Smokey eye makeup: how to do it, makeup artist tips

Smokey eye makeup for blue eyes is a spectacular addition to everyday and festive looks. It refreshes, corrects facial features, disguises drooping eyelids, and emphasizes the expressiveness of the gaze. Mastering the smoky shading technique will allow you to look luxurious at any age. The main thing is to choose the right color palette for the appropriate situation, skin color and hair shade.

About the popular smokey eye technique

The smoky eyes style emerged in the 20s of the 20th century during the advent of silent films. It was used to embody dramatic images, adding mystery and charm to the look. The technique is based on shading shadows with a smooth transition of shades of the same color scheme. This creates a “smoky effect” that gives the look expressiveness and sexuality.

Initially, such makeup was used for filming and photo shoots. It soon became popular when creating makeup for special occasions. Later, the technique was adapted for everyday life, using a palette of soft shades. This type of makeup is preferred by many owners of blue, brown, and gray eyes. Among them are Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham, Rita Orta, Isa Anokhina. It goes well with any type of haircut and hairstyle - bob, bob, pixie, cascade, Italian and others.

General rules for creating smoky makeup for blue-eyed ladies:

do not use black shadows during the day: the image created with their help will look defiant and will highlight possible skin imperfections;
correctly design the area where cosmetics are applied: in evening makeup, shadows under the eyebrows are acceptable, but during the day such an image looks vulgar;
the color palette should be chosen according to the principle - the lighter the hair and skin color, the lighter the shade of the shadows used should be;
For blondes, it is advisable to replace black mascara with brown;
avoid clear lines: shades of shadows should smoothly transition into each other.

In the evening, you can use a more saturated palette. At the same time, novice makeup artists should take into account that in the smoky technique the emphasis is on the eyes. Makeup looks impressive only on well-groomed skin.

It should be healthy and clean, without rashes or clogged pores. Care is provided by a properly selected diet and selection of cosmetics to cleanse, nourish, and moisturize the epidermis.

Preparatory activities

Makeup in a similar style can often be seen in pictures and photos of stars in magazines. In order to repeat the success of makeup artists, you should master the technique and select high-quality cosmetics. Before following the step-by-step instructions for smokey eyes for blue eyes, you need to prepare:

foundation for your skin type, concealer, powder;
lipstick or lip gloss in soft shades;
blush in delicate tones;
soft pencil khol based on soot and plant antiseptics;
eyebrow pencil;
Mascara;
a palette of shadows (preferably loose, matte, which will ensure high-quality shading);
base for the shadows.

The secret of a high artistic level smokey eye is the use of high-quality tools. To apply textures, use a soft bristle brush with a rounded tip. When working with shadows, you need a flat brush made of natural materials. Shading should be done using a barrel brush with a round tip. It should be soft, loose and elastic. The distribution of the kajal pencil should be done with a thick brush. High-quality instruments are produced by NYX, Zoreya, MAC, Rio, Zoeva, OVS.

What not to do

When creating a composition in the smokey eye style, girls must adhere to the following rules and restrictions:

You should not use gray-blue shades in smokey eyes, as they will make the eyes less expressive;
refuse to use green shades - shadows and eyeliner of this shade will make your look dull;
avoid using a large amount of pink eye shadow;
Do not use bright lipstick colors, otherwise there is a risk of getting a vulgar composition;
When creating a daytime look, it is not recommended to make arrows that are too bold.

Smokey eye makeup is perfect for girls with blue-gray eyes. With the help of such makeup you can make any image more stylish and expressive. The main thing is to choose the right color scheme for cosmetics and strictly adhere to the technique of applying it.

Selection of shadow palette

Correctly selected shadows reveal the magnetism of blue eyes. The classic smokey is done in gray tones, but other shades are also allowed. Many blue-eyed girls and women mistakenly choose blue tones for makeup. If handled ineptly, this complex color makes makeup unnatural and sometimes vulgar. The palette of blue shades for blue-eyed ladies is revealed only with the help of professional makeup artists. When planning your own makeup, it is better to focus on universal shades.

