Your best new eyeshadow shades (according to this makeup superstar)

Your best new eyeshadow shades (according to this makeup superstar)

Bradford Knight may not be a household name yet, but it is likely that you’ve seen his work in People, Essence or The Hollywood Reporter. He’s worked on the set of the Martha Stewart Show, The Meredith Vieira Show and backstage at Red Carpet galas. Now an Estee Lauder Global Makeup Artist, he’s proof that you can take a job at a makeup counter and parlay that into a global career in beauty artistry. A native of southeastern Virginia, Bradford moved to New York City to pursue a career in fashion. Fatefully, a job taken at a makeup counter while on the job hunt turned into a career as an innovative makeup artist spanning the mediums of fashion, editorial and television.

 

You can see some of Bradford’s best work in Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Shine Envy Shine Lipstick video shoot and with Kendall Jenner on the brand’s Double Wear Makeup On The Go video shoot. (He also works at New York Fashion Week)

 

I caught up with Knight recently to ask him for new eyeshadow suggestions for certain eye colours. This is a question I get asked regularly on social media from followers. Here are his pro tips and colour ideas.

 

“When shopping for eyeshadow shades in a store, try to wear neutral colours so you avoid matching your eyeshadow colours to your clothes. Wearing neutral colours also allows you to see colour in its truer form. I’d recommend wearing black or white clothing when shopping for new eyeshadows.” Bradford Knight, Estee Lauder Global Makeup Artist

 

Best eyeshadows for BLUE eyes:

 

For blue eyes use peach/orange shades, a true violet (not plum), a gunmetal shade with a blue and black base or a bright yellow gold metallic colour. To use them together, I recommend combining a violet eye shadow with a gunmetal liner. Alternatively, you can sweep a gold shade around the eye and add a lot of mascara for a retro look. For an everyday look, use a peach or orange shade with a chocolate liner to make your eyes pop.

Estee Lauder Envy Defining Eyeshadow in Steely Lilac

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5 Colour Palette in Envious Orchid

Estee Lauder Envy Defining Eyeshadow in Naked Gold

Best eyeshadows for BROWN eyes:

 

The colours navy blue, copper, forest green and teal complement brown eyes. For application tips, keep colour tight around the eye in liner form, however don’t be afraid to experiment with your application of the eye shadow. A great green eyeshadow for brown eyes is the Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Defining EyeShadow Wet/Dry in Emerald Envy

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5 Colour Palette in Untamed Teal

Estee Lauder Envy Eyeshadow in Emerald Envy

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5 Colour Palette in Rebel Metal

Best eyeshadows for GREEN or HAZEL eyes:

 

For green eyes, a Bordeaux or burgundy colour would look nice. Other colour options are silver, plum and mauve. When applying, a tip would be to sweep mauve eyeshadow on the eyelid and to shade the outer corner in plum to create shape. Also, don’t forget to add loads of mascara to make the eyes pop! I recommend using the Estée Lauder Sumptuous Knockout Mascara for a false-eyelash effect

Estee Lauder Envy Defining Eyeshadow in Silver Edge

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5 Colour Palette in Envious Orchid

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Knockout Mascara

“Let me start by saying that you’re not locked into anything when it comes to changing eyeshadow according to the season – there are no specific rules that you have to follow! Warmer weather can inspire more vibrant and bright shades. Winter, on the other hand, typically inspires more muted or rich/deep tones. These shades tend to be more formal and they work with the heavy winter fabrics like tweed and leather,” he says

 

He has good advice for those with darker skin tones. “When skin is darker, look for more colour saturation or densely pigmented shades. What colours you use are up to you, again there are no specific rules that you have to follow. Just note that application is the most important factor. Gold or bronze are always good options that look great on every skin tone.”

 

So what is his all-time favourite eye palette? The Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Defining EyeShadow Wet/Dry in Cheeky Pink is one of my favorites. You can combine this with the Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in Coffee for one of my favorite eye looks.

Estee Lauder Envy Eyeshadow in Cheeky Pink

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Eye Pencil in Coffee

Estee Lauder is available in Canada at Hudson’s Bay stores and thebay.com