How to Do a Half Cut Crease in Just 7 Steps

If you spend any time on the ‘gram, chances are you’ve drooled over a cut crease or two. It’s an ultra-popular eyeshadow look that involves carving out the middle to create a defined crease surrounded by diffused smoky shadow. A traditional cut crease creates a clear line of demarcation between the lash line and crease, creating lots of lid space to show off glitter or a neutral, concealer shade.

If mastering eyeshadow looks was a sport, we’d consider the cut crease to be an olympic-level look. It requires an impressive amount of blending, an understanding of eyeshadow placement, and the ability to carve out a crease using nothing but a flat shading brush and concealer.

If you’re newer to eyeshadow and still want to give the look a try, we recommend the half cut crease, where you only define half of your crease and create a diffused, smoky look on the the other half of your eye. And because visuals are everything, we’ve created the tutorial ahead to help you do just that.

STEP 1: Prime the eye using a longwear, transfer-proof formula like NYX Professional Makeup Proof IT Waterproof Eyeshadow Primer.

STEP 2: Define the crease using a fluffy eyeshadow brush and a neutral shade that is one to two shades deeper than your skin tone. This will add dimension and definition without distracting from the overall look.

STEP 3: Further define the crease using a deeper eyeshadow shade. This should be concentrated in the outer corner of the eye and can be a neutral shade or a brighter, matte shade if you’re going for a more colorful look.

STEP 4: Outline half the crease using a concealer that won’t budge like NYX Professional Makeup Concealer Jar and a flat shader brush. Bring the concealer to the center of the eye, and blend into the shadow without mixing them together.

STEP 5: Here, you can either set the concealer with a neutral, matching shade or add a pop of color to take the look to the next level. The choice is yours.

STEP 6: To tie the look together, apply the shadow from the outer crease underneath the eye, and smoke it out.

STEP 7: Apply winged liner that compliments your eye shape. We recommend an easy-to-control liquid formula like Lancôme Artliner for a crisp, ultra-defined flick.

Makeup: Justine Sweetman

Hair: Johnathan Rackleff