For a smoky makeup look, you should stock up on an eyeshadow palette of three or more tones that are in harmony with each other. Their combination will achieve a hazy effect. You can use 3 colors at the same time:

the first is the lightest, will cover the inner corners of the eye and part of the eyelid;
the second is darker, will provide a smooth transition from light to dark;
the third is the most saturated, emphasizing the depth of the look.

Makeup for work, evening, holiday

The selection of shades depends on the situation. For an everyday look, gold, sand, brown, plum, and pink shadows are suitable for blue eyes. It is desirable that they be matte and translucent. Shades of white gold, pearl, and beige are considered universal.

In smokey eye makeup for gray-blue eyes, you can use green shades, which reveal their beauty in contrast with the iris. Those with a light blue iris can use lilac shades with light mother-of-pearl. In this case, the inner corners of the eyes are decorated in light colors.

Evening smoky makeup opens up many possibilities for blue-eyed fashionistas. You can create a deep, piercing look using black, steel, purple, and charcoal shades. For a festive look, golden and silver shadows (in moderation) are suitable.

Matching the color type

The choice of colors for smokey makeup depends not only on the shade of the iris. Owners of fair skin, ashy, light brown and blond hair can use lavender, pearl-cream, steel, silver shadows, as well as a dark gray or anthracite pencil in makeup. More expressive makeup can be done using chocolate and golden shadows, black graphite pencil and mascara.

Brown-haired women and those with red hair should choose warm shades of eyeshadow. The eyes will become brighter when framed in bronze, golden, coffee, and beige tones. You can experiment with a golden-olive palette. Brunettes with fair skin should avoid shades of burgundy, brown and gold, which look good in tandem with a tan. A universal solution is eyeshadow in lavender and gray shades. To create a bright image, turquoise tones are suitable. To avoid the doll effect, blue shades should not be used.

Features of daytime makeup

To get a harmonious composition, it is very important to choose the right shadows. For those with gray-blue eyes, golden or silver tones are suitable. You can also choose purple or pink shades. In this case, pink can be used exclusively for the base. If it stands out too much, the composition may not be very attractive.

Also an excellent option would be a smokey eye, made in turquoise colors. For those with gray-blue eyes, sea green makeup is perfect. Such colors can give the look extraordinary expressiveness.

For daytime makeup, you should choose a gray pencil or eyeliner. If you are planning a walk in the park or relaxing with friends, it is recommended to give preference to blue and turquoise tones. In this case, the mascara must be black. Since the purpose of this makeup is to focus on the eyes, you should choose a fairly light lipstick - peach or apricot tones are ideal. Pale pink shades are also an excellent solution.

Step-by-step instruction

Smokey eye lessons for blue eyes will make it easy to master the technique and teach you how to apply makeup correctly. By following the sequence of actions, you can accurately calculate how much time it will take to do makeup and include it in your daily routine. To create a unique image, you should proceed in stages:

work in front of a mirror well illuminated from all sides or in natural light;
prepare the skin of the face - apply a primer, adjust the tone using a corrector or concealer;
draw the cheekbones (transitions should be smooth and imperceptible);
shape your eyebrows.

After the basic preparation, you can start decorating the eyes. To do this, it is advisable to follow a certain sequence:

Apply an eye shadow base or a thin layer of foundation to the eyelid area;
powder the treated area;
draw an arrow with a pencil, thickening it towards the outer side of the eyelid, shade it well;
decorate the inner corners and the area under the eyebrows with the lightest shade of eyeshadow;
Instead of shading, apply a darker shade of colored eyeshadow (from the selected three);
put the darkest shadows (out of the three selected) on the moving eyelid;
blend to create smooth transitions;
the most intense dark color should be in the eyelash area;
highlight the lower eyelid and outer corners of the eyes with dark shadows;
apply mascara;
decorate lips in beige or pale pink tones.

