If there’s one look I’ve always found challenging it’s the smoky eye. While it’s nearly an essential makeup look for everyone else, I have always had a difficult time actually creating the look on myself. For many years, I honestly thought I had to write off the look – believing that perhaps I was just too fair or my eyes were too light, to really carry the look off well.
My mind was changed though when as soon as I began using Urban Decay’s Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette. After playing around with the palette a few times, I discovered a really easy way to create a soft smoky eye look. If you feel challenged by the smoky eye than be sure to click through to see my the full easy smoky eye makeup tutorial to master the look yourself!
Smoky Eye Makeup Look Tutorial
To start, I always like to apply my Urban Decay primer. I always use a primer because I like to ensure that my look will last all day, or all night. There’s nothing more frustrating than being at the office or out for the night and seeing that your makeup has faded or smudged within a few hours!
This primer is their Anti-Aging primer which I use to help fight the signs of aging. While I am still quite young, I have always felt that using products that are made to keep skin youthful are smart to use earlier to protect my skin early on.
Now before we get into the eyeshadow part of this look, I want to list out the shadows so you can see and refer back in order to recreate this look. So from left to right here are the eyeshadows:
THE SHADOWS:
– High: A soft sparkly champagne pink (shimmer finish)
– Dirtysweet: A soft coppery / bronze tone shadow with golden tones. (shimmer finish)
– Radar: A deeper copper / bronze tone with warm golden tones. (shimmer finish)
– Armor: Soft metallic grey shadow (shimmer finish)
– Slanted: A matte gunmetal grey shadow (metallic finish)
– Dagger: A deeper grey shadow with a blue tinge, like a submarine blue colour. (metallic finish)
– Black Market: A deep black shadow. (metallic finish)
– Smolder: Eggplant shadow with subtle shine throughout it. (metallic finish)
– Password: A soft matte brown shadow (matte finish)
– Whiskey: A warm chocolatey brown (matte finish)
– Combust: A matte peach colour (matte finish)
– Thirteen: A matte yellow-toned shadow (matte finish)
This entire eye-shadow look is using my absolute favourite eye shadow palette at the moment, Urban Decay’s Naked Smoky Palette. This palette really has all the shadows you need to create both soft and dramatic looks.
To start, I apply Dirtysweet across my entire eye lid. This colour is a soft coppery / rose gold hue and applies very pigmented so you won’t need to use a lot of product.
For the eye crease colour, I used Whiskey (which is the deep brown eye shadow) and then added in a very small dash of Black Market to deepen the shadow. Using a fluffy eyeshadow brush, I then blended the entire eyeshadow look together.
If you find the crease colour doesn’t blend well, add a bit of Dirtysweet ( the rose-gold / copper shadow we used on the eye-lid) and simply blend it overtop of the dark crease colour to really blend and soften the transition of the lid to crease shadows. If you ever find a colour applies to dark, simply lighten it with another shadow and blend the two together.
To create a brighter and bigger looking eye, highlight the tear duct and brow done with a lighter eye shadow. I applied the shadow called Thirteen in order to create the brighter eye effect. This little trick is one I always turn to on days that I feel I am looking a bit tired.
Taking Whiskey, I then added a defined cat-eye to my upper lid. I love a cat-eye to create a bolder look eye and to make my lashes appear thicker. By using a shadow to create the liner though, you’ll create a slightly softer effect that will blend a bit more into the overall eyeshadow look.
To line your lower lash line, use the dark brown and blend that on the lower lash up to where your crease colour is. By using the brown rather than the black colour, your look will appear less harsh.
If there’s one makeup product I never leave the house without wearing it’s mascara. I currently am using Maybelline’s Volum’ Express Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara. I personally love super long + thick lashes and I have always found that Maybelline mascaras provide this sort of effect. Plus, their prices just can’t be beat.
To complete this look, I’ve used Urban Decay’s Nourishing Lipgloss in FreeStyle. This honey tone lip gloss has beautiful flecks of gold throughout it which really hides the look of dry chapped lips.
Here is the final look:
Products Used:
– Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer Potion
– Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette
– Urban Decay Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss in Freestyle
– Maybelline Push Up Drama Mascara
So, what are your beauty challenges? And what sorts of makeup looks would you like to see next? (Maybe something sparkly?!)
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You look absolutely lovely and I think you did a great job with the eye makeup. I have problems with applying eyeshadows in general, it's better now but it took me over a year of practising everyday. I have this palette but somehow I can't love it….maybe I should try using it again.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
Loved it!! xx
Your eyes and lashes look stunning! The Adored Life
great make-up, sweety!!! xoxo <3
You look so stunning, I love the urban decay eye shadows they are the best!
http://xoxobella.com/
so cute look ; >>
xoxo
i invite to me too
http://www.live-style20.blogspot.com
Such a pretty look. I also love the way your hair is styled! I'm the type of person that wears minimal makeup so I have a hard time trying bolder looks.
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Bree your eyes look incredible. .. I too cannot seem to perfect the smoky eye… I'm going to try it with lighter colors like you suggest. Really great tips and color choices xox ♡
Nice look! That looks like the perfect palette to create so many different smoky eye looks!
The NAKED palette has been on my wish list for ages. What a great tutorial.
http://www.mydailywear.co.uk
It’s such a great palette. Urban Decay’s Naked Smoky Palette is one that I use almost every day, some of the colours are really dark and vampy – but most are easy to wear every day. I love it!