A great eye look won’t solve all our problems, but the sheer joy that waits on the other end of mastering a once out-of-reach beauty look is immeasurable. If you have the time, an angled brush, a few blending brushes, and a light, mid-tone and dark eyeshadow shade, you’ve got yourself the makings of your very own cut-crease masterclass.
The Blend and Define
Palm Springs, CA makeup artist Chelsea Dorris says to start with primer. “I like to use MAC Paintpot in Painterly, as it makes a nice even color base and prevents shadows from creasing,” she says. From here on out, it’s a blending game. “Blend a mid-tone soft brown shadow starting from the outer corner and just above the crease, aiming towards the inner brow.”
Now, to get the “cut” part of the cut crease, use a small angled brush and a bit of the mid-tone eyeshadow to trace where you want your cut crease line to be. “This is a nice way to map it out before going in with your darkest color, because if you mess up with darkest color, you might have to start all over. The line should follow your natural crease.”
Dorris advises to go over that line again using an angled brush and dark brown or black eyeshadow. "Then, blend it down to a soft brown. You can even go over your crease line with black gel liner, just softly blend it above the sharp line,” she adds.
To complete the look, Dorris says to clean up lid with makeup remover, prime it and using a flat shader brush, press the lightest color all over lid below crease line and inner corner of eye and a little right under arch of brow on the brow bone.
The Nouveau Tool
For those who just can’t master the technique, the Crease Piece ($20) whittles it down to two or three easy steps. When makeup artist and founder Brittany Foley created a viral video tutorial for carving out a cut crease using a spoon, she found her spoon hack wasn't one size fits all. Seeing a void, she decided to make a tool that was customizable to the user’s eye shape and size.
“Once you’ve chosen your desired crease size, hold the Crease Piece gently against the designated eye, placing it on the crease,” explains Foley. “Start with the darkest color in your palette and apply it over the edge of the Crease Piece, as desired. Use a thin brush during this step to help achieve a defined look.” Once the crease is created, it’s as easy as adding a lighter color to the eyelid to create a sharp contrast.
Regardless of how you achieve it, practice truly does make perfect when it comes to a bold, dramatic cut-crease that adds shape and definition to the eyes.
