How to Apply Eye Shadow With Up To 3 Colors!

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Often once you’ve learnt how to apply eye shadow in one way, you tend to stick to that particular style… but then there comes the time when you want to change it up a little! Maybe it doesn’t look as good as it did the first time, or just looks a bit tired…

Yep, its boredom staring back at you in that mirror...

Luckily, here you’ll find a few eye shadow patterns that can be created with up to three colors.

The number of possible combinations you could make are actually endless!  

Some may suit you, and some may not. This depends a lot on your eye shape.

Keep that in mind when you try out new patterns.

Perhaps you’re just starting to use makeup and are looking for a guide for how to place your colors. This guide may just be helpful for you!

Before you check these out, get an eyeshadow application background, and  tips that show you how to apply eye shadow most effectively.

How To Apply Eye Shadow: General Considerations

When applying eyeshadow, first get the color in the places where you want it. This is literally just taking it from the container to your skin. Then you go on to blending it. 

This is so that you don’t see any solid lines between your skin and the shadow. It’s always better when it looks like its just melting in, or emanating from your lids.

The illustrations here are in a blue and green color palate. This is to show you how to apply eye shadow with different placements.

Tone your look down by using complementing colors that are from the same family, and by using more neutrals.

To create a more exiting, striking look, use two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.

How To Apply Eye Shadow With One Color

If you’re applying one color to your eyes, keep it to the lid. Wear a primer of some sort. This can be eyelid primer, a general primer, concealer, or foundation.

Then apply the shadow all over the lid and blend.

The other way, is to apply the eyeliner along your lash line. This will make it almost like eyeliner.

To do this, wet your brush (make it damp, not dripping wet) if you’re using powder. Then you dip the brush in a corner of your container. This helps not to ruin your whole pot of eye shadow if you make a mistake.

Then apply it to the lash line in little strokes. These strokes make it easier for you to create a solid line. A continuous line is more difficult, and leads to more mistakes and smudges.

Don't be too shy to line the lower lash line...

Or use a similar colored liner on the waterline...

It gives the eye a bit of a pop!

Remember to use eyeliner afterwards because this grounds the one color look.

Otherwise you will look incomplete... 

How to Apply Eye Shadow Using Two Colors

2 Color Horizontal Pattern

Applying eyeshadow in lines across the lid works very well especially for you who have hooded eyes, or no real crease.

First apply the lightest color all over the lid. Then apply the second, darker color on the lash line. This way you get the effect of a gradual dark to light gradient. You can also line the bottom lash line to complete the look and add drama!

You can also take the dark color to your crease. Line the crease with the dark color. This will define the crease more and bring attention to that shape.

So if your eyes are downward facing, don’t follow the crease line. Rather go above it when you get to the outer half of your eye, so that line lifts your whole eye up.

Play around when applying a line to the bottom lash, maybe placing the darker color on the outer half, and the lighter color on the inside half.

Another way to apply two colors is to line the top and bottom lash line with two different colors.

2 Color Vertical Pattern

For vertical application, the colors sit next to each other. This, instead of on top of each other.

The first method, is to apply the lighter eyeshadow on the inside corners, and the darker one on the outside half or 3/4 of your lids. This works well for making the eyes look further apart. The dark shadow pulls an observer’s eye to the outside.

Otherwise you can place the light shadow on the inside and outside thirds of your lid. Then place the darker eye shadow in the middle. This makes the eyes look more round. It’s a doe eyed effect that gives you a more innocent eye ;)!

Another way is to turn the color vice versa! Place the darker shade on the inner half, and the lighter one on the outside half of the lid. This way, your eyes will look closer together. 

Or rather, place the darker eyeshadow on the sides for a similar effect, with the lighter shadow in the middle. This makes eyes a little smaller. If you have big, protruding eyes, you can carry this look off very well.

How to Apply Eye Shadow Using Three Colors

Horizontal 3 Color Palette

Placing shadow in lines above each other has the same effect as stripes. They give the eyes length. 

These horizontal configurations look really super on hooded eyes and eyes without much of a crease at all. But only if you remember to blend...

Start by placing two colors on the lids, and another as a bottom lid liner. You could place the medium, and dark color on the lid and the crease, and the light color on the bottom lid. Here’s an example…

Another way of placing your horizontal colors is to place all three on the lid and above the crease.

The first color goes on the bottom half of your lid, the second on the top half, and the third on the crease and just slightly beyond the crease.

Vertical 3 Color Palette

When going for a vertical pattern, divide the eye into three sections. The first example shows a regular three shadow pattern. The lighter color goes on the inside third of the lid, and then medium and dark color follow.  

Then you can also change the colors around and create different effects. For example, placing the darkest color in the middle here rounds it out…

Combo 3 Color Palette

You can also use the three colors in a horizontal/ vertical combination. Keeping your eye shape in mind, play around with your eye shadow.

You can do this while still keeping the fundamental rules for your eye shape intact.

For example, if you have wide set eyes, you know that a darker color on the inside of your eye will make them seem closer together.

So whether you’re using two, three, or even four colors, you will go for that darker shade on the inside of the eye. When you’re applying a horizontal pattern, you’ll use the dark color on your at the lash line.

Hopefully, this is all helpful to you and gave you some ideas you can realistically go for!