If you’ve struggled on where to apply your eyeshadow, this post is for you! The helpful diagram above illustrates some of the more common areas one can apply eyeshadow to, which should help get you familiar with the terminology used in various tutorials (both pictorials and YouTube videos). These are areas of the eye that often signal how and where a particular product has been applied to the eye in a makeup tutorial.

For more of my favorite makeup brushes, check out the best brushes for eyeshadow

, which shares my current favorite brushes for applying eyeshadow for different areas of the eye as well as when working with different formulas (example: powder vs. cream).

Now, let’s break down the where and what of a typical eye look…

Inner Tearduct/Inner Corner:  This is the area between the bridge of the nose and the inner portion of the lid.  It’s often a space that is used to brighten and open up the eyes, so something metallic is often used here.  This can sometimes be the same shade used to highlight the brow bone to help tie a look together, but it’s just as likely something different.  I often find this is a good place to add a pop of sparkle or glitter.

Inner/Middle/Outer Lid:  Depending on the look one’s going for, the lid can be divided up into as many or as few parts as desired.  You can have color all over the lid, over all but the outer lid/very outer corner (where the lash lines meet).  I tend to apply two to three shades on the lid, so I often break up my lid into three sections–inner, middle, and outer.

Sometimes, you’ll see a reference to the “outer v,” which is the edge of the upper lash line into the deep crease in the shape of a sideways “V.” (The outer lid/crease area in this look and this look are two examples of defining the “outer v.”)

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