- UPDATE: Dec. 25, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂
“Cock-a-doodle-dooOOOOoo!”
Yup, that’s the alarm clock out here in Kaneohe. Every morning, WELL before dawn, wild jungle chickens belt out what I imagine are their chicken Christmas carols…
Just a quick post before heading out for some last-minute shopping. It rained a little bit earlier today, but now the sun’s poking through the clouds, illuminating the jungle in a million shades of green.
And speaking of green… Urban Decay has a batch of three new smokey eyeshadow sets called, get this, the Smoke Out Kits.
Ready for today’s giveaway? 🙂
The prize
One lucky lady will win Urban Decay’s Yerba Buena Smoke Out Kit (a $34 value) for deep green smokey eyes. It comes with four eyeshadows, a mascara and an eyeliner, too.
How to enter…
Entering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.
First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. It in, describe your favorite way to do a smokey eye.
I had a hard time with smokey eyes until I learned this trick. They’re a whole lot easier to do when I start with a layer of a creamy pencil like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On in Zero beneath a powder shadow.
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win the Urban Decay Yerba Buena Smoke Out Kit (a $34 Value) http://bit.ly/7TYI4B
Recap…
- Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
- Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win the Urban Decay Yerba Buena Smoke Out Kit (a $34 Value) http://bit.ly/7TYI4B
I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, December 23.
Nawguralek!!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
- UPDATE: Dec. 25, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂
tousledkitten says
I like to use a very small amount of black eye-shadow on the outer corner. Too much and it looks messy, too little and it isn’t noticeable. Matte black works with any smoky eye. You can use dark brown for a subtle smoky eye or a darker version of your lid colour. I’m very partial to purple and green smoky eyes. 🙂
marivel says
my smokey eye secret is use the right tools! I failed until I got myself a blending brush. tip #2: blend blend blend!
Tiffany says
I suck at smokey eyes ): I guess my favorite way is to do it subtly. Maybe this kit and your eyeliner tip will help (:
Sarah says
Cat liquid eyeliner FORSURE! MAC Black Tied in the crease & Retro Speck as base. I like to mix in a little color with my smokey eye… either Parfait Amour or Green Smoke (not together! hahah)
Patricia says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is to line the crease of my eyelid with brown eye shadow
shivotra says
line first with a dark liner and then add dark grey or black shadow with an angled brush.
Suz\e Brown says
I use very neutral shades on the lid,and a blackened brown in the crease,outer corners and lower lids,then I smudge like crazy. I also like to do a greenish smoky eye with UD smokeout pencil in Maui Wowie,which smudges really well.
dip says
i am actually really bad at doing smokey eyes…so my favorite way to do it is to use kit, and BLEND LIKE THERE”S NO TOMORROW so it doesn’t look clumsy.
🙂 happy holidays
.-= dip’s last blog post… Wild Boys =-.
CC says
I’ve learned from this blog how to add dimension to my eye by shading in the crease – it makes a huge difference!
An says
I love doing a smokey eye by putting really black eyeshadow on with a smudge brush (NARS).
Ann Marie says
LOVE Urban Decay! Gave it to all my girls this Christmas!
Natasha says
I use a couple of different colors on the crease depending on the shadow I’m using. I might do black in the crease and then blend with a dark grey shadow. I also love to do smokey eyes with different colors like blues and purples.
Lisa S. says
I love a brown smokey eye as a opposed to black. Although if I win a green smokey would be great!
I tend to make it smokey with a bunch of diff products. I love Macs mineralize in pink split.
I use the beige-y color on the lid with the pink on the brow bone and in the inner corner. I then take the brown color from the Earthly riches trio and rim my eyes with it smudging up into the lid. I then take the spiced chocolate liner from Neutrogena and rim my eyes half way in and my water line top and bottom. I blend that out and then I have a beautiful brown shadow from Clinique that I’ve had forever (its the dark brown shade from the Coffee shop duo) I blend that over the liner and buff everything out. to a beautiful smokey brown haze.
Tiffany says
I have not yet mastered smoky eyes 🙁 I think my best attempt so far was using bare escentuals smoky eye tutorials kit
auroragyps says
I just like to put a medium to darkish shade on my lids with a light touch, but with it a bit darker in the outer corner. Then I smudge the same color under my eyes, a bit thicker than I usually line them. I have tiny eyes, so I have to be careful to not make them seem smaller.
Leanne says
I like to do a smoky eye with my Chanel quad, using a medium shade all over my lid and then putting the dark shade on the outer edge and blending it. Then I put eyeliner on with mascara :]
Shannon says
I never do a smoky eye. But I would love to try!
.-= Shannon’s last blog post… Time for Links =-.
Morgan says
I think it makes it easy to do a smokey eye by having a creamy black eye pencil and loading up your lid with that and just blending it out into a soft neutral color, or even a bright color for a pop!
Tay says
I always use an angled eyeliner brush to smudge both shadow and pencil eyeliner
Kris says
First, you have to start with eyelid primer. I concer with the UD 24/7 pencil, although I use Stash – an amazingly versatile green/brown for us light skinned gals (or anyone…). Another great tool is the UD eyeliner transformer potion. It turns any powder eyeshadow into liquid eyeliner, and it has two brush sizes. The potion alone is great for fixing eyeliner mistakes or blending.
Hazel says
I don’t have a blending brush so I just use whatever I have and try to blend it as much as I can. I like doing a full on smoky to a subtle! I always pare it with a almost nude lip. I’d love to have this because I LOOOOOOVE earth tones!
Thanks once again, Karen!
I tweeted here 🙂 http://twitter.com/HAZELNUTPOCKY/status/6944733363
.-= Hazel’s last blog post… botoflog:HADOOKENÂ ! =-.
Victoria says
I actually have a lot of problems doing a smokey eye because I have monolid eyes. When watching makeup tutorials on YouTube it’s hard to replicate the look because it doesn’t look the same at all! I’ve kind of given up on eye makeup except for the classic winged eyeliner, mainly because I don’t really know how to work with my eyes.
sarahpuffy says
After applying the shadows, I add the teeniest dab of eye creme to smudge my eyeshadow – it gives it that sooty, slept in sorta look. When I want a bit of colour, I use UD’s 24/7 liner in Rockstar or Stash as a base, and on my lower lashline. Rockstar looks hawt on us brown girls!
.-= sarahpuffy’s last blog post… Review: Victoria’s Secret Pro Radiant FX Face Illuminator =-.
Melissa P. says
A good blending brush helps!
Alli says
Bit of eyeshadow as liner helps loads!
ezzie says
i love doing neutral, brown-toned smokey eyes 🙂
it’s so simple and easy to pull off anywhere, and also perfect for fall.
sometiems i like to spice up the neutral colors by adding a hint of olive green shadow on the crease. there are a bajillion different neutral smokeys you can try out, and i love experimenting with it!
kristen says
My favorite way is to use a kit and blend a Ton!
Chance says
I feel like my smokey eyes got 110% times better when styleblack came out- those grease sticks make the PERFECT base for it!
Jen says
I have two techniques: be sure to smudge that eyeliner on your lash line and you have to do a LOT of blending with your eye shadows!
Solé says
I find that a black smokey eye looks uber dramatic on me since I’m kind of pale, so the only time it’s really appropriate is when I go to a club or something, and that only happens like once or twice a year. I usually do the smokey eye in navy, brown/bronze, charcoal/silver, plum, and other more wearable shades, especially in summer when all that black just feels gross in the muggy heat. But my current favorite color this season is darker than dark teal, and it makes for a really hot smokey eye. Fake lashes complete the smokey eye, and don’t forget to blend the bejeezus out of your eyeshadows, especially where they meet. There’s no room in a smokey eye for harsh lines.
Molly says
My fave (at the moment) in the smokey eyes dept. is to do a pinky bronze on the inside corner (MAC expensive pink and UD toasted are a great blend) and smudge it with a charcoal and deep purple at the corners- This looks AWESOME with grey blue eyes, like mine. 🙂 Sephora’s smudge brush (i heart it so!!) makes it so easy to soften up my eyeliner and dab a bit of shadow on the bottom lid to lock in my liner.
Yao says
My tip is pretty similar to yours: pat on some UDPP, then some black kohl eyeliner, and then black eyeshadow. 🙂
veronica says
I use one of the Stila talking palettes, the brown-toned one. I just follow the instructions! Sometimes I add a darker liner to the upper lid.
.-= veronica’s last blog post… An Interview with Jim Donnelly (from The Internet) =-.
Mimi S says
I am so not good at smokey eyes! Currently I only do them when i am wearing bright eyeshadow – navy next to my eyelashes, turquoise above that and beige in the crease. But i would love to win the palatte so i could get better! 🙂
ellie says
I love doing a smokey eye! I usually stick to a more brown toned smokey eye rather than black because black can sometimes be overwhelming. And it’s always topped off with eyeliner, my favorite being the MAC gel liner.
p.s. I love eating out in Hawaii because they have spam in every breakfast meal. haha
.-= ellie’s last blog post… Riddle me this =-.
Annastasia says
I’m rather pathetic when it comes to my eye makeup, so when I need to glam it up for a party I have my younger sister take care of the smoky eye look.
Heather says
my secret is to start off using light grey and gradually build to darker, but I always have problems with smudges!
Sarah says
I rarely do a smokey eye, if only because I rarely have the occasion it necessitates, but my strategy is not to limit yourself to only greys, and when you think its all blended – blend some more!
I’m starting to like you being in Hawaii – it seems to multiply the amount of giveaways!
Shannon says
I put on UDPP. Then, I put on a super thick line of Zero. I smudge the liner up to the low crease, set it with matte black shadow. Then, I take a mid-tone, matte brown color and put that on the crease , so that it has a graduated effect.
Liz G. says
I start with a primer and then I use a dark brown, almost black, powder eyeshadow to line my eye, making sure I smush the shadow into the lashes so that the line just looks like an extension of my lashes. Then a blend the shadow up onto the lid. I top this with a slightly shimmering deep bronze shadow and blend it up into the crease, followed by a swipe of a matte champagne on my brow bone. then a put a small amoung of shimmering white on the inside of my eye and finish with mascara. My eyes are brown and this smoky eye can be played down for work or up for clubbing.
