Want to know the secret to Easy Eyeshadow application? Do you skip it because it seems like too much trouble? 

Well, I’ve got good news for you. It can literally take you 10 seconds. (Ask Kosas and their 10-Second Eyeshadow, lol). It just doesn’t have to be complicated or hard. And it really can make your eyes pop! Subtle or bold, it can be easy and beautiful. Keep reading for my summary of my favorite types, brands, and how to use them.

Side note: now that we are wearing masks for so much of the time that we are interacting with people, our focus should actually be on our eye makeup. Our eyes are the first thing people see, so it’s fun to highlight them and make your eyes really shine! 

Are you over 40 and frustrated with your changing eyelids and can’t figure out how to do your eyeshadow now? Well, cream is a great option for those of us in the over 40 crowd, too.

Is cream eyeshadow better for mature skin?

Is cream eyeshadow better for mature skin?

Best Cream Eyeshadow

What is the solution I love that happens to be both the easiest option for every age, and the best option for women over 40? Cream and gel shadows. One color, a few quick swipes. Fingers, brush, crayon. It doesn’t matter. The result? Easy eyeshadow perfection – even if it’s not. And what is better than imperfect perfection?! 

So if you are younger, I love these for their natural looking application, and the simplicity of the process.

Why do I love these for mature eyes? They are more flattering and forgiving on extra creases, folds, and hooding. They also diffuse light which helps the skin to look more radiant and vibrant and youthful.

What do you use to apply cream eyeshadow?

What do you use to apply cream eyeshadow?

Honestly, for a cream potted eyeshadow, you can use your finger or a brush, and just swipe it over your eyelid, and take it up into your crease with a softer touch. I do love to have a brush on hand to soften the crease, even if I apply it first with my finger. It just gives it that softer blend. Two of my favorites are from RMS Beauty (shade Lucky is a gorgeous copper and my personal favorite), and Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize (the shade Jean is a gorgeous light champagne and a makeup artist staple). Hourglass, Inglot, and Tom Ford all make pretty ones, too.

The 4-shadow cream palette in the first picture is from the clean beauty brand, Roen Beauty. These eyeshadows are their own unique formula which warm up under the pressure of your finger. I absolutely love them! There is a beautiful shimmer in them, and they are truly ageless. So yes, if you are over 40 and want some light reflection on your eyes, these are a great option. If you want the combination of easy and impactful eyeshadows, this is your new best friend! They also sell a dual-ended brush that is perfect for the shadow formulation, and allows you to line under your eyes with the cream shadow. It creates a really stunning effect!

What is the best eyeshadow stick?

What is the best eyeshadow stick?

Prefer the idea of a crayon eyeshadow or an eyeshadow stick? It is definitely less messy and so easy! There are not a ton of these in the clean beauty world, but the luxury beauty industry has many. So for the days that you just don’t want to deal with powder eyeshadow, these are definitely a no-fail option. It’s what I use most of the time on myself to be quick and easy and impactful! And they easily double as your eyeliner, so it’s truly a workhorse of a product. There are so many brands that make these, from luxury to drugstore brands. I personally love the Nudestix version (and the shade shown is Nudity – one of my go-tos). It wears beautifully, doesn’t crease or fade, and is easy to blend. Other favorites of makeup artists are the Laura Mercier Caviar sticks, Bobbi Brown’s version, Charlotte Tilbury sticks, Nars, Marc Jacobs, and Thrive Causemetics Eye Brighteners (love, love, love the Champagne color!). 

There are other fun options that are liquid and are applied with a lip-gloss like applicator. The 10-Second Eyeshadows from Kosas are so fun and have a bit of shimmer for gorgeous light reflection. They also apply with a buildable color base, so if you just want a light veil of color, that is easy to do and blend out. And if you want impact, that is just as easy. They have a lavender shade that is just stunning and so fun to play with!

Is cream eyeshadow better than powder?

Is cream eyeshadow better than powder?

What about powder eyeshadows? Is cream eyeshadow better than powder? Or can you do the same thing? Absolutely – powder eyeshadows don’t have to be tricky. Just grab your favorite neutral shade, and use a flat brush to apply it from your lid to your crease, blending out lighter through your crease. One and done and ready to go, with eyes that pop! 

I also love to blend both cream and powder products, and this is especially flattering on mature eyes. Start with the cream, and let it dry down. Then go in the crease with the powder color, and maybe highlight the inner corners and darken the outer corners. Whatever level of depth you want to create. But even just using two shades: one cream and one powder in the crease ends up with a beautiful look!

Of course, powder eyeshadows and palettes which give you that variety of color are the way to create the beautiful multi-shade applications. Those take a little more time (or a lot more time, depending on the look you want to create!) and are beautiful. If you want to practice some looks and can remember to make the time at night, I think a great way to practice is to apply a more intricate look just before you are taking your makeup off. That way, you can learn when you have gone too far or something just didn’t work. 

But when it comes to day-to-day simplicity with a subtle and beautiful impact, try single shadows, in whatever form works best for you! Do you wear eyeshadow every day? Do you use any of these? What are your favorites? Let me know what works for you! I would love to hear!