Makeup Tutorial: Smoky Eye

Step 1: Start Fresh!

• Apply moisturizer to your clean, dry face.
• Apply foundation and concealer to even out your skin tone and cover those pesky dark circles.
• Once satisfied with the coverage, pump your eyelash curler on your upper lashes three times, but be careful not to pull.

Makeup Tip: Heat your eye lash curler by holding it under a blow dryer for a few seconds. A hot eye lash curler will help set the shape of your eyelashes. Just be careful not to get the curler too hot! A feww seconds under the dryer will do.

Step 2: Apply a Liquid Line

• Grab your favorite black liquid eyeliner (Cover Girl’s LineExact Liquid Liner is an affordable and easy-to-use option )and apply a thin line along your top lash line. The beauty of liquid liner is if you make a mistake (it happens!), a little water will easily remove the error.

Makeup Tip: If you’re unaccustomed to applying liquid liner, it may be tricky, so try these tips:

• Look down into a mirror so you can see the full range of your lash line.
• Hold the liner like a pencil.
• Working, from the outside in, small lines from the outer corner of your eye to the inner corner.
• Don’t pull on your eye, this will loosen your skin and cause wrinkles down the road.

Step 3: Smudge It Out

• Grab a kohl or black crayon eyeliner (try Cargo’s High Pigment Pencil) and fill in your water line (the inner rim of your lower eyelid).
• Then, draw a thin line under your bottom lash line and smudge it with your fingertip or cotton swab.

Makeup Tip: Make sure that the top liquid line and bottom smudged line touch at the outer most edge of your eye.

Step 4: Dark Shadows

• Dip your eye shadow brush into your shade of choice, blow off the excess powder and swipe it from lash line to crease. Use a heavier hand if your eyelid is hooded (see image).

Makeup Tip: A traditional smoky eye calls for a dark gray or black eye shadow (like Urban Decay’s Gunmetal but you can create this look with any color, including plum or olive green.

Step 5: Light and Shine

• Choose a complimentary light-colored eye shadow in a champagne or buff color (New York Color’s Sparkle Eye Dust in Pink Champagne is divine ) and apply gently to your eyelid and your brow bone. This will ensure that the dark shadow doesn’t make your eye appear small.

Step 6: Bring on the Bright

• Add a little brightness to the mix by applying an illuminating powder (Tarte’s The Bright Side is dual-colored so you can switch up your look) along the inner corner of your eye, which will make the whites of your eyes appear brighter.

Step 7: A Coat or Two

• No smoky eye is complete without long lashes, so swipe a coat of the blackest black mascara (Maybelline Great Lash is voted the mascara year after year for a reason) onto both top and bottom lashes and let dry.
• For good measure add another coat to make your peepers really pop.

Step 8: Voila!

• Bat your lashes and be on your way!