Charan says
I did a smokey brown once and I used the metallic light brown all over the eyelid and dark brown on the crease and a little black on the edge of the crease.
.-= Charan’s last blog post… Meeting Amy.. =-.
Jennifer says
I blend the eyeshadows well and smudge my bottom eyeliner.
Diana K. says
For smokey eyes, I like to put a nice light base toward the inner corner and then apply a darker base on the outer v of my eye. It give it a nice base and gradient affect so the smokey eye looks better blended and better put together. Silvery smokey eyes are my favorite for the holidays!
Emily says
I love using smoke and diamonds and typographic for a muted smoky eye. Looks gorgeous, and is super easy
Jan says
Eyeshadow primer, then add the lightest color on the lid, with most concentrated on the inner corner of the eye. Follow with a darker shadow in the outer V, then a little bit of black in the outer V also. Line the waterline in black and add falsies or mascara!
Rachel says
I prefer a brown smoky eye because I like to pair the look with dramatic lashes 🙂 Plus, black smoky eyes tend to make my eyes look smaller. I usually use black gel liner with a Chanel Quad like Mystic Eyes or even the current LE of their Spring Collection, which is fabulous for a neutral smokey eye, Kaska Beige, I believe it’s called.
iris says
My fav. easy smoky eye look right now is super simple. First, I use Too Faced’s shadow insurance as a base. Then, I just put on a thick layer of MAC’s feline eyeliner, and blend out. Ta da! Literally takes a minute…and it has that chic messy look.
Brooke says
I agree that the key to the smokey eye is all in the tools. I never thought I could pull it off until I took a chance on a MAC makeup artist who offered to show me … blending, blending, blending.
Nicole says
To do my favorite smokey eye, I start with MAC’s Blackground Paintpot. Then I put Satin Taupe from lashline to crease. I line my eyes with a MAC’s Smolder liner and smudge it out with Carbon eyeshadow. Throw on some mascara and its done!
Julbra says
I do a smokey eye with a simple brown shadow, some eyeliner, and two coats of mascara to make my eyes pop.
Crystal says
I like to line the top lashline with a black liner then sweep grey or silver eyeshadow over it onto the lid. I blend out with a matte eyeshadow.
day says
i always always use white eyeliner..if i do a smokey eye without it, my eyes look super beady
jess says
i havent totally mastered the smokey eye yet, but the maybelline stylish smokes and youtube videos are taking me in the right direction. have a wonderful christmas! ^.^
Sophia says
I think the key to gettin great eyes especially smoky ones is the correct brushes! I recently bought the MAC Day and Night Holiday brush set and they have really helped a newbie like me get a hold of doing eye makeup. Almost got smoky eyes down!
vnssa906 says
my favorite way to do a smokey eye would have to be the simplist way. I line my upper lid with a kohl dark brown eyeliner, more to the effect of a winged/cat eye. then i smudge with a q-tip. voila!
rebecca says
smudged liner and highlight. easy peasey no fuss
Jen says
I completely fail at doing a smokey eye. I need a kit that gives me really specific instructions if I want to have any chance at success.
.-= Jen’s last blog post… $300 from Swagbucks in 2009! =-.
Courtney says
My favorite smoky eye is with a dark matte black shadow and intentionally sloppy liquid eyeliner and mascara (like, where the wand touched the crease of the lid. I wear this rarely but when I do I always get compliments and people tell me how ‘brave’ I am to wear such dark colors!
I love smoky eyes ’cause you can NEVER mess them up!
Jenna says
for my smokey eye, i like to do a really bright inner corner and a bright waterline so my eyes dont look so tiny, but otherwise i stick to the normal dark crease light lid. I like doing smokey eyes with any colors.
Anita says
I did the work-smokey today with Nars’ Surabaya and Alhambra duos. I primed first with Mac Prep-n-Prime; then I I put on the metallic rose from Alhambra on the inner-third of my eye lid. On the outer third, I dabbed on the brown sugar from Surabaya into the outer third and in the crease. Then I get out the blend brush, dust it with the Alhambra rose again and go nuts. Because I’m a sleep deprived zombie, I did a very thin black line of Mac’s Black Tied with my trusty Lise Watier Metamorfix, and winged up the line at the end. Curled the lashes and I look like I have awake eyes.
I can’t seem to figure out a-night-out-smokey without looking like Pamela Anderson. Need to work on that…
Elisia says
My tip is to smudge and blend. I like my smoky eyes to look messy.
Kypris says
Hehe well I’m still not good at them… so I start off slow and build up the colour. I do start by doing a thick line of black and smudging it, though!
Cheng says
The hardest part for me is to get the cat eye tip just right, which is why I like to use a creamy pencil to line the middle of my top lash line, then use Lorac or a comparable PRO liquid liner pencil to do the inner corner and outer corner for a precise finish, then smudge with an appropriate brush 🙂
poc says
I use a creamy black base like 24/7 glide on eye in Zero… And after I use different colors… like purple… 🙂
.-= poc’s last blog post… OPI : Merry Midnight – Holiday Wishes 2009 + Nailene Bedazzle =-.
milaxx says
i apply my base then use a light highlight shade and blend that down. I use MAC carbon very sparingly on the lower lid. I then use Revlon brownish black in the crease . I take a fluffy brush and blend the carbon up, add a little liquid liner and mascara.
Janelle says
I love a great smoky eye!
Liza says
Yeah I like to put on eyeliner first too. Then smudge it and apply eyeshadow over the top 🙂
Lydia says
I think it’s important to start with a primer so that the shadow doesn’t melt into your crease. I don’t like it when the eyeliner shows so I make sure to blend that dark eyeshadow into the lash line.
Sarah Cohen says
I have super-super-super lighr green eyes so smokey eyes look awesome. The green it is so pretty! I wonder how the colors would lookon my icy greens haha.
Anyways…….I like to dust a dark toffee brwon up to me crease, on my lids and below my lashes. Then I Use a black shadow in the cornsers and slightly in the crease. then I use a smudgey black pencil and line my eye. Masacara and sometimes a VERY thin line of brown glitteer liner top off the look.
That green tree pic is so coool! Haha, I’m super jelous, I have never even seen a beach.
Diana says
Right now I enjoy doing a brown smokey eye. I use Coastal Scents “Truffle” gel liner as the brown base and I use NARS Mekong e/s on top. So pretty 🙂
Kim says
I use the inexpensive NYX black bean as a base (over UDPP) for my smokey looks but I am looking forward to trading up with either blackground pp or even one of the dreasepaints sticks (I think an upcoming MAC collection has a heap of LE ones). I find that the base helps give a bit more definition to the look. I also use the sticky tape method for the outer corner of my eye. My personal fav smokey eye is a purple/green one 🙂
Lulee says
blend blend and blend some more! im really liking sephora’s crease brush from their professional line for blending!
retweeted @aalajoon
lesliemystylist says
Love the smokey eye! Using a dull black pencil, smudge brush and blending angled brush- essential tools to the perfect smokey eye!!
DessertObsessed says
Great giveaway! I always use a shadow primer and then shadow, and then liner last!
Michelle says
I like more of a grey smokey eye. I put a medium grey on my lid — smudge a black liner on my upper lid. I usually use a vanilla color for the highlight. Use a darker grey in the crease — smoke out the outer V with a charcoal grey. I line my waterline with black liner and add some charcoal grey shadow under my lower lashline. Add black mascara — voila!
Rebecca says
Well, I’m still pretty new to smokey eyes, but starting out using palettes really helped – that way you don’t need to pick out colors to work together, so that’s just one less thing to worry about. I’ve also found that blending is *super* important.
.-= Rebecca’s last blog post… Quick Take(s): Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment & Korres Lip Butter =-.
Judy says
I start by using an eyeliner brush to apply cream eyeliner. I find cream eyeliners easy to blend and easy to fix if you make a mistake. I like using bronze and metallic colours!
Priscilla Chu says
My favorite smokey eye:
1) dark eyeliner on the top lid smudged
2) dark eyeshadow over the liner
3) medium shadow over whole lid.
4) dark eyeshadow in crease and outer corner
5) liner on the bottom with eye shadow sealed
BLEND BLEND BLEND (:
Tayma says
My favorite smokey eye is a brown smokey with Dior’s Iridescent Leather Quint and its just perfection. I use the dark brown on the outer part of my eye and go up just a bit and with the pink champagne i blend blend blend and its just gorgeous!
katie says
I’m still not that great at smokey eyes, but starting with UDPP at least helps to keep it in place!
Kelly says
I like to use a vibrant color first, then smoke it out to a dark color. It’s more interesting with color instead of being just black.
Natalie says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is to have 3 diffrent shades of the same color. For example I did a blue smokey eye. If hyou’re doing a blue smokey eye you would start with light blue in the inner corner, then a medium blue mid lid, and then a dark blue on the outter half and into the crease. SO pretty much using the same color in 3 diffrent shades getting darker as you go out.
Paula says
I’ve never really tried a smoky eye. I’m getting back into makeup after quite a long absence, and I think a kit like this would really help me out.
Diana says
First I prime my eyelids with UDPP, and apply MAC Stars ‘n Rocket . Then I use MAC Purple Haze in my crease and MAC Carbon to darken my outer v, and some off white e/s to highlight my brow bone. I love Carbon, but using sparingly otherwise it’s gonna be messy. Make sure to blend, but not too much or the colors will all be muddy. I also don’t like to put my eyeshadow up to my brow bone, just barely pass the crease is enough. Thanks for the giveaway! Happy holiday!
Fie says
Somehow or rather, when I use black to create depth into my eye look, I’ll always end up with a smokey eye. I usually use a shimmery colour for the whole lid, smoke it out with a darker version of the same colour and just add a hint of black on the outer V. I don’t put any eyeliner on my upper lashline as it’ll make my lids look more squashed. 😛 So I smoke out the lower lash line with some good ‘ol black liner and the darker colour with a hint of black on the out corner. To add brightness (and this is a must!) I just dab a little shimmery cream or white eyeshadow in the inner corners. Curl lashes and add mascara, you’re done!
