How to Make Eye Makeup For Beginners: Step-by-Step Guide

Over the years, makeup has evolved in many different ways as the ingredients used, the application method, the numerous products available, and the different types of makeup look. The eye makeup looks for beginners in the 70s/80s are different from eye makeup for beginners looks in the 90s, and now. Some makeup products can be traced back to Egypt when they are known as unguents. Now, those makeup products are eyeliner and blush which were derived from questionable sources back then.

Yes, some products that were used back then had safe ingredients like mulberries which have antioxidants and red ochre which has sun-protective properties. Other harmful ingredients that were used back then were antimony and copper ore.

As the years went by, new ingredients replaced these harmful ones and now you have a choice among various tested and safe chemical/natural makeup products curated just for you.

Cleopatra is one figure we look back in time and realise how much eye makeup has changed. Yes, there are days when you want to go all dramatic with your eye makeup looks, but at times you want to go for something simple clean look. There are different types of eye makeup looks that you can try out as a beginner to get started in your journey on how to apply makeup. This guide brings you details on how to choose eye makeup for different eye types, with a step-by-step eye makeup application guide for beginners..

Types of Eye Makeup For Beginners

1. Basic:

This type of eye makeup look is done with the use of a few makeup products like smudge-proof eyeliner, long-lasting kajal, and eye mascara. You can decide to opt for all of these products or use just a few of them. To create this step-by-step simple eye makeup, start by applying the eyeliner on your eyelids and the mascara on your lashes. You can choose to forgo the kajal or can apply it on your waterline.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: Try curling your lashes before applying mascara, it will give your eyes a more defined look.

2. Subtle/Simple:

In the beginner's guide to makeup, this eye look is very easy to create and can be done by everyone no matter how little you know about makeup. An eyeshadow palette has two textures of eyeshadow; one matte, and the other shimmer. But these two textures come in various colours. A simple eye makeup for beginners requires two colours of matte eyeshadow. One light colour is used in the corners of the eyes to the middle and one dark colour (can be brown) is used at the outer corners of the eyes. These two colours of matte eyeshadow meet at the ¾th corner of your eyes and are blended properly so you don’t know where one colour ends and the other begins.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: Choose blending tools wisely. For instance, use a small and flat eye shadow brush to facilitate accurate application in the beginning. However, to create a flawless smokey effect, you can look for a medium-sized blending brush along with a small flat brush.

3. Shimmery:

Remember the other texture of eyeshadow that was just talked about? That’s right, the shimmer. It is a great type of eye makeup for beginners. When using shimmery eyeshadows, you can decide to go for just shimmers or you can add some matte shades on the outer corners of your eyes and the shimmer all over your eyelids.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: To get that dramatic wing, apply a small size of surgical tape to the corners of your eyes. Apply a darker shade of eyeshadow of your choice all over your lid and mix it with a similar pale shade towards the wing. Add some white shimmer of silver eye sparkle to your final eye makeup and you are ready to rock at the party.

4. Smokey:

When people hear the words ‘smokey eyes’, they think of black and quickly shy away from it. But smokey eyes don’t always mean you have to use black and trust us when we say it’s the easiest eye makeup for beginners. It can be any warm colour from various shades of brown to black. When creating a smokey eye look, you can decide to smoke out your eyelid or just the outer corner. Be careful and start with a small amount of product and slowly build it up from there so it doesn’t create a mess. You can use eyeshadow palettes or this Revlon So Fierce! Vinyl Eyeliner. You can decide to go in with eyeliner, but it’s not necessary.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: A primer is a must to have that perfect smokey eye makeup look. When using primer, a little amount goes a long way. By priming your eyelids, you may make sure that your eyeliner and eyeshadow don't spread or budge easily outside of your lids and rims. Follow smokey eye makeup step-by-step and create that mesmerising eye look.

5. Semi-cut crease:

The semi-cut crease is exactly what the name suggests. Follow this step-by-step makeup for beginners to create a semi-cut crease eye makeup look. Start with the first layer which is the warm/dark colour, then go over with a layer of colour to outline your crease stopping in the middle. Apply a lighter shade on the outlined area and darken the ends. You can add some eyeliner and kajal, or skip one or both.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: The best way to carve out the crease is to trace the groove of the eye socket. Also, try to stay close to the lashes. The colour shouldn't go much lower than your lower lashes as a general guideline; if it does, it starts to seem ghastly. Closer to the lash line, you want the colour to be rich and deep, and the further down you go, the more gently it should diffuse.

