How To Apply Emo Eye Makeup

Emo refers to the musical and fashion style linked to the hardcore punk rock scene during the mid 1970s. The term ‘emo’, a short form of emotional, is associated with a genre of music reflecting the thoughts of the emo people who are considered to be sensitive, emotional and touchy. People belonging to this subculture have a different sense of fashion and art. They wear dramatic makeup and complement it with unique dresses, highlighting the emo look. Similar to punk and Gothic makeup, emo makeup is distinguished by focusing on the eyes. Both girls and boys can be found sporting this look by highlighting Goth darkness with amusing childlike touches with colorful glitter, hearts or stars. In case you wish to sport the emo look, go through the article to find tips for applying emo eye makeup.

Image: Todd Jones Photography@flickr

Emo Eye Makeup Tips

Using a sponge, apply powder, liquid foundation or concealer to your face. Make sure to use a shade that matches your skin tone or is slightly lighter. For boys, use foundation or concealer to hide imperfections only.
Apply eye shadow to your eyelids using a small eye shadow brush. Darker colors and bright neons, such as dark browns, dark blues, reds, pinks and turquoises give the best effect in case of girls. While for boys, stick to basic black or charcoal. Apply a little eye shadow under the eyes. You can also try contrasting colors for a softer look.
Next would be to apply liquid or stick eyeliner to the bottom lash, starting from the inside corner. Apply the liner in one continuous line for smooth results.
Apply the eyeliner again, this time about 3 to 4 layers to get a thicker line and build up a solid black effect. To add more vibrancy, add a streak of color eyeliner, if you desire.
Apply eyeliner on the eyelid, close to the eyelashes. Make sure that the eyeliner is consistently smooth on both the top and bottom lash lines. For boys, it is advisable not to apply the eyeliner to the top lid. However, if required, apply a softer line.
While applying eyeliner, ensure that the eyeliner ends meet up at the corners of the eyes. The effect should be that of catlike, keeping the line slating upwards towards the temples.
Apply black mascara to the upper eyelashes only. Care should be taken to avoid the mascara from smudging onto the eyelid, while applying. However, you can apply mascara to the lower lashes also, if your wish.
Keep the lips simple and avoid heavy gothic lipstick. You can use light or nude lip gloss, lip balm or pale lipstick for the perfect emo look. However, you can opt for a darker lipstick if it matches your skin tones.

Additional Tips

Firstly, make sure that your makeup room is well lit.
If you are finding it difficult to thicken your eyeliner, use a small amount of black eye shadow on the eyeliner brush to get the smoky effect.
In case you have oily skin or sweat, use a primer below your eye color to prevent it from running.
Try wearing your eye shadow on the bottom of your eyelashes to enhance the look.
Experiment with colors like magenta, purple, lilac, olive or deep blue for a dramatic effect.
Use volumizing mascara with a glossy shine or put long fake eyelashes for a theatrical effect.

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