Maggie says
I love smokey eyes. I am a huge fan of wearing them out in the day, but with color. My favorite was my bright pink and purple smokey eye I did not too long ago.
I primed my eye with Too Faced Shadow insurance, then used NYX jumbo eye pencil in hot pink as a base. Then I wet my brush, and used MAC’s fuchsia pigment all over my lid. I blended MAC pigment in grape in my crease and in my outer corner, and then swept MAC pigment kitschmas lightly all over my lid too add a little sparkle. With MAC’s Mylar as a highlight, and then a thick line of black eyeshadow in a slight cat eye effect, it looked awesome!
Bomi says
first i put on a primer that i made myself… it’s definately nothing like two face but i noticed it significantly lessens the creasing and it helps the shadows stick on really well,
i put that just on my lid, therefore any fallout shaddows can be wiped off really easily.
i then put a metallic dark green/gold undertone shadow on the lid but from the outside in
i then put a dark matte maroon shadow from the cetner, blending it.
I put always use a covegirl shadow called mocha for my inner corners and blend that out until the outer has that mocha color sorta over it.
😀
Sophia says
I always used to use vast – and I mean VAST – amounts of either glittery or matte eyeshadow to make smokey eyes back when I was a baby goth girl – LOL! Now that I’m quite a few years older and at least a little more sensible, I don’t pile on layer after layer of black – at least not usually. Right now, my favorite trick is drawing a cat’s eye using M*A*C’s Fluidline in Blacktrack, then, using my pinky, lightly patting a dark shadow in shades such as slate, green, navy or brown on top of it. (Aubergine and/or plum are also shades which, when applied properly in a smokey eye, cause my normally dreary green-gray eyes to pop like crazy – here, I chiefly recommend Urban Decay’s Last Call.) Then, you just do a lot of smudging using a good brush. A touch of mascara and a thin line of color on the waterline, and you’re done!
So my main tip I guess you could say is to not stick with the traditional black just because you’re going for a smokey eye – all kinds of color work, as long as they’re on the reasonably dark spectrum. I find that on myself, at least, only black tends to look just a little too heavy. A shadow duo that I only received today but can thus far heartily recommend for a smokey look is NARS’s Brumes. Just remember to not go too heavy, to blend well, and to balance it out with a reasonably subdued lip! <3
Jennifer A. says
Honestly, I still haven’t figured it out! I stick to neutral, soft colors. With my small Asian eyes, I look like a raccoon whenever I try a dark smokey eye. I’d love to learn how to do it well!
.-= Jennifer A.’s last blog post… Vampy Varnish Collection for BB Couture =-.
Julia says
I am not good at smoky eyes, but if I sleep in my eye makeup, then it usually looks pretty good the next day. (Though I try not to do this very often.)
Sandy Dibbell says
I’ve never managed to do a smoky eye on purpose! I think a kit would help a lot, and smoky green would be great with my red hair and freckles, I think. Most others are just too dark.
zoe says
I like smudging dark gray eyeliner pencil with a little bit of gray eyeshadow. Magnifique!
Steph B says
I have green eyes and love doing a plum smoky eye. I start with thick liner (right now HIP is standing in for Rockstar until cash flow improves). I use a smudger brush with dark purple to bring the liner up towards the crease. Then I use a blender brush to add either a lilac or gray shadow to just above the crease. Highlight under the browbone with silver or shimmery pink. Two coats of mascara and I’m done. I have small eyes so I like a softer smokey eye look without heavy liner on the lower lid.
Debbie says
I just like to keep it simple. Black liner, cover with black eyeshadow and blend it out.
🙂
Ash B says
The best secret I have is tools. I get as much eye product on my eye as I want then clean up around the edges with q-tips and eye make up remover. Or I use a flash card size piece of paper to get the correct angle on the edge of the eye.
.-= Ash B’s last blog post… Dior 5 Colour Iridescent Eyeshadow in Stylish Move =-.
Tina says
I use a dark base in the outer v, underneath my shadow (mac’s paintpot or NYX jumbo pencil), i found when i dont use it my eyeshadow isnt as vibrant. I almost always stick to lighter brighter colours on the inner eyelid and fade to a darker shade as i go out to the v. I find washing the inner lid with stila kitten is great, for the outer v a dark brown, grey and black is a great blend. I like my like with a kohl pencil (MAC smoulder) and use an angled brush to feather it out (it removes the sharp line and creates a more smokey/ just woke up from bed look. I do this under the eye too but only in the outer corner as i like the inner corner to stand out in frosty vanilla colour. I always use fake lashes when i do the more dramatic smokey eye look and colours like Nars nightbreed and mac carbon.
Dawn H. says
For a smokey eye, I love using several different charcoal colors, blending them well, using a black liner and black mascara.
Rae says
My favourite way to start a smoky eye is by doing a black smoky eye, with a black creamy base and black shadow. From there, I can top it with pretty much any medium-to-dark shadow — it gives it a ton of depth, and makes it super fast. I’ve never been one for a traditional black/grey smoky, so there’s usually a lot of colour in mine! 😛
.-= Rae’s last blog post… FOTD: Geometrical Christmas =-.
Katrina says
I really suck at smokey eyes… usually I try to do a more subtle, brown smokey eye. I try to blend with a brush, and then top it off with some dark brown eyeliner and black mascara.
Smiley says
I like using Stila’s Black Smudgepot and smudge all over my lid. I follow up with Carbon eyshadow and mascara!
.-= Smiley’s last blog post… Silent Night…. =-.
Katie says
Eyeshawdow insurance helps me make a smokey eye! It really intensifies the colors and helps them stay evenly on my eyelid.
yourshar0na says
I love doing smokey eyes with a black matte/dark brown in the outer corners of my eyes (Mac’s Carbon, UD’s Twice Baked). Of course, UDPP to start, the colors I am going to use, and then pack on the black eyeliner and mascara/falsies (depending on the occasion).
…simple and fun! =)
Step says
My tip is to build up the smokiness gradually with shadows on top of eyeliner. If you start with too much stuff on your eyes right off the bat, it can look like a mess of soot really quickly. For me at least..
Melissa says
I struggle with smoky eyes but am trying to hard to do better. One thing that’s very helpful is if I’m going to go smoky, I do my eye makeup FIRST instead of my face first, that way if I mess up or have fall out, it’s easier to correct.
Marisa says
I’m not GREAT at the smokey eye..I’m just okay :/ but anyways I LOVE LOVE LOVE the brown smokey eye, I love using different shades of brown, like a GORGEOUS shimmery dark chocolate color on the corner and crease, a matte lite cocoa color, and on the inner third a shimmery vanilla color 😀 so pretty
Aly says
I like to to do an olive green smokey eye to really bring out my brown eyes. I always always use two shades at least–darker on the outer corner, light in the inner corner. Urban Decay’s 24/7 eyeliner in Yeyo is the best pearly white liner! I also do winged eyeliner to make it really dramatic. Then of course mascara to top it all off!
Julia Z. says
lots of black eyeliner, metallic gray on the lid and black in the crease with white highlight in the tear duct area…:)
scarlettholly says
right now I’m digging on an earthy smokey eye rather than the more traditional silver one. So I use mac satin taupe all over, and smut in the outer lid and crease. I then use Feline to line both the upper, lower, lip and waterline. A MAC MUA told me that thickly lining your eyes with pencil then squeezing them shut actually works wonders at producing a softer, more living in line. highlight brow bone, heaps of mascara, and all done!
.-= scarlettholly’s last blog post… Clothing I Wore Holes In =-.
Lauren says
Brown smokey eye that I found by Nars on Sephora’s website!
ines + cha cha says
good brushes, then work WITH the shape of your eye:
white/champagne/pearl as a base, then light gray up to the middle, then darker gray in the lid, outer V in black/charcoal, some dark khol pencil, smudge, blend, blend, blend, repeat until desired intensity – then add a super-black mascara & line eyes with a longwearing gel liner 🙂
.-= ines + cha cha’s last blog post… Disco Hustle Performance Pictures & Un Look du Jour – Disco Green =-.
Kajal Couture says
I like to use a dark base, like the greasepaint stick, close to the lash line on my lid. Then I will add the darkest shadow over that, and a light shadow into the crease, and blend, blend, blend! I top with a longwearing liner, lots of mascara, and keep the rest of the face pretty simple.
.-= Kajal Couture’s last blog post… 15 Minutes of Beauty Fame =-.
Rachel says
I’m hopeless at choosing colors, so I like to use a palette with four shades, that way I don’t have to think so much! And I need a really creamy eye pencil, so that I can smudge it. The eyeliners that give me crisp daytime eyes usually don’t smudge well, so I need a different product for smoky looks.
Jennifer Morissette says
When I do a smokey eye I basically use the same application regardless of the colour. I apply the main colour to the entire lid up just past the crease and blend out with a 224, then apply a matte highlight and a shimmery colour to the inner tear duct, line my upper lash line and waterline with black liner. Easy:) Re-Tweeted. My Twitter: makemeup82
triciac says
I don’t have a tip cause my smokey eye always turns out horrible ahhhhhh
Megan says
I’m not very good at doing a smoky eye, I guess because the eyeshadow I have isn’t pigmented enough. Plus I really need eyeshadow primer.
Jaci says
I have no idea what I do or if what I do is really a smokey eye, but I always get people who love my “smokey” eye. I just take greys and blacks and blend them until they look good. ;p
rhania escueta says
i like it using elf smudge brush!!!
.-= rhania escueta’s last blog post… ♥ angela’s giveaway ♥ =-.
anina says
my smokey eye involves a cream eyeliner pencil (today a gold!) to offset the gold flecks in my espresso-colored (NARS Mekong) eyeshadow. Then liquid eyeliner on top, then on the lower waterline, a blue or green cream eyeliner pencil with a teal shadow. then tons of mascara. smoke over water. lovely lovely.
retweeted too! username: aninafish!
.-= anina’s last blog post… some small changes or when i discovered that i was a natural blonde =-.
