How To DIY Perfect Eye Makeup, According To A Makeup Artist

In a world where celebrity names are too-easily ascribed to private label product lines, genuinely expert-led beauty brands stand out. It is no surprise that celebrity makeup artists often produce the crème-de-la-crème of cosmetics. Take Lisa Eldridge, for instance, whose passion for shade-matching complexions makes her skin tints some of the very best. This is also why celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath was tapped to oversee the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton .

Then there is celebrity makeup artist Natasha Denona , founder and creative director of her eponymous makeup line with some 1.9 million devoted followers on Instagram. She is known for bold eye aesthetics which ease dramatic pigment into cohesive, statement-making looks. Her beauty line's eyeshadow palettes give rise to these creations, whose evolved gradients are typically topped by a glint of shimmer. Though a far cry from soft glam or "naked" makeup, makeup artist Diane Caranica references a certain "softness" to Denona's glam.

"Even if it's intense, it's still soft," Caranica says on a phone call with Forbes.com. "All of her products, like the concealer, are intense, but still buttery. Everything is so deliciously creamy. She does bold liners and colors, but there's still a softness to it."

This includes the line's best-selling Hy-Glam Concealer , $30, which was my own "gateway product" into Denona's line. The formula, which Caranica once called "the most innovative of the year," is highly pigmented yet sufficiently elastic to transfer smoothly and without creasing. My first tube of the concealer came directly from Caranica's own kit, when, forgetting it was not my own, I touched the applicator directly to my face. Inadvertently contaminating the wand, this led Caranica to gift it to me. Ever since, it has been my favorite concealer for the face and under-eye.

The unique needs and textures of the eye area makes applying cosmetics challenging. From selecting a crease-free concealer, to color-correcting dark circles, to the use of eyeliner and eye shadows to elongate or accentuate eye shapes, the entire process can feel elusive. This is precisely where Denona's techniques to prep, conceal and blend pigments on the upper and lower eyelids become priceless.

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