Eye make up for a beginner

[YellowWave]

I'm approaching 40. My beauty or cosmetic routine has been minimal. I don't wear foundation. It's too heavy. In recent years I started using a tinted moisturiser or a BB cream or CC cream. So it's all very light.

I have a small social distancing function coming up at the weekend and I would like to try some eye make up. I bought a mascara and I tried it on and I like it. I also bought some eyeshadow and I'm watching tutorials on YouTube for some natural ooking eyeshadow looks. I attempted a few of them and every time I gave myself the look of having black eyes. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have eye brushes for applying and blending. The eyeshadow looks too cakey on my lids. I wonder if it's something to do with the eyeshadow I'm using. I'm using a benecos brand. It's an eco friendly shadow.

Any tips or tricks for me?

What shaped eyes do you have? If they are hooded it's probably why you havent needed to wear eyeshadow so you can get away with just mascara to lift your eyes. If in doubt a brown taupe colour on the eyelids blended in always looks good, you can blend in a darker colour at the outer edges.
You can buy singles in Superdrug or Boots by any brand. Sounds like the brand you're using is a bit rubbish.

I don't know what shape eyes I have. I don't know if they are hooded eyes. I don't know what hooded eyes are.

I'm using a 4 colour palette. It's tan and brown colours. I like the colours but it's not working for me. I use concealer as a primer. The shasow looks like its too flaky and I don't like it.

What colour eyes do you have?

I have blue eyes and I like to use a light brown colour eyeshadow. I like natural looking as much as possible.

I'd not use primers. I use a champagne or taupe eyeshadow with a very, very light shimmer. Matte looks caked on me.
I look bruised and a bit Halloween with too much shadow. Can't carry off a smokey eye with shadow.
For eye definition I think personally it's all about the eyeliner.

Have you watched any of the Lisa Eldridge videos? She has a natural look one which might suit you?

Eyeliner and eyelash curlers as she suggests do make a big difference.

Can you take a photo of an eye and post it? I'm using Trinny London products at the moment as it tells you which products suit your skin, hair and eye combo which I like.
I have blue eyes and love a gold on my eyelid for going out, with a bit of brown at the outside and run under as eyeliner.

Don't use conceal as eye primer. It is too oily. Concealer has moisturiser in it. Eyelids are often oily. Use actual eye primer or just sweep a pale skin tone over your lids. Then use a mid brown (not dark) along the mobile lid (lashes to crease). Run whatever is left on the brush up tight under your lower lashes.

That all. If you are starting out, stay simple until you have mastered that.

An easy thing that makes a huge difference is tight lining your upper eyelid. (I think that’s what it’s called!!) I’m no makeup pro! I use Laura Mercier cake liner with a wet, flat, eyeliner brush (same brand), and just wiggle it into my upper lashes from underneath. It’s absolutely fool proof.

This is one of my eyes.

I'm not brave enough to try eyeliner although I will consider it. The mascara I have is a brown one. It's from Dr hauschka brand. I like it.

I'd use an eyebrow pencil to definine your eyebrows. A taupe wash over lids. Your mascara, and I'm sticking with my eyeliner suggestion!

Shape and fill in brows (use the coldest muddy brown with no shimmer from your palate).
Wash of light taupe over the mobile lids and smudged put a bit.
Slap on mascara.
Done

Laura Mercier are the best eyeshadows ever in my view. I don’t use primer, I sometimes don’t use anything underneath and they just glide on and stay on all day. Pricey but you can buy just one?

I think I'd go with a gold eyeshadow as previously suggested. Don't go overly glittery. I wouldn't do black eyeliner, somehow dark brown is much more forgiving.

I don't wear mascara on bottom lashes these days, I just smudge a little eyeliner under my lower lashes on the outside third of the eye. Experiment with lightweight brightening concealer under eyes and in the inside corner of your eye near the bridge of your nose, it somehow wakes up your face.

Agree with defining your eyebrows too using a bit of matt brown eyeshadow brushed through with a slanted firm brush, much more forgiving than eye pencils.

I'm older than you and find that darker eye colours are getting trickier to pull off. You have to be careful you aren't emphasising dark shadows. Apart from round the eyelash line I'd keep it light

You're probably putting too much powder on the brushes. Start at the inner corner of your eye with the lightest colour all over, and into the crease of your eye socket. But before applying, get some powder on the brush but blow the excess off.
Build the colour/shading up as you go

You have lovely eyes for what it's worth

I think you will get the best effect by getting your eyebrows shaped and tinted.

A thick pencil eyeliner is easy to apply and will define your eyes well.

Mascara too for definition.

All that will make your eyes the focus and more expressive by emphasizing the shape of the eye and eyebrow as they change shape as your face expresses emotion. It kind of animates you.

I am paler and blonder than you. I find the shadow is an added extra after the main event of eyebrows, eye liner and mascara.

I like this eyeliner. It is very forgiving. It is not for fine cat eyes. It is a big dobbing smudgy thing. I love it.

Maybelline Master Smoky Shadow Pencil g.co/kgs/p5GA1S

Also, like me you have a hooded eye, which means your eyelid is not visible when your eye is open. Try searching for “hooded eye makeup” on YouTube as the tips for our eye shape are quite different!

Wow, thank you so much for all of the replies. I'm not long after brushing my teeth and afterwards I decided to try doing my eyes again ahead of the weekend. I did one eye and it turned out so much more better. I'm very happy and pleased. I am tempted with the eyeliner now too. I might buy one before the weekend. I was planning on using clear mascara on the eyebrows and using an eyebrow or lash comb, to comb them into shape.

Brown mascara can make you look tired? Black may work better

Yes you definitely have hooded eyes which is why you haven't really needed eye shadow - that's a good thing.

Yes so use black mascara, some taupe shadow on the lids, tidy up those eye brows.

You could practice applying and smudging in to blend brown eyeliner to the outer half of your lower lash line. Then try along the whole of the lower lash line to see if either way suits you