Jane says
A creamy black eyeliner is a must have. I draw a real thick line on the upper lash and then smudge it out with a brush. Drawing a line on the lower lash is must too for smokey eyes.
Scifi says
Blend. Blend like your reputation depends on it.
angie says
my favorite way is to do a matte black and grey eye like angelina jolie’s look in Wanted. i use mac copperplate on a primed lid, blend it in the crease w/ a little mac espresso, line my top lids with black gel liner, add tons of jet black liner to my waterline, and line my bottom lashline w/ copperplate!
Babybubblz says
I’m still struggling a bit, but blending is really important and color placement is key!
LauraJ says
I line my eyes with lots of really dark brown pencil then blend until I’m tired with an angled eyeshadow/liner brush. Then I put shadow over my lid to the crease only then blend that up to the crease. Top with lots of black mascara & that’s it!
Erika says
Smoky eye I always start with NYX eyeshadow pencil in pots and pans or slate to help with the base!
Sara Mathison says
I am very pale, and so is the skin between my eye lashes so my smokey eyes always looked a little weird until I realized I should tight line my upper eye lashes. But not too heavy of course, just enough to get between the lashes. Thanks!
Debbie says
I’m still trying to figure out how to do a smokey eye!
Jessie says
I like to use black liner and top it off with black mascara. Eyeshadow wise any colour can be used, as long as the crease and outer v colour is really dark
Christy Ordonez says
I insist on using bright colours, even for a smoky effect. MAC’s Landscape Green Chromaline is GREAT as the liner, then use a deep green or deep purple as the backdrop, nicely blended.
Gracie says
I don’t normally do smokey eyes, but today I experimented with smokey eyes on my friend and it turned out great!! I used Urban Decay’s S&R eyeshadow, a grey slate color with blue duo crome and MAC’s Shadowy Lady and Nocturnelle eyeshadow in the crease. Then I tapped my brush very lightly in a black from a Sephora pallete and put that in the outer corner. I finished it with Zero eyeliner from Urban Decay and black mascara. I thought it looked good, and I didn’t need to use loads of black.
Darci says
Hi there, my favorite smokey eyes would have to be the natural tones for the day then doing a night one for going out using either your eye liner and black eye shadow OR some purple tones
Thank so much:)
imergo says
Stila Smudge Pots make a great base AND liner. Gotta smudge fast, though.
amy says
My favourite method of wearing smokey eye is with MAC Smoke and Diamonds on entire lid, The Balm Shady Lady Shadow in Sexy Stacey on outer corners, MAC Copperplate on crease, MAC Bare Study to highlight brow bone, MAC Feline to line both upper and lower lash lines and finish with a pair of false lashes.
.-= amy’s last blog post… MAC Warm & Cozy Shade Stick in Nurture Mini Review, Product Picture and Swatches Haul #2 =-.
Pansy says
I always had a hard time learning how to do a smokey eye. I thought maybe my eyelids are just too small… but then I discovered that my brush was just too big! So I bought a smaller shader brush so there was a more gradual and obvious smokey color.
.-= Pansy’s last blog post… Winter Break is Flying By…zoomzoomzoom! =-.
heyhey says
I have greeeezy a$$ lids, so I really can’t seem to get the eye to stay smokey — just kinda of melts into racoon eyes, looking less intentionally smokey and more sloppy. That’s why I need a kit to walk me through.
Arianne says
My favourite way to do a smoky eye is this:
– Start with a really strong eyeshadow base
– Then a dark creamy base smudged on the lash lines before topping with powder shadows
– A good transition colour is key for me. My favourite is MAC Soft Brown in between my contour shade and highlight shade.
– Oh, and don’t forget the highlights on the inner corners too. 🙂
.-= Arianne’s last blog post… Purse Porn: Junior Drake ‘Megan’ Bag. =-.
jen says
Still trying to perfect a smokey eye! Why is it so difficult o.o
Mariepouliche says
I apply a cresae color first (like MAC soft brown). It seems like darker color are blended easily and it does a great progression to my browbone highlighter.
cecille says
smokey eye- the morning after -without removing my makeup..LOL still trying to master this skill…sometimes one eye would look better than the other. Practice makes perfect!!
Audrey says
A simple way is to line the eyes with a black kohl pencil, smudge it, and set with matte black shadow.
Alli L. says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is putting down a good base, coloring my lid with mostly one color and blending it out with a lighter shade of that color or a lighter brown color. It’s crazy fast and I always get compliments cause it looks fancy. I especially like to do them with purples and blues and add a little duo chrome to it to kick it up
Toni says
I used to always stink at making smoky eyes, because it was just so dark and with my dark circles, it looked like someone had punched me. A MAC makeup artist told me to keep lighter colors on the inner part of my lid/crease and use the darker colors on the outer “V” and lid/crease. This has helped. It’s not as dramatic as a true smoky eye, but it works for me!
.-= Toni’s last blog post… 2nd Menu Monday =-.
kkennedy says
the way i found works best for me is an idea from kuuipo1207. do the crease first then put the mail lid color on second.
pinksoysauce says
I rarely do smokey eyes but I find that making a natural eyeliner line makes the biggest difference.
Corinne says
i suck at smokey eyes so kits are always the best! and blending. and then blending some more… 😛
Roxan J says
after i apply my primer i like to apply my paint pot or eyeliner gel onto my eyelid before applying powder to give the color a longer lasting effect to it&make it pop!
Grace says
Before talking it over with my favorite MUA at the MAC counter I was never able to do a smokey eye. I found out that I was actually making it “too smokey”. It’s best not to go overboard with your darkest eyeshadow; it should really be confined to the out V or outer third or the eye. Then eyeliner helps to up the dramatic factor.
Now, I love doing smokey eyes with all different colors, not just the typical grays/black.
Charm says
I think the key to a smokey eye is blending. You can have a subtle smokey eye look or a dramatic one depending on the way you blend/apply the shadow!
.-= Charm’s last blog post… My Tumblr =-.
Holly G says
I start with a layer of MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study, then build onto that some Bare Escentials Pacific Heights and blend that up to the crease. Then in the crease I add Bare Escentials 1990s. Of course you can’t have a smokey eye without several layers of mascara, and I find that blending the Stila Kajal eyeliner in Onyx around my lashes – and blending, blending and blending some more – tops off the perfect smokey look! 🙂
Jenny says
gotta use that famous urban decay primer potion and a blending brush! blending is the key to the perfect smokey eye. 🙂 and to smudge out that eyeliner on the lower lid and lining the waterline with a black pencil liner. 🙂
Carol L says
I’m slowly learning how to do a smokey eye on my eyes hape. I use make sure that I smudge my pencil liner and make sure the dark shadow does go up to my brows.
H. says
i love using mac fluidlines as a base when doing smoky eyes. you can totally layer colours and have a strong base without all of the fallout
Sara says
start with the light color in the inner corner then add the dark then just blend 🙂 then add a blending medium color in between super simple and easy
Lyn Foong says
My favorite way to do a smoky eye is to use a good base first. I like to use an eyeshadow primer, then a base (MAC paint pots are awesome!) and then smudge the darker color in a sideways V along the outer crease. Then follow with lots of blending, eyeliner, and dark lashes.
HC says
MAC Electra e/s on inner 1/2
MAC Knight e/s on outer 1/2
MAC Carbon e/s in crease
MAC Vanilla e/s to highlight
MAC Vanilla pigment for inner corners
MAC Feline e/l on top lid – smudge out with 219
MAC Graphblack on waterline
A mix of electra and knight on lower lash line
Finish with my Shiseido Lasting Lift Mascara! My fave.
I’m a MAC whore! :X
teresa says
i either like to put a TON of black eyeshadow on my eyelid and SUPER SUPER blend it out with my MAC 237, and keep doing that to smoke it out.. or i put black-silver-black on my lids and then blend them together. 🙂
.-= teresa’s last blog post… lalaloverly: RT @karenmbb: RT to win the Urban Decay Yerba Buena Smoke Out Kit (a $34 Value) http://bit.ly/7TYI4B =-.
Barbara says
For me one of the key things to a great smoky eye is the right blending brush and proper pressure to the brush.
Kate & Zena says
My favorite trick is to only put the color to be smoked into my crease. It looks like a plain eye until I blink or look down. It’s really cool.
Steph says
Line my eyes with black eyeliner and blend and smudge it!!
Christy says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is to use MAC Blackground on 2/3 of the lid with Carbon over it. Then a shimmery white or beige on the inner third and a bit of sparkly silver or pewter on the middle for some oomph. Lots of mascara and maybe some falsies. 🙂
.-= Christy’s last blog post… Maybelline Eye Studio Duo Khaki Craze & Ivy Icon Review & Swatches =-.
Jenn says
Carbon, mascara, blacktrack and falsies!
BeckBeck says
I have not figured this out yet!
Angie says
My favorite smokey eye is using Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow as a base, which a dark purple shadow over, black in the crease, and a bone color on the browbone. And balance it out with a rose cheek!
Avianna says
For an awesome vintage-inspired smoky eye that goes GREAT with a deep, diva-red lipstick I prime my eyes, then sweep a dove-grey shadow all over the lid and crease, then I pat just the slightest amount of a dark grey-black shadow with silver flecks into the outer corner and blend up into the crease. I pat more of the dark shadow into the corner and blend as needed until the right shape and gradient is reached. Then I highlight the browbone with a light, shimmery cream coloured eye shadow and do cat-eyeliner on the top lid with a rich black liquid liner. Then either loads of lengthening and thickening mascara on top lashes or falsies. I leave the lower lash line totally bare.
Esz says
Nothing too complicate – just a bit of my Revlon LE smokey eye stuff – its really messy but good for what its supposed to do. Then line with a bit of MAC Fluidline. Easy
.-= Esz’s last blog post… Concept Art CHOW – The Surveyor =-.
Kim says
Smokey eyes are made easier after I learned that starting off with a really dark base, so the dark shadows appear vibrantly dark and helps adhere on a lot longer. I also invested on a small dense crease brush to help smudge and blend the colors the way I want them too.
mishel says
the easiest way i know how to do a smoky eye is put NYX’s eyeshadow in milk on the lid, add a thick line along ur lashes with a black eye kohl, and blend upwards to create a cat eye shape. add eyeliner to the bottom lash line, mascara, some silver-y eyeshadow above the darker colour on ur lid and boom. ur done!
