How to Do Smoky Eye Makeup How to perfect smoky eye makeup

Smoky eye makeup (often referred to as "the little black dress of makeup") elevates your evening look to something truly dramatic We’ve come up with a few creative combinations to brighten the look and give it a 24k goddess effect. Here's how to do smoky eye makeup. Try it on first in our virtual makeup studio.

Smoky eyes can make fair skin look sooty and dark skin look muddy, if done improperly. A warm, sheer gold works on all skin tones and makes the look light and sexy."

To start your smoky eye, determine which eye shadows complement your eye color. Brown and hazel eyes look gorgeous in golds, blues are pretty in rosy pinks with golden undertones and green eyes stand out in plum or violet shades. A touch of rosy gold in the center of the lid or at the browbone can open up the eyes tremendously and impart a glowy summer goddess look. The same goes for shimmery bronze. Plum is dramatic enough to work with in lieu of brown or black eye shadow and it looks gorgeous on green eyes. Play around with a plum smoky eye by applying a light mauve color to the lid, and a deep plum in the crease.

Before putting on your eye makeup, prep the surface of the skin with an eye shadow base for stay-put power. As a general rule of thumb, it's wise to apply your foundation and undereye concealer after your smoky eyes, since the color so easily falls down around the eyes. Dark colors have a tendency to smear on freshly applied foundation. If you carefully apply your foundation first, all your efforts could be wasted when bits of shadow come raining down.

Begin with eye shadow. The darkest eye shadow can be applied allover the eye lid, or in the crease, depending upon the shape of your eye and the look you desire. Applying dark color in the crease and blending it upward and outward toward the browbone elongates round eyes; many Asian women prefer to create depth by putting dark color allover hooded eye lids. For a standard smoky eye, you can try pewter eye shadow all over the lid, charcoal in the crease and keep the brow bone light.

Line the upper lashes from corner to corner; line the lower lashes just three quarters of the way, beginning from the outer corner of the eye. For an intensely smoky eye, dip a flathead eyeliner brush into classic black liquid eyeliner (brick brown or plum if you have green eyes) and push it into the lashline. Do the same with black powder eye shadow (brick brown or plum if you have green eyes). Layering your liner with different formulations (pencil, powder, liquid) will give your look staying power