Cream eyeshadow, when done well, is oh-so-pretty. Exhibit:
image: Estée Lauder
But thing is, it’s easy to get cream shadow wrong (read: messy) if you don’t first of all know a few key steps and tips.
Without further ado …
- First up, apply concealer or, better still, a lid primer. This will ensure that your cream shadow sticks to your lids – especially if you have oily skin here.
- You can wear cream shadow simply as a wash of colour over your upper lids. All you have to do is use your pinkie to dab it on. Go right up to the brow if you want to amp up the look – à la Joan Smalls, above.
- If you want more of an intense look, take a flat, synthetic-bristled brush (like M.A.C 242 Shader Brush, $45, M.A.C) and layer up your shadow.
- Not all cream shadows are alike in formulation. Some have a gel-like stick and intensity. In this case, they work brilliantly doubled as a liner. You can apply it with a sleek brush – like Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush, $45, department stores – for a liquid-lined effect, or with a smudger brush (we like Rae Morris Chiseled Smudger, $21.95, Rae Morris) for a softer look (this option is especially effective for colouring beneath the lower lashes).
- If your cream shadow comes in a stick form, use it like a big, fat eye pencil. AKA a quick and easy smoky eye.
- Cream shadow also makes for a perfect base for powder eye makeup. You know how you set foundation with powder? It’s a similar concept here: cream, then powder on top. You get a longer-last effect, and a punchier, oomphier colour by layering two shadows in similar shading.
- But you can also play around with color effects when layering. For example, a black cream shadow topped with a dusting of bright blue powder will make for a wonderful smoky midnight hue.
- Cream shadows often come in pale, shimmery shades. These are brilliant highlights – blend them in under brow, along upper cheekbones, on the cupid’s bow … and wherever else you like, really.
GREAT CREAM SHADOW BUYS:
Estée Lauder Pure Color Stay-On Shadow Paint, $42, department stores (from March 3). These new pots of gorgeousness offer a lovely formulation that feels almost mousse-like, and so a dream to both apply and wear. Infused with light-reflecting pearl pigments, it’s gorgeously lustrous on lids. Speaking of pigment, the colours are packed in, so you get great intensity in a single swipe. What’s more, there are some fabulously vivid shades to choose from. We love the jewel-like hues (Extreme Emerald, Bold Cobalt, Neon Fuchsia) but especially heart Chained, a coppery gold, and Pink Zinc, a pretty pearly take on the girlie hue. Fun fact: a selection of the shades were used in Derek Lam’s spring/summer 2013 collection.
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick, $44, department stores. In a wind-up crayon form, these are super-easy to apply, whether you want a smudgy line or a quick smoky-eye look. This lovely range comes in eight shades – from soft and pretty, to sultry – and is the star of Katie Holmes’ first campaign for Bobbi Brown.
M.A.C Pro Long-Wear Paint Pot, $35, M.A.C. Click here for more information
Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Gel Eye Shadow, $11.95, pharmacies. Click here for more info.