I recently held a make-up lesson with two amazing and quick-learning clients (thanks A. and S.!). We focused on doing a smoky eye look for the lesson, and it reminded me how (understandably!) many women have questions on how to do it or how to improve on it.

The template at right (an oldie but a goodie!) is meant to be an approximate guideline for where the shades of eyeshadow go. Keep it in mind (and click it to enlarge it) - we'll refer back to it frequently throughout the next few posts we do on the smoky eye technique.

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Smoky Eye FAQ #4: Do I apply concealer first or after?
Apply concealer after you are finished applying your eyeshadow. It never fails - stray bits of eyeshadow can fall away from the area you intend to apply them...and once you go to attempt to swipe them away, a smudged mess remains (and the potential for increased frustration arises! Grrr.). To help prevent stray bits of eyeshadow from catching on the skin underneath the eye, brush on some loose powder just below the eyes. Once you're done applying your eyeshadow, dust the loose powder and excess eyeshadow away and proceed to apply your concealer.

apply concealer after your smoky eye application is complete

I recently held a make-up lesson with two amazing and quick-learning clients (thanks A. and S.!). We focused on doing a smoky eye look for the lesson, and it reminded me how (understandably!) many women have questions on how to do it or how to improve on it.

The template at right (an oldie but a goodie!) is meant to be an approximate guideline for where the shades of eyeshadow go. Keep it in mind (and click it to enlarge it) - we'll refer back to it frequently throughout the next few posts we do on the smoky eye technique.

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Smoky Eye FAQ #3: Do I need to spend on expensive brushes and eyeshadows?
Not necessarily - there are great products out there at all pricepoints. Yet, as a make-up artist and a make-up lover, I will admit that I have found better success (in other words, less frustration) using products (both on others and on myself) when the products are of department store quality, particularly for brushes. Some drug store brands may seem like a good deal, but you can dig and dig at an eyeshadow for barely any colour pay-off, while some brushes are too rough or stiff for a delicate area like the eyes!

a good quality crease brush is a kit essential

I know it can be quite the investment to spend on brushes and good quality eyeshadows, but well-pigmented eyeshadow will last you well towards (even past) their expiry date (of approximately 2 years) and brushes will last you for years to come, provided that you take care of them properly!

Moral of the story: the tools you work with make a difference.

See here for more info on specific brush types that really help me with achieving a smoky eye.

I recently held a make-up lesson with two amazing and quick-learning clients (thanks A. and S.!). We focused on doing a smoky eye look for the lesson, and it reminded me how (understandably!) many women have questions on how to do it or how to improve on it.

The template at right (an oldie but a goodie!) is meant to be an approximate guideline for where the shades of eyeshadow go. Keep it in mind (and click it to enlarge it) - we'll refer back to it frequently throughout the next few posts we do on the smoky eye technique.

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Smoky Eye FAQ #2: How do I know where to start and stop the different shades?
Keep in mind everyone's eye shape is different, and that's where the smoky eye often gets tricky - knowing where to start and stop the different shades, how far upwards to take the darkest (contour) colour and how/if to line the bottom lash line.

Small or deep-set eyes:

keep the contour colour below the crease toward the lashline
For smaller or deep set eyed beauties, keep the contour colour (b - the darkest colour) below the crease of the eye and tight towards the lashline. To frame the eye and give more of a smoky effect, blend a bit of the darkest colour on the outer third of the bottom lashline. Don't take the bottom line too far inward nor line the inner rim, as applying too much eyeliner on the bottom can make the eyes appear to recede and look smaller.

Larger Eyes:

extend contour shadow upwards, but still keep the it beneath the hollow of the eyelid

Larger-eyed beauties can use darker eyeshadows more liberally without the fear of making the eyes looking too small (I know, lucky ladies, right?!). For larger-sized eyes, you can smudge eyeshadow on the bottom lash line all the towards the inner corner. You can even apply eyeliner in the waterline (the inner rim of the eye) for a full-on smoky look. Lining the inner rim will help to brighten the whites of your eyes and make the look extra sultry.

Where to start and stop?However far up you blend it, the transition between the shades should be seamless, so well-pigmented eyeshadows and quality brushes are key to getting the look, bringing us to our next FAQ!

I recently held a make-up lesson with two amazing and quick-learning clients (thanks A. and S.!). We focused on doing a smoky eye look for the lesson, and it reminded me how (understandably!) many women have questions on how to do it or how to improve on it.

The short answer? Practice and experiment! The great thing about make-up is that even if you don't get it right the first time, you can easily wipe it off and try again.

I thought it would be useful to revisit the technique and answer some frequently asked questions about smoky eye questions here on the blog. With the holiday season upon us, hopefully you'll find the info useful, as it's the perfect time to try something bold for all those parties you'll be attending!

The template below (an oldie but a goodie!) is meant to be an approximate guideline for where the shades of eyeshadow go. Keep it in mind (and click it to enlarge it) - we'll refer back to it frequently throughout the next few posts we do on the smoky eye technique.
Smoky Eye FAQ #1: What colours do I use?
Once you have the smoky eye technique down pact, you can pretty much use any colours you prefer, but keep the shades used within the same colour family (in other words, save those purple and green colour combinations for the runway!). The best colours for you are ones that enhance your eye colour and skin tone.

Some universally flattering shades that work well for a smoky eye look on all skin tones are grey, brown and black. For instance:

Brown

taupe as your neutral base (area 'a' in the diagram above, all over the eyelid but just beneath the browbone)

dark brown as contour (area 'b' in the crease of the eye down toward the lashline

an off-white (to highlight area 'c' just atop the browbone and on the inner corner of the eye)

Grey

midtone grey as the base (area 'a')

dark grey/black as the contour (area 'b')

an off-white to highlight (area 'c')

Once you get the hang of the smoky eye, you can very well interchange the colours above and do a smoky eye with green/purple/blue/burgundy as the base, rather than as grey pictured above. You can even use different textures such as frost, shimmer and glitter for an added festive look! One of the beautiful things about the smoky eye is that with one technique, you can get so many looks. So keep on experimenting to see what you come up with! :)

Just in time for the winter cold: hat head, be gone! Check out my latest Q&A on wnetwork.com :)