The coloured gunk (or powder) smeared above the eye to beautify the face.
Eyeshadow can be done very tastefully with subdued tones to lighten/darken the eye and draw attention to the face. It can also be used as a fashion statement (thus, I justify my trademark green eyeshadow) as long as it is obvious to everyone that it was not intended to look natural. The most common misuse of eyeshadow is the bold blue streaks apparent on the eyelids of many a middle-school girl.
Generally, avid consumers of eyeshadow can also be seen sporting nail polish, lip gloss/lipstick, and mascara.
Eyeshadow is marketed in little plastic containers, either in shape of a squat, cyclindrical pot (no applicator included) or in a flat, rectangular box (usually includes a sponge-tip applicator for moving the cosmetics from the container to your eyes.)
Ingredients of an eyshadow: iron oxides, talc oxides, talc, zinc sterate, titanium oxide, mineral oil, lanolin oil, polysorbate 80, propylparaben.
source of ingredients list:
http://www.mybeautycenter.com/7shadow.html