People seem to equate a sexy, sultry, smoked out eye look with saturated blacks and dark, dark greys. But, more often than not, this look is inappropriate for most places with any bright light, natural light, or almost any light at all. It is best suited for bars, concerts, photoshoots and evening events. For the evening events, however, it’s best to go understated.

This look can go easily awry. Improper shading techniques, eye shapes and lining can result with a raccoon or bandit effect.

Exhibit A

Taylor Momsen: A girl in serious need of a makeunder.

That aside, smoky eyes can be done for day or night in an array of shades and hues, in more neutral, lighter textures that won’t be too distracting or inappropriate for most occasions. You can walk into a room and your makeup won’t be entering before you.

Here is one that I came up with a few years ago, using an array of bronze, brown and gold shades.

Bronze Goddess Smoky Eye Look.

• Using a sheer cream-colored gold shadow, I used it on my inner corner and inner third.
• Then I did a sheer wash of a coppery, penny-like bronze to the outer corner and up just a bit past the crease. I blended it out.
• On the outer corners, I applied a slightly-darker-than-taupe, a low-fat chocolate pudding color with a bit of a red base to define my eye shape, then I blended it into the copper.
• I tightlined my eyes with a brown kohl liner and then winged it out a bit (kind of my signature thing).
• I rimmed my waterline with a flesh-toned liner to wake my eyes up.
• Then I finished off with curled and defined lashes on top and bottom.

It’s important to remember that, when doing emphasis on the eyes, you need to downplay the rest of the features in order to counteract any possibility of looking like a clown. If you emphasize everything, you look overdone, unnatural, and really, really silly. Unless you’re going into a photo shoot, there is no need to oversaturate your face.

So go easy on the blush and do a neutral lip.

I used a warm, subtle bronzer in my cheek hollows and then a slight dusting on the apples of my cheeks. And I applied a warm, rose-pink nude lip stain topped with lip balm.

Here are the products I used:

• Laura Mercier Spring Eye Quad (not yet released) in Gold Gilt, Copper and Sable.
• NYX Slim Eyeliner medium brown
• Tarte cosmetics eyelash curler (my new HG crimp curler–I also use a heated lash curler by Japonesque if I have time).
• Laura Mercier Mascara (lengethening) and Tarte lights, camera, lashes! 4-in-1 Clinically Proven Natural Mascara (volumizing).
• Laura Mercier Lipstain in English Rose
• Bare Minerals bronzer in Warmth
• Foundation: Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Foundation in Dream (2nd lightest color in range, slight yellow/beige undertones for light, to light-medium complexions)
• Concealers: Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer in FBI and Fresh Cosmetics Supernova radiance highlighter concealer in 2 (medium shade)
• Brows: Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil in Ultimate Brown

(click for larger image)

I hope you try this!

Taylor Momsen photo credit: Glimmer and Shimmer via Google Search

Disclaimer: I purchased all products mentioned in this tutorial. I am not sponsored in any way by any of these companies to endorse their products, though I gladly would, since these are products I support.

—

Have you checked out my awesome jewelry giveaway? You could win the most lovely statement necklace by Pretty Things by Meg! Go enter by clicking this link! Giveaway ends on January 23rd! Go get it!!

Follow.
TWITTER.
Facebook


Grab my RSS Feed!
Xx.