Smoky eyes have been a key part of my makeup arsenal since I was about fourteen – I picked up my first Urban Decay palette and never looked back – and normally I like to go all in with them, with lots of contrast, nice crease definition and eyeliner as far as the eye (ha) can see.
Sometimes, though, it feels nice to step away from the Kim
Kardashian school of smoky eyes (for kids who wanna learn to do other stuff
good too) and into the more low-key Mila Kunis-esque end of the spectrum. This look
is a little more versatile, too, as it can be dressed up or down more easily and
works for almost any occasion and with almost any other makeup, especially if
you’re a fan of bolder lips.
STEP ONE.
Start with a light neutral base colour – I used a M.A.C.
Paint Pot in Soft Ochre – all over the lid, up to and over the edge of the
browbone. Then, at the top of the crease (i.e. just on the underside of the browbone),
add a light neutral matte shadow – browns or greys both work well. I used Limit,
which is a rosy brown from the Urban Decay Naked3 palette.
STEP TWO.
Add a mid-brown shade all over the lid, blending out into
your crease colour – I used Reign from the Urban Decay Vice3 palette (I just
really like Urban Decay, OK?), which is a warm brown with a teensy bit of
shimmer in it. If you want to really go for it, proper shimmer eyeshadows look
great with this look because it’s all about blending the colours into each
other, so intense bronzes and golds work really well.
STEP THREE.
Add a darker brown into the crease – I’ve gone for Snakebite
from UD Naked2, which isn’t worlds apart from Reign, just a little darker and
more intense. Again, if you want to make it more dramatic, choose a crease
colour that’s a lot darker than your base colour, but for this one I kept it
subtle. Blend this colour out into the browbone colour from step one.
STEP FOUR.
Using a thin or angled brush (I really like the Real
Techniques Angled Brow Brush for this), press a dark brown (or black for extra
definition) along the upper lashline and the outer third of the lower lashline.
I used Busted from Naked2. I always start on the outer corner for this and
brush in, so that you get more colour concentrated on the outside and a nice
gentle fade inwards.
STEP FIVE.
Using a black eyeliner pencil (I used a Max Factor Kohl
Pencil), line under the upper lashline and the outer third of the waterline,
overlapping a little onto the edge of the lower lashline. Is the word ‘line’
looking weird to any of you yet? Then, using a paler shimmer shadow in a gold,
silver or peach (or whatever floats your boat really), line the inner corner of
your eye and the rest of the waterline. I used a Nars Shadow Stick in Goddess,
a pale, shimmery pink.
STEP SIX.
Add mascara – because a lot of the definition in this look
is coming straight from the lashline, a volumising mascara works best. I used
Bourjois Volume 1-Seconde, but Benefit They’re Real would also work really
well, or Max Factor Wild Mega Volume. Wiggle the brush right into the roots of
the lashes for as much impact as possible.
And you’re done! This look is really simple and quick– it
took me less than 20 minutes, even with all the faffing about with the camera
in between – and is easily adaptable to basically any occasion ever. After I
took the photos for this post, I wore it to the corner shop and it was perfect,
but it would also be lovely for work or for a night out or eating pasta in your
underwear (I have tested this).
Let me know if you try this out and what colours it works
best in for you! Maybe next time I will attempt a tutorial that doesn’t involve
any Urban Decay palettes (maybe).
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