Eye & Lip Makeup Basics: A beginner's guide from definitions to products and application

Welcome to part two of this makeup basics series, if you were also looking for face basics, that was my previous post.  Brush basics will be coming next week.

First some information about eye shapes.  Again, I am not an expert and for further information about what eye shape you have and the styles recommended for it please Google away or seek a professional opinion.

Hooded: this shape describes a fold of skin beneath the brow which is loose and hangs over the crease (the area of skin in the socket of the eye), onto the mobile lid (the area below the crease which retracts when the eye is open).  The degree of hoodedness varies from most of the lid visible to none whatsoever.  A key point for this eyeshape is to blend (softening the colour until it fades softly) shades onto the hood so that it is visible when the eye is open.

Deep set: The eye area is generally smooth and is usually entirely visible but if extremely deep can look similar to hooded eyes.  The eyes are set deeper into the socket.

Protruding/bulging: the eyes are noticeably further out than the socket.  People with this eye shape may wish to avoid overly light or shimmery shades as this will make the eye look even more protruding.

Round: when the eye is open the iris (coloured portion around the black pupil) is completely or almost completely visible.

Close set: proportionally the eyes are very near to the nose bridge, often making it seem as though the face is smaller than the skull warrants.  Those with this eye placement, try to avoid bringing deeper shades onto the inner portion of the lid as this will make the eyes seem even closer.

Wide set: direct opposite of close set.  Try not to focus deeper shades far towards the outer corner as this makes the eyes seem further apart.

Monolid: usually Asian persons have this eyeshape.  It features a fairly flat surface with no crease at all and a small mobile lid.  Generally monolidded persons will either fake a crease with a dark shadow or work without one at all.

Almond: a fairly symmetrical shape, similar to that of an almond (who'd've thought?).  Can vary in how closed/narrow the eyes are.

Downturned: any eye type can be downturned, meaning the outer corner is lower than the inner corner.  If you want your eyes to look less downturned use deeper shades in upwards motions (wing) at the outer corner.

Upturned: direct opposite of downturned, in which the outer corner is higher than the inner corner.

Eyes also vary in size and may be small, average, or large proportionate to your face.  Some people also have assymetrical eyes, meaning their two eyes are significantly different shapes.

Now for the makeup and application.

Eye primer:  this is a similar concept to the face primer discussed in the face makeup post however where facial primers can have different effects on the skin, eye primers have only two.  Firstly they enable a longer wear time for the product without fading or creasing (when eye makeup settles into the lines in your eyes).  Secondly some primers have a sticky or tacky texture which allows eyeshadow to stick to it.  This decreases the amount of fallout (particles of product which dislodge from one's face or brush) and increases the opacity of shadows.

Eyeshadow: the main element of eye makeup in my opinion.  Some people don't bother with it, preferring to stick to eyeliner, but I love the diverse creativity of eyeshadow.  It comes in two major forms: cream or powder.  The standard is powder however creams which come in pots or less frequently tubes, can provide a simple single shade look or a base for powder shadows.  Eyeshadow comes in every imaginable colour and finishes range from glittery (large chucks of glitter with a powder base), shimmery (finely milled particles which are highly reflective), metallic (similar to shimmer but specifically the appearance of metal) and satin (subtle sheen), to matte (flat, powder finish, non-reflective).
Styles:

• One shadow look: take a midtone (several shades darker than your skin colour) shimmery shade and apply this all over your lid, into your crease and slightly above, using a fluffy blending brush to soften the edge.
• Outer smoke/cat eye shape: use a light shade on the inner 2/3 of the mobile lid and use a crease brush to bring a darker shade into the crease (and slightly above if it isn't visible when your eyes are open) and in a sideways 'V' shape on the outer edge.  Take a transition shade (one to three shades deeper than your skin colour) around the outside of the crease shade to blend. For a more catlike appearance wing your crease shade upwards at the outer corner.
• Halo eye: this makes the eyes appear more rounded but may not work for those with hooded eyes.  Not recommended for those with close set eyes, may make those with rounded eyes look bulging.  Take a deep shade on a small crease brush and apply to the inner and outer corners, making sure to avoid the center of the lid.  Take a transition shade on a blending brush and blend out the edges, bringing the colour into the crease to join the inner and outer corners.  Take a light shade onto the center of the lid and tap lightly at the edges where it meets the dark shade.  A shimmery shadow is beautiful for this.
• Smokey eye: smokey eyes involve the deepest shade on the lid (this does not have to be exceptionally dark, a midtone shade can work to make a subtle look), either all over the mobile lid, stopping just before the crease and blending out with a transition; or along the lashline (area directly above the roots of the eyelashes) and fading across the lid and crease.
• Cut crease: takes a very small brush and draws either directly into the crease on visible eyes or fakes a crease on hooded or monolid eyes with a deep shade.  This shade is softly blended upward only.  A light shade is then taken across the lid.  The deep shade may or may not join the lashline at the outer corner.
• Highlighting the browbone (area directly under the eyebrow) and/or inner tear duct (skin around the tear duct before the bridge of the nose) can be done with any of these styles.
• These are some basic styles which can use any colour, feel free to try different colours and placements to your liking.  Search Avant-garde makeup if you want some atypical inspiration.