Bachuchay says
Honestly, I’m not very good in blending make up and creating a ‘look’ . 🙂 but my version of a smokey eyes is a bit simple. i use black eyeliner then mascara and put on a white/gray eyeshadow on the eyelid and a few strikes on the side of the eyes..
.-= Bachuchay’s last blog post… Two Thousand Things – Tee Wit Review & Giveaway =-.
diane says
Wow! This set is crazy beautiful! Love it!
Well, my way of doing smokey eyes is usually with a tint of color, o not all black, but maybe black with some deep purple or deep navy blue, smth like that 😉
kiss!!
P.S. I already follow you on twitter
.-= diane’s last blog post… The haute mess award! so excited! =-.
Lorna says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is start with MAC blackground or a black Stila smudge pot as a base on top of UDPP. The, I do a strong black or grey on the lid and blend with a midtone color at the crease and top of with a highlight at the brow bone. Blending is essential.
Tee says
I think the easiest way to start out doing a smokey eye is to buy the Maybelline New York Expert Wear Eyeshadow that tells you which shadow color to put on the lid, crease and brow bone. Then by the time you start mix matching other colors you are able to figure out which one is best. Be sure to blend though, that’s the most important part.
.-= Tee’s last blog post… Changes… =-.
Katy says
I always have to start with the U.D. Primer Potion on the upper and lower lid. Because I have blue eyes and blond hair…sometimes I love to do a dramatic smoky greyish black eye. Its all about the blending blending blending and trying not to get it all over your face!! 🙂 Always top it off with a sheer pink lip gloss for the lips…perfection!!
Briana says
my trick for a smokey eye: Keep it simple, blend blend blend, and don’t try too hard.
.-= Briana’s last blog post… DePhoMo #15 =-.
Jeanne says
My secret is using a pencil eyeliner (like UD Zero) and an angled eyeliner brush with dark shadow. The angled brush gives me enough control and the right amount of pigment to prevent everything from suddenly going panda-eyes.
Another favorite tip: Benefit Mr. Frosty in the inner corner, UD Dime lining the bottom lid (not the waterline). Seriously pretty!
.-= Jeanne’s last blog post… Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Last Minute Gifts! =-.
veronicav says
my trick is to use a good base. maybe a dark one . also i also like to start on the darker shadow first and work my way in and blend!!
Stephanie says
Whenever i do a smokey eye, i always add a mini-cat eye with my eyeliner. It makes me feel like a total bada$$. I like using revlon colorstay eyeliner because the built in sharpener gets the tip of the smudgey goodness into a fine point that imitates liquid liner.
jane says
i use a crease brush to put color in my crease and then i blend 🙂 it’s a lot easier to do now 😀
Jessica Lynn says
i love to put light shadow all over my eye, and then a medium brown in my crease finished off with a dusting of pink shimmer. then i use black eyeshadow as eyeliner and add mascara! 🙂
Sarah V says
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve never tried doing a smokey eye. XD I’m always afraid of making a big mess.
Jenny says
My rule of thumb is to use 3 corresponding shades and a major dark liner! and blend like a mad woman!
Nina says
I love wearing a smoky brown eye instead of full on black. My trick is just blend, blend, blend!
yvette says
LOVE smokey eyes and wear them every day pretty much… blending and layering is key. As is using scotch tape to pick up stray bits of shadow that fall under your eyes.
Ellie says
I’ve used a smudge brush with some success, but I really should practice more!
hepkittenatplay says
The only way that I can do a smokey eye decently is to get an eyeliner with an attached smudger. For some reason, other methods of blending don’t work as well for me…but perhaps this kit could help change that?
AAJ83 says
i usually don’t head towards blaaack blaaack to go for a smokey eye…i use browns 🙂
AAJ83 says
i follow u on twitter (aaj83) and tweeted
http://twitter.com/aaj83/status/6958268027
kirsty says
I suck at full blown smoky eyes :(. I do it subtly using shades from the Sleek Graphite palette, Usually the peach on the lid, with one of the silvers in the crease. Maybe a bit of one of the purples on top of the silver if I’m feeling adventurous!
Amy says
I’m still mastering the smokey eye but have found that using a blending brush helps soften the harsh lines and improves my looks a lot. Also the best way to start is to lightly layer your colours so you can slowly build up the intensity of your look without looking like a goth!
Ashley says
I have been trying over & over again (for the past 2 years) to master the smokey eye! I still can’t do it. And then I realized! Smokey eyes makes my eyes look smaller & that’s why I’m never content with the look. If there’s such a thing as smokey neutral eye, I’ve mastered that!
.-= Ashley’s last blog post… Almost December! =-.
Melody Lai says
I used blackground paint pot as a base to really make the eyeshadows pop.
Sherry B. says
I’ve been doing “smokey eyes” longer than the term has been around! (Yeah, I’m old, lol!) You can do them in any color you wish, just use gradient tones of the same shade. Start with eyeliner, then put a deep shadow in the outer third of the lid and in the crease, a medium shade in the inner two-thirds of the eye, a slighty lighter shade of the same tone from the inner area below the eyebrow and extended across and down to the outer corner of the dark shadow in the crease, and a highlighter under the outer two-thirds of the brow. Sweep across the entire thing (gently!) with a wide flat brush dipped lightly in a transparent powder to blend and set the color and follow with a couple of coats of mascara . Use a Q-tip or a very small brush to add a small dash of highlighter dead-center of the eyelid to make your eyes sparkle and add dimension. line your lower lids and smudge if you like. You can start with a lid primer, if you want, but I usually just use a coat o concealer to even ot my natural lid color as a base and in certain situations, (A-HEM!!!) everything has stayed perfectly in place without fading for more than 24 hours. Perfect smokey eyes!
Eunice says
ooh, a simple smudegable black liner smudged around the outer corners or upper lashline. because i’m lazy that way 😛
shiny922 says
I haven’t been doing smokey eyes for a long time, since I’m a newbie in this makeup world, but I found that this trick works best: do a messy eye line with a black pencil liner, start with the darkest color, and lighten up the shadows. I use 24/7 in zero – it smudges in a beautiful way that just makes the smokey eye for me. If i want more definition, I line my eyes with a liquid liiner 🙂
Betty says
i’m not good at smoky eyes… i have tried to do them but only on days that i stay home.. it is the smudging i have problems with.. (i am definitely reading all the comments today)
Aisha says
i like to try a lot of styles on eyes. like smoky eyes and etc. enter me!
Christina says
My favorite way of doing a smoky eye would be just to do a pencil liner (which all smudge on me, always always always) and just take a neutral shadow like MAC’s Style Snob (which I will love forever because it’s beautiful) and just smudge everything out like whoa. Of course, a base like Paint Pots would help and then loads of Lashblast!
Kizzy says
I do it the easy way. I concentrate a lot a of color (usually dark grey) on the eye lid and blend it out. Then I use a lighter color on the crease and blend that out as well. Lastly, lots of eyeliner (top and bottom) and mascara!
Enjoy Hawaii!
Eliane T. says
I like to use a black shadow to make a line next to my eyelashes than use a light grey to blend it all together. I am not good at this but I like the results.
Thanks for the chance.
Pladies says
What I do for a smocky eye is:
I draw a line on my upper lashes with a creamy black pencil. I smudged it with a brush and a bit of eyeshadow. And finally I do a line with an eyeliner gel to intensify everything.
I do almost the same on the lower lash line, except I don’t put gel eyeliner.
I don’t do all my lower lashline in black on the third inner part I do another color. To make my eyes look bigger. No shimmery because it will accentuate my fine lines….
That’s it 😀 Thank you for the chance of getting this gorgeous UD kit !
.-= Pladies’s last blog post… Baume du jardinier du Couvent des Minimes =-.
Bonnie says
I like to use a use a creamy dark base, such as an eyeliner, all over the lid first to give my smoky eye a good start!
Bloody Mary says
I’m gal with glasses (o.o). So, I like to do 3D smokey eye with lighter/frosty lid and darker crease. That way I get smokey dreamy look without having (too) small eyes. 🙂 I love to complete it with black liner on my waterlines and few coats of the blackest mascara I own at that moment.
Jj says
I always use four colors, and finish it with a winged eyeliner
sharon says
my easy way to do a smokey eye is to line eyes with a black creamy eyeliner i particularly like UD zero eyeliner. I then smudge it out and wet an angled brush pick up some eyeshadow(black,brown,purple or green) concentrate alot of color on the lids and lash line and blend it out. Make sure the colour slowly lightens out toward the crease. two to three coats of mascara et voila!
Califragilistic says
I’ve never been able to figure it all out! I have attempted a brown smokey eye with frosty beige
in the inner corner of eye and dark brown up to the crease. I’m definitely checking out all the
comments!
Califragilistic says
retweeted: http://twitter.com/califragilistic/status/6960382537
and following you on twitter
ShanaT says
Blend blend blend blend!! Thanks Karen!
Tran says
I loveeee to do a brown smokey eye using urban decay’s show pony set and darkening my outer-v with black eye shadow for a really smoked out effect. Simple but effective!
Rati says
I use three shades to do the smokey eyes- light, medium and dark. Apply light in the inner corner of eye, emedium in center and darkest in the outer V of the eye. Belnd them carefully into one another. Easy Peasy! 🙂
Karen B says
I usually use Stila’s Barefoot Contessa if I want to do a smokey eye. Perfect for the pale-skinned beauties 🙂 My MAC blending brush is a staple as well 🙂
Pobeda says
Hi, dear Karen! 🙂
I’m quite skilled whe nit comes to make-up application and my trick is to “draw” the smokey eye on the lids, after I have applied liquid foundation and didn’t set it with ANY powder around the eyes.
