Hey all! I’ve decided that it’s high time for a smoky eye tutorial on this blog. Unfortunately I don’t actually get out all that much, so when I finally had an opportunity at my going away party, I decided to take pictures of the more dramatic eye makeup for the evening. I don’t do smoky eyes during the day because I find them too intense, but this look hung on all night and was pretty fabulous. Read on for details on the makeup!

I used my Naked3 palette again for this one, but before you get salty about it, know that my resources were limited from moving. I also think it is realistic to think that a regular makeup user has one big palette to use tops so it isn’t that crazy. I started by putting some tape on my eyes starting from the bottom lash line and angling up next to my eyebrow’s end. I only use this strategy when I’m doing a bold look and need a little extra help keeping it neat. I would recommend putting the tape on your wrist first to reduce stickiness and keep from hurting your eye skin. I put the color Mugshot all over my lid and then Darkside in my crease to begin. Mugshot is a pretty shimmery brown and Darkside is a matte gray.

The true smokiness in this look is created by the color Blackheart, which I put in my outer corners. When working with a very black color like this one, I would recommend going very slow and patting in a little bit of color at a time. I used Darkside to blend the places where the black was too harsh and then added more color in the center parts. The tape helps a lot with fallout in this step.

Next I added a black winged eyeliner to pull the look together. The tape really helps during this part to keep the eyeliner looking flawless. I took the tape off after this part and as you can see, it leaves an almost unnaturally neat line.

For the final step I used a clean brush to smudge the outside edges and make the line less neat. I also added the color Strange in the inner corners and as a brow highlight. Finally I added a nice thick coat of mascara. You might need to dab a bit more of the original eyelid color on at the end in case it was blended away. After that you have finished the look!

I finished my face with a more intense blush because the dark shadow can leave you looking a bit dead. I used the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blushing Bride. I used my MAC Viva Glam V for my lipstick as the final touch.

I hope this tutorial helps you construct your best smoky eye for a night out! It is definitely easier than you think. Remember, less is always more with this look! Check it out below!

-Kate