Pulling off a smokey eye requires time, effort, and practice. It’s something that looks super glam when done correctly…or could possibly make you look like a raccoon if you mess it up.
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The key to get your eyeshadow to smokey perfection is blending. Add eyeshadow, then blend. Add some more colour, and blend. Once you think you’ve blended enough, blend some more.
Smokey eye looks shouldn’t be restricted to just night events, although this is when the look is commonly done because of its intense dark colour. For something to pull off during the day, try different eyeshadow colours. Browns and nudes are perfect for a softer look, and if you’re feeling bold you could even try some blue, purple, or cranberry colours.
For a quick and easy smokey eye, here are the simple steps:
1. Apply a neutral colour all over the eyelid, like venus or foxy from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette above. Blend that colour out with a large fluffy brush. The application doesn’t have to be perfect because you won’t see this colour when the look is done.
2. Take a slightly darker, neutral matte colour through the crease of your eyelid, like naked 2. Do this with another fluffy brush (or the same one from before), and use windshield wiper motions. Make sure this is blended out smoothly. The colour will act as a transition colour.
3. The next step is when we add some depth. With a colour like faint from the above palette, use a smaller fluffy brush and just add this colour to the outer third of your eyelid (also known as the outer ‘V’). Apply this in a ‘V’ shape and blend out softly into the crease colour of your eye. You can stop here if you’re in a rush. Just throw on some eyeliner and mascara and you’re good to go.
4. If you want to continue and go for an even darker look, take a darker colour like crave and repeat the step above. Use an even smaller pointed brush to really carve out the outer corner of your eye. Blend out that colour into the crease with a fluffy brush and add some to the lower lash line. If you feel like it isn’t dark enough, add on some more colour and blend. It’s better to add the dark colour gradually then to apply too much in the beginning. The most important thing to remember with a smokey eye is to blend and buff the colour out. Also, practice makes perfect.
5. When you’re finished with the look and it’s as dark or as light as you want it, chuck on some mascara or wing out your eyeliner and the look is complete!
Some products to use:
Images via urbandecay.com, justbridalbeauty.com, and MYQTY.com
