Smokey eyes can take a timid makeup look to the next level and help bring out your Queen of Sheba.
It seems like they’re never out of style. Maybe that’s because they’re easy to do, unmistakable from afar and don’t require lots of products to create.
The following 5 smokey eye looks feature MAC Cosmetics, but each look can also be done by substituting similar products from other lines.
1. MAC Smokey Eye Tutorial: Halloween Flashback
“Hey, ladies! On Halloween some of you asked for a tutorial describing the MAC Smokey Eyes look I wore to dinner. I was in the mood for MAC today, so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s heavy on MAC products, but you could definitely use similar products from other brands.”
2. MAC Red She Said Face of the Day: Navy Blue, Bronze and Brown Smokey Eye
“I tried this brown, bronze and navy blue smokey eye. When I was done with the look, I walked around the room by myself, pretending I was contemplating impressionist paintings in a fancy art gallery.”
3. A Smokey Eye Tutorial with MAC Cosmetics Metal Urge Gilded Ash Cream Shadow and Cocomotion Pigment
“I don’t know if I’ll ever tire of doing smokey eyes. There are just so many different ways to work the look, like this spin on a daytime eye for work. It’s a method I learned from my favorite MAC artist, Jen, using products from the MAC Metal Urge and Red She Said collections.”
4. MAC Cosmetics Mulch Eyeshadow Face of the Day
“I started this face of the day with one pan — ONE PAN! — of MAC Mulch Eyeshadow. From there, it quickly spiraled out of control into a look with seven different shades. I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I think it has something to do with an upcoming deadline. The more pressed for time I get, the more makeup I want to wear! I know I can’t be the only one who loves to procrastinate this way.”
5. 18 MAC to School Makeup Tips
“In Saturday’s class, I chose to do the club look, thinking I’d leave with some crazy, colorful eye like in the above chart. Instead, we ended up doing more of a smokey blue eye with light cheeks and bold pink lips.”
Can you share any tips or tricks to help others with their smokey eyes?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
MAC Smokey Eye Tutorial: Halloween Flashback 
A Smokey Eye Tutorial with MAC Cosmetics Metal Urge Gilded Ash Cream Shadow and Cocomotion Pigment 
MAC Makeup Rewind: Some of My MAC Favorites 
BOO! My MAC Smokey Eyes for Halloween 
BAM! Girl you look hot in a smokey eye!!! It is my signature eye look too (during the day and night). Just makes the eyes really pop! Your gorgeous babe!! Thanks for the tutorials!
If it wasn’t completely inappropriate, I swear I would wear that Halloween look every single day I love it so much! 🙂
Vampy Varnish´s last blog post..China Glaze Summer Days, Summer 2009
I love smoky eyes! I’ve been wearing some spring-inspired smoke with rosy-brown and minty/peachy eye looks! I need me some Lavender Whip to go with! 😉
Hi Melissa,
Thanks! What is your favorite way to wear a daytime smokey eye?
Hi Vampy Varnish,
LOL! You should totally show up to work like that one day… and keep a serious face the entire time. 🙂
Regarding your question about the Smashbox primer, sometimes I wear it just on my cheeks (beneath foundation, powder and blush). Other times, I wear all over my face (again, beneath foundation and powder). If I wear it all over my face I use it *very* sparingly. I think what might’ve happened is that combining it with the Laura Mercier Illuminating might’ve taken it OTT — maybe just do one or the other?
Hi Glosslizard,
Sounds purty. Minty/peach sounds refreshing and fun… and kind of delicious, LOL.
Haha!
Yeah I think I will have to do it more sparingly than I did and not all over for both products. I looked like a glowing disco ball, LOL!
Vampy Varnish´s last blog post..China Glaze Summer Days, Summer 2009
Hello Sweetie,
I love the first two photos-especially no. 1 with the feathery
eyelashes. I would love to get the hang of putting on the falsies-which ones to select, how to trim-if necessary and how to put on so that you don’t like you’re drunk, hahahahah!
I love the smokey eye look. As far as tips go, I think that the right choice of eye shadow is very important and then blending, blending, blending. Lorac makes a very nice baked eyeshadow trio that comes in three shades, black, purple, brown. So, for example, the black dome would have a charcoal, black, and white shade baked together and likewise for the other two types. That way, you know put the light color all over from the lashes to the eyebrow, medium color in the crease and darkest on the lid. DuWop had pretty jewel tone sets as well- a beautiful green, a luscious violet, a deep blue, and a golden brown. These sets had two colors-one seemed to be a smokey shadow and the other a type of matching liner. Stila has a domed set of baked eye shadows in three shades. I have golden glow which is a trio of champagne, gold, and bronze. I must confess that when my hair roots grow out and I have not quite made it to the hairdresser for touch up, I use the bronze on my roots. LOL!!!! I just never get tired of seeing that smokey eye. It is really hot on you. Have a great day. Louise
love the 2-4 looks especially–you look hot! I can’t live without smoky eyes…always looking for a way to punch it up. Thanks for the post!
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Hi Vampy Varnish,
No worries — I’ve done that same thing MANY, many times! 🙂
I haven’t tried the LM Illuminating but it looks really neat. Do you like it?
