The 3-step guide to an easy smokey eye
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Yes black eye shadow screams rock n’ roll, subversive and sexy, but unless you’re a pro, mastering pitch-black shadow can go horribly wrong. For a look that’s equally dramatic, but way more flattering, I stick to warm brown hues. The beauty of bronzes, golds and coppers is that they suit all skin tones and eye colours. Here are my failsafe 3-steps to a smokey eye:
1 Apply mascara first
I don’t normally do it this way – but when doing smoky eye, I find that applying mascara first gives me an outline of my eye shape and eases the next steps.
2 Add Brown Eye Pencil
I line my upper and lower waterline first. Then I sketch the pencil out over my entire eyelid and blend it just above the crease with a soft eye shadow brush (I like MAC 217)*.
3 Smoke with Shadow
I press don’t sweep a shadow over the lid (sweeping it makes it drop all over) and then blend it out until I get a diffused finish. I step back, take a look and add a bit more pencil to lash-lines if I want more intensity and smudge shadow on top to blend the textures. I finish with more mascara if needed.
The Smokey Eye TOOL KIT
MY TOP BROWN PENCILS
Dolce & Gabbana Intense Kohl Eye Pencil in Chocolate
NARS Eyeliner Pencil in Mambo*
MY TOP SMOKEY EYE PALETTES
1 Burberry Complete Eye Palette*
2 Chanel Exclusive Creation Architectonic Eyeshadow Palette*
3 Dior Eyeshadow Palette in Smoky Sequins
4 Tom Ford Eye Quad In Starry Night*
5 Sarah Moon x NARS Indes Galantes Duo Eyeshadow*
6 Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Golden Eye Palette*
7 Guerlain Palette 5 Couleurs in Tonka Impériale*