This makes my eye make-up last all day without any fallouts! 🙂
.-= Pobeda’s last blog post… Pobeda: RT @karenmbb: RT to win the Urban Decay Yerba Buena Smoke Out Kit (a $34 Value) http://bit.ly/7TYI4B =-.
happybadfish says
I love starting with knight divine (mac) on the lid and then extreme mauve pigment (mac)in the crease darkened with a black eyeshadow on the outer v. Tons of black eyeliner!!
Jenna says
I use the MAC 217 blending brush and Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero each time! These make those elements of the smokey eye much easier for me.
happybadfish says
http://twitter.com/happybadfish/status/6963097739
@happybadfish
nina says
I’m still working on the whole smokey eye thing. I’ve used benefit’s smokey eye kit to some success but it always ends up looking a little overdone. still getting the hang of it. For a quick smokey eye I just blend my eye liner out!
SammyJ says
If I’m in a hurry, I just apply a primer and use a dark color all over my lid… making sure to blend very well at the crease. Line and smudge my liner and I’m done.
Alisa says
I used to have a hard time keeping the blending in check, I always took it too far down on the side but now I just blend til I like the gradation and then just clean up with a baby wipe.
I RTd you on Twitter as well – @poppysmum
NINA says
I had a hard time with a smokey eye mostly because I have very small lid space.
I leaned thru trial and error that when I do a dark shadow all over my lid and then do a wash of a lighter shadow on top of it — it comes out as a very smokey, and easy eye!
I also add a dark black or dark brown liner such as the 24×7 liners in either Zero or Bourbon and im good to go – smokey eye in less than ten minutes!
Molly says
I have had a hard time with doing a smokey eye until I switched the brushes I was using. Now for the smokey part and in my crease I use the Mac 222 and it works great. It also has helped me that I finally invested in a good primer. Now I love doing smokey eyes.
.-= Molly’s last blog post… Clinique 3 Step: Does it really work Week 3 =-.
Suji says
For a smoky eye I like to use different shades of silver, gray, and black (gradual darker shades near the lashline) and blend them with different brushes! Then top it off with a dark liner 🙂
Sue says
using a crease brush really helped me with a smokey eye so i can use dark colors but they don’t apply too harshly
Jane says
I don’t do this well either. I try with a black liner and fade the greys to a pale upper area. I would love to try with a color set that matches.
Shannon Steele says
My fave Smoked Out Eye is now in purple. I use three to four varying color depths of purple, usually at least one will be shimmer, and blend darkest on the corner fading out to lighter int he middle and then very lightest in the tear duct. Line with dark plum and blend top and bottom. Black lashes and presto… I would love to try it in green!
Emily says
Whenever I do a smokey eye using black powder shadow it gets all over the place, so I use a dark gray instead.
Chielle says
I usually wear a deep brown smoky eye, because if it’s black or grey it hardens my look, and I don’t want to look so harsh. I apply different brown tones and blend them with a brush and eyeliner.
Shannon says
I *finally* figured out how to do a smokey eye after I asked a makeup artist at Bare Escentuals if she could help me with it. Whenever I had tried to do it on my own, it just made my eyes look tiny, tired, and messy. However, when she helped me with this look, I discovered that you don’t necessarily have to rim your eye with liner… she started with a light shimmery pink color, and then focused it in my inner eye to brighten it up. Then she totally smoked out my crease, to about mid-eye, with a dark brownish color. She finished up with a darker color lining the top & bottom of my lids, again to about mid-eye. Hooray for a smokey eye look that doesn’t make me look like a five-year-old playing with makeup, lol!
Cee says
I use a deep black shadow (NARS) with a titch of glycerine and push it into the lashline using a tiny brush. With a larger brush I add a think layer of deep browns to start the smoke, and blend out with copper tones, being sure to smoke out the lower lashes.
Then I cheat and add falsies…
Marce says
It depends, but a quick smoky eye I did on my sister once was by applying Blacktrack all over the lid and blending the edges, then adding a silver shadow to the tear duct. A bit of neutral colour for the browbone and liner and mascara to finish everything off.
Kristen says
The base of my fave smoky shadow is MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack and MAC Filament eyeshadow. I then do a silvery-purple-taupe take by blending Smashbox Minx shadow all over the lid, and finishing with Smashbox Midnight Black shadow at the outer corners.
Ruchita says
I’m still learing how to do a great smoky eye. What works for me now is to first use some dark eyeliner. Then I slightly dampen my eye shadow brush and then apply shadow over the liner. Then I blend out from the lash line so the color goes from darker to lighter.
Siobhan says
I’m not very good at smokey eyes, it kinda makes me look like I got punched! But using kits helps. Benefit has a good one out right now, Smokin’ Eyes.
Ada says
I’m not good at smokey eyes at all, maybe because of my monolid eyes? But I discovered that silver, gray and black looks good on me after I bought the MAC smokey eyes palette last Christmas.
Jennifer says
I don’t know how to do smokey eyes! 🙁
.-= Jennifer’s last blog post… MSC: Candied Sweet Potato =-.
Kate says
I’m still working on perfecting my smoky eye. Sometimes it looks fabulous, sometimes it’s a hot mess. I LOVE green shadows though, so it would be great to try this kit!
Shiny says
I tend to do my smokey eyes with a navy shadow from MAC… I find black can be a little harsh – or maybe I have perfected my technique – but navy tends to go with a lot of looks and is a touch softer. I do a touch of black in the outer corner, use a soft silver shimmer – and blend out with navy.
Ana V says
I think the trick to having fab smokey eyes is to not have the shadow move everywhere. I use Two Faced Shadow Insurance to keep the shadows in place. This way the shadow stays where I put it!
Tatiana says
I’ve tried a lot of different ways because smokey eyes is my top pick for an eye look. My favorite, and will be my forever, trick is to layer Greasepaint stick, all smudged out, under whatever shadow I’m using.
Lara says
If it’s a black smokey, my go to product is Benefit creaseless cream eyesahdow/liner in Strut. My essential.
When doing a neutral smokey for the day, I loooove Rimmel eyeshadow quad in brown. http://www.rimmellondon.com/us/products/eyes/product.aspx?id=267 Gorgeous colors, shimmery but not over the top.
Nicole says
I have yet to be able to do a smokey eye. Hopefully a kit like this would make it easier!
Basak says
This is my night smokey. I put on an eyeshadow primer first; top and bottom lids. Then I tight line and line around my top lit heavily and a little at the bottom with MAC’s Smolder eye kohl. Then any dark color I feel; navies, purples, grays… I pack the shadow around my eyes. Soften the crease with a shadow close to my skin color. Black shadow in the outer corner, highlight inner corner and under the eyebrows. Finally loads of mascara 🙂
Anh says
I always use a matte black and add false eyelashes.
.-= Anh’s last blog post… =-.
Zoe says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is to start off with a cheap taupe color I can use a lot of, and follow up with Shady Lady eyeshadow in Shameless Shana.
It’s the perfect reddish brown color to match my hair and my eyes.
Black or brown creme eyeliner looks great with it (:
Kylie says
I did my first smokey eye quite recently. I used MAC Greasepaint Stick in Black smudged on the outer half of the eye, with MAC Shroom on the inner half, as well as on the browbone to highlight. Then I used MAC me/s in Young Punk with Fix+Rose over the Greasepaint stick. I used Stila smudgepot in Little Black Dress to line, with BE Flawless Definition mascara, and MAC Feline Khol on the waterline. This was all done over a base of Benefit Creaseless Cream e/s in Bunny Hop. It looked pretty cool for my first smokey eye!
Monica says
I use navy eyeshadow and a medium sized liner brush. I do a thick line on top and then line the water line. I put some sparkly peach shadow in the inner corners of my eyes to add some sparkle.
Amanda says
I like to use MAC paint pot in Blackground all over lid, then Knight Divine es on the inner third of the lid, Humid es on the center third of the lid, Carbon es on the outer third, and a little more Knigt Devine in the crease, blend blend blend, add a little Dazzlelight on the brow bone and tear duct, Blacktrack fluid line on the uper lash line (cat-eye style), smolder eye kohl on the upper and lower waterline, and Zoom Fast Black mascara on top and bottom lashes.
Saku says
Haven’t done a big smokey eye yet, but I like to use netural tone shades and add tiny a pop of color. And I guess blend, blend, blend.^.^
Candice says
I just open a favorite youtube video of a smokey eye tutorial and try to follow step by step…
Katie Schmidt says
I can never seem to pull off the smoky eye I am still trying to find a way to do it and like it.
Giselle says
I actually found that using my ring finger was the best way!
Maria C. says
Hey Karen! I like to put a dark shadow all over lid and neutral highlight on my browbone and a neutral brown like mac kid eyeshadow in the crease and make a dark to light gradient of colors. And of course a lot of blending! =)
Nadine says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is in every color except for black and gray! I like trying smokey variations with gold/brown, purple, and green!
Ditte says
Because I do a smokey eye so rarely I like to do it via a youtube tutorial – then I get it blended perfectly. If I do it two nights in a row I can of course remember the technique 🙂
Amy says
I have the Stilla kit that talks. It guides you through the smokey eye and is easy.
Rosemary says
I’m fairly new to makeup, so a smoky eye was entirely out of the question before. But a couple of youtube videos and a lot of experimentation later, I’ve learned a way that works for me. I start off by drawing on a cat-eye type line w/ the black NYX jumbo pencil, kind of like on a diagonal from the center of my lid to the outer half. Then I slowly start blending it up into the crease making sure to define the outer V. I place a light color on the inside corner of my eyes, then a medium shade that is going to cover the rest of my lid. Since I have already blended the jumbo pencil diagonal line to perfection, covering the entire lid with one single color is sufficient as the black pencil will automatically darken the shade and give me the perfect smoky eye. And highlighting the lid makes the look more defined.
Janet says
I blend the gray and black shadow together to get the perfect smokey eye for me!
Jennifer L says
Hey karen, my favorite (and only) way to do a smokey eye is:
-too faced shadow insurance all over my lids
-black eyeshadow all over my lids and blend it out
-silver shimmer shadow on the crease
-nude shadow underneath my eyebrows
-eyeliner on top n bottom
-blend bottom lid with black eyeshadow
-silver shadow on both corners of my eye
-curl n mascara on lashes
= my version of smokey eye!
