You won’t have to look at too many famous faces to find winged eyes. It’s one of the most popular current makeup trends, and that means it’s a must-get look. If you don’t know how to apply winged eyeshadow perfectly, you could end up with a bit of a mess on your hands. But there is good news: winged eyeshadow isn’t as difficult to create as it appears.
Start With Primer
You should always be using a primer if you’re going to wear makeup. A good primer will protect your skin from the makeup and give you a smooth canvas to work with. Don’t forget to gently apply primer to your eyelids and around your eyes before you put on your makeup. We love MAC’s Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base.
Reach for Shadow First
Many people put on their eyeliner and then reach for the eyeshadow. This is the wrong way to apply eye makeup. You should always start with your eyeshadow and apply eyeliner after. To create a winged eyeshadow look, you’ll need a thin, angled brush. Use this to bring the eyeshadow from the outer corner of your eye to your eye crease.
Take the brush and draw the eyeshadow from the corner of your eye in a diagonal line up to the crease of your eye. Stop and draw another line, starting at the tip of the first, back down to the corner of your eye. You want the line to end in a sharp point at your crease. Essentially, you’re drawing a small, skinny triangle. Use a second brush to blend across the eye shadow wing so it has even coverage.
Add the Liner
Once the wing is in place, you can add eyeliner if desired. With your eyeshadow in place, you’ll be able to draw a much crisper, more controlled line with your eyeliner. Finish with mascara, and admire!
Winged Eyeshadow
Use this technique to give yourself a winged eyeshadow look, no matter which color (or color combination) you’re using. Perfect the look so when your friends ask how you did it, you’re ready to show them.