Perfect the Smoky Eye this Holiday Season
The smoky eye is ultra-chic this holiday season, an elegant way to add the right amount of stylish drama to our look. I recently popped into Diva Salon Spa to be “glammed up” for a holiday party. Not only is Diva’s Aveda makeup line lightweight and fresh but the various pallets of eye shadows suit all skin tones and are very usable to perfect the smoky eye. I typically don’t wear a significant amount of makeup, leaning towards more of a subtle effect. I love how the makeup artist was able to strike the right balance of statement and subtlety. That said, I’m thrilled to share some of Diva’s tips for achieving the smoky eye.
Tip 1:
Once primer and foundation is applied to the face and eyelids, place translucent loose powder below eyes and let it rest there until you complete your smoky eye application. By applying the loose powder you are preventing any “fall out” shadow residue from staining your skin. Begin by applying a dark brown or black eyeliner on the upper lash line. An eye liner pencil is perfect for this application as these soft pencils are easy to smudge and blend. Lightly blend the eyeliner with a Q-Tip or a small blending brush up and out to the outer corners of the eye lid and into the crease.
Tip 2:
Apply the lighter base color (in this photo we used a taupe color) to the entire lid then apply the darker smoky color (dark brown) along the lash line into the crease layering over the eye liner. The key for achieving the smoky eye is blending. Gently blend the two colors together, focusing on the outer crease and the corner of the lower lash line. Lightly blend the colors into the crease and softly towards to the inner corner of the eye.
Tip 3:
Don’t forget to highlight your eyes! It’s all about the pop and so important to find the perfect lighter shade in your color palette to brighten your eyes. Apply the highlighting shadow to the inner corners of your lids and along the brow bone. Use a blending brush to soften out any harsh lines/edges; the more you blend the less dramatic the effect will be.
Tip 4:
Fill in your brows. Choose a matte eye shadow color that matches your natural brow color. Use an angle brush to define the shape intended then fill in the brow. Comb the shadow through using a brow brush. It’s all about bushy and intense eyebrows this season!
Tip 5:
With a powder brush remove the translucent powder that was applied under the eyes at the start of the application. Using a small shadow or angle brush apply the taupe eye shadow to define the lower lash line. Finish your look by adding two coats of mascara. Smoky eyes can be paired with a fun lip color or a simple lip gloss. And there you have it, the perfect smoky eye!