Happy holidays!!
Denise says
The key for me is the brush. One that has a medium head with pointy tip and denser bristles allows me to apply the perfect amount of color while also rimming my eyes with just the right width of color.
Amy says
I have monolids and very small asian eyes so I like to keep my smoky eye simple and not too dark. I use browns and golds for my favorite smokey eye. First put a nice brown with gold flecks on my top lids and under. From the middle of the lid to the end, I put this beautiful gold lancome eyeshadow. I put a NYC loose powder champage under my brows and in the inner corner. I line top and bottom with a nice dark brown liner from Clinque and finish it off with a coat of mascara, currently LashBlast.
Rachel says
This sounds ridiculous, but I do my smokey eye before putting on my contacts because a.) its more smudged and less ‘exact’ when my eyesight is fuzzy (haha!) and b.) i dont get any makeup in my eyes…
Debbie Ngai says
I like to use a shimmery grey eyeshadow halfway up the lids and then draw a thin line by the lashes and smudge it upwards. It’s simple and quick n.n
Michelle Mattingly says
I am just learning smokey eye…and so far the attempts have been muddy!!! I am going to try the Urban decay 24/7 glide on next…I hope it works!!!!
.-= Michelle Mattingly’s last blog post… Thanks Mom and Dad, couldn’t have done it without y’all =-.
Tritawan Ruttivut says
To do the smokey part, I dab the color used on the lid and mix with a little black, then blend the outer corner of the eye. It looks Blended and less harsh.
Shao says
I haven’t done a smokey eye yet – weird Asian eyes ftw! But if I did I’d probably keep it very simple – two to three colors – with winged eyeliner.
Courtney says
I always apply foundation first and use cream eyeshadows because they tend to smudge better.
Daria says
I like doing funky smokey eyes, my favorite being purple (added bonus: purple looks great on pretty much every skin tone). I put down a very light purple base all over my eyelid almost up to the brow bone. With a promienantly purple shadow, I put a small dot on inside corner of my eye and blend it back toward the middle of my eye, and also put a larger amount on the outside corner, blending in alone the lashline and up into the crease. Next I use a deep purple on just the crease of my eye and on the lower lashline about half way in. Finally, I line my eyes with UD 24/7 eyeliner in zero (inside the waterline both bottom AND top and on the lashline itself) and then trace back over the lashline with a purple/black shadow and and angle brush and blend blend blend. Top it off with thick mascara et voila!
Tuhina says
I still haven’t mastered the smokey eye without looking like a raccoon! But I keep buying all these kits so that one day I’ll be able to have a sexy smokey eye. Maybe this is that kit!
Mary Thi says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is by combining jewel tones. I always apply a sticky base. I apply the jewel-toned eyeshadow to the lid and then add a dark brown or black eyeshadow to the outer-v. Blend, Blend, Blend! Lastly I line my waterline with black eye-liner, curl the lashes, and highlight the brow bone, and inner tearduct.
Amber says
I still struggle with the smokey eye–I don’t do it that often.
cloudburst says
I start out with smudging eyeliner and layer on shadows, working from darkest to lightest. Smokey eyes is my favourite look of all time!
Mia says
Add dark base, add one dark eyeshadow like Satin Taupe, apply highlight (I use Blanc Type, eq my skin colour) and then I use Era eyeshadow to blend between the two.
Add Teddy Kohl and you are ready to go 🙂
Valentine says
I apply MAC’s Mink and Sable e/s (from a LE collection) wet, then add Voluminous mascara and black eyeliner.
YadiQ says
i like to build my shadows little by little and blending blending blending
i alos like to incorporare fun colors into my smokey eyes !
Cindy says
I’m still trying to get it right, but blending is key!
Tiffany says
I love sparly and way-out-there smokey eyes! Smudging a black cream base is a must for my smokey eyes!
Gina G says
I am still learning to do a classic smokey eye, but I love to do a non traditional smokey eye using dark purple eyeshadows+ lots of blending. I like to put a little bit of purple glitter eyeliner on with this look to amp it up.
Gina G says
I am still learning to do a classic smokey eye, but I love to do a non traditional smokey eye using dark purple eyeshadows+ lots of blending. I like to put a little bit of purple glitter eyeliner on with this look to amp it up.
twitter: supergina
Katy says
Oooh! Those are some fun kits! I want! 🙂
I had a hard time too with the smokey eye, and am still not sure I’ve “mastered” it…but I do a nude/ light shimmer all over the lid to brow, add a mid-tone brown (the greys are too much for my pale skin) all over the lid and then trace the crease and make a “V” in the outer corner of my eye with the darkest brown. After I’m finished I like to add Smashbox’s liquid liner with theier liner brush all along my top lash line and top with a matching dark shadow. Good to go! 🙂
JillyB says
I’ve seen so many pictures of a smoky eye, I’m not even sure what it is anymore. I’ve probably been doing it all along, by making the outer corners of my eyes darker than the inner corners and using a good eyeliner all around.
twitter – stitchymom
sparklehead says
For years I thought I knew how to do it, but after watching YouTube tutorials enough I figured out that I didn’t know how at all! Now I’m just doing what I see different tutorials doing, but I find that if I use brighter, more contrasting colors it’s much easier for me to figure out what I’m doing right or wrong.
Janelle says
I really need to learn how to do a smoky eye
Stephanie Zaide says
I just sort of wing it with layers of shadow and liner…and then I blend, smudge and blend some more!
Jamie says
My smokey eye isn’t that masterful but it comes out great! I just blend Bobbi Browns eyeshow in Charcoal and it does the job 🙂
Sandy says
My fave way to do smokey eyes is also the easiest way. I take an eyeliner like UD Zero, line my eyes top and bottom, then smudge the line out. I get a nice graduation from a dark grey near my eyes to a lighter grey higher above my lid.
Anisha says
I like to add some purple to my scmokey eye to really make my brown eyes pop
Tisa says
I have yet to master it! ~ 🙂 Still working on it though…
Ana says
I just do a simple smokey eye, with my khol and smudging it around, its my signature look! ^_^
Veedee says
Prescriptives gel eyelines has a nice shimmer that I like for smokey eyes!
vy says
I’m a beginner in makeup and I’m still trying to master the smokey eye! I’ve tried smudging my eyeliner to give it a smokey effect and so the line isn’t so harsh. Maybe with this gift, I can practice some more :0
Jenni says
I don’t know if it’s ME, or if it’s the shape of my eyes but I just can’t master the smokey eye look AT ALL. I am pitiful! Doesn’t stop me from trying though lol!
Esther says
Ohh, smokey eyes. I usually do a purple smokey ’cause I have green eyes. not to to dark though.
natasa says
it’s all about blending. I <3 my sigma 224!
Kaley says
I like to use a charcoal or sliver cream shadow on my lid then use a sparkly champagne on the lid mixed with a little grey or silver then some dark grey and black in the crease. Then top it off with black liner or a glitter liner.
Luciana Lima says
I do it like you I guess. Smudge some black liner and cover it with gray and black shadow
Wendy says
I do it with either navy blue or purple eyeshadows like Urban decay matte eyeshadow in cult or Illamasqua in Never and apply a little bit of luminizer and about 2 or 3 coats of loreal voluminous or one coat of beauty tubes mascara.
bagaela says
I have hidden lids an ‘unhappy eyes’ (the way that the outer corner of my eye goes down) so I have to line my undereye area very hard, and blend the dark color from inside the crease and add some light, shiny powder tothe lid, this way I can create soma cat-smokey-eye 🙂
Rachel says
Making sure you blend the colors (black, gray, etc.) with a blending brush is really the key for me when doing a smokey eye look.
cinthya says
I’m still trying to do it right,lol but one thing i’ve learned was to put a dark shadestick like a base for a smokey eye.
Vickie says
My trick to the smokey eye has been using great tools! I have found that when I use better, high-quality brushes (MAC), my eye looks more smokey and less bruised 🙂
.-= Vickie’s last blog post… accidentalsuicide:shortskirtlongjacket:Cat rides a Roomba…. =-.
Sarah says
I haven’t used any sort of smoky eye sets like this and would love too!
.-= Sarah’s last blog post… Funny Picture of The Day =-.
Kailey says
I use some color!
Purple, navy, and sliver are m faves.
they really add a nice flair to a traditional smoky eye.
Kasey says
I like to use a dark gray eyeshadow and then add a few individual fake eyelashes on the outer corners of my lashes
spiff says
Black gel liner base and smoky grays and taupe!
Jacqueline says
First I put some Urban Decay Primer Potion on my lids. I have oily lids. Then I apply MAC Greaspaint (the black one) close to my lash line and smudge it. I then apply MAC Mineralized Eye shadow in Blue Flame over it. Tehn MAC Shroom all over my lids and add something shimmery to highlight my brows. Plus a few coats of volumizing mascara does the trick for me.
Merry Christmas.
.-= Jacqueline’s last blog post… Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo Review =-.
XOVINTAGELOVE says
UDPP then NYX Black Bean jumbo eye pencil all over lid. Then MAC Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow over NYX Black Bean. Some MAC Satin Taupe in crease, Brule to highlight.
Line with MAC Blacktrack fluidline and Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner pencil in Zero.
Lots of masara 😀
.-= XOVINTAGELOVE’s last blog post… 2 Looks! =-.
XOVINTAGELOVE says
Twitter: XOVINTAGELOVE
.-= XOVINTAGELOVE’s last blog post… 2 Looks! =-.
Hailey says
I use a black eyeshadow in the crease and outer corner of my eyes, a gray brown eyeshadow on the lid, and silver or white in the inner corners and brow bone. Then I line my eyes with a creamy black eyeliner and smudge. Sometimes I line in my lower lash line with a bright color, like blue or purple to make my eyes pop. It makes the look more fun.
Brittany says
Not sure what my favorite way would be, especially since I don’t do a smokey look all that often. I’m not very good at it, but I’d say I like a smudgy look for liner–especially for the lower lash line.
