Sultry Eyes - an easy do-it-yourself guide to the Smokey Eye look

The smokey eye look doesn’t mean just grays and blacks any longer. It’s all about shimmery color this season, so jump into some of those sparkly golds and bronzes or juicy jewel tones.

Basic Smokey Eye

You already know this but it is SO true, your make up will only look as good as your skin. So before any makeup application, make sure that your face is clean, exfoliated, and moisturized. Allow moisturizer to absorb.

Normally, I would start my makeup app with foundation, concealer, powder, etc. first BUT, since there is the possibility of some fall out with this application (shadow falling onto your face) do eyes first:

1. Start by prepping your lid with a dusting of Oil Blotting Powder, eye lash to eye brow. This creates a nice velvety canvas which makes your shadows glide on all nice nice.

2. Don’t forget to fill in your brows next. I prefer to use shadow a shade or two lighter than your brow color. This really finishes off the total look.

3. Line the upper and lower lids with a dark liner shade; it can match the darkest shadow color you’re going to use, or try dark brown or black. Not a fan of liquid liner here - too harsh, pencil’s best, which we will 'set" with shadow.

4. Starting on the upper lid getting as close to the lash line as you can, apply your darkest shade shadow over the pencil line (to set it) and blend up to the eye socket. Don’t go north of the socket or outside your eyeball, as you'll start getting that ‘wing’ thing and lose the smokey aspect of this look. Apply the darker shadow over the pencil on the lower lid to set and add some sultry drama.

5. Ok, now take a lighter shade in the same color family and lightly sweep over the pupil and into the crease. Again – blend, blend, blend. It’s very important that you don’t show a severe line of demarcation in the crease, as it’s the “we know what you’re doing and it’s not quite working” kind of thing! You can not blend enough here. You won’t blend away what you just applied, you’ll be blening into the skin and actually help create that gradated, airbrushed effect. Are you blending?

6. Apply a champagne shade of highlighter directly under the brow. And for that added pop, place a tiny amount at the tear ducts.

7. To really open the eyes, curl your lashes prior to applying many coats of mascara. Just make sure your mascara doesn’t look like you slept in it! Better yet, add lashes.

To complete this look, brush away any fallout on the face and cheeks and apply a matte foundation and blush. Just remember if the focus is on your eyes, you want to keep your lips soft with a neutral lipstick, gloss or lipshine.

There are many variations on the Smokey Eye. To learn more makeup tricks, tips and techniques, I invite you to join me for a lesson, http://www.scoshskincare.com/1-on-1.php.