Creating Smokey Eyes – It may seem like only the professionals can do it, but it's actually a pretty easy look that only requires a few drugstore products!
Dramatic, bold and daring, smokey eyes are perfect for any occasion - from a night out to a special occasion. Even better, with a little practice, anyone can recreate this versatile look. And while black and gray are the most common options for this makeup style, you can also use shades of brown or get creative with purple, green, blue, or any other color you like! In this article, we will not only tell you how to create smokey eyes, but we will also give you instructions with drugstore products that you can use.
How to make up smokey eyes for beginners – step by step instructions
Follow these steps to create beautiful smokey eyes!
Prime your eyelid
Start by priming the eye area to avoid smudging the eyeshadow later in the day. To prime, you can use either an eyeshadow primer or an illuminating concealer - either will smooth your eye area and give your makeup something to adhere to.
- IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer keeps your eye area looking radiant and youthful all day long without creasing or cracking. This radiant, creamy concealer offers full coverage and is packed with amazing anti-aging ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides to rejuvenate and brighten tired under-eye areas.
Make-up for smokey eyes – choose your eyeshadow shades
The classic smokey eye includes three different shades: a shade for your movable lid (the part that moves when you blink), an eyeliner color, and an eyeshadow for the highlights. The eyeliner color is usually the darkest, the highlight color is the lightest and the movable eyelid color is usually a medium tone. For smokey eye makeup, matte shades from the black, brown, gray, navy or green family are usually used, but don't be afraid to experiment with lighter or colored tones.
- HUDA BEAUTY Smokey Obsessions Palette features a mix of shimmer and matte shades that allow you to create a wide range of smokey eye looks.
Apply your all-over eyeshadow shade
Use a flat eyeshadow brush and apply the color you chose as your all-over eyeshadow to your movable lid. Distribute the color well across the lid so that it looks more like a gradient rather than a big blob of saturated color.
- Tip – Smokey eyes for Shupfliders: To open the eyes more, apply the eyeshadow closer to the brow. This creates the illusion that your eyelid is larger and your eyes open more, especially if you have droopy eyelids.
Apply the color for the eyeliner
Add dimension to your look by using an eyeliner color. To do this, choose a shade that is one to two shades darker than your all-over shade. Use a blending brush to blend the color in small, circular motions, adding layers to intensify the pigment until you achieve a smoke-like blend. You know you can move on to the next step when the transition between the eyeliner color and your all-over shade is smooth.
- NARS #22 Blending Brush: With this brush, effortless blending is no longer a pipe dream! It is ideal for applying and blending eyeshadow across the entire eyelid.
Make your nose narrow – what simple make-up trick will make it look smaller! Theyou can learn here!
Insert highlight and blend the three shades
Finally, apply a light, neutral eyeshadow that's one to two shades lighter than your all-over color - from your crease to your brow bone. This eyeshadow smoothes the look and creates the desired gradient effect. For extra shine, dab the highlight into the inner corners of your eyes to make your eyes look brighter. Now it's time for a good blending!
Make-up for smokey eyes – The key factor for this look is a smooth transition between the three shades. The biggest mistake would be if you don't blend these enough, as this can make a smoky eye look more like a black eye. To prevent this from happening, use the fluffy brush and blend until you can no longer see a clear separation between the three shades.
No Make Up Look: How can you create it in just a few steps?You can find out here!
Complete the look with gel eyeliner and mascara
To perfect the makeup, apply a gel liner along the upper and lower lash lines. Gel eyeliners are ideal for smokey eyes as they quickly create a bold, black eyeliner that either looks extremely hard or can be blended with a brush.
- SMASHBOX COSMETICS Always On Gel Eyeliner: This formula makes it easy to create rich, blendable color that you can smudge for a dramatic smokey eye or leave sharp for a clean, more minimalist version of the look.
Then apply the mascara carefully to avoid getting any of it on your eyelid. Wiggle the brush between your lashes to separate and define them. Avoid applying more than two coats of mascara. Apply the ink to your upper lashes first and then lightly to your lower lashes.
- Clinique's Lash Power Mascara lasts up to 24 hours without smudging thanks to innovative thermal technology. The mascara resists sweat, humidity and tears of joy, yet can be easily removed with warm water.
Tubing Mascara: What makes it better than any other mascara?Find out here!