6. Full-cut crease:

This is similar to a semi-cut crease except you outline it with a concealer till the end to give you a full-cut crease. This eye makeup look has a way of outlining your natural crease, especially when done with natural nude eyeshadow colours. But when you go for bright colours, it can change your entire face. You can complete this look with the Revlon Fabuliner.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: Apply a full coverage concealer to get a perfect full-cut-crease look. Any pigmentation on your eyelids as well as some eyeshadow, if necessary, can be concealed using full-coverage concealers. You can achieve a crisp crease that doesn't feather since full-coverage concealers have a consistency that is thicker than foundations and eye primers. Do include this tip in your list of beginner’s guides to makeup.

7. Graphic Eyeliner:

This is the use of not just one, but different colours of eyeliner or eye pencil to create different shapes and sizes of graphic designs on your eyes with the use of these colourful liquids and pens.

Pro Eye Makeup Tip: Apply sticky tape at an angle along the side of your eye for a no-fuss winged liner that looks excellent with turned-up wings.

How to Choose Eye Makeup According to Eye

1. Round eyes:

If you have round eyes, then applying dark eyeshadow smack at the centre of your eyes with lighter shades at the corners of your eyes is a great way to compliment your eye shape. This will enhance your big eyes and highlight the inner and outer corners of your eyes.

2. Monolid eyes:

Begin with the darkest colour, preferably black, and apply it close to your lashes. Go in with a brown warmer shade and apply it above the black blending them together. Lastly, apply the lightest shade which is one or two shades darker than your actual skin tone. Apply this shade above the brown and blend it together. This will give you some sort of ombre look that will enhance your eyes.

3. Hooded eyes:

If you have hooded eyes then you need to focus on applying dark eyeshadow on the lower portion of your eyelids. Blend out the eyeshadow upwards from your lash line up to your eyelid.

4. Downturned eyes:

Applying a light shade of eyeshadow in the inner corners of your eyes and blending it outward towards the centre of your eyes can complement your eye shape. Take it a step further by applying a dark shade on the outer corners and blending it inwards so that the inner and outer corners of your eyes are darker.

5. Upturned eyes:

Apply a dark shade eyeshadow shade around the outlines of your eyes. That is, apply dark eyeshadow close to your lash line and waterline. You can also add some on the outer corner of your eyes.

6. Almond-shaped eyes:

If you have almond-shaped eyes, apply dark eyeshadows at the outer corners of your eyes and a lighter shade at the centre. Apply a bright shade in the inner corners of your eyes.

Essential Tools & Brushes: Eye Makeup For Beginners

• Flat Eyeshadow Brush

A flat eyeshadow brush is a mini form of a paddle brush. It has an average density and is flat. Using a flat eyeshadow brush you can paint your eyelids with eyeshadow pigment. Cream, liquid, or powder eyeshadows can all be applied with this brush.

• Fluffy Blending Brush 

It's an essential brush for every eye makeup. It facilitates colour blending and softens those sharp lines. Small blending brushes are excellent for defining the crease of the eye, larger blending brushes can be used to smooth out the edges of sharp lines, and angled blending brushes can be used to deepen the outer V of the eyes.

• Shader Brush 

To add smoke to any eye makeup look, a small, dense brush called a shader brush or smudge brush is used. Typically, these are employed to smudge eyeliner and mix eyeshadow down the lower lash line. These can be utilised to apply makeup all over the eyelids.

• Angled Eyeliner Brush

An angled eyeliner brush is a flat brush with an angle that can be used for eyeliner or brow filler. The slant of this small brush makes it ideal for adding wings because it serves as a guide for extending your eyeliner. For filling in the brows, narrower angled brushes work well since you can make hairlike strokes with them.

Step-by-Step Eye Makeup Guide for Beginners

1. Groom your eyebrows:

Your eyebrow is just as important as your eyes, and the way you shape them and care for them affects how your eye makeup turns out. Revlon’s brow pencil comes in handy when you’re trying to groom your eyebrows. But remember not to paint your eyebrows. Fill them out softly and lightly. But if you already have full eyebrows or you don’t want to add anything to your eyebrows, you can create the laminated eyebrow look with the Revlon Eyebrow Gel.

2. Use Concealer:

Concealers can’t be used for so many things. If you have two different shades of concealer, light and dark, you can do almost anything with those two shades. But with respect to your eyes, concealers can be used to clean up, create cut creases, prime your eyelids, and highlight.

First, make sure that you get a concealer that is one or two shades lighter than your skin tone. Check out the Revlon colorstay full coverage concealers for your shade.

Now you can conceal the area below your eyebrows very lightly. This will clean up the lines making it look sharp and cleaner. The most used application of concealer is to prime your eyelids. Although there are eye primers, a lot of people prefer to prime their eyelids with concealer because of the texture.

This is the first step in the step-by-step eye makeup application process. Apply a coat of concealer on your eyelids and blend it all over to get an even application.

