by Yve Goodwin

Created on: March 14, 2009

The eyes are the most important feature of the face. They're the "widows to the soul" and capture people's attention through their expressiveness. Using certain tricks can play up their natural features can create striking looks that will keep you looking fresh and stylish. Since most women tend to wear a variety of different products on their eyes, defining them is probably the most time consuming part of their daily make-up routine. Although it can be frustrating, the final results are definitely worth the amount of time, effort and care that you put into it. It may seem difficult at first, but with a little practise and some patience you'll be able to successfully complete your eye make-up and create a variety of looks within a matter of minutes.

Eyeshadows were at one time chosen by ladies to con-ordinate with clothing; however this is not the appropriate method. The natural hair color, as well as the hair color in combination with skin-tone should be taken into consideration when choosing the appropriate eye-shadow color. There are three main types of eye-shadows. The first and most difficult type of eye-shadow to work with is Cream Eye-shadow.

Cream Eye-shadows are not very popular. Their textures are difficult to work with and they're a nightmare to blend. The creams also tend to crease, settle within any creases on top of the lids, and move around on the eyelids after a short amount of time.

Loose Powder Eye-shadows are lightweight, finely textured powders that are sold in small pots. They're applied with a shadow brush and are available in pearly finishes; which are good to use as highlighters. Their ranges of colors are quite limited, although they can be carefully mixed together. Unfortunately they also tend to fly into air and land on areas where you don't want. This makes them much more difficult to control than pressed powder.

Pressed Powder Eye-shadows are the most popular type of eye-shadow. These powders can be built up gradually and give excellent coverage. They're also widely available in a vast spectrum of colors.

Leading designer cosmetic brands such as;
Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden etc. create the best quality eye-shadows. Although they're more expensive than cheaper brands; their ingredients are much kinder to the skin, they last longer when worn, their pigments are much richer, and they're available in a greater variety of fashionable, up-to-date colors.

The right eye-shadow can bring out beauty and color of your eyes and it's worth taking the time to investigate and experiment with various colors. Bone or light beige is a good all over base color, and is suitable for every skin-tone; while soft browns and coffee colors add depth and definition to the eyes.

Using soft greys in mid-tones are great for creating smokey, sexy eyes (avoid the lighter shades; they tend to appear as silver; while the darker shades look dirty).

Before using any eye-shadow, it's important to create a base by dusting both eyelids with your face powder. This will help to prolong the life of your eye-shadow color and help to prevent creasing and smudging. Once you've completed applying the base color, brush on your chosen eye-shadow color. Don't
cover the entire lid; instead work from the outside in, carefully covering the outer corner of the eyelid and the orbital bone (the area just above the crease of the eye). Remember that eye-shadow should always be applied with a soft natural bristle brush, while gradually adding color to build up the intensity.
Never apply eye-shadow underneath the eyes because it will make you appear tired. If you want to define your eyes, eyeliner and mascara are the best products to use.

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