The Cut Crease: Kim Kardashian's Best but Most Under-Appreciated Eye Shadow Trick

Cut crease eyeshadow, in case you've never known how to ID the eye-enhancing look popularized by Kim Kardashian, is one of the best ways to add depth and dimension to your eyes—and it all revolves around (you guessed it) the crease. Stretching back to the days of Audrey Hepburn and Twiggy, mod girls used to wear just a splash of black liner along the crease for some edge and definition. Here, we look to the queen of cut creases herself for a step-by-step primer into her subtler "wispy glam" take on the cut crease look. 

Makeup artist Etienne Ortega starts Kim's look by brushing light powder from Kat von D's eye contour palette (opens in new tab) all over the lid as a base.Then he creates a harsh line right along the crease using a light shade of brown, before blending and smudging it with a soft, fluffy brush. Next, he reapplies pale eyeshadow just along the lid to highlight the contrast and enhances the under-eye area with the same shade of brown, swooping the color upward for a cat-eye effect. 

To complete the look, line your bottom lash line with white eyeliner to open up the eyes and apply mascara along the top and bottom of your lashes. Lastly, don't forget to keep everything in a place with a handy makeup setting spray (opens in new tab).

Follow Marie Claire on F (opens in new tab)acebook (opens in new tab) for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.