NOT SURE HOW TO WEAR BRIGHT EYESHADOWS.

There’s a bold shade for every look and skin tone! We recently caught up with the brilliant hairstylist and makeup artist, T. Cooper. T shared her favorite eyeshadow techniques, including how to approach all shades in a palette, layering different shadow formulas and textures, and the go-to hue that she swears by for all skin tones.

WEARING COLORFUL EYESHADOWS CAN BE INTIMIDATING.

Long gone are the days when bright lipsticks and vibrant eyeshadow colors were taboo for darker-skinned women. Today, we can wear whatever we want. It just is a matter of your personal style and confidence. From orange to pink to even blue, with the right tools and technique, all of us can flaunt vibrant, colorful and glamorous looks.

Our girl, T. Cooper, the founder of Major Face, a full-service, on-location beauty service company in New York that handles production shoots,
events and runway shows , gave us a few expert tips on choosing the right shadow to make both your skin and eyes pop.

BLK/OPL: What makeup looks do you love for this winter?

T. Cooper: I love playing with different shadow textures, for example –look for eye palettes multiple textures. A good choice are palettes that include really pretty glitter and chrome eyeshadows. My mantra has always been, “when all else fails, reach for the bronze.” I find that bronze shades look amazing on every single skin tone. The key to using a bronze eyeshadow is to start with a matte shadow applied in a winged shape and layer textures on top. A multi-dimensional winged look always shuts it down! Check out the BLK/OPL True Melanin and BLK/OPL BLK Bombshell palette collections.

BLK/OPL: We love your bronze mantra! . Do you have any tips for creating a natural eyeshadow look?

T. Cooper: Stick with neutral colors and skin-tone-inspired shades, and stay away from glitter, shimmer, or other textured formulas. You can do a little pop of color on the lid, but nothing too bright. For me, a natural look is all about making people guess whether or not you have makeup on.

BLK/OPL: With COVID lingering what kind of glam looks can we create with our masks on?

T. Cooper: A glam look is all about texture. If you are creating a glam look, you want to add dimension to the eye. A great tip is to use shimmery/glittery colors on the lid, matte colors in the crease or outer corner, create a smoky effect on the waterline, and add a nice highlight in the inner corner. That’s usually my go-to formula to make my clients look extra glam.

 BLK/OPL: Love that! What advice do you have for getting the most out of all the shades in an eyeshadow palette?

 T. Cooper: Don’t just use the colors you automatically gravitate to.

Try out colors you would not usually use, play with them and see how you can incorporate them into your look. Those colors often complement the shades you like and enhance the look.

The shades in a palette are carefully curated to work harmoniously, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Sometimes it’s as simple as using another color in your crease as a transition shade or using one of the shades as an eyeliner.

T. Cooper: I am all about the brick and clay shades right now. There’s just something about brownish reds and brownish oranges that make brown eyes pop. I’ve gotten into those colors recently, and I’ve been introducing them to my clients.

 Grab your favorite palette (or pick up a new one) and play around with T. Cooper’s top three tips:

• Don’t be afraid of color
• Try all the shades on the palette
• If all else fails, stick with bronze

 You can shop all of our eyeshadow palettes and eye definer pencils on our website, and if you’re still looking for that perfect foundation to set everything off, use the Find Your Shade tool to find your ideal match. We can’t wait to see your glam looks—don’t forget to tag us @blackopalbeauty using #blackquality