Tips Before We Begin:
- Apply your eye base first. Do not apply any foundation or face makeup.
- Apply your eye makeup first. It will feel a little strange at first because the order in which you do things is different. However, when working with dark shadows, and pigments, you will inevitably have “fall-out” collect underneath the eyes making your eyes appear dark.
- This is the number one reason why women feel like they look like a raccoon when they attempt a smokey eye. The area around the eyes needs to remain bright to support the dark shadows around the eyes. Complete your eye makeup first. Using a facial wipe, wipe away excess product around the eyes and especially underneath the eyes. Prep the under eye area, with primer, then go ahead and use your handy concealer and foundation.
- Remember that concealer and foundation will brighten the eye area, but a generous application of your highlight shade will also help to balance and support a darker eye makeup look.
- When wearing a dark, heavy eye look, keep the rest of the face and lips very light and neutral. We want to emphasize either the eyes or cheeks and lips. Not both!
Ready to move on to the Smokey Eye…..
The “smokey” eye look has been fashionable for quite some time now. It is an easy look to create using dark shades which are blended and smudged around the entire eye.
To create this look, you don’t have to stick to one family of colors. You can choose to work with any variety of colors such as navy & silver, purple & plums, and even brown & golds. Let your creative juices flow!
The order in which we have been applying eyeshadow shades changes with this look. Apply the lightest color first, but where the darker tones are applied will be dramatically different.
This smokey eye example uses four eyeshadow shades in the grey family (you may use any color that you would like).
- Light, highlight color,
- Mid-grey tone,
- Dark grey tone, and
- Black eyeshadow and eyeliner.
Start by applying your lightest shade underneath the brow arch and outward towards the tail of the brow bone.
I usually apply highlighter in the inner corner of the eye too. This helps to keep the eye area bright, which will stand out beautifully in contrast to the dark shadows coming up next.
Apply the second color, the mid shade, along the lid, from inner corners to outer corners. Blend upwards into the crease area, meeting the highlight under the brow.
Using the same middle shade, line your lash line, top and bottom using an angle brush.
Pick up your tapered brush and apply your darkest shade into the crease. Apply it more heavily in the outer corner and blend it back and forth like a windshield wiper, using your eye socket as your guide.
With your angle brush, line your upper lash line with the black eyeshadow, and smudge it slightly. Next line your lower lash line, with the same black eyeshadow, keeping the line really close to the base of your lashes. This is the step that creates the “smokey” effect. Make sure to apply lots of pigment here and blend it around the lash line.
You can use a black kohl pencil here to deepen the line right at the lash line if you choose.
Take that same black shadow with your tapered brush and apply it very lightly into the outer corner of the eye socket. Do not go in further than the outer 1/3 of the eye (the outer part of the pupil). Curl your lashes and apply two generous coats of mascara!
Easy! Enjoy your smokey eye for an evening out!! -xoxo- Ash
MakeMePrettyPlz 