Lisa says
I’m not good at smokey eyes…I don’t do them much since I have small eyes. But I like to do it with MAC Softwashed Pigment into my (almost nonexistent) crease and outside corner, under the outer 1/3 of my lower lash line.
Julia says
I’m not the greatest at smokey eyes, but I usually use a Laura Mercier quad I own that has combos of grey/black/pale pink eyeshadows. I try to focus the dark colors near the lash line and blend up and out. A dark green smokey eye would be great!
Jenn says
I just do the typical look with any color: brown, green, gray, purple… ALWAYS start with base (I like TFSI) a mid toned color on the lid (not too dark, not too light), darkest color in the crease, with a flesh toned highlight. And if I’m feeling really crazy, an extra dark color, or just black, in the outer v.
Nancy says
I have yet to perfect the smokey eye! Dark shadows tend to intimidate me a little bit, so when I do smokey eyes, I use dark greys or a dark color like Knight Divine instead of the full on black smokey eye!
Katherine Lai says
I like to use colors in my smokey eye instead of just white/grey/black, I like to use like plums or browns instead to make it less harsh.
Gail says
Blend/blend/blend & Chanel – MAC too.
sindy says
I think it’s a bit hard for a monolid like me to do a nice and quick smokey. But i am willing to practice and find out a good technque. I am trying now to work with dark grey and silver instead of dark black. I find it easier to manage for a beginner
twitter : sindylicious
Lorie says
I love to do a quick and easy smokey eye. First, I apply a primer so that the shadow can go on evenly and stay on throughout the busy day. Then I apply a champagne color all over the lid and all the way up to the brow. I lightly layer a bronzy color all along the lid and above the crease then blend and blend and blend it to the inner eye lid towards the brow until it has a softer appearance. With a mossy/black mettalic, I define along the eyelashes and smudge the color slightly onto the lid and carefully rim the lower lash line (including the waterline). Black Mascara and defined eyebrows finish the look. For Date Night, the colors can be applied much more dramatically;)
.-= Lorie’s last blog post… In The Mood For Something More Than A Teaser =-.
Heather says
I like to use my Maybelline Smoke outs quad!
Halifax says
I’m so afraid I’d screw up, so to be honest, I haven’t done a smokey eye look, so can’t comment about the way to do it
Sally says
I love Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Skinny Jeans. I start with a layer of Phloof! all over my eyelid and up to the browbone, followed by Skinny Jeans on the lid, with Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero smudged into the upper lashline. Then, more Zero on the lower lashline and waterline, and about 7 coats of Smashbox Lash DNA mascara. Bam! Smoky eyes.
Natalie says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is to use muted shades. I’m very fair, so really dark colors like black, navy, and even brown sometimes look very stark and make me look like I have a black eye, haha! But I like using shades of gray, grayish purple, lighter matte browns to really get a rice smokey look without the darkness. My favorite smokey is with the matte purple from Nars’ duo in Charade. I then blend a little bit of Mac’s Shadowy Lady along my upper lash line, and trace the purple from Charade along my lower lash line. Add mascara, and you get nice and subdued smoky! And I think that matte colors look better smokey–not too glitzy so they work for class or work.
And I Twittered: http://www.twitter.com/natalie647
Thanks for the opportunity to win and happy holidays!!!
Vero says
My favourite way of doing a smoky eye is using the black Greasepaint, seal it with Carbon eyeshadow and apply Blanc type in the browbone.
Evian says
I still have problems doing smoky eyesbut it helped when I tried using other colors besides gray and black. I didn’t even think about using other colors before but it looks much less harsh on me.
mai says
I’m a newbie at smoky eyes… I usually use a cream liner and smoke it out, that’s basically it.
J says
I usually apply a black cream liner all over the lid as a base, then cover that in a black shadow (assuming I’m doing a black smokey eye) up and into the crease a little bit, then I use a dark grey eyeshadow and blend the two lines, then blend that grey slowly upward 🙂
Caitlin says
My favorite way to do a smokey eye is apply ubran decay midnight cowboy to the entire lid, then a medium-brown color into my crease, with a really dark brown, and then black in my outer corner, then a hint of the medium brown near my tear duct so that the middle of my lid is highlighted with midnight cowboy 🙂
rex says
I start with MAC paint in bare canvas, then I scribble a thick line of black khol eyeliner along the top lid. I use a smudge brush to smudge it out, and then my top and bottom water line. I finish with mascara, and boom! High-impact smokey eyes. I usually put a little gold along my inner v and brow bone to open the area up a little.
Julie says
blending brush is a must !
knownever says
I like to apply my liner in little upward strokes from my lash line after putting on a liquid or cream shadow. i find it’s easier to get the smokey effect doing it that way than just applying a straight line of liner and trying to blend and smoke it out with a brush
.-= knownever’s last blog post… Cookies and Goodies =-.
Cara says
My current favorite smokey eye is a dark jewel-tone blue (but I think a green smokey eye would be just as smexy!) I do a deep blue base all over my lid and then blend a matte black in the outer v, blending it into the crease and into a slight cat’s eye. Then I line with a black liner, add a ton of mascara, and a shimmery nude highlight on my brow bone.
Caroline says
i’m always looking for a new way to do smokey. this kit looks amazing!
Nikki says
I kind of cheat I guess. I bought a MAC eyeshadow pack that kind of has the perfect colors to make my smokey eyes. I usually have my base color, a crease color and, of course my dark color. I use my black eyeliner to seal the deal and I blend.
karlenma says
i don’t know how to do smokey eyes but i’m going to try a couple of tricks shared here.
adelina says
MAC’s carbon makes it happen for me!!
.-= adelina’s last blog post… Merry Christmas Janine! =-.
Apple says
I have yet to master the smokey eyes! 🙂
dee. says
smokey eyes are so difficult, i have yet to truly master them. : /
Olivia says
My favorite way to do a smoky eye is with rich browns and bronzes. I think it’s more wearable for me, and one can easily transition the look from day to night.
Sherly says
I like smokey eyes with a pop of color so I do grays with either a green or a blue or a purple. If I do a brown smokey eye then I use just different shades of brown. : )
Eva says
I am so pale that I can use most e/s to do a smoky eye..my favourite, because it makes my eyes look really bright, is Satin Taupe all over the lid and blended into Next to Nothing at the brow bone, I tiny bit of Showstopper (or another dark brown) to darken the crease and to line my eyes.
Done. ;o)
Rori says
I find it really hard to do a traditional smoky eye (I have GOT to buy some more eyeshadow brushes!), so the above tips are going to be soo useful to me! This is what I do for a cheaty smokey eye look: After concealing away my dark circles and applying primer, I apply a soft grey shadow and then blend something dark and shimmery into the crease, like UD Gunmetal. I then grab a smudgey black pencil and apply it all around my lashline and waterline and smudge it out!
.-= Rori’s last blog post… The dress you can colour in yourself =-.
Melissa says
The new bare minerals Big and Bright cream eyeliner in intense black lined both on the top and bottom of the eye; pat Smashbox purple shade (not sure of the name-from the current Beauty Confidential kit at Ulta) on top of the black and smudge, gently on the bottom and all the way up into the crease on the top lid. Neutral pearly shade (the one also combined in the same smashbox eye palette as the purple) on the browbone and in the corner of the eye.
Lisa says
I like to use gray shadow and blend blend blend!!
Cindy says
I’m not that into doing heavy black make-up around the eyes. Therefore, my smoke eyes are not dark all around, but still very intense. First, I use a good eyeshadow primer (i.e urban decay potion primer). I then put a nice dark matte black eyeshadow on the lids of my eye, making it darkest near the lashline. After I put a matte gray color in my crease using a crease brush, I then put a soft white color on my browbone and in my tearduct to highlight and widen the eyes a bit. To further widen my eyes I use a liner brush and brush the black eyeshadow on my lower lashline. Then, adding white khol eyeliner to my waterline to give the illusion of bigger brighter eyes. Further defining the look, I use my slanted eyeliner brush to trace my upper lashline using a gel liner. Finishing off, I prime my top AND bottom lashes, then coat my lashes with a lengthening and volumizing mascara. TA-DA!
Georgia says
I do a smokey eye with Urban Decay eyeshadow in zero, a formidable glittery black. Using a relatively stiff blending brush, I take it up as far as I like (usually into the socket). Then, using an equally glittery champagne eyeshadow like the infamous Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy, I use the same brush and apply to the center of my eyelids to soften the harsh black giving an effect of “is she..? isn’t she..?”.
Then, slather on the black eye pencil (you can never have too much with a smokey eye) and load on the mascara.
Oohhh yes.
Hannah says
I mix Chanel Mystic Eyes and Stila Runway Palettes for the eyeshadow portion. Then a little L’oreal Extra Intense in Brown, then another layer in black. The brown darkens and cools it down, then black adds the punch. Then I take my bare Minerals baby eye buki and blend away with something a little glittery, like UD Midnight Cowboy Rides Again. I finish the eye with heavy undereye concealer one shade lighter than normal in order to highlight the contrast between my skin and the eye makeup. Baby pink blush and gloss for the rest of the face, normally a Chanel heavy look with the Tweed Rose blush and Creme click pen in Creme Caramel.
brittany says
need to do more for my eyes so this would be great!
Whitney says
loveee this TOO! <3
Ju says
I hope it’s not too late.
My favorite smokey is to put in order :
– primer potion Urban Decay ;
– e/s shroom below brown and inner corner of the eyes ;
– a dark black pencil (without glitter) along the top lash line ;
– on top on it, put a color pencil (brown, blue, green, etc) ;
– smudge them baby ;
– mascara many coats ;
– a dark color pencil on the bottom lashes + smudge ;
– inner corner of the eyes the star powder 902 MUFE ;
– and on middle on the bottom lashes, on the dark pencil smudged, a little on the 902 MUFE.
And voilà 😀
namie says
i suck big time at smokey eyes, my lid space is too much i would end up looking i was punched!
i do it by defining my outer v with a black liner and smudge it in then apply a shimmery gray color on the rest of the lid then higlight at the inner corner of the eye 🙂 i really go easy with black. whew!
Serena Lewis says
I love the name of the shadow box Smoke Out way cool!!!!