New techniques can make all the difference between just “wearing makeup” and creating a look. But how many new products and what type of tutorials do you need?
Today I’m going to share some easy tutorials to help you update your makeup with less effort and more confidence.
1. Smoked Eyeliner
Source: @vanillia_2607
For those mornings when you just don’t have the patience to mess with liquid eyeliner, these kinds of tutorials from Instagram are a total lifesaver. You can just use your go-to eyeshadow in place of a liner. I love this trick!
Just grab a thin angled brush and dust it along your lash line. It creates a much softer finish than the sometimes harsh lines from regular eyeliner. Plus, it’s so much quicker to do in the morning. A win all around!
2. Gold Glitter Eyes
Source: @glamorous_reflections
Need a look that will seriously make your eyes pop? This gold and glittery style is definitely one you have to check out. To make your life even easier, there’s a step-by-step guide on how to get it just right.
You’ll notice that translucent powder is used under the eye and around the outer corner. This is a genius trick to catch any of those little bits of glitter that always fall onto your face.
You just dust the powder away, and the glitter goes right along with it. So smart!
3. Everyday Look
Source: @vanillia_2607
Nudes and browns are such a perfect combo for an everyday look, and it honestly only takes a few moments to pull off when you have the right tools.
A big, fluffy blending brush will make that soft brown smudge a total breeze. Then you just need a good, packed brush to pop that shimmer right in the center of your lid.
I love to finish with a quick spritz of setting spray over the top; your look will stay absolutely fabulous for the whole day.
4. Teal Smokey Eye
Source: @rubina_muartistry
What about those times when you aren’t feeling something subtle? I’m talking about when you need dramatic eyes to go with an amazing dress.
You know, for when you want to make a real entrance. These teal smokey eyes are such a cool twist on the classic smokey look.
It also shows how you can play around with different shades in your palette to create brand new looks, all while using similar techniques.
5. Cut Crease Tutorial
Source: @vanillia_2607
Another look, another cut crease! It’s one of those styles you’ll want to master eventually, just because you get so inspired seeing everyone else doing it.
At least, that’s what prompted me to hunt down tutorials on YouTube and Instagram for gorgeous and bold looks like this one. What occasion brought you here to learn it?
6. Burgundy Look
Source: @rubina_muartistry
For something a little darker, check out the deeper shades in your palette and simple step-by-step tutorials like this one.
The look starts with simple peach shades to create a base, which allows those darker red and burgundy pops of color to be added right over the top. Just remember to blend it all really well with a big, fluffy blending brush.
And definitely use a good eyeshadow primer before you start to make sure the look stays put all night. You don’t want this beautiful creation sliding down your face, that’s for sure!
7. Simple Eye Look for Beginners
Source: @vanillia_2607
Eyeliner can be such a nightmare, especially when you’re using a liquid one and you’re definitely in a hurry! It just never seems to go right on both eyes.
You can spend what feels like an entire day trying to even out that one flick, only to end up with huge black wings because you got a little carried away. We know the struggle, we live it every day.
But helpful tutorials from Instagram make life so much less stressful!
8. Party Look
Source: @vanillia_2607
Do you need a quick go-to party look that will take you from daytime chic to nighttime glam in a snap?
This shimmering, sparkly look is one to keep in mind, especially when you realize it’s just the simple addition of some silver sparkle that brings it to life. Just do your usual smokey eye, and then add some extra light to it. Such a great idea, right?
9. Purple Smokey Eye
Source: @romyglambeauty
For something purple, I seriously can’t recommend this shimmering purple look enough. It’s springtime now, so there’s never been a better time to rock those pretty pastel shades.
This look starts with an eyeshadow primer, of course, before adding a nude base. Then you build up the colors, bringing in different shades of lilac and almost-pink tones, until you’re ready for that pop of glitter right in the center.
Throw on your eyeliner, add your lashes, and you’re ready to go. It’s not as scary as you might have thought, right?
10. Bronzed Eyes
Source: @romyglambeauty
Need a good look for a summery evening event? These bronzed eyes are an absolute winner, and another one of the amazing step-by-step tutorials from Instagram.
Start with that nude, peachy-shade base and primer like we talked about before. Then build it up, taking it easy.
Add a more pink-toned shade to the outer corner and crease, then fill in the center with that gorgeous bronze shade, bringing it into the inner corner. Add your liner and lashes—the two most important L’s—and you’re all set.
