My Most Used & Abused Shadows: Neutrals
These are the shadows I reach for all the time.
Despite having a ton of palettes, quads, and singles, we all have certain shadows we always reach for. They're the ones we're most comfortable using, the ones we know that work and really do the job right. These shadows most likely are dented or has the shadow pan showing at the bottom already because of so much use. Yeah, I feel you. I totally do.
Here are the shadows I use the most, arranged by eye area.
OVERALL / LID
-Hands down, the first shadow I apply right after primer every single time is Freestyle. It's just a matte light peach/skintone color and it just neutralizes the color of my eye area, making it brighter and even, which in turn makes the shadows I use on top of it more pigmented. I also find that it helps blend the shadows on top faster and easier because it just lessens the tackiness of the primer underneath. Freestyle is a very soft shadow that it just blends and diffuses in a sec. Absolutely love it.
CREASE
- I actually have two in this category: one is Buck and the other one is Cosmoprof Brown. In terms of undertones, they're quite different from each other. Buck is more of a cool-toned shadow while Cosmorprof Brown is more on the warmer side. Thing is, they morph into a totally different undertone when used, especially when packed or layered. Buck becomes more of a warmer shade on the crease while Cosmoprof Brown tends to shed its warmth and turns out cool. A little odd, no? Both shadows are matte but they're really easy to blend out, which is why they're my fool-proof crease shadow picks.
OUTER V
-I rarely apply shadow on my outer v just because it makes my eye space smaller so I tend to skip it but on the rare occasions that I do apply some shadow on that area, I use Faint. Actually in this category, it was a toss between this and Buck but Faint is darker so it gives more depth and dimension. This is a kind of matte that's quite a pain in the butt to blend, though, so I make sure to apply it little then add some more if needed.
LINER
-As much as possible, I don't apply shadow as liner on its own because it tends to fade or transfer. I either use a mixing liquid so it's like a liquid liner or I put it on top of a creamy base to set it. My shadow of choice is Blackout, whether as liner or setter. Blackout is a very pigmented flat matte and it's perfect for the job because I don't need to layer too much. It's not chalky but it's also not too buttery s it will stay. Too much of it has the tendency to transfer, sadly, which is why I use it sparingly.
LOWER LASHLINE
-If I just need a little definition, I use Faint. Again, Faint is pretty much a versatile shadow as I also use it sometimes on my brows. It gives definition on the lower lashline but it's not too dark which is good for day use. If I want something darker and smokier, I use Backdoor. Again, Backdoor is a matte shadow but it's definitely deeper and darker in color. I also use it sometimes as liner as an alternative to black.
HIGHLIGHT
-Okay, these are the shadows I use on both highlight areas, brow bone and inner corner. I have two, depending on what goes better with the eye look I'm working on. If the look's too shimmery or glittery, I tone it down but using a matte highlight and for me, I use Kinky for that. Kinky is a soft white shadow, meaning it isn't too stark and too on -your-face white. When blended, it leaves a whisper of highlight on the areas where you apply it. If my look's looking too flat and matte, I use Virgin. I absolutely love Virgin because it has the right amount of shimmer in it. It isn't overkill with the shimmer and there are no chunky ones in this shadow. I also like that it has a faint peach undertone, making it a good match on any skintone.
And that's it! Those are my most used and abused neutral shadows. No matter how much overloaded I am with other shadows, I always go back to these shadows and I incorporate them if possible on the looks I do. I'll be doing a colored version of this post so please stay tuned for that! There'll be some interesting choice for sure. ;) x
(PS. Totally forgot to include Backdoor on the swatches! Argh!!)
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