It's a testament to my newfound spiritual growth that I didn't go completely ballistic on my summer intern when she told me recently that I "did a really good job" on my eye makeup. Back in the day, I didn't want anyone to see the underpinnings, the effort and elbow grease that went into looking like a foxy creature.

Now, conveniently, I have a much different goal. Rather than pretending I'm a raging natural beauty, I want to be one of those gals who are all but unrecognizable without the full-on war paint. You know, like a Knots Landing–era Donna Mills. Or a more recent example: Eva Longoria. You have to admire my timing; just as I'm starting to really need it, I've fallen in love with the notion of getting good at plastering on the maquillage.

I've decided to start with my eyes, and at least one supersonic makeup guru assures me I'm on the right path. "As we age, we start losing definition," says my old pal Tricia Sawyer, who counts megababes Sharon Stone and Lindsay Lohan among her regular clients, and now has her own amazing line, which she sells on QVC. "Everything starts to fade, even our eyelashes."

Cue the contoured eye shadow.

To simplify my self-tutorial, I've zeroed in on two great DIY eye kits: Maybelline New York ExpertWear Eye Shadow and Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow. Each is available in an array of palettes. (If it's of any interest, I chose Enchanted Forest on the Maybelline end, and Pink Idol from the Dior collection.)

The Maybelline, in particular, is unbelievably no-brainer. Each of the four pans of shadow is specifically marked: "Lid," "Crease," "Brow Bone," and "Outer Corner." The compact also contains tiny stick-on illustrations detailing four different looks.

The first day, I start with the Subtle look, which merely entails a sweep of Lid. Because I'm running late for work, I don't apply my usual eyeliner and mascara to go with. Bad move—I look as if I've just rolled out of bed after a solid month of sleepless nights.

Because Subtle was such a flop, I dial right up to Dramatic, which means I'm shading like a banshee with Lid, Crease, Brow Bone, and—drumroll, please—Outer Corner. Again I blow it, and for the same reason: I'm rushing. "You really need to stop doing that," scolds Sawyer. "Practice on the days when you have a little more time. Then, when you have to, you'll actually be able to pull it off in five minutes."

After promising her I'll stop speed-shadowing, I make a firm resolution to at least add Crease to my repertoire. "Shadow applied to the crease accentuates your eye shape, which helps with that loss of definition I told you about before," says Sawyer. "A lot of women get stuck in a rut with their eye makeup, I guess because they're intimidated. But I always encourage them to push it a little bit."

Consider me pushed. And let the Creasing begin.