Lara Stone for Calvin Klein BeautyThroughout the seasons for the last few decades, the black smokey has been one of the most consistent eye makeup on the runway. Its boldness creates a lot of character and gives the eyes a very intriguing sultry look while keeping a classic and timeless feel. As a makeup artist, I get to create this look quite often and have come up with a simple, fast and efficient technique that requires a minimum of products & tools. Here it is from me to you: a tutorial for the perfect black smokey eye!
First here's what you'll need in order to complete the look.
PRODUCTS:
TOOLS STEP BY STEP 1. The secrect to keep your eye makeup from smudging or fading away is to apply an eyeshadow primer. Most eyeshadow primers have a very subtle creamy texture which makes the powder and pigment of eyeshadows stick to it.
In this case, we apply
MAC Shadestick in Beige-ing. It's an awesome pick as it is a nude color and you can use it as your main eyeshadow primer for any look you want to do! It comes as a pencil so directly apply a light coat on your eyelid up to the browbone.
2. For a true black smokey eye, go for an eyeshadow that has a matte finish. They are harder to work with as they tend to leave powder fallouts on cheeks but here's a simple trick that will get rid of that and also make the black look darker.
The
Face Atelier brush #12 Smudge brush has very short but dense hair and is used for precise tasks as a stroke covers a small surface. Dip it into a drop of
Lise Watier Metamorfix (or water!). The hair has to be wet but NOT soaked. Rub it into your
MakeUpForEver Matte eyeshadow in Black Matte #004 eyshadow and apply it to your mobile eyelid. The mobile eyelid starts at the base of your upper lashes and ends where the crease is. Do one eye at a time and keep it closed until the eyeshadow dries. The color has to look solid but don't worry about the rough edges - we'll fix this in the next step. Using this method with the same brush, draw a thick line along your bottom lashline.
3. One of my all-time favorite & most used brush is the blending brush. It's with this little gem that we'll make your smokey eye look airbrushed. This is a crucial step that requires a little practice but will pay off in amazing results!
With the help of your
NARS Eye Shader Brush 03, we'll focus on blending those edges left from applying the wet eyeshadow. Don't pick up any product with the brush. Start out at the inner corner of your eye and blend the eyeshadow by moving in towards the outter end in gentle circular motions until the harsh line fades. Do this for both of your eyes.
If you wish, you can also apply a highlighter to your browbone. It is facultative but gives a little light reflection which can be interesting. Clean the Shader Brush with a brush cleanser and make sure it's dry before using. Apply
MAC Shroom or Nylon eyeshadow with it over your browbone - the part right under your eyebrow - down to where the black starts to fade and blend it in!
4. Grab your
MAC Smolder Eye Khol and line along the base of your upper lashes and waterline. The waterline can be tricky if you wear contact lenses or have sensitive eyes - be careful! I highly recommend to use a eyelash curler as it opens the eye but if you dont, skip this step and apply two or three generous coats of
L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black.
Also as a final touch don't forget to fill in your eyebrows for a more polished look.
There you go! You can follow the same steps but with a different eyeshadow color to get a colorful smokey or use a white eyeliner on your waterline to make your eyes pop! So many ways to personalize this look - all yours to find out!