3 Easy Eyeshadow Tutorials for Beginners

Smitha Deepak
by Smitha Deepak
13 Materials
$10
10 Minutes
Easy

Even if you’re a pro at doing makeup, you'll love this easy eyeshadow tutorial for beginners. This quick eye makeup technique creates three looks including smoky eyes, spotlight eyes (great for hooded eyes), and foxy eyes.

Tools and materials:

  • Eyeshadows
  • Concealer or eyeshadow primer
  • Larger concealer brush
  • Smaller concealer brush or blending brush 
  • Sponge tip applicator
  • Highlighter
  • Highlighter brush
  • Eyelash curler
  • Eyeliner pencil
  • Mascara
  • Sticky tape
  • Makeup sponge
  • Angled brush
Prepping eyelid with concealer

Classic smoky eyes


1. Prep with concealer

I’m using the larger concealer brush to prime my eyelids. You can also use an eyeshadow primer. Buff out the concealer with a concealer brush.

Deep brown eyeshadow

2. Use a deep brown

Dip a sponge tip applicator into a deep brown shade of eyeshadow. 

Applying eyeshadow to outer corner

3. Apply to outer corner

Stamp the deep brown on the outer corner of your eye. 

Carving an upward arc

4. Carve upward arc

From the corner, carve an upward arc up the crease of your eye. The eyeshadow won’t sit right in the crease, but just above it. 

Carving an upward arc

5. Apply underneath the eye

Use the shadow underneath the outer half of my lower lash line. 

Blending eyeshadow

6. Dab to blend

Using the smaller concealer brush, dab the eyeshadow on the upper lid to blend. Use very light pressure.

Adding black eyeshadow

7. Add black eyeshadow

Dip the sponge applicator into the black eyeshadow. Stamp it onto the outer V of your eyelid. Dab the black eyeshadow to blend with the first eyeshadow. 

Dabbing black eyeshadow along upper lash line

8. Spread across lashes

Dab the black eyeshadow along your upper lash line very close to the lashes. 

Applying eyeshadow under lashes

9. Apply under lashes

Using the sponge tip applicator, apply the black eyeshadow along your lower lash line.

Adding highlighter

10. Use highlighter

Use highlighter and a small highlighter brush to add a flash of color. Apply highlighter to the inner half of the lid. Use your finger to blend it into the darker eyeshadows.

Adding more highlighter

11. Add more highlighter

Add some highlighter into the inner corner of your eye and blend.

Adding highlighter under brow

12. Add highlighter under brow

Add highlighter on your brow bone, right under your brow. 

Adding more black eyeshadow

13. Add more black eyeshadow

Use your sponge applicator to add a little more black eyeshadow on the upper rim of your lashes.

Curling lashes

14. Curl lashes

Curl your lashes with a curler.

Applying mascara

15. Add mascara

Completed smoky eye makeup

Here’s the final result, a stunning, big smoky eye that gets done in less than five minutes!


Spotlight eyes

Applying deep brown eyeshadow

1. Start with deep brown

Dip the sponge tip applicator into a deep brown shade of eyeshadow.


Stamp the eyeshadow two places: the inner and outer corners of your upper lid. Add a little bit under the lower lash line, too.

Blending eyeshadow

2. Dab to blend

Blend the shadow in with the small concealer brush to soften and diffuse the eyeshadow. 

Leaving middle of lid clear

3. Keep the middle lid clear

But leave the center of the eyelid open without any blended shadow.

Applying eyeliner

4. Add black eyeliner

Use a black eyeliner pencil in the corners of your eye. Add to the outer corners of your lash lines. 

Smudging eyeliner

5. Smudge

Use the sponge tip applicator to smudge the black eyeliner.

Creating the spotlight

6. Create the spotlight

For the spotlight effect in the center of your upper eyelid, add highlighter with your finger. Blend it out with your fingers.

Adding highlighter

7. Apply spotlight under eye and brow

Apply the highlighter in the middle of your lower lid with a sponge tip. Apply highlighter with a brush on the brow bone.

Applying mascara

8. Curl lashes and add mascara

Completed spotlight eye makeup

Here’s the final and sultry result.

Completed spotlight eye makeup

Foxy eyes

Applying sticky tape

1. Apply sticky tape

To make this technique easier, put sticky tape on the outer corner of the eye to the end of your brow line. The tape acts like a stencil.

Applying brown shadow

2. Swipe brown shadow

Use the sponge tip to swipe dark brown shadow. Or use a bronzer if you prefer.

Applying black shadow

3. Swipe black shadow

Right underneath that, swipe black eye shadow.

Blending the eye makeup

4. Blend

Dab and blend the brown and black shadows for an ombre look. 

Removing the sticky tape

5. Remove tape

Take off the tape. You’ll have a beautifully elongated eye look. 

Adding concealer

6. Add concealer

Add concealer under the line and blend with a sponge.

Adding highlighter

7. Add highlighter

With a brush, add highlighter to the inside corner and half of your upper lid. Blend the highlighter in with your brush and your finger.

Using an angled brush

8. Use an angled brush

Use an angled brush to pull out a small, sharp wing in the outer corner of the eye with some black eyeshadow. 

Applying black eyeshadow

9. Apply black eyeshadow

Use the angled brush to apply black eyeshadow in the inner corner of the upper lashes and outer corner of the lower lash line.

Applying mascara

10. Curl lashes and add mascara

Completed foxy eye makeup


Completed foxy eye makeup

Here’s the final result of the stunning foxy eye.


Eyeshadow tutorial for beginners

Which one is your favorite easy eyeshadow technique? Do you have any tips on how to make these techniques easier? Let me know in the comments below. 


Products used:

Suggested materials:
  • Eyeshadows
  • Concealer or eyeshadow primer
  • Larger concealer brush
See all materials

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