Hi Louise,
Thanks for these tips! I have seen and admired both the Lorac and Stila trios. I might have to get one soon.
The Du Wop trios sound SOOO pretty too. Sometimes I wish the day had more hours so I could play with more makeup, LOL.
Regarding blending, what do you usually use to remove harsh lines? Do you have a favorite brush?
Hi Tanya,
Thanks! What smokey eye shadows are your faves?
Okay, I really like #2. I dunno, you look like you just got off the beach. But, smokily so.
Trisha´s last blog post..Multiple Looks With L’Oreal Paris HIP Color Presso Lip Gloss
My best tip would be to layer Urban Decay Cream Shadow in either Mushroom / Asphalt all over the lid and use powder shadow over it for a uber sexy smokey look !
I LOVE the #4 with MAC Mulch !! Sooo pretty !
Indian Girl´s last blog post..V Day Specials : Shimmer Your Way To Your Man’s Heart
Oh, I love looks 3 and 4. I didn’t recognize you in 1 and 2! I had to do a double take! I thought, “Is that really her?” I’m not liking #1 all that much.
I tend to do subtle smokey eyes. I tend to use 2 or 3 colors max. Typically, I use a sheer like vanilla all over my lid. Then, I blend a very pigmented color (like the teal in Flashy) on the outside corners of my eyes. I outline by upper lid with felt-tip liquid eyeliner (the only way I can put on liquid. I stink at it), curl my lashes and put on mascara. Occasionally, I’ll line the bottom “lid” with the outside corner color. It’s a surprise of sorts because only when I look down or blink to they realize it’s smoked out.
Sometimes, I’ll do a bronze and brown smokey eye. Other times it’s violet and gray. It depends how I feel.
Love the first smoky a lot!! 🙂 My favorite kind right now is the gray/pink smoky eye (Shore Leave or Wintersky, Club or Copperplate and Vanilla). I like the light pink/beige lip you have too!!
Karen, you got your hand the wrong way round for the peace sign in #2 – and that’s actually an offensive gesture in the UK! 😉
Yes I love it! It give a super nice glow to my skin.
Vampy Varnish´s last blog post..China Glaze Summer Days, Summer 2009
Hola Karen!
Love your halloween look…sexisexi…lol
You could pull that off everyday and the hair?!!@# love it!
I love look #1. Take it down a notch and this is “your” everyday look — sexy, yet classy and fun.
Hi Trisha,
LOL! Thanks. 🙂 I wish I could rock that at the beach and have it not sweat off!
Hi Indian Girl,
Mulch is AWESOME, isn’t it? What do you pair it with usually?
Hi Kate,
That one’s waaay over the top, I know. It was for Halloween, so I figured I could go big. 🙂
Your look sounds pretty — very classic and wearable.
Hi Daya,
Thanks! It’s kinda crazy but fun. 🙂 That lip is Modesty, Pink Treat and Chanel Astral.
I will have to try your pink and gray look. I just pulled out Copperplate today and thought, “Now that’s one I haven’t used in a while.”
Hi Holly,
Oops! Well, at least I know what to do if somebody cuts me off when I’m in the UK, LOL!
Hi Vampy Varnish,
I will have to try it — one of these years I’ll finish my tube of LM primer. Gosh that stuff lasts forever!
Hi Mimi,
I dunno! Maybe if I worked at MAC or in a creative atmosphere?
You should try the look someday. It’s fun! 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Thanks! I didn’t think of trying it toned down. I will one of these days!
Karen,
It is very wearable with just one bright color. I tend to be scared away from dark eye looks for day. I try to do one and when I’m finished, I think, “Oh God, I look so trashy. I look like Emily from The Devil Wears Prada and not in a good way. I need to take this off now.” I don’t seem to think that when I use gold and brown though. Maybe I apply it differently or something? I have no idea.
I should try just purple on the outside. Funny that I had never thought of that before. I foresee an experiment in my near future.
A Word of Caution: If thou dost get the HiP duo in Flashy, thou shall be warned of the teal. It’s very pigmented so you shouldn’t put too much on your eyeshadow brush. I did that the first time applying the shade and it ended up in a rather messy situation! It was a Neutrogena Oil-free Eye Makeup Remover moment.
P.S. Why did I say that warning like I was in a play from Shakespeare?
Great post Karen… you are working it!
I think the main thing with a smokey eye is to blend, blend, blend and not being afraid of it. I know that I was weary of it because I didn’t want the raccoon eye look but I needed to figure out what worked best for my eye shape.
Marisol´s last blog post..Currently, I am…
Hey Karen,
Sorry I am late getting back to you, but just saw your question..
Daytime smoky eye for me is all about using colors like browns, greens, purples (but not with major pigmentation). Use those colors, but a little more subtle – softer shades. I still line my eye first with a coordinating liner (brown shadow/darker brown liner). I leave the black/grey/purple traditional smoky eye for evening. Blue smoky eyes are becoming a new fav, but mostly when I shoot fashion – it doesn’t look great on me personally, but all the other colors do!