Smoky, seductive eyes can be a beautifully bold and glamorous makeup look. So let’s get started creating your own!
The first step is preparing the eye area for makeup. For long lasting eye makeup results, the eye area should be free of any cleanser or moisturizer residue. To prepare the lid, apply foundation and follow with either a pressed or loose powder to set the foundation. This provides a dry, easy-to-blend ‘base’ for adding powder eye shadows.
When creating a smoky eye, consider the following makeup color principle: Lighter colors create fullness and highlight an area, while darker colors create depth and definition.
Begin creating your smoky eye with eyeliner. Use either a liner pencil or a liquid eyeliner. Select a dark brown or black and begin by drawing a thin line, following along the top eyelash line first. Then trace underneath the eye beginning at the outside corner about one-third of the way across toward the nose, to give the outside edges of the eye definition. Avoid ringing the entire eye with eyeliner, as this can make the eyes appear smaller.
Continue with eye shadows. For best results, always use high-pigment powder eye shadows. Use a medium-toned eye shadow on the lid (medium gray or silver). Blend a dark-toned eye shadow color (dark brown or charcoal) into the outer corner of the eyelid, in the eyelid crease beneath the browbone, and in the corners underneath the eye. Use this same dark-toned shadow to go over your eyeliner for lasting staying power. To finish, a lighter shadow (pale beige or shell shade) can be softly blended directly underneath the eyebrow as a highlighter.
The illustration below demonstrates where to apply a medium-toned eye shadow (Silverado) on the lid and two darker-toned eye shadows (Navajo Brown & Slate blended together) in the outer corner of the eyelid and in the crease beneath the browbone. The three QDazzle(R) High-Pigment Eye Shadow tones used here are ‘Silverado’ Frosty Eye Shadow, ‘Navajo Brown’ and ‘Slate’ Matte Eye Shadows.
Next, use an eyelash curler to open up the eyes and show off the lashes. Then apply an eyelash conditioner to thicken the lashes and let dry completely. Mascara is next. Use several coats, letting each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next coat helps avoid clumping. For extra glamour, add an exciting pair of false eyelashes.
Why select highly-pigmented makeup colors?A highly-pigmented makeup color product will allow the user to apply a small amount to achieve a little color or it can provide darker, dramatic color when applied more heavily. This allows flexibility for the user to achieve her preferred look. Highly-pigmented makeup colors provide the most brilliant, longest-lasting color for everyday use, but are also especially suitable for photography, video and stage. The strong color pigment will hold up against the harshness of stage lighting and camera flashes, avoiding a washed-out, ghostly makeup appearance.
