Smoky Eyes….101!
Ahh…the elusive “Smoky-Eye”…you hear about it constantly…..my clients clamour for it….women ask me how to do it…ALL the time. For some reason there is this huge mystique behind it…when in reality, the smoky-eye was one of the first eye makeup techniques that I really became confindent in….It is a great way for beginners to learn basic makeup application and works on ALL eye shapes.
My number one rule/trick (I hate rules…in anything) to achieving a perfect smoky eye is graduation of color….as you see in this picture it’s about starting dark around the lash line and blending the color from dark to light all the way up to the browbone…once you get that down , there are limitless ways to customize your look. The key is to blend, blend, blend my beauties…..once you get that down, you can do anything (when it comes to makeup that is…)!
But here’s a basic tutorial:
1. Line both the top and bottom lashes with liner….and be sure to extend to meet at the outer corner of the eye……..get as close to your lashline as you can…..work the liner into the lashline…this will define your eyes and give them that POP! we are all after.
2. Go over your liner with the darkest shadow in your kit…for newbies, I prefer eyeshadow palletes that contain graduated colors that blend together easily….like this one, Cargo’s Essential Eye Shadow Pallete ($32).
Apply the darkest shade up to the bottom of the crease of your eye….or another way to put it, about 1/3 of the total distance from the lash line to brow (crease or not..smoky eye works on all ethnicities…). I like to use a medium-size shadow brush…but if you are new, don’t be afraid to use sponge-tip applicators!
3. Next I like to apply my highlighter (or lightest shadow) to the top 1/3 of the lid…. blending all the way into the brow and following the entire length of the brow as well…( a little dot at the inner corners of eyes will open up sleepy eyes, too).
4. Take your medium shade and apply to the middle or crease of the eye…..and blend, blend,blend…here’s where the “art” to makeup comes in…you want to blend so that there is no visible line between your dark shadow and highlighter…….again, it’s this graduation of color that gives the eye the “smoky” look and separates the women from the girls…(not, really!) LOL!
5. Finally, give a good coat (or three) of your favorite mascara…work it into the lashes as best you can and POW! You’ve got a beautiful, smoky eye in no time flat!
Once you get this down there are SO many ways that you can change it up….dark, intense shadows for night give you a more dramatic look and you can use light, shimmering tones with this application for day. You can line inside the inner rims of the eye for extra WOW! or you can go without liner for an even softer look…I just love this “dark to light” eyeshadow application because like I said, it is a great way for newbies to learn to blend….(and way easier than trying to contour the eye crease and blend that)….And not only does this makeup look great on EVERY eye but it is particularly flattering on “hooded” eyes or if you are having a “puffy” eye day. Remember the basic rule of shading in art….dark colors will recede on the face and pull those areas “back” (as in minimize puffiness) and light shadows protrude (bring forward and “lift” your brow bone) giving eyes a visual “lift”. NICE……
The possibilities really are endless……and why I love makeup so darn much. Makeup really can be as fun as you want it to be…….and can be changed as much as your mood does (which for me is A LOT..I’m a Gemini)…and probably one of MY favorite things about makeup is that it can be washed off!!! So change it up ladies!!! Don’t get stuck in a boring routine and for god sakes…Don’t be afraid to try something new!!!
Be Beautiful Y’all…and please email me if you have any questions!
