Color for the Every Day

We've all done it: Bought a fun, bright and colorful eyeshadow palette, bought it home, held it like our "precious" and then wondered what in the world we're going to do with it. Wearing a bright purple smokey eye is great for a special occasion, but its not practical or even appropriate for most days. So, how can you use the bright colors you love so much in everyday life? Take a look at these ideas for inspiration!

1. Add a pop of color to your inner tear duct-

This is a perfect time to pull out your lighter, brighter colors like yellow or light blue. A dot of color in the inner corner adds a lot of interest without looking to over the top. Just be sure it avoid colors that have red undertones- colors like pink or red in the inner corner can give a 'sickly' effect.

2. Smokey color under the lid-

Wear this with a simple eyeshadow on top, and this is where you can pick a color and let it shine! Purple, green, blue, turquoise, any color that once again wont make you look sickly. You can really blend the color down as low as you feel comfortable- just make sure you avoid harsh lines. Keeping it soft allows you to use that bright color without it overwhelming your whole face.

3. Soft wash of color around a smokey eye-

Often we think of smokey eyes as all neutrals, but adding a little bit of color can add an extra special spark. Here I used a soft pink shadow to blend out a pretty traditional bronze smokey eye. The key to this is using a matte color if possible- because shimmery colors blended to far up on the lid can be a little dated.

4. Colored liner-

There's no need to spend a ton purchasing a bunch of different colored liners. Just make your own! Any color, and almost any eyeshadow will work. I used a drop of Elf's Lock and Seal to my liner brush, and dipped it into a loose eyeshadow pigment to create this green liner. You can do the same thing with eye drops as well. If you're using a pressed eyeshadow, be careful to either dip your brush on a corner of the shadow (as water can damage the shadows finish), or pack the shadow onto the brush and then wet it.

5. Color in the crease-

This is probably the easiest way to wear color every day. However you wear your normal eye makeup, you can just layer a little bit of color in the crease for added depth and interest. Any color will work, especially if you keep your other shadows neutral! Here I used a burnt orange- but you can just as easily use purple, red, green, blue... the list goes on and on!

So what are you waiting for? Pull out those bright shadows and start incorporating them into your daily makeup routine! Who knows, maybe it will spark some creativity and you'll combine a few of these ideas together for a totally unique and bold look!