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While you may consider eye shadow as one portion of a completely made-up look, you don't necessarily have to wear it with its usual counterparts. Whether you're a fan of a natural look, a classic face full of makeup, or edgy, unexpected beauty choices, you have more options than you likely realize. Eye shadow looks beautiful when worn alone or with other color -- with a few new inspirational ideas, you'll look at shadow with fresh eyes.
Just Eye Shadow
You can totally wear eye shadow without any other makeup -- it can look chic and unexpected. Begin by creating your base -- go bare, dust on your favorite pressed powder or blend on your favorite foundation. Since you're only wearing shadow, go with a color that brightens your face, whether a vivid hue or a metallic. Opting to only wear heavy, dark neutrals such as charcoal or chocolate brown can dull any complexion. Cool-skin girls, try a vibrant lavender. Warm-skin girls, try a bold copper. Sweep it onto your top lids and just above your creases, and you're done.
Eye Shadow, Luminizer and Tinted Lip Balm
Wear eye shadow with other products that add a bit of shimmer and color to your face for a natural yet illuminating glow. Start with a soft metallic eye shadow in a shade lighter than your natural skin tone. Sweep the color on your top lids, beneath your lower lash line and on the inside corners of your eyes. Apply a luminizing cream or powder to your cheekbones for a dewy effect. Dab on tinted lip balm. Cool-skin girls, go for a sheer rosy lip. Warm-skin girls, go for a sheer red lip. So pretty.
Eye Shadow, Liner, Bronzer and Mascara
Add more makeup to your eyes for peepers that really pop. Go for a neutral medium brown shadow if you're fair, light or medium. Deeper skin tones, go for a deep charcoal shadow. These hues flatter no matter your hair or eye color. Start by lining your inner rims with black eye liner. Apply the shadow to your top lids and to the outer three-quarters of your lower lids. Add two coats of jet black mascara to your top and bottom lashes. Gently sweep on a bit of bronzer over your cheeks. Cool-skin girls, go for bronzer with pink shimmery flecks; warm-skin girls, choose bronzer with gold to copper shimmer. It's that easy.
Eye Shadow, Blush and Bold Lipstick
Go for a bold lips look by opting for subtle color on the rest of your face. Start with a shimmery taupe eye shadow applied to your top lids only -- don't apply any mascara. Your eyes will look vibrant without looking made up. Sweep sheer nude blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Women with cool skin, go for pinky-nude blushes. Women with warm skin, go for peachy-nude blushes. Finish your look with a deep wine lipstick. Wine lipstick with a pink cast works best for cool complexions; red to orange wine lipstick works best for warm complexions.
