Ah, the smokey eye. A concept that many of us love, but very few can grasp. We either end up looking like we got punched in the eye or the episode of “Sex and the City” when Carrie got deemed “Single and Fabulous?” QUESTION MARK! The horror!

Ok, a smokey eye. Let’s take this step-by-step.

Step 1.) Determine what shades you would like to use. Natural shades like browns and taupes will look softer; non-skin tone shades like greens, blues and plums will stand out more. It’s up to you but you may want to keep it natural if you are still learning. 

Always consider your skin tone. If your skin is light, choose a lighter version of a shadow color (like a lighter plum); the deeper your skin, the darker you need to go. A swatch test on the back of your hand will help you decide the best shade for you.

Step 2.) Know what texture you want to work with. Shimmer is much easier to work with because it blends better to make for a more subtle look. Mattes look great, but require a little more skill.

Step 3.) PRIME! It is very important to use a primer. I use a concealer. I then use the flat end of a small, double-ended shadow brush to apply a base shadow all over the lid area. Your base shadow should be a neutral, matte shadow. This will also help the color shadow grab on and stay put.

Estée Lauder makes a great cream eye shadow that I also use as a base. It comes in a variety of colors and you can layer shadow on top to intensify. It runs around $18.50.

Step 4.) Pick up a little of the colored shadow with the flat end of your double-sided eye shadow brush. Blend the shadow from the upper lash line up into the crease to open and lift the eye.

Step 5.) Use the pointy end of the brush to apply the colored shadow to the lower lash line. Begin your application in the center of the lower lash line, just below the iris. Move the brush slowly from side to side to give you more control in placement, so you can catch any overshading.

Smoky liner under the eye will make your eyes look bigger, but it can also exaggerate flaws like close-set eyes or droopy corners. For close-set eyes, don’t go too far into the inner corners. For droopy eyes, keep the line extra thin in the outer corners, widening in the centre and toward the inner corners.

Step 6.) Experiment with the thickness of the line below the eye. If you get a hang-dog look, take a Q-tip and lift up the line. You can even take your finger and blend-smudge the line if it looks too solid. Once you have learned what placement works best for you, it’s a breeze. 

Step 7.) If you prefer a little extra definition, use the pointy end of your double-sided brush to add a shadow on the top lash line. Choose a color that is a step darker than your lid color but still within the same color family.

Step 8.) Always finish this look with a generous helping of mascara on the top and bottom lashes.

The important thing to remember is to have fun! Makeup is all about practice and learning what works best for you. I am going to link a video of my favorite online beauty gurus. They will lead you the rest of the way if you are still nervous to take a smokey leap. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5OZ6785iqk

Pixiwoo is fantastic with their tutorials so I am going to let you explore. Enjoy!