DIY Cut Crease 101: Eyeshadow Breakdown

EYE SHADOW BREAKDOWN

TUTORIAL + PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY NADINE, GRAPHIC DESIGN BY EUNICE CHUN

Unless you’ve been on a deserted island this last year, you’ve noticed that the cut crease has taken over Instagram and Pinterest! It’s a nod to the mod looks of the 1960′s and super easy to recreate if you break it down a step at a time. Here’s how:

TOOLS:

• Black Longwear Eyeliner Pencil — I always use this one so it lasts.
• Metallic Brown Shadow (Crease) — I used the Pewter shade from the Lorac Pocket Pro Palette.
• Matte Colored Shadow (Lid) — Try Boots Blue Wave Shadow Trio.
• Black Kohl Pencil — For the inner rim and bottom lashline, I used Charlotte Tilbury’s Rock ‘n Kohl Liquid Eye Pencil because it’s one of the blackest black’s out there.
• Crease Brush — If you don’t own a crease brush in your kit, you’re cutting yourself short (pun intended!). This one is my favorite and has been for years.
• Mascara — Today I used Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara to really coat and separate each lash.
• Smudge Brush — Try the Sephora Collection Sumdge Brush #11.
• Your Favorite Highlighting Shadow — Most palettes today come with a shimmer ivory shadow that you simply press your finger against then stamp in the inner corner of your eye.

STEPS:

1. Line the crease “socket” with the longwear pencil by starting at one corner and tracing along the crease in an arched shape until you reach the other corner.

2. Dip the crease brush into the metallic brown shadow and sweep it back and forth over the crease line, concentrating on blending it directly on the line and upward but not downward.

3. Load up one more time with the metallic brown shadow and repeat step 2.

4. Line the upper lashline and wing it slightly at the same angle of the cut crease.

5. Switch to the blackest black kohl pencil and line the lower lashline and rim the inner waterline.

7. Pick any matte color in the rainbow and sweep it across the lid carefully. You can absolutely do this step before the liner if you’re worried about accidentally going over it.

8. Add a couple coats of mascara.

9. Dip the smudge brush into metallic brown shadow and sweep it under the liner on the lower lashline. Then stamp the highlighting shadow in the inner corners with your finger.