Reader Question (RE: Gradient Eyes)

Q: Hi Vanessa,
I just read your blog about the brush types, can you show a picture of what a "medium angled brush" looks like since you said it works great for a gradient effect. For the life of me, I can't figure out how to do that. I apologize now if I'm asking for too much but can you type out how exactly to do the gradient thing? Do you put the lighter color first and THEN the darker color in the corners? And when you say you have to blend really well so that the two colors are (duh!) blended well and there are no lines, wouldn't the colors get all mixed up? I mean like wouldn't you end up looking like a raccoon or have the two colors all over the place? Where exactly do you blend? Right the middle of the two different shadows? And do you move in a sweeping motion from left to right or in swirly circles right in the middle?

Sorry!
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A: Hi there,

Well to answer your question, that's why it's called blending, because you are not MIXING the colors together, but rather BLENDING the harsh lines of the two (or more) colors to give the illusion its one color going from light-to medium-to dark. Which is why this process takes practice and if you do it wrong and rush it, you WILL have raccoon eyes. An angled brush is already shown in my previous blog, just imagine it to be medium size which I think is what is pictured. It doesn't have to be exactly a medium brush just a good brush that allows you to move around and blend.

If you go to my eyeshadow visual #1, it's the same concept but its at your discretion on how many and what colors you want to use, etc. You highlight the entire lid, then put the light color of your choice, and then shade the outside outer corner of your lid all the way into the middle of the lid.

You want to blend anywhere you need blending from SIDE TO SIDE, swirling it will mess up the look; it can be over the entire lid to soften the look, it can just be where the 2 colors "meet", it can just be on top to the brow bone, it can be ANYWHERE you need those harsh lines to be softened. THE GOAL is to just have it look as if each color is transitioning into the other. It will be different for everyone as I am sure everyone has their own way of doing things, you just gotta figure out how you want to approach it.

The best way is to really just experiment with it and be patient, as that is how I learned was by just being bored one day and played with makeup. Tutorials may look easy and in some cases they actually are, but if you are not used to applying makeup it may be frustrating, so just practice and don't be afraid to play with colors.

I will soon have a video showing the "gradient effect", stay tuned!