How to Apply Scene Eye Makeup

The scene style is popular with many teenagers today, as it helps them stand out of the crowd. It’s characterized by straight, side-swept and sometimes brightly dyed hair and choppy bangs. Clothing styles include skinny jeans, graphic t-shirts, and piercings. Makeup styling is an important part of this look. Create your own dramatic scene-style eye look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Creating Your Base

1
Prep your skin. Before you start on your eye look, you’ll want to create the perfect base. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, and moisturize your skin so that your make up won’t flake. Apply a foundation primer, then put your foundation on all over your face, (or just on troubled skin areas), bringing it slightly down to your neck.^{[1]XExpert SourceDevorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist & StylistExpert Interview. 16 April 2020.}
- For this look, a matte, full coverage foundation works best. It will make your finished look more stark, flawless, and dramatic.
- Apply foundation to your preference. ^{[2]XResearch source} If you’re having trouble getting an even look, try using a Beauty Blender or a foundation brush to blend it into your skin.
2
Prime your eyes. With a small foundation brush or just your finger, use any eye primer of your choice. Simply apply it all over your eyelid to your brow bone.^{[3]XResearch source}
- This step will keep your eye makeup from smearing or fading and help it to stay in place all day.^{[4]XExpert SourceDevorah Kuperland
  Makeup Artist & StylistExpert Interview. 16 April 2020.}
- If you don’t have a primer on hand, try using concealer or a nude cream eye shadow as a base instead.^{[5]XResearch source}
3
Tame your brows.^{[6]XResearch source} The scene look is all about clean, defined lines, and you don’t want any stray brow hairs messing up your aesthetic.
- If you only have a few stray hairs, simply pluck them with sharpened tweezers.
- If your brows are a bit more unruly, take a bit more time to do them right. Use an eyeliner or eyebrow pencil and lightly trace the shape you want your brows to take. Comb your brow hairs straight up with a spoolie brush. Trim them with small nail scissors to fit the shape you have drawn. Then, pluck the stray hairs that fall outside your brow outline.
- If your eyebrows are already full, just use a clear eyebrow gel to help tame them.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Adding the Eye Shadow

1
Start with a highlight. Apply a shimmery white eye shadow with an eye shadow brush. Use a sweeping motion to put it underneath your brow bone. Also dab the white shadow into the inner and outer corners of your eye to help brighten them up.
- Feel free to substitute. If you want a bit more color to your look, try using a glimmering pale pink or baby blue as a highlight instead of the white.
- If you have a darker skin tone, you might want to opt for a warmer highlight like a shimmery champagne or brown.
2
Cover your lid with gray. Sweep a slate gray over your entire eyelid. Use a lighter hand near the inner corner of your eye. Then, put a more concentrated layer of gray in your eye crease and outer lid so that your eyes will pop.
- If you want color instead of a monochrome, substitute a vivid pink, green, or blue for the gray shadow.
- Also consider mixing your gray eye shadow to help your eyes pop. Blue eyes are accentuated by blue-gray, and green and brown eyes look great with a hint of purple.
3
Add some black. Put some black eye shadow from the mid-section of your eye to the outer corner, right above your lash line. Also put some in your crease to define it. This will help compliment your eyeliner and make your eyes stand out.
- When you do this, use a clean eye shadow brush, and dab on small amounts of shadow at a time. It is easier to add more than to take it away, when it comes to black shadows.
4
Blend it out. After you’ve applied your shadows, blend them together to get a flawless look.^{[7]XResearch source} Use a clean blending brush to do so.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Start in the outer corner of your eye, and move the brush in small, light circles inward. Concentrate on your crease and your lash line, where you applied darker shadows. Do this back and forth across your eye until the shadow blurs and the darker shadow fades seamlessly into the lighter shadow. Remember to always apply the lighter shadows first, then apply the darker ones. Be patient, as this step can take some time and patience.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Putting on the Finishing Touches

