You can do these techniques with any shadow you choose, but I think they work best with a darker, matte shadow. I'm using an espresso color called Mocha from Makeup Geek. Don't be afraid to try out brighter colors like purple or a shimmery metallic too though!
1. As a liner
If you have a killer shadow color that you wish was a liner, well, make it be so! Dampen a small, angled brush with water or setting spray and dip into your shadow. Working in small sections, glide your brush along your top lash line, rewetting as needed.
More: Simple hack turns pencil eyeliner into gel eyeliner
2. Outer corner accent
This is such a simple and subtle way to contour your eye area. Using a small, fluffy shadow brush, pick up the shadow on the very tip of the bristles. Carefully place this only at the outer corner of the eye. Using that same brush, soften the color out, bringing it inward, stopping just before the center point of your eye.
More: 11 Shadows that flatter your eye color
3. Halo
If you want to take things a little further, dip a crease brush into your shadow and bring it into your crease. Then, using a smaller brush, smudge shadow along your lower lash line so that your eye is surrounded by a "halo" of color. This is a soft and sexy way to wear your shadow and really play up your eye shape.
4. Smoky wash
If you're after more of a smoky look, or you just love a shadow color so much that more is more, a smoky wash of color is where it's at! Sweep your shadow from lash line to crease, gradually fading upwards. Make sure to sweep a clean crease brush in your crease so there are no hard edges in the finished look.
11 Shadows that flatter your eyes
Simple beauty hack turns pencil eyeliner into gel eyeliner