3. Set your eyelids:

The next step in the step-by-step eye makeup application is to set the concealer with powder. It can be loose finishing powder or any other type of powder like a compact. This eye makeup tip would make you have a flawless eyeshadow application. Apply with a brush or a beauty blender. The application of powder over your concealer is important and needs to be done everything you apply concealer. Why? Because concealer has a liquid texture that easily creases as it dries. Applying powder over it locks the moisture of the concealer in place and prevents it from moving and creasing.

4. Eyeshadow Application:

The trick to getting a good eyeshadow application that will complement you is to know your eye shape. As discussed previously, the types of eye shapes and how you should apply eyeshadow to enhance and compliment them. Your eyelids once prepped will allow the eyeshadow to glide onto your eyelids like a dream. The Revlon colorstay look book palette is great to get you started as a beginner in your eye makeup application journey. Or you can go with the Revlon Fierce Prismatic Eyeshadow for the nude shimmery colours.

5. Eyeliner and Kajal:

If you’re the type of person who uses eyeliner in place of kajal and vice versa, then here’s a reason you should stop it. Yes, you can totally use your kajal as an eyeliner, but it is mostly great when you’re creating a dark smokey eye makeup look. But remember to limit the use of your eyeliner to your lash line and not use it on your waterline. The liquid consistency can create a mess on your waterline but a kajal or eye pencil won’t. An eye makeup tip to use when applying eyeliner is to apply a sellotape at the outer corners of your eyes before applying your eyeliner.

6. Mascara:

Mascara helps enhance your eyelashes by making them darker and even longer. But it can also lift your eyelashes which boldens and brightens your eyes. The Revlon Water Tight Mascaras are great to have with you. Not only are they pigmented, but they are also a dream to use. One swipe and you would start to see the change in your lashes.

Tips & Hacks About Eye Makeup For Beginners

1. Remember that prepping your eyelids is just as important as the makeup application itself.
2. Simply blend and continue blending. If something doesn’t look right, you need to blend some more.
3. Using an eyebrow gel to get your eyebrow to look laminated after filling it is an amazing eye makeup tip/hack.
4. You can directly apply mascara to your lashes, or you can apply an eyelash primer which gets the mascara to be more prominent on your lashes.
5. Place a piece of sellotape at the outer corner of your eyes to create a winged eyeliner look.

Conclusion

In all of this remember that makeup is like art, it is subjective and you are the artist. Once you know the normal application process of makeup, you can switch it up and make it unique so it becomes your way of applying makeup.

FAQs

Q. Do you apply foundation to eyelids?

A: It is rare for you to find makeup professionals who would recommend you apply foundation on your eyelids. Foundation is made for the rest of your face, and eye primer is used instead of foundation. Although, the majority of people in the beauty industry use concealer to prep their eyelids rather than eye primer.

Q. Do you put eyeliner on before or after eyeshadow?

A: Your eyeliner is one of the last things you apply because it needs to remain prominent and cannot be covered by layers of other eye makeup products. So, apply your eyeshadow first and then your eyeliner after that.

Q. What is the correct order of makeup?

A: People have different orders of applying their makeup as they’ve had practice and know what works best for them. Although be sure, to begin with your skincare first, that is a very important step. You can check out this blog by Revlon makeup application step-by-step guide with tips.

Q. Should you put eyeliner on the bottom lid?

A: It is best to limit your eyeliner application to your upper eyelid and opt for kajal or eye pencil for your lower lid (i.e. waterline). This is because eyeliner is liquid and can enter your eyes but it can also end up running down your face if you cry or it rains. Kajal or Eye pencil on the other hand have textures that hold them firm that makes them remain in the area you apply them. If it rains or you cry, it isn’t going anywhere.

Q. How do you do eye makeup step by step?

A: 

• Start by shaping your eyebrows
• Apply concealer
• Set your eyelids, 
• apply eye shadow, 
• Put on a Kajal or Eyeliner 
• Lastly, apply Mascara

Q. What is a simple eye makeup look I can try for my daily makeup routine?

A: The simplest eye makeup you can try in your daily makeup routine is applying eyeliner or kajal, mascara and eyeshadow.

Q. How do beginners learn eye makeup?

A: Following a step-by-step makeup for a beginner guide on eye makeup, beginners can excel in their journey of perfecting eye makeup.

Q. What do you need for basic eye makeup for beginners?

A: Basic eye makeup is one of the easiest types of eye makeup. All you need is a Kajal, eyeliner and mascara for donning a basic eye makeup look.

Q. How many types of eye makeup are there?

A: Majorly, there are 7 types of eye makeup looks namely, basic, simple, graphic, smokey, semi-cut crease, full cut-crease and shimmery.