The Dos and Don'ts of Smoky Eye Makeup
Sultry smoky eye makeup can be a girl's sexy best friend or worst nightmare. (Hel-lo smudges and raccoon eyes!) We break down exactly how to create the classic celeb-approved beauty look and point out a few makeup mistakes to avoid.
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Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic1/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DO brighten up dark eyeshadow.
Rim your waterline with a white pencil to make bedroom eyes look instantly awake. (See how good it looks on Drew Barrymore?) To open them up even more, gently clamp down with a lash curler for 10 seconds and add two coats of mascara (like CoverGirl's LashBlast Fusion Mascara in Very Black). Finish one eye before moving on to the next so lashes hold their amped-up shape all night.
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Photo: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/ WireImage2/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DON'T pile on all your makeup at once.
Pairing heavy blush and intense lipstick and a pound of bronzer is anything but sultry when you've got major eye makeup going on. A smoky eye looks prettiest when it pops out against minimal makeup.
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Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage3/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DO play with eyeshadow color.
Follow Freida Pinto's lead and swap out the smoky eye standby, basic gray shadow, for standout jewel tones, like L'Oreal HIP Studio Secret Professional Crystal Shadow Duo in Mystical. Rim with thick black liner for added drama.
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Photo: Chris Weeks/WireImage4/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DON'T forget to add a little highlighter. (Emphasis on little.)
Shimmery white shadow is great for adding a little sparkle to your inner corners, but working it up to your brows is glitter overkill. Combined with red lips and winged liner (wowzers!), the eye makeup winds up looking more clownish than classy.
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Photo: Stephen Lovekin5/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DO try the whole golden shimmer thing.
Get bronzed and beautiful, like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen did here. Dust a copper colored shadow like Maybelline Expert Eyes 8-Color Pan Shadow Collection in Sunbaked Neutrals on your lids and smudge it along the lower lash line. Add a hint of bronzer and a nude gloss look for a neutral, everyday smoky eye look that's anything but boring!
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Photo: Jerritt Clark/WireImage6/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DON'T go wild with your shadow.
Gray, smoky eyes will forever be a date-night makeup DO, but raccoon eyes are never cute (unless they're on a real live rabies-free animal). When it comes to black shadow, less is more! In the beauty world, dark under-eye circles are never a good thing.
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Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images7/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DO add some color to your cheeks!
As Emma Watson expertly demonstrates, blush can look pretty when paired with smoky eyes—the secret is strategic blush placement. Smile in the mirror to find your apples and dust on a rosy shade. Wipe excess powder off your brush with a paper towel and then use it to blend color toward your temples.
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Photo: Danny Martindale/WireImage8/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DON'T let your eye liner get out of control.
When liquid liner starts getting too thick and close to your hairline, break out the makeup remover—or risk looking like the Hamburglar's partner in crime. One word of advice: Start with a little liner, then work your way up.
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Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage9/9Smoky Eye Makeup Tip: DO experiment with sexy red-carpet-inspired eye makeup looks.
Talk about frisky: We're loving Hollywood's new feline-shape smoky eye, especially on Jessica Szohr. Get her look with a palette like Rimmel Colour Rush Quad Eye Shadow in Smokey Noir. Rim your top and bottom lash lines with the darkest shade and create a sideways V shape at the outer corners of your lid. One of our favorite makeup artist secrets? For more precision, try using a credit card and angle it upward to get that perfect sideways triangle shape. Then fill it in with your medium shade and clean up the edges with a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover.
