make-up and I am clueless as to how to achieve it.

[Help emoticon]

go to youtube for the MAC make-up tutorials - step by step and the pause button helps

go to the benefit counter and get a lesson, thats what I did. Also most benefit make up comes with a guide as to how to apply it. And you can get it heavily discounted off ebay cos its quite dear in Debenhams etc.

I can't be doing with full on eye shadow, but I always use a soft brown/grey eye shadow and a flat angled brush to line my lower lash line, just the outer third/half, and it makes a massive but subtle difference. Also use the same eye shadow to fill in my eyebrows a bit, making them more groomed and defined. That and some mascara is all the eye makeup I do.

I will second going on youtube - there are TONS of tutorials on there. Also, practise, practise, practise. I've been doing it for 15 years and even I get it wrong sometimes!

Can't believe I hadn't thought of YouTube - I will investigate - thank you!

I use a neutral slightly pearly mink/beige eyeshadow, just across my eyelids and into the crease, blend with a big brush, then add some mascara. Dead simple for everyday, doesn't look overdone at all.

If I'm going out I just boost with a bit of eyeliner pencil at the roots of my lashes; small feathery strokes to build up the colour.