Halo Eye Makeup Is Easier Than You Think—Heres How to Get the Look

Raise your hand if youre bored with your current makeup routine. If you just put your hand in the air, allow us to introduce you to halo eye makeup. The technique has been around for years, but recently, its made a major resurgence. And you dont need to be a pro makeup artist to nail this trend; in fact, all you need are a few products to whip up this easy-peasy look.

Read on for everything you need to know about this fun, vibrant eye makeup technique—including how to do it yourself—straight from celebrity makeup artists Alexx Mayo and Melissa Murdick.

What Is Halo Eye Makeup?

"A halo eye look is where there is a bright pop of shimmer in the center contrasting a deeper smoky eye, creating a spotlight effect," says Mayo. Murdick expanded on the definition: "Halo eye makeup is where you use a dark eyeshadow at the inner and outer corners of the eye with a bright, shimmery shade in the middle of the eye," she explains.

@danessa_myricks / Instagram

What You Need to Create a Halo Eye Makeup Look

Before you can start creating the halo eye makeup look of your dreams, youll need to take a look at your makeup collection to make sure you have exactly what you need.

An eyeshadow palette with multiple matte hues (Murdick suggests one dark and one medium shade).
A shimmery eyeshadow (it can be bright and pigmented or more of a topper).
A good eyeshadow primer or base.

As far as brushes go, your best bet is a set of makeup brushes with all the eye basics, including a flat shadow brush, a small blending brush, and a small smudge brush.

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How to Create a Halo Eye Makeup Look

We asked Murdick to outline exactly how to achieve the look, whether youre a pro or a beginner.

Step 1: Apply primer

"Make sure to start with an eye primer so you get a good grip for the shadows and increase your ability to blend," shares Murdick. Sure, this is a step you can skip, but the shadows have a much higher chance of wearing away if you do.

Step 2: Go in with your matte shadows

Next, youll want to go in with your matte shadows. "Use a flat shader brush to pat a dark, matte eyeshadow onto your eyelid on the outer 1/3 and inner 1/3 of the eye—leaving the middle 1/3 between them open," Murdick tells buuk.top. For this step, pay attention to the shape of your eye and bring the shadow up to your crease or eye socket. "You can use a small pencil or smudge brush to repeat this process under your lower lashes as well if you want a full halo effect around your eye," she adds.

Step 3: Blend, blend, blend

Now its time for the blending portion of this fun eye look. "Use a blending brush to apply a medium matte shade in a windshield wiper motion back and forth in the crease or socket of your eye," shares Murdick. "This will help blend out the edges of the dark color you applied first. Use your smaller eyeshadow brush and a bit of the medium matte shade to blend out the edges of the dark shade under your eye as well."

Step 4: Add your shimmer

The shimmer makes a halo eye, so its important to pack on just the right amount and, more importantly, in the right place. "To finish the shadows, use a clean, flat shader brush to pack your chosen shimmery shade right in the open center of your eyelid, taking it up to the crease area just like you did with your darkest shade," says Murdick. "Use a clean pencil or smudge brush to fill in the center under your lower lashes as well."

Step 5: Finishing touches

Murdick says the finishing touches are completely up to you. If youre going for more of a sultry look, add a thin layer of eyeliner, a coat of mascara, and some half-lashes. If you want a simpler style, just curl your lashes and add mascara.

Tips and Tricks for Perfecting the Halo Eye Makeup Look

Mayo tells us perfecting the halo eye look comes down to technique and your willingness to go bold with your shadow choices. "The darker you go with the inner and outer corner shades, the more dramatic effect you will get," he says. "Dont be afraid to play with contrasting colors as well."

Murdick advises paying particular attention to the rounding of your lid. "Make sure the shape you create on your lid is a bit rounded... the dark shades and the shimmer shade in the middle should look a bit like a semi-circle when you look down," she explains. "This is one of the signature aspects of the halo look that will make it look its best."

Variations of Halo Eye Makeup

There are tons of ways you can go about halo eye makeup, whether you stick with traditional smoky colors or go for something more vibrant like pink, blue, or orange—you can even add in a cut crease! Truly, the options are limitless.

And when it comes to the star of the look—the shimmer—Murdick says there are different ways to incorporate even more sparkle into your halo eye: "If you really want to take the halo look to the next level, you can add in another shimmery shade on the edges of your initial center shimmer, so you get an even stronger color gradient effect."

@shahmatova.ya / Instagram

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Choosing tools:The first issue many people face when attempting a halo eye is not having the right tools—and having the correct brushes for this specific look is essential. "You want the overall look to be blended and clean," says Mayo, so having several eyebrushes at your disposal is crucial.Fall-out: Another issue you might face, since youll likely be dealing with heavily pigmented shadows, is fall-out. To avoid this, start with a good primer and tackle your eyes before you work on your complexion. "Its much easier to clean up bare skin with a bit of makeup remover than it is to try to patch up a ruined foundation," notes Murdick.Eye shape:Lastly, if you have hooded or droopy eyes, dont worry: You can absolutely get a killer halo eye—your technique just might look a bit different. To keep the halo effect from disappearing when you open your eyes, Murdick shares the following advice: "Make sure you take the shadows on your eyelid (both the matte and shimmery shade) up a bit higher than you initially thought. You should be able to clearly see the halo when you look straight ahead."

The Final Takeaway

The halo eye look might look a bit daunting at first, but with a little bit of practice, you can nail this technique in under 10 minutes. Its a fun way to switch up your eye makeup and is perfect for holiday gatherings, date nights, and everything in between.