Smokey Eye Make Up
The newest look in eye makeup is the smokey eye look, even though it’s not necessarily a new look. The allure of this classic look transforms any woman’s eyes from daytime office to nighttime sophistication. You don’t have to be a runway model to have dramatically enticing eyes; you simply need to learn how to apply the smokey eye make correctly. Hopefully, the information included here will help you get the sexy, irritable eyes that make every head turn.
Tools of the Trade
An artist can’t a create a beautiful work of art without the right paint and brushes and the same goes for creating beautiful eyes, you have to use the right tools. The following are the basic necessities needed for making smokey eyes; however, keep in mind this does not include your base or foundation, moisturizer and other basics, this is strictly a list of tools needed to make smokey eyes.
Eye Pencil: Black eye pencil or even kohl if you prefer. However, don’t use liquid eyeliner for smokey eyes as it is for much cleaner, crisper lines, not the sultry, smokey look.
Two or three colors of powder eyeshadow: base, contour and highlight in your choice of colors. The base color should be slightly darker than your skin tone, non-metallic but rich and shimmery at the same time. The contour color should be a matte, dark color that is only slightly shimmery and the highlight color should be slightly shimmering or even simply use face powders. The highlight is to enlarge the eyes. You can find smokey eye shadow collections that have three coordinating colors in the beauty section of your favorite store.
Brushes or Sponges: You can use whichever one you prefer, some women like the soft application of the brush while others prefer the deeper application of a sponge.
Mascara: Your mascara should be rich, deep black that lengthens your eyes. There are mascaras on the market today that are designed to create dramatically longer lashes which aid in the smokey eye effect.
Applying the Eye Makeup
The first thing that you should have done before starting your eyes is to moisture, apply your foundation and any other daily products you use such as concealer. Make sure you have powdered your face to get rid of the shine. You should also consider using an eye shadow primer to make your eye makeup stay on longer. Once you have your normal routine completed, you are ready to start.
1. Eyeliner: Use your black or kohl eyeliner pencil to outline your entire eye. You should have a thicker line on the upper eyelid than you do the lower lid.
2. Base Color: Using your small sponge applicator or eyeshadow brush, apply the base color to your eyelid, across the entire part of the eyelid that moves. This area feels like your eyeball. Carry this base color slightly above the crease to about the halfway mark between the base of the eye and your eyebrow.
3. Contour Color: You will need to use a smaller brush or a pointed sponge to apply the contour color. First, use the pointy sponge or applicator to put the contour color all the way around the eyes, following the eyeliner that you applied earlier. If you use eyeshadow brushes, a cotton swab works well for this part.
Slightly close your eye and use your applicator to put the contour color in the crease of the eye.
Define the shape of your eyes using your applicator to apply the contour color to the outer corner of the eye. You should aim for creating a ‘v’ shape with the contour color. Don’t worry about the appearance at this time; you will blend it all together in the next step.
4. Blend: You now need to blend the colors to get a smooth look that doesn’t have extremely unique distinctions. Using slightly larger round applicator or brush blend in the colors on the eyelid, keep in mind that you aren’t trying to create one color, simply soften the demarcation. Next, blend the colors on the bottom eyelid and the corner of the eye.
5. Contour: This is the application that makes the eyes appear larger and really stand out. If you don’t want to use a contour color, face powder will work as well. Using your applicator, apply the contour color or powder to the area just beneath your eyebrow. Smooth this color down as you apply it and watch your eyes appear to become smokier as this light color draws attention to the darker colors and accents them.
6. Mascara: Apply your black mascara as you normally would; however, apply an extra coat and sweep the brush toward your outer eye. This adds to the dramatic smokey effect.
You should now have beautiful, smokey eyes with rich color radiance that gradates across the eyes and is darker toward the outer corner. You can create this look using a variety of color trios but you should stay in the darker color family for the best results.