Some things come more naturally to us than others. A good squat technique, the perfect parallel park or successfully making ramen at home. One thing I’ve never been able to get quite right, however, is eyeshadow. I’ve found the shades I love, purchased the fluffy brushes professional make-up artists say will make the job a doddle and then… make a massive pig’s ear of it. 

Recently, as part of my social media scrolling career, I came across a simple hack using an eyelash curler to create the perfect shape. Shared by make-up artist and aesthetician Rikki Feerrar, the technique uses an eyelash curler and one shade of eyeshadow to create a seamless cut-crease in seconds.

First, you place the eyelash curler flush against your closed eye and trace the upper shape with a small eyeshadow brush and a light coating of eyeshadow. The shape you make will create a soft semi-arc, emulating the natural orbit of the eye. Then, removing the curler, join the outer corner of your eye with the top of the shadow arc, before buffing it out. Simple and seamless, it’s the work of seconds. 

A tip: find a fluffy brush and buff for longer than you think. Something I learned from renowned celebrity make-up artist Rae Morris – when you think you’re done with blending out your eyeshadow, keep going. It’s how professionals create the diffused, soft looks we’re trying to reproduce at home.

Main image: Morgan Fargo