If you’ve struggled on where to apply your eyeshadow, this post is for you! The helpful diagram above illustrates some of the more common areas one can apply eyeshadow to, which should help get you familiar with the terminology used in various tutorials (both pictorials and YouTube videos). These are areas of the eye that often signal how and where a particular product has been applied to the eye in a makeup tutorial.
Now, let’s break down the where and what of a typical eye look…
Inner Tearduct/Inner Corner: This is the area between the bridge of the nose and the inner portion of the lid. It’s often a space that is used to brighten and open up the eyes, so something metallic is often used here. This can sometimes be the same shade used to highlight the brow bone to help tie a look together, but it’s just as likely something different. I often find this is a good place to add a pop of sparkle or glitter.
Inner/Middle/Outer Lid: Depending on the look one’s going for, the lid can be divided up into as many or as few parts as desired. You can have color all over the lid, over all but the outer lid/very outer corner (where the lash lines meet). I tend to apply two to three shades on the lid, so I often break up my lid into three sections–inner, middle, and outer.
Sometimes, you’ll see a reference to the “outer v,” which is the edge of the upper lash line into the deep crease in the shape of a sideways “V.” (The outer lid/crease area in this look and this look are two examples of defining the “outer v.”)
Crease: This is the area that is slightly sunken where the lid meets the space above it. I also like to divide this area into the Crease and Deep Crease, the latter being the deepest, most sunken/hidden part of the crease (like when the eye is open). I typically apply the darkest shade in a look to the deep crease and use a lighter, complementary shade in the crease to help diffuse the dark shade.
To make life easier, applying a more malleable, mid-tone shade into the crease tends to make applying the darker shade into the deep crease easier and require less effort for blending.
Above Crease: Like the lid going from light to dark across, so goes the crease area as it goes from the deepest part of the crease toward the brow bone. It’s all about creating a gradient, which is why many use a transition shade in or above the crease area to help diffuse and fade color toward the brow bone for a seamlessly, blended look.
Brow Bone: The brow bone is the area directly underneath the brow, and this is an area that is typically highlighted with either a matte or shimmer shade. It can range from flesh-toned to something lighter and brighter than one’s natural skin tone. I tend to switch my brow bone highlighting shade based on the look I’m doing, as certain looks play well with a simple, light beige and others need something cooler or warmer, less or more shimmery, to come together.
Upper Lash Line: This would be the area immediately above the upper lashes (the ones that extend from the mobile lid). This is typically where eyeliner is placed for those who apply it to the lid.
Upper Waterline: This is the space just below upper lashes (it’s probably easiest to visually understand by knowing what the lower waterline looks like, which is much more visible, and then looking upward in a mirror to see what the upper waterline looks like). It’s a very thin, narrow part below where the lashes extend from; if you gently push your mobile lid up slightly, it is easier to see the space (often a little watery). You can line this upperwaterline area with eyeliner, and some like to tightline, which focuses on filling in gaps between the upper lashes but isn’t quite like upper lash liner and not quite like waterline (technically the space between the two, but depending on the tool you’re using, you may get the product more or less on the upper lash line or waterline). The upper waterline is also referred to as the upper rim.
Lower Lash Line: This would be the area immediately below the lower lashes. Eyeliner can be applied here (just below the lower waterline, see below) as well as eyeshadow. If you’re applying eyeshadow, you’ll likely want to reach for small, pencil brushes.
Lower Waterline: This would be the area immediately just above and between the lower lashes and can be referenced as the lower rim or bottom rim of your eye. Some people use eyeliner on the waterline, but due to the watery nature, not everyone finds that product lasts or that they can handle product there so experiment and see if it works for you
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