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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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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.

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How to Apply Eye Shadow if You Have Round Eyes
With round eyes, any kind of smoky eye is a nice choice; it adds sultry definition to the shape, which can sometimes come across as doll-like and overly youthful, notes Hughes. This version is a fresh take on the classic, using grays instead of blacks, and is insanely easy to recreate.

The Palette: L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Pocket Palette Eye Shadow, in Silver Couture, $9.99

Recreate The Look: Dab the light silver shade (top left) on the inner corners. Use either of the two mid-tone gray hues across the entire lid, from lash line to crease. Finish by using a liner brush to sweep the darkest charcoal shade (top right) across the entire top lash line, and on the middle to outer edge on the bottom lash line for depth and definition.

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How to Apply Eye Shadow if You Have Almond Eyes
Consider yourself #blessed if your peepers are almond-shape. "All you really have to do is enhance their natural shape," points out Hughes. A subtle wing and neutral tones will do the trick.

The Palette: Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette , in The Dolce Vita, $52

Recreate The Look: Using a small, fluffy brush, apply a sheer dusting of the lightest champagne shadow (top left) across the entire lid. Then, take the dark brown hue (bottom right), and work that in as close to the lash line as possible around the entire eye. To create the subtle wing, brush on the brown eye shadow in tiny flicking motions, moving toward the tail of your brow (so, slightly upward).

BY MELANIE RUD CHADWICK | FEB 2, 2017 | SHARES
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