Smoky Eyes

Smoky Eyes

 Photography: Fredrik,

Hair: Alvaro at Nicky Clarke, Mount Street, London.  (http://www.NickyClarke.com),

Clothes: Styled by Janne Gron,

Model: Agyness Deyn at Select (http://www.SelectModel.com)

Photography: Lee Gillies (http://www.LeeGillies.com)

Hair: Magdalena Tucholska (http://www.ModelMayhem.com/706496)

Clothes: Designed by Fannie Schiavoni (http://www.ModelMayhem.com/681437 & http://www.MySpace.com/FannieSchiavoni), shown at a fashion show at London Swatch Alternative Fashion Week, April 2008.

Model: Bernadette Vong (http://www.ModelMayhem.com/375775 & http://www.MySpace.com/Burny_MySpace)
  

Before making up the eyes, cleanse and moisturise the face, and then apply foundation, concealer and powder.  (Make sure that you cover dark under-eye circles with concealer, and then powder the eyelids to set the concealer, and to get the eyeshadow to last longer).

Next apply some loose face powder below the eyes, (so that any dark eyeshadow that falls below the eyes doesn't mark the skin below the eyes, but just accumulates on top of the loose powder under the eyes, and can be brushed away with the powder, using a powder brush, once you've completed the eyeshadows).

Apply white (for fair skin) or ivory (for dark skin) eyeshadow to the brow bones right up to the eyebrows, using a large eyeshadow brush.  The light colour eyeshadow on the brow bones will act as a highlighter.

Then pencil over the eyebrows, using an eyebrow pencil matched to the colour of the eyebrows, to get the eyebrows symmetrical to each other, and then brush the eyebrows in an upwards and outwards direction, using an eyebrow brush.

Using a small thin-tipped eyeshadow brush apply dark grey/dark brown eyeshadow all over the top eyelids, from the upper lash lines up just higher than the socket lines, and then line under the lower lash lines with the same dark eyeshadow, (as in the first photo above). 

Alternatively, apply eyeshadow in a colour such as light grey/black/white/ivory/silver/gold/copper/purple to the top eyelids as far up as the socket lines, using a small thin-tipped eyeshadow brush.  Then apply dark grey/dark brown eyeshadow to and just higher than the socket lines of the top eyelids to contour them, and then line under the lower lash lines with the same dark grey/dark brown eyeshadow, using a small thin-tipped eyeshadow brush, (as in the second photo above).

Using an eyeshadow blending brush, blend the dark eyeshadow, to soften it where it ends on the upper eyelids, so that it gradually blends out into the white/ivory eyeshadow above it.  Blend the dark eyeshadow at the outer corners of the eyes, so that it creates a softened rounded effect around the eyes.

Make sure that the eyeshadow is the same on each eye, so that the eyes look symmetrical.

You don't just have to create smoky eyes using eyeshadows in dark greys or dark browns as I suggested, you can also create them using eyeshadows in other dark colours such as navy, indigo, dark moss green, and midnight purple.

You can highlight the inner corners of the eyes (as in the second photo above), by painting them with a bright colour eyeshadow such as silver/copper/gold/white/ivory/bright blue/bright green/bright purple.  Apply it to the inner corners of the upper and lower eyelids, using a small eyeshadow brush for precision.

If the eyes are large/wide, and you wish to make them appear more mysterious or smouldering, apply black/dark grey/dark brown kohl pencil to the inner rims of the lower eyelids.

If on the other hand the eyes are small, and you wish to make them appear wider, apply white/ice pink kohl pencil to the inner rims of the lower eyelids.

Once you've finished applying the eyeshadows (and kohl pencil), brush the loose powder away from under the eyes (which any fallen flecks of eyeshadow will have accumulated on), using outward brushstrokes, with a large powder brush.

Then apply a few coats of black/brown-black mascara to both top and bottom eyelashes, and then comb through them with an eyelash comb.

Black false eyelashes can be stuck on too, as they go well with this type of make-up.

If you wear pale lipstick with these "smoky eyes", the eyes will dominate your look, which is a good technique for bringing the focus to striking eyes, as well as for creating a grungy look.  For a more glamorous look, team these "smoky eyes" with bright red lipstick (as in the first photo above).