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How To Apply Eye Makeup If You Have Shaky Hands:

Have you been struggling to apply your eye makeup and looking for some easy tips to help? 

Girl, I know your pain.

After suffering from this issue myself, I can finally tell you I have found some ways to help, it takes both time and balance, but I’m here to help. 

People with steady hands will never understand the frustration of trying to quickly flick your eyeliner wing or try to blend an eyeshadow look; it’s a whole different experience for us! Plus, the shakier the hand, the harder it is.

But don’t feel disheartened; I’m here to help.

With the right tools, an adjusted makeup station, some tips, and tricks out of my book, and some practice, you won’t believe the results you can achieve! 

Stay tuned for the full rundown of eye makeup application hacks for your shaky hands; you won’t want to miss it! 

makeup sink

Tip One: Where you do your makeup is just as crucial as how:

If you have a steady surface or area in your home to do your makeup with a hands-free mirror, this is the first place I would try to do your makeup.

Even supporting your elbow on a desk will help give yourself that little extra support; instead of moving your wrist, try moving your elbow instead for added stability. 

I never used to try this on my shaky hands until a year ago. This has massively helped with my stability, plus having the mirror close enough and not worry about it is always a huge bonus. 

Using a wide space to work with has also made a massive difference, especially regarding accessibility. With shaky hands, it’s also relatively easy to knock things over; some people have invested in a velcro mat and putting velcro on the back of their products to help with this issue.

If you live cooped up in a flat, finding a sizeable steady surface for you to work on may be a challenge; lucky for you, this also works by placing your elbows on your knees. I would also invest in a folding cover to hold your whole makeup kit.

Implementing this tip into your everyday makeup routine will help keep you steady while applying eye makeup using brushes and tools. 

Remember to take your time, too, set more time to get ready in the morning; I found setting an extra half an hour massively helped, especially when it came down to stress. I didn’t feel like I was in so much of a rush, and when I’m rushing, the shaking gets worse. 

Tip Two: Start with eye makeup first: 

With shaky hands, I found that starting my makeup routine with eye makeup first really helps correct mistakes. Starting on a bare face allows you to easily redo your eye without having to remove the rest of your makeup. 

I found that it was always important to keep gentle Micellar Cleansing water, cotton pads, and buds handy for easy accessibility.

Its easier to take on the more challenging techniques while the hand is fresh rather than at the end of the makeup routine when your hands are tired. 

Some looks even require sharp edges, and by doing it first, you can sharpen out all the mistakes when you go in with the rest of your makeup; it also allows you to clean up any fallout from your eyeshadow.

eyeshadow brush

Tip Three:  Use grip-friendly products:

If you don’t want to have to purchase new or different products to make them more accessible to you, there are actually ways you can upgrade your makeup brushes at home to give you a better grip.

You can use rubber bands on the end of your makeup brushes; this provides a better grip, thanks to their textured design. You can even use the stick-on rings, which you can use on the back of your phone on some products to prevent dropping. 

If that doesn’t work, you can also use foam grippers, like you would use on pens and pencils when you were younger. I found they were actually really helpful when it came to grip. 

Tip Four: Plan your eye makeup looks beforehand:

Even the most intricate makeup artists won’t get the look right the first time; it takes some practice, patience, and planning. 

I would plan and practice your looks beforehand so your hands can get used to executing them; it will help keep your hands from feeling so shaky. 

This will also help to know exactly what you need to do and in what order you need the equipment, make notes of the biggest challenges in your makeup looks so you can adapt your routine to help. 

eye makeup looks

Tip Five: Choose a grippier product design 

With severe hand tremors, just picking up something, opening it, or even keeping hold of it for a long period of time can be quite a challenge, even at the best of times.

When applying eye makeup, having a good grip on the product is one of the most important things when it comes to applying makeup.

To help combat this, you can help yourself by getting yourself grip-friendly packaging designs, bigger ones, heavier products that can be opened without much force.  

I personally love Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palettes; they have the right weight and grip to them without feeling heavy enough not to drop them but can sit on a surface and be opened with one hand. 

I would also recommend avoiding using slim, magnetic palettes or single eyeshadows as they take a lot more effort to open and can be quite fiddly. 

When it comes to makeup brushes, I would recommend looking for anything with ridged edges or having a rubbery texture– this helps with traction and grip while completing eye makeup looks. 

When it comes to applying your mascara, I recommend trying some out in the shop; try holding onto them to get a good feel for how they feel in your hands while you apply makeup.

My top recommendation is to Bad Gal Bang! Mascara; the end is super grippy and ridged, covered in studs, which makes it excellent for gripping, especially on shaky days. 

When it comes to applying your eyeshadow with a brush, I would recommend using the tip above and investing in those rubber grips you could put on pencils; this will help transform the grip of any brush set. 

I would also look for a mascara, eyeliner, or makeup brush with a long handle; it will allow you to hold it with your thumb and another finger or even with your whole palm.

mascara

Tip Six: Take a deep breath, you’ve got this:

Now I know how you’re feeling, when something doesn’t go right you just want to give up, we’ve all been there. But you can still create beautiful eye makeup looks, even with shaky hands.

Don’t be too hard on yourself or feel too disheartened, I know it can be very frustrating at times, but take a deep breath and try again. Keep trying and never give up. 

The more pressure you put on yourself, the worst the tremors will be. If need be take a 5-minute break, do something you love and then come back to your makeup. Be kind to yourself, we all mess up from time to time but it’s perfectly natural. 

Applying makeup is an art, even without shaky hands. If you feel frustrated while doing your makeup, stop for a second, focus on your breathing and step back from the mirror to see what you’ve achieved from a distance– trust me it helps. 

Take the time in the morning, if you feel stressed applying your makeup in one hour then set two, give yourself the time to take your time and take breaks, you will feel calmer and you’ll notice that your hands will too. 

This is beneficial for your mind, face and hands. 

eyeshadow brushes

Summary 

Remember, don’t shy away from the colors, trends, and shapes you love. You can do it! If you love makeup, you should express it; even if the splash of colors may look messy close-up, they will look like beautiful art from a distance. 

Bright, bold colors are an excellent way to refresh and brighten your makeup look, as well as your mood. I would recommend going for a quicker application so you can focus on the blend. 

There are no rules to the art of eye makeup looks; that’s what makes them so great! So don’t avoid that ‘too bold’ product, you should express yourself!

Don’t let anything stop you from doing what you love, even your shaky hands. I hope these tips help your next eye makeup look; let’s take control and love our makeup looks again!

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