Eyeliner: comes in pencil, gel or liquid forms.  Each comes in a variety of colours but it is more common to find eccentrically coloured pencils.  Pencil eyeliner can be used along the upper and lower lashline and waterline (the inner rim).  Gel is usually used along the upper lashline but is occassionally used elsewhere.  Gel liner requires a brush which is either a fine pointed or thin angled eyeliner brush.  Liquid liner is similar to gel though almost always significantly thinner (hence the name) and comes with an applicator within the product.  Liquid liners are either a pen with a brush or felt tip or a brush or felt tip sitting in a reservoir.  These should only be used on the upper lashline (or lower if you please), not the waterline.

Styles and specificities:

• Black and brown are the most widely used colours of eyeliner and are used to deepen the lashline.  Try making the lashes look darker and fuller by tightlining (running liner into the upper waterline) with one of these.
• Nude (flesh toned) or white eyeliner can be used in avant garde makeup but is more commonly placed in the lower waterline to brighten and widen the eyes or hide redness.
• Bar: a straight line across the upper lashes
• Cat eye: a line beginning thin at the inner corner and gaining thickness at the outer half of the lid, extending past the eye and ending in a sharp wing angling upwards.
• Kitten eye: a small cat eye

Mascara: comes in a self contained tube with a wand.  Usually available in black or brown but some companies produce auburn and brightly coloured mascaras.  Makes lashes defined (each lash is individually more apparent), volumised (each lash appears thicker) and lengthened (the lashes appear longer) in varying degrees.  There are four options for applying, note that you can apply to the top, bottom or both lashlines.  First you might try holding your hand still (rest your elbow on a stable surface) and blink through the wand.  Second you could wiggle the wand side to side as you brush it through.  Third you can roll or rotate the wand as you lift through the lashes.  Finally some prefer to hold the wand perpendicular to the lashes and apply.  This is acceptable for the inner and outer corners but I would not recommend applying mascara to the full lashline as such as this is long winded and a hazard.  Remember to apply down to the root of the lash and sweep gently but firmly outward.

False eyelashes: a more dramatic and advanced process not generally worn daily but a great way to make the eyes look larger and more sultry on special occasions.  False lashes come in 'individuals' which are small clumps of only a few hairs, half lashes which cover about half of one's lashline (varies depending on size) and full lashes which cover the entire eye.  Special tools are sold which can help with application but one can also use regular tweezers or fingers with care.  

To apply lashes:

• if full length measure against the eye and trim off the outer corner (unless the hairs are symmetrical this will be the longer hairs) such that it fits the length of your eye.
• then wipe a thin continuous line of lash glue (purchased separately) along the band.  Usually you need to wait 30 seconds so that the glue is tacky and will stick not slide.  The package will give instructions.
• after the elapsed time carefully line the band up with either the outer corner or the center of your eye and as close to the lashes as possible (not on the lashes themselves) press gently but firmly to the skin.
• proceed to repeat along the band until it is entirely stuck down
• adjust as needed including tilting the lashes up or down to your liking
• remember this is tricky and most people suck at it.  You will probably mess up quite a few times.  Don't worry about it.  Just worry about being safe and careful with your eyes, you only get two and I'm sure you like both of them as they are.

Eyebrows: filling in your eyebrows is a massive trend recently and for good reason.  The eyebrows help to balance and frame the face.  Some people choose to not fill in their brows or to shave them off.  As with all makeup it's a personal decision.  There are five methods which can be used to fill in the brows, each with its own effect.  In each method one must apply through the entirety of the brow, frequently deepening the outer 2/3 more than the inner.  Follow the direction of the hair.  Firstly there's powder which gives a soft diffused colour.  It isn't exactly natural as it blanks over the individual brow hairs, but it is soft compared to the other options.  You need to use a brush, usually a fine angled brush.  Next is gel or pomade (varying textural thickness) which gives a harsher effect but can appear like real hair when used lightly (also uses a brush).  Then comes pencils which are drawn over the brow and finer tips look more like hairs.  There are also felt pens which are somewhat a meeting between pencils and pomade, precise and longer wearing.  Lastly is brow gel or mascara.  Confusingly gel is a term used for both the product in a squeeze tube or pot used with a brush as well as the mascara-like product which coats the hairs using its own wand.

Terminology:

• front: the beginning of the brow whose hair points upward nearest the nose
• arch: the mid section which is the highest point of the brow and the beginning of its end
• tail: end of the brow directly after the arch
• not all brows are arched the same, some are like semicircles, some angled sharply, some straight.

Lip liner: an optional first step to lip makeup which is a pencil of lip colour to line the edge of the lips (and frequently fill them in) so to prevent bleeding (in which lip product travels outside of the lip line) and to make products last longer.  It may be coloured or clear.

Lipstick: comes in potted/palette, liquid or bullet forms.  Bullets are the most popular medium, requiring the user to wipe the product directly onto the lip.  Pots or palettes of lipstick need a brush to apply.  Liquid lipsticks are an entirely different formula which dry down once applied and are generally quite drying.  They generally come in a tube with a wand like a lipgloss.  Lipstick comes in matte, shiny or metallic finishes and varying levels of opacity.

Lipgloss: comes in a tube either with a squeeze application or with a wand or brush submerged.  The formula can vary across lines but all are liquid with a glossy finish.

So that's pretty much all the info I can offer about eye and lip basics.  It certainly goes deeper than just this but hopefully this is a thorough awakening to the potential.

I welcome any comments or questions.  I hope your day goes well,

Cassy