1
Draw on winged eyeliner. Thick, black eyeliner is a hallmark of the scene makeup style. Liquid liner looks best.
- Try a liner that has a marker tip instead of a brush. This can make the process of applying your liner much less intimidating.
- The tip of your cat eye should form along the angle made by the outer corner of your eye and the end of your eyebrow.
- First, start in the middle your lash line and draw short strokes outward and then do the same inward toward your nose. It should be like you are drawing a dotted line.
- Draw a small flick where you want the end of your cat eye to be.
- Go back and fill in the gaps in this dotted line until it is thick and even.
- For the scene look, line your bottom lash line as well, using the same technique. Bring the line up to meet the flick at the end of your cat eye.
- If you have trouble with your eyeliner fading, try going back over it with your black eye shadow to set it.
- Use a black waterproof eyeliner pencil to line your top and bottom waterlines. ^{[9]XResearch source} These are the inner lines of your eyes below your eyelashes.
2
Give yourself false lashes. False lashes will add a level of drama to your eyes that is hard to achieve with mascara alone. Most drugstores carry false lashes, which come in various volumes and lengths. Choose some that are fairly thick and long but still natural looking.
- Use a lash curler to quickly curl your lashes, and put on one coat of any black mascara. This will give your fake lashes some support.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Hold one of the fake lashes up to your eye. If it’s too big, trim it to fit.
- Apply a thin layer of eyelash glue to the line of one of the fake eyelashes. Wait about 30 seconds for it to become tacky.
- Gently place it as close to your lash line as possible. Start in the inner corner of your eye and press the lashes down moving outwards. Don’t start too close to you tear duct, as this can make your eyes look narrow. A little excess glue is fine, as it will dry clear.
3
Fill in your brows. Finishing your look with your eyebrows will make it feel polished.
- Choose an eyebrow pencil that is a close match to your hair color. For this look, it’s all right to go towards a darker shade. When choosing eyebrow colors, unless you are a redhead, gravitate towards ashier shades with less red.
- With quick strokes, as though you are drawing little hairs, fill in the sparse places in your eyebrows.
- Set your eyebrows with a gel. These come in tubes that look like mascara and simply keep your eyebrow shape in place all day. You can use either a tinted gel or a clear gel.
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Expert Q&A

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Question
What kind of eyeshadow should I use if I live in a warm, humid environment?
Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Devorah Kuperland is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Glam By Dev, a New York City-based business specializing in bridal, special events, and editorial campaigns. Devorah has over five years of professional makeup consulting experience and her work has been featured in New York's Bridal Fashion Week.
Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Expert Answer
A great eyeshadow would be either a cream or stick eyeshadow. They have a really nice consistency and a lot of times they are waterproof.
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Question
How can I make my hazel eyes stand out?
Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Devorah Kuperland is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Glam By Dev, a New York City-based business specializing in bridal, special events, and editorial campaigns. Devorah has over five years of professional makeup consulting experience and her work has been featured in New York's Bridal Fashion Week.
Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Expert Answer
Purples and greens are great for accentuating hazel eyes and making them pop. I would suggest getting a really beautiful deeper plum or deeper purple eyeliner and applying that where you would usually apply your black or brown liner. Little subtle hints of purple or green can really make hazel eyes come to life.
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Question
How do you keep eyeshadow in place all day?
Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Devorah Kuperland is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Glam By Dev, a New York City-based business specializing in bridal, special events, and editorial campaigns. Devorah has over five years of professional makeup consulting experience and her work has been featured in New York's Bridal Fashion Week.
Devorah Kuperland
Makeup Artist
Expert Answer
Apply an eyeshadow primer to your eyelids before you apply your shadow. This will give your eyeshadow staying power and prevent smudging.
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Tips

Don’t be afraid to play around with colors! This is a basic look that can be made unique to you.
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Take your time when applying liquid liner, and remember, practice makes perfect.
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Scene makeup artists often coordinate their fashion to match their eye makeup. If you're using magenta and bold purples on your eyelids, try wearing black clothes with pink and purple accents.
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Warnings

Some parents and schools will not like this. Always make sure you understand your parent's rules on makeup, and school dress codes.
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