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How to Apply Eye Shadow to Make Your Eyes Pop

Never question where to put your favorite eye shadow shades again
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Smoke the Outer Corners
Like its counterpart the inner corner, the outer corner is also a small, V-shaped spot, but refers to the area only above the eye, not below (from just underneath the brow bone to the lash line). This is where you'd typically apply darker eye shadow colors, especially if you're going for a smoky or dramatic eye makeup look, says Hughes.

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Brighten Up the Brow Bone
Quite literally, this is the bone under your brow. "If you place your finger under the arch of your brow, you'll clearly feel it," says Hughes. As with the inner corner, this spot is perfect for any kind of light eye shadow color, which make for a lifted appearance.

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Accentuate Your Lash Line
The skin directly underneath the lashes is a choice spot for any kind of darker eye shadow shades: "Deeper tones make lashes look fuller and really pop," notes Hughes.

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Anything Goes on the Lid
And, of course, we can't forget the lid, the half-moon shaped area of skin that stretches from the lash line to the crease. Pretty much anything goes when it comes to eye shadow colors here, making this the place to experiment with different shades.

Now that we're all on the same page with this terminology and some basic color rules, let's talk about how to utilize all of these eye shadow tips to create an eye makeup look that's flattering for your eye shape...

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How to Apply Eye Shadow if You Have Hooded Eyes
You have a little bit of extra skin that can cover your crease. "You have to place eye shadow differently, since some of it will be hidden by that fold," explains Hughes, who herself has hooded eyes. (Fun fact: this is a pic of her eye!)

The Palette: Fiona Stiles Artist Eyeshadow Quad, in Electra, $28

Recreate the Look: Start with the lightest, taupe eye shadow first (top left), buffing it all over the lid. (Another v. important eye makeup tip: Apply colors from lightest to darkest, so that you don't risk muddying them up, advises Hughes). Next, use the burgundy tone (bottom left), on the outer corner, stopping right where your iris begins. Press it on with a flat shadow brush -- this delivers more concentrated color than sweeping or buffing -- working the color both into the crease and on top of the fold. To double check that the hooded part of your lid isn't concealing the shadow, Hughes suggests relaxing your face and looking straight into the mirror. "Tilting your head back, which most of us do when applying eye makeup, will affect how the skin on your eyelid falls," she explains. Brush this same color along the top and bottom lash lines. Finish by blending the shimmery plum shade (bottom right) on just the outer corner.

BY MELANIE RUD CHADWICK | FEB 2, 2017 | SHARES
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