11. Makeup Tutorial for Hooded Eyes
Source: @rubina_muartistry
Hooded eyes can often be a pain, but there are so many tricks you can use to make your life much easier. A primer, for instance, should never be skipped.
You should also try to work on that crease build-up with your eyes open instead of shut. If your eyes are closed, you might not follow the natural crease line, and that can totally ruin the whole effect.
12. Black Smokey Eye with a Pop of Gold
Source: @glamorous_reflections
For those nights when you need a really smokey look, how about this black smokey eye with a beautiful pop of gold? The smokey eye is so great for many occasions, like a hot date or a fun night out on the town with your best girlfriends.
The trick to looks as deep and dark as this one is to start off light and build your way up. If you just slap black eyeshadow on your eyelids, you’re going to look more horror-movie than night-out.
Add a little, blend it, then add a little more. It’s always easier to add more than it is to take some away.
13. Pink Glitter Look
Source: @rubina_muartistry
One thing you might notice with most of these easy step-by-step tutorials from Instagram is that they all start with a similar base. There’s an eyeshadow primer and a nude or neutral base color.
With that foundation, you can build up so many different looks, using a whole range of shades in your palettes.
This look, for example, adds a darker shade to the outer corner and crease, while keeping things sparkly and light with that beautiful pink pop toward the center of the lid.
14. Brown and Gold Eyes
Source: @glamorous_reflections
Brown and bronze eyes look amazing on green, blue, and brown eyes, which makes them a fantastic go-to look for when you need something easy and quick.
Add your primer and a nude base, and then build up those beautiful tones of brown and bronze. Keep the darker shades on the outer corner and a lighter shade on the inner corner.
To finish, add a bright, glittery pop in the middle for a dramatic yet simple look.
15. Gold & Burgundy Look
Source: @romyglambeauty
When you’re working with shimmery and glittery eyeshadows, a pro tip is to always do your eye makeup first. The reason is that the fallout will definitely go everywhere, because it always does!
If you’ve already done your foundation, you’ll just have to ruin it to wipe the glitter away. By doing your eyes first and the rest of your face last, you can just wipe it away and then put on your concealer, color corrector, and foundation over the top. Smart, right?
16. Blue & Brown Smokey Eye
Source: @rubina_muartistry
Once upon a time, you would have needed to sign up for a class to learn the newest makeup techniques. With the rise of YouTube, that’s not the case anymore.
If you wanted a big, grand makeup look for a special event, like this blue-popped beauty, you would’ve had to pay a lot for an expensive makeup artist.
But now, you just need to peek on Instagram and YouTube, and the tutorials are right there at your fingertips. You can learn in real time with the pros, and that kind of experience is just priceless.
17. Purple Smokey Eye for Blue Eyes
Source: @vanillia_2607
Blue eyes look incredible with a deep, rich smokey purple look. Purple has been known for years to be one of the most luxurious colors.
A little history lesson: it was once so hard to get the color purple that only the richest people could afford to wear it in their clothes. If that’s not the perfect excuse to rock a killer makeup look like this, I don’t know what is.
18. Peachy Eye Makeup Tutorial
Source: @romyglambeauty
Peach shades for eye makeup are a huge trend right now, especially with the latest Two Faced ‘Sweet Peach’ palette. It’s a pretty brave shade if you’ve never rocked it before, though.
With so many colors in the palette, it can be hard work knowing which ones you should pair together. This pretty eyeshadow look shows you exactly how to use the darker shades in the crease of your eye while highlighting the main lid with that beautiful shimmering color.
19. Pop of Purple
Source: @glamorous_reflections
Purple is such a great shade to play around with when you have deep brown eyes. That dusky peach toward the center and inner corner keeps the look from being too dark or overly “purpley.”
In fact, if you’re worried that a dark black or grey smokey eye might be a bit too much for an event, you can tone things down with a playful pop of purple.
20. Golden Eyes
Source: @romyglambeauty
Gold is a wonderful color to wear any time of year. In the summer, it adds an amazing glow to your face, and in the fall, you match the beautiful brown, gold, and bronze shades of the season.
You can use a lighter, peachier shade for the warmer months and add more of a darker, brown tone when the weather gets colder.
21. Brown and Green Smokey Eye
Source: @vanillia_2607
If you have blue eyes, cooler and more neutral tones usually work well, but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate them into a stunning, dramatic style.
Easy tutorials like this one show that a quick addition of dramatic lashes can make a world of difference to how your makeup turns out. This beautiful green shade could also be used in much lighter, summery looks without the lashes and without the smokey build-up.