So this was a request from one of my closest friends, Michelle, who I adore and of course had to make sure I did this tutorial for her! I decided since it's so overdue, that I'd try to deal with the bad pictures! So Michelle, I'm sorry but I hope this will help!
Her request was a tutorial on how I do a simple smokey eye! This is my first makeup picture tutorial so please be kind! haha I promise next time I'll use flash (like in the below picture haha) with an actual camera to get better pics!
So here we go!
So here are the products I used:
Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer for concealers & eyeshadows
Too Faced Smokey Eye shadow Collection
Sephora brand Brushes from their recent brush collection for the holidays
Maybelline Lash Stiletto waterproof mascara (Its in black, although the sticker is missing so not sure what the name exactly might be for the black)
Avon dual ended eye liner in Black-Silver
So the colors I used in order are:
White Lie as the highlight
In a Flash as the second color on the lid
Up in Smoke for defining the crease
Smokin Hot to darken outer V
I used these two brushes for the look. A flat detailing brush and a fluffy blending brush.
Now, time to start the step by step tutorial!
First, I used an eyeshadow primer. I usually use Urban Decay's primer potion but I just got this primer from Sephora and I'm in love! Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer for concealers & eyeshadows is fantastic! I love that it's extremely close to my skin tone and it helps also to keep your concealer in place!
Primers are great at making sure your eyeshadows last a long time without creasing through out the day. I recommend using a primer but it isn't needed!! For this primer, I just used a pump of the primer on my finger and blended it in over my whole eye, corner of my eye, and under eye area.
So this is an awful picture, I'm sorry!! I will explain all the lines to make this easy! hehe Adding a highlight color can help to brighten the eye area and bring emphasis to your eyes. For my simple smokey eye, I start by highlighting right under my eyebrow. This will instantly add light to your eye area.
Next, always add a little of that light highlight color to the inner corner of your eye. This will also bring light to your eye. Now to start the smokey eye, keep in mind start from your lightest color and work your way darker going towards your outer corner of your eye.
In this case, I used White Lie on the inner 1/4 of my eye. I like using light colors on the inner part of my eye to just add more light to the eye. I know it sounds strange to add "light" to a smokey eye but stick with me! I promise it works out! haha Now, I usually make my highlight under my eyebrow kind of bold and then blend it down to my crease. This step you don't have to really do but I like how it looks in the end.
Again picture quality is horrible. =( My camera was just not working with me.. Sigh.. Anyways, next I took the color In a Flash and blended it into the rest of the lid.
Tip: So you don't end up with it going straight from white to gray, use this trick! I used the flat brush for these two colors. I used one side for the white, and the other for the gray. When you get done putting the gray on your lid and need to blend that line inbetween the two colors, load up each side of the brush with white on one side and gray on the other. Start packing on the white over that line inbetween the two colors, then use the gray over that part you just added the white too. As you go back and forth between the two colors, slowly dragging the brush over that line, it'll blend flawlessly! Easy right?!
The next step is to start defining your crease. This is where the fluffy brush comes in. This step isn't really "needed," but I like using this technique when doing a smokey eye. Taking a darker color than your eye shadows on your lid, but not your final darkest color, helps you to slowly mark where you want your smokey crease to be. For me, I like a larger crease because you can see that your makeup is smokey when your eye is open. So, to do this, you take your fluffy brush and darken just the outer corner of your lid and then slowly drag the brush over your crease.Keep in mind for my smokey eye, I keep the 3/4 rule. 3/4 up to my eyebrow, 3/4 of the way to my inner corner of my eye. I like to keep that inner 1/4 of my eye light so I don't drag the crease all the way to the corner.
Now it's time to add the really smokey effect by adding your darkest shade to your eye. For my smokey eye, I just darken my outer V and blend.. blend.. blend.
Your outer V is the corner of your eye lid and about half of the crease. I put in a V on the image to kind of help you to figure out where it is located! =) Easy right?
A blending brush is really essential here! Now I'm not saying you have to use expensive brushes from Sephora to get a great look like this. You can easily use brushes from ELF (www.eyeslipsface.com) cosmetics or something that are like a $1.00. To be completely honest, my go to brushes are from ELF! haha Just decided to treat myself to some different brushes! =) You can even find flat detail brushes or fluffy brushes like this at your local craft store! They don't have to be "makeup" brushes.
Last but not least, just add your eye liner and mascara. =) I used the silver on the inner half of my bottom lash line and black liner on the outer half. Add mascara, and bam! You have a dramatic look that is really wearable! I wore this look to a Christmas Benefit Concert. =)
Final tips for this look:
Remember, light colors on the inner part of your lid and under eyebrows!
Blend, Blend, Blend. It's your hero in a look like this!
Choose any color scheme and just start with the lightest color on the inner eye and go darker on the outer eye.
To balance out the look, if I go with a strong bold or dark eye, I make my lips a neutral color like a light pink of champagne nude shade.
I hope this helps, Michelle! Let me know if this broke it down for you and show me a look you do! =)
Thanks for all the support everyone and stick around! I'll be doing more things in this upcoming week! =)
If you enjoyed this photo tutorial, let me know! Maybe I'll start doing more of these! =)
Until next time,... Remember, Stay smiling!
XoXoXo,
LB
