Metallic eyeshadow a beautiful way to draw attention to your eyes and play with color and finish. It’s popular, so finding colors you love is easy (though choosing may not be). And while metallics are not hard to work with, they tend to crease more easily than a matte. Here’s how to prevent creasing and what to do if your metallic shadow does crease.

Primer is Your Friend

The first step to getting a perfect metallic eyeshadow look is to use a fantastic primer. And while you likely have Urban Decay’s cult-fave primer, if you want your eyes to truly gleam, a specialty primer is best. These eyeshadow primers are specifically formulated for shimmers, glitters, and metallics and help really showcase the depth of color and shine. And it’s especially important if you are using a duo-chrome shadow. The Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue is a great option, or try the Pixie Epoxy from independent brand Fyrinnae (you can use your primer of choice underneath). Both hold shadow well but are easily removed with a waterproof eye makeup remover.

Easy Application

The nice thing about metallics is that they tend to be very easy to apply and blend. The not-so-nice thing is that there also tends to be a lot of fallout, especially when using a loose shadow. The easiest way to minimize fallout is to tap shadow off your brush before application. But it’s hard to completely eliminate it. Quickly remove any fallout by tapping foundation primer or moisturizer underneath your eye and patting off.

Two easy steps for crease-free application:

  1. Apply primer and let it get tacky. Be sure to apply well in the crease. Do not apply shadow when primer is still wet or when it is dry, as the former will make shadow streaky and the latter won’t adhere. It needs to be somewhere in the middle. Start and finish one eye before moving to the next.
  2. Apply shadow. Start with one application with a dry brush. Then use a wet brush to further build color. Wetting the brush intensifies the color. You can use water or a setting spray for this. For inner eyes, we love the MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush and the for outer corners or the crease, try the Japonesque Eye Detailer Brush.

Using these steps, you should not have an issue with creasing. But if you do, you can lightly reapply wet shadow. If you are without your shadow, pat any creased shadow back into place, preferably with a brush or cotton swab, so the oils in your fingers do not affect adherence. If you happen to have any powder, you can add that into the creased spot before patting back the shadow.

Shadows to Try

There are some gorgeous metallic shadows on the market right now. The Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow offers a nice range of colors with a pretty finish. The Dose of Colors Block Party Eyeshadows are super reflective. Or check out a palette like the Morphe 35v Stunning Vibes Artistry Palette, which features duochrome shadows.

What are your favorite metallic shadows?

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