I'm a Makeup Novice, and These 6 Eye Shadow Trends Were Pretty Easy to Pull Off

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

If my makeup application skills matched my YouTube history, you’d think I was a smokey eye, cut crease queen, however, I am not. The sheer amount of time I have spent on that app watching eye shadow tutorials literally translates into nothing but I still hold out hope that one day my efforts will culminate in the perfectly smoldering smokey eye. Until that day arrives, I will continue to attend Youtube University during the day, and at night, lean into few makeup skills I already have to see what I can make of them. Turns out the makeup trends popping up lately are either super minimal or intentionally messy, both favorable to my shaky hands and freshman abilities. 

Keep scrolling to see what makeup looks I go for when I’m bored of my regular cat-eye liner and am looking to spice things up. Most of these looks require one to two products max and are very color by numbers—aka hard to mess up. I hope after seeing these simple eye looks, you’ll recognize you have more tricks in your makeup toolbox than you may have thought.

Blush Can Double as Eye Shadow

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

In the daytime, I love giving myself a monochromatic flush of color by doubling my blush as eye shadow. This gives you an understated look that still feels different than your day-to-day. Cream-based blush is my favorite product to use because of its ability to blend into the skin. Right now I'm into Glossier's Cloud Paint in Eve, which gives a flush of deep berry that is perfect for the fall and winter. Simply add more blush for a dramatic evening look. 

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Match Your Eye Shadow to Your Outfit

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

This is my go-to makeup look when my outfit just needs a little shaping (to the salon!). Do you also think in TikTok? Anyways, I love adding a pop of color to an outfit. The beauty of this look is you'll only need one color per eye lookwe'll leave blending to the experts. I do have one trick, though. Be sure to add some color to your lower lash line to finish off the look. I usually go for a brown shadow, which doesn't distract us from the pop of color.

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Graphic Eyeliner

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

Graphic eyeliner is probably the most popular eye makeup trend of 2021 and there's no reason we novices cannot take part. I'm here to empower us with this simple look that took me literally 5 minutes to accomplish.

After completing your signature wing, add a dot of black eyeliner at the apex of your top eyelid and do the same on your lower lid. Done. There are so many other possibilities with this trend so don't be afraid to get experimental! If it's a disaster, just wipe it off with a Q-tip and start over.

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

I now understand why mimes around the world draw circles or lines around the eyes—the dots function as a frame for the eye and look super cool when your eyes move around. It's kind of trippy.

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Free-Form Glitter

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

This look was definitely the wild card of the bunch for a number of reasons, but I absolutely love it as you can tell by my expression. Based on the fall 2021 fashion shows and Instagram, glitter, like sequins, will be everywhere before we know it. Just swipe on a thick coat of cream-based glitter onto your crease line and don't worry about the rest. Turns out, the messier this looks the cooler it turns out. I love combining fancy and casual components to my look and plan on replicating this free-form glitter look in every shade.

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(Image credit: @banniakabread)

To get this look, all I used was Nyx glitter and my finger. I found that it was better to use my right index finger to do my right eye and vice versa—this helps create an even line and allows you to get closer to the nose bridge without messing everything up. 

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Colorful Inner Corner

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Come through, inner corner! It doesn't get easier than this look right here. I've found that warmer colors tend to look best in the inner corner, so go for reds, oranges, and of course, metallics. Definitely use shimmery shadows for maximum effect. The shade used here is Dirty Talk from the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette.

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Glossy Lids

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Okay, maybe I was wrong—this is the easiest look to accomplish! I am definitely an eye gloss girl and will forever be an eye gloss girl because she is everything I would want in a companion—fun, reliable, and low-maintenance. After years of experimenting with different eye glosses, I can safely say I am an expert at this look so learn from me and do not use peppermint or other highly scented glosses on your lids! The ones linked below are safe and provide that glassy shine we are all seeking.

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Next: These Brown Lip Glosses Are Already Inspiring Our Cool-Weather Makeup Looks.

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