simple smokey eye tutorial #beautybuzz

I’m such a fan of a bold lip.  But for certain occasions when I know that my lip color is just going to come off – like Valentine’s date night –  I play up my eyes instead.

Some smokey eyes can have layers upon layers of color, but this technique relies on just a few supplies: eyeliner(s), eye shadow in a dark color, black eye shadow, eyelash curler, and mascara.

I started by applying my primer, foundation, concealer, bronzer, and blush as usual.  Some people prefer to apply their foundation and stuff after creating their smokey eye (since applying all the layers can leave your nose and cheeks a mess), but this smokey eye won’t do that.

First I started by lining my top lids with Stila’s smudge stick waterproof eye liner in Stingray.  I like combining two eyeliners because it gives the color a little more dimension.  Plus, if I were to just use the black liner, it would look too harsh with my fair skin.  It’s not important to draw perfect lines.  I used a soft stroking motion as I applied from the outside corner in.

After the liners, I used a small brush to apply a plum color from Kevyn Aucoin’s Essential Shadow Set Palette #6.  I patted the shadow on my lid going up to the crease.

Once the shadow was the darkness that I wanted, I used an eyeliner brush and the black color from the same Shadow Set to retrace my eyeliner.  While applying, I rubbed the brush to blend the eyeliner with the plum shadow.  I also put a little black shadow in the outside corners of my bottom lashes.

Then I applied a light eye shadow to the creases of my lids and blended it in with the plum color.

I finished up with curling my eye lashes and slathering them with three coats of Maybelline’s Great Lash in brownish black.

I’ve been playing with my smokey eye look for a while, and this application process has been my favorite.  It’s pretty quick and easy, and it’s perfect for a night out.