6 Super-Smart Eye Shadow Hacks You NEED to Try

Creating a fabulous eye look is seriously an art form (there’s a reason that they’re called makeup artists). But learning a few simple tricks of the trade can take you from eye shadow zero to eye shadow hero. We asked makeup artist Matthew Waitesmith, founder of Artis, to spill his favorite eye shadow hacks.

Apply a Light Beige Base to Make Shadow Pop
Many people suggest using a pure white base to make shadows look their best, but Waitesmith says that will make your eyes seem cartoonish. “The results will certainly pop, but it will likely look artificial.” Instead, he says to use a very light beige shadow base, like MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly ($21, maccosmetics.com), because the undertones are more natural than a stark white. This will help to reflect light waves back so any shadow applied over it will be truer to the shade they are in the pan.

Use a Large Oval Brush to Apply All Your Shadows
You can forget using a separate brush for every different color of your shadow look. Waitesmith says that you can use the Artis Oval 3 Brush ($32, artisbrush.com) to apply each layer, including under the lower lash line. Simply sweep your base color over the lid, and then add more product to the targeted areas you want to be deeper with the same brush, just using different ends of the elongated brush head. Blend out with clean fingertips.

Create Depth with One Shadow
You don’t need to use multiple shadow colors to create a complex-looking eye look. Waitesmith says to simply look for an eye shadow with a complex mix of pigments. “They aren’t just one color, but instead have several over-and-under tones, sometimes mixed with subtle pearl or iridescent particles,” he says. “It looks dimensional because when you see it up close, you realize it has several pigment components and light refracting particles.” Try a multi-dimensional shadow like MAC’s Woodwinked($16, maccosmetics.com) for an effortless effect that

There are more amazing eye makeup look that you should know and try immediately. You can have the rest of the tricks here: 6 Super-Smart Eye Shadow Hacks You NEED to Try