If you’re anything like me, you struggle with makeup. Oftentimes, I have high hopes when laying out my brushes on the bathroom counter, but after I finish, it generally turns out blotchy, powdery, or just plain unflattering, particularly in terms of the eye area. We all know that there’s most definitely a fine line between looking fresh and looking like a raccoon!

That’s why I’ve recently started taking the advice of YouTube beauty guru extraordinaire Wayne Goss. In the video we are going to show you today, he gives his brilliant take on how we should diversify our eyeshadow application methods. The best part of his trick is that no extra tools or expensive potions are required; all you need is your shadow and brush.

He starts off by explaining that people forget that, back in the day, shadow was mostly just brushed onto the lids, not the entire socket area like what is popular these days.

As our host says, “We forget sometimes that we can just apply eyeshadow to our eye lids and look absolutely gorgeous.” Nonetheless, it’s important to acknowledge that trends rule, and it looks like that high-impact, eye-popping look isn’t going anywhere.

Now, clearly we can all agree that a dramatic eye can look incredible, but so many of us out there have been coming at it all wrong. For instance, if you are going for a smoky eye look, you’re most likely well-acquainted with the fact that, if you go overboard, you’re bound to step away from the mirror looking like you just got into a bar brawl!

To avoid this embarrassing makeup snafu, Wayne suggests to do something so simple that you’ll wonder why you never thought of it in the first place—keep your eyes open!

That’s right, you can actually stay wide-eyed when applying makeup to those lids. As our host explains, this technique will allow you to better control the amount of shadow that goes on your lid, as well as ensure that you are making the desired shapes in your application process.

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: How am I supposed to hold a brush in front of my open eye? That sounds terrifying! Look, I’m just as squeamish as you, but I promise, once you get used to this technique, you’ll never go back! Just start slowly, and enlist the help of a magnified mirror if you are worried about jabbing yourself in one of the peepers!

To learn about even more expert tips on this unique makeup application method, be sure to watch Wayne Goss’ video below. This tip is ALL about the technique; it might take you a couple tries, but once you get it down, you will quickly see how important it is to keep those eyes open!

What do you think of Wayne Goss’ eye shadow tips? Are you guilty of making this makeup “don’t?” What’s your favorite way to apply your shadow? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!