How to take your eye makeup from day to night

Picture this: it’s a Friday at work. Your last meeting is at 5pm. You’re due for dinner with an old friend at 6pm. It’s a lot easier than you think to take the boardroom ensemble from desk to dinner in a matter of minutes. It’s all about the eyes…

Our go-to daytime eye makeup look

Every going-out look needs to start somewhere – a simple daytime eye is the best way to create the perfect foundation for your evening makeup. To create a daytime look, we use a cream-based eyeshadow in a neutral shade with a hint of shimmer for a little extra pop. Keep it simple with one shade for now, adding more bolder tones in the evening.

When applying your eyeshadow, “Lean back in the mirror so that you can see the entire lid space that you have”, advises Katie Levy, Pro Makeup Artist at Trinny London. Then try focusing the shade “right into the inner corner and out” to create a subtle wash of pigment.

Cream vs powder eyeshadow

So, why cream-based? The cream vs powder debate is age-old, but we have a fair few reasons why we reach for smooth, buttery formulas time and time again.

• Easy application: perfect for beginners, cream-based eyeshadows melt into the skin making them oh-so-easy to blend.

• Mistake proof: the beauty of cream-based formulas is that they’re virtually impossible to make mistakes – a slight slip of the hand just needs a simple swipe away with a clean brush or finger.

• Buildable: Most importantly for day-to-night makeup, cream-based eyeshadow is much easier to build up than powder (no patchiness here, thank you).

To shimmer or not to shimmer?

The decision is entirely yours – you may opt for a more glam daytime look with a little shimmer, or keep it simple with a neutral matte eye. Shimmer can also be a great way to zhuzh up your daytime outfit with a pop of sheen on the eyes. Our Eye2Eye shades have three finishes – satin, matte and shimmer – and are all easily adaptable for a daytime wash through to shining night-time glamour.

Shimmer is never an evening-only affair and with cream-based eyeshadows, it’s easy to blend out shimmery shades to be a subtle light-reflecting wash – perfect for a soft daytime look. And when it comes to dialling things up in the evening, cream-based eyeshadows avoid the dreaded fallout from glittery powder eye shades, protecting that base.

3 ways to take your makeup from day to night out

With cream-based eyeshadow, “It’s easy to build up from an everyday wash of colour to a more intense look” says Katie. Here are our favourite ways to add a certain va-va-voom to our eye makeup:

Look 1: Introduce a deeper shade

Step 1

Your eyelid will already be primed with your daytime look – top up this shade to ensure you’re working on a clear canvas.

Step 2

Focusing on the outer area of your eyelid, build up the intensity by slowly adding a shade a few tones darker than your daytime eyeshadow.

Step 3

Start softly, blending up and out using either your finger or a brush. Remember that it’s always easier to add more pigment, rather than take it away

Look 2: Create an eyeliner look

Step 1

Line your eye with a deeper shade to add definition that’s destined for dancefloors. Using an angled makeup brush, take the shade as close to your upper lash line as you can and extend out.

Step 2

Buff and smudge as you please for a smokier look – “If you’re someone who’s scared of shimmer, this is a great way to use a shimmer eyeshadow”, says Katie.

Look 3: Add some show-stopping sparkles

Step 1

Add a little oomph to your look with a pop of shimmer, or a full-blown metallic eyeshadow. Take your sparkle of choice and place it right on top of your daytime look

Step 2

Blend well and let the shimmer speak for itself.

Pro tip: to bring the look together, apply a layer of mascara to lift and define your lashes – the ultimate finishing touch. Knowing where to apply highlighter, and adding a dot in the inner corners of each eye is the cherry on top.

If (and that’s a big if) you run into any mishaps, it’s useful to have your favourite concealer on hand for any tiny tweaks and clean-ups needed. Consider decanting some BFF Eye serum-concealer into an empty T-Pot so you have everything you need to go from day to night in one portable stack.

How to take off your night out makeup

Now for arguably the best bit – that moment of calm at the end of the day when it’s just you and your skincare. If you’ve been wearing makeup or SPF, we recommend a double cleanse before you call it a night. Your first cleanse is to remove makeup, but the second cleanse goes that little bit deeper to thoroughly cleanse and prep the skin. Cleansing truly is the cornerstone of a good complexion, allowing the rest of your skincare routine to reach its full potential.

Step 1

Start by massaging your favourite cleansing balm onto a dry face – Be Your Best Enzyme Balm Cleanser is perfect for using around the eyes to melt away the day (and night).

Step 2

Wet the skin slightly until the formula emulsifies into a milk.

Step 3

Massage a damp muslin cloth over your skin in circular motions for a little extra exfoliation until you’ve removed the balm.

Step 4

Repeat this process once more for a thorough cleanse or take your favourite gel cleanser, such as Better Off AHA/PHA Gel Cleanser and massage onto a wet face for satisfyingly clean, nourished skin.

Step 5

Rinse and pat dry before continuing with the rest of your skincare routine.