How to do metallic eye makeup | John Lewis & Partners

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Beauty Tips & Inspiration
How to do metallic eye makeup

ALL ORENOTHING

ALL ORENOTHING

Cassie Steer,-Beauty editor at large

Shine on through the festival season with metallic eyes as makeup artist Kim Brown shares her secrets for glittering eyes

‘Just the fact that metallic eyes shine in twinkly lights makes them the perfect party accessory and you can find a colour that flatters absolutely everyone,’ says makeup artist Kim Brown.

Across the Autumn/Winter 2020 catwalks, designers unearthed a treasure trove of textures and hues, from smoldering smelted metals at Tom Ford to fractured foils at Simone Rocha and Erdem. The beauty of this trend is that you can go as subtle or showy as you choose.

‘If you’re doing a traditional smokey eye, adding a dot of metallic eyeshadow to the centre of your lid will lend a three dimensional quality while opening up the eyes. It’s a nice, wearable take on the trend,’ explains Brown, who adds that if you want to take things down a notch, you can simply add a dot of champagne gold to the inner corners of the eyes.

Which hardwear to adorn your lids with? ‘Warmer tones like bronzes and coppers work really well for blue eyes, while cooler colours like platinums look great against brown eyes,’ says Brown. ‘Golds and silvers are amazing on black skin and I love mixing my metallic eyeshadows with a touch of oil for a molten metallic texture, which looks really modern.’

BROWHOW

Eyes may be the focal point for this look, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the framework to your metallic masterpieces. Use a brow gel to brush up and gently groom your arches into place. If your brows are particularly sparse or fair, use a fine brow pencil or pen to etch in some hair-like strokes for added definition.

GRAPHICDESIGN

‘Prepping your lids with a primer or even foundation really does help everything to stay in place and is particularly useful if you’re going to a party,’ suggests Brown. ‘For a graphic shape like the one we’ve done here, I recommend adding a bit of moisture to your eyeshadow – a drop of water, toner or face oil,’ she says. ‘Then use an angled brush to sketch in the shape before filling it in using a softer brush.’

Her top tip for achieving a perfectly sharp, angular wing? ‘Stand in front of a mirror with your chin pointing down towards your chest and with your eyes looking up at your reflection. Then, using a brush or eyeliner pencil, simply follow the bottom waterline elongating the colour beyond the outer corner of the eye. When you lift your head you’ll have the perfect wing in the most flattering shape for your eye.’

TAKE TWO(OR THREE)

‘Prepping your lids with a primer or even foundation really does help everything to stay in place and is particularly useful if you’re going to a party,’ suggests Brown. ‘For a graphic shape like the one we’ve done here, I recommend adding a bit of moisture to your eyeshadow, using either a drop of water, toner or face oil,’ she says. ‘Then try using an angled brush to sketch in the shape before filling it in using a softer brush.’

LASHOUT

‘Mascara is your finishing touch and will just make everything really pop and stand out,’ says Brown. ‘I always think it’s quite nice to have your eyelashes a bit bolder against a metallic background. It ensures that your eyelashes look particularly luscious. Finish with a swipe of sheer nude lipstick or balm.’

Products used: MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage, Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick, Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Eyebrow Gel Super Model Brow, Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow in Star Gold, TOM FORD Cream Colour For Eyes in Sphinx, and Estée Lauder Pure Colour Envy Colour Replenish Lip Balm.