Types, Textures & Tints: Welcome To The Ultimate Eyeshadow Guide For Every Skin Tone

The most blendable of the lot, you’ll easily recognise these highly pigmented colors sitting in individual pans. Available in multiple finishes (more on that later) they can loosely be classified into two self-explanatory types; loose and pressed powders. Beloved by makeup rookies due to their ease of application, these eyeshadows boast of intense color-payoffs for a smooth, stunning finish.

Nykaa recommends: Nykaa Just Wink It! – Wet & Dry Eyeshadow Palette and Faces Ultime Pro Eye Shadow Palette – Nude 01.

Simply put, most pencils, pots, and crayons usually fall into this group. With blendable properties on par with its predecessor it’s no wonder these take the pedestal when it comes to relying on one formula. Pro-tip: Avoid these on hot, humid days for fear of creasing. And, as attractive as it may seem, steer clear of making the mistake of using a finger as an applicator.

Nykaa recommends: Revlon Colorstay Créme Eye Shadow and NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Crème Colour.

Easily mistaken for lip gloss, liquid eyeshadows, too, come in sleek, translucent tubes too. But, don’t be fooled by their elaborate packaging ’cause these babies are as easy to play around with as powders. One word of caution; they dry out quickly so keep application as quick as possible. Also, if you’re prone to oily lids, we suggest skipping these altogether, as they crinkle as easily as creams.

Nykaa recommends: Nicka K Radiant Liquid Eye Shadow.

These eyeshadows are cream-based, but baked in an oven to dry them down. Easily recognized by their peculiar dome shape they often appear to have a marbled-effect. Ultra-smooth with a very velvety finish, they glide on effortlessly and can be applied either dry or wet. This basically makes it your go-to eyeshadow formula for any day-to-night event.

Nykaa recommends: PAC Baked Eyeshadow Palette – 1.

You’ve often seen these pots of flakes in myriad shades. The ‘infamous’ smoky eye or Pat McGrath’s glitter lip would never be possible sans these. Recommended by beauty experts all around the globe, it’s easy enough to master this application technique: Dip and dab. Use water or setting spray as a base, dip an eyeshadow brush into the pot, dust off excess and line your eyelids.

Nykaa recommends: Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Glitter Single.

Now, let’s get to the fun part– textures aka the finish.

Mattes usually contain a high-level of pigment, and are ideal for shaping and structuring eyelids. Thanks to a flat finish, mattes don’t reflect light, thus being ideal for contouring and defining. Use them wet for a more dramatic effect, and dry for a more shaded, subtle outcome.

Nykaa recommends: Makeup Revolution Ultra 32 shade Eyeshadow Palette Flawless Matte.

With almost equal parts shine and sheen this texture looks great on all skin tones. The high-shine finish suits younger faces best. Also, it’s great for sheer to full coverage as it doesn’t sink into creases.

Nykaa recommends: SeaSoul Shimmer Eyeshadow (Case) – Electric Blue.

This favourite lies somewhere between chalky mattes and shiny shimmers. The semi-matte texture is a hit among newbies and mavens alike. As opposed to the full-blown reflecting pigments in its previous sparkly sister, these offer a soft sheen for a more exquisite look.

Nykaa recommends: Maybelline New York Color Sensational Satin Eyeshadow.

Do you remember what Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and JLo had in common in the 90s? Well, besides brown lips and chokers around their necks, frosted lids (duh). The most iridescent of the lot, silver eyeshadow with white part

Nykaa recommends: NELF USA HD Custom Pro Palette Eye Shadow – Sweetheart.

With specks or flakes of actual glitter, these are particles that need glue aka water to keep them from falling off. Like we mentioned earlier, most iconic looks use this texture to amp up the glam quotient, while creating a memorable eye look. Be forewarned; it does sink and settle into creases.

Nykaa recommends: Australis All That Glitters Palette – Dazzle Me.

Moving into the tints for each skin tone…

It’s not news that gals with a warm skin tone would look good in warm hues. So, reach for the corals, pinks, oranges and even yellows. Pastel tones and nudes complement your skin perfectly. In the metallic family reach for gold, copper and hues of bronze for a goddess-like vibe.

Cooler skin tones look best in cool blues, purples and pink. Colors like burgundy, brick, cherry and crimson in the red family, fuchsia and hot pink are great additions. When it comes to metallic, shiny silver and white gold look gorgeous. Or better yet, opt for deep wines or teal.

If you’re blessed with a neutral skin tone, you can wear pretty much any hue your heart desires. The best part, you can play chameleon and never be fearful of looking washed out.

Next time you want to switch from day-time neutrals to date-night glam you have all your fundamentals down.

This recommendation was first posted on Nykaa.