For greater lightness, makeup artists use an original technique: before applying a dark layer of shadows, they use shimmering shadows on the eyelids. In this case, the look becomes more mysterious. The main thing is to shade the shadows well and avoid clear transitions.

Examples of daytime makeup

Classic smoky makeup based on a gray palette works well for blondes and brunettes with blue eyes. Depending on the intensity of the color scheme and the addition of shimmer and mother-of-pearl, it can be everyday, festive, or wedding. Eye makeup should be done in this order:

prepare the skin, apply an eyeshadow base;
Using a large flat brush, place gray shadows on the moving eyelid, powder them on the pencil line under the lower eyelashes;
distribute beige shadows along the contour of the orbital arc using a fluffy brush;
brighten the inner corners of the eyes and the area under the eyebrow using light satin shadows that add shine but are not shiny;
shade the borders, creating a haze effect;
shape eyelashes (curl and apply mascara).

This kind of makeup will provide a mysterious look. In many ways, it resembles the makeup of oriental beauties, but has a simpler technique.

How to make a smokey eye for gray eyes

Creating makeup for gray eyes in the “smoky” style with your own hands is not so difficult - there is a detailed step-by-step algorithm.

Facial skin preparation

Makeup for gray eyes

First of all, the facial skin in the area to be painted should be prepared. It must be thoroughly cleaned for better pigment application; any foam or light lotion will do.

Additional Information. When using this technique, bruises under the eyes threaten to turn into a “panda” effect, so they need to be disguised with a light concealer.

After washing and applying foundation or makeup base, tinting uneven areas and defects, the working surface should be matte, without any excess shine.

Applying eye shadow in the crease of the eyelid

The first layer of primer is applied to the moving eyelid, which ensures an even application of cosmetics. The fold between the brow bone and the upper eyelid is highlighted with brown shades (a mandatory condition is matte), this technique allows you to open up your eyes and emphasize the expressiveness of the gray iris. To apply shadows into the crease of the eyelid, use a special blending brush.

Applying eye shadow to the crease of the eyelid

Applying shadows to the moving eyelid

For the classic “smoky eye” option, use black eyeshadow. Using a flat brush, using movements reminiscent of patting, the cosmetic product is “hammered” into the surface of the moving eyelid: from the line where the eyelashes begin to grow to the edge of the skin. It is recommended to slightly extend the application area beyond the outer corner of the eye.

The main point of the technique is the careful shading of all boundaries. Along the edge of the eyelids (in the direction from the outer part of the eye to the inner) “intermediate” shades of shadows are applied: bronze, violet, brown or even gray. They are shaded with a large fluffy brush. You should monitor the thickness of the line and carefully “blur” the boundaries of shadows of different shades to create the effect of a smooth transition.

The brown or gray pearlescent color of the palette emphasizes the hazy effect. An intermediate color of cosmetics is applied under the eyelashes on the lower part of the eyes. A less dark (even light) shade of shadow is applied to the inner corner of the eyes, and is also distributed along the brow area.

Tinting the mucous membrane

The spaces between the eyelashes (top and bottom) are carefully painted over with a pencil or kajal for smokey eyes (it is softer). It also shades the mucous membrane of the lower and upper eyelids.

Black kajal for eyeliner

The line should be made as thick as possible. It doesn’t have to be drawn out very evenly (beginners don’t have to worry here), because then you still need to shade it with a barrel brush, thereby turning it into a “smoky” one.

Important! This operation must be performed as quickly as possible so that the pencil does not have time to harden on the skin.

The final movement of this stage will be the application of shining shadows or highlighter to the corners inside the eyes, which will “open up” the look and make the image complete.

Applying mascara to eyelashes

At the end of applying makeup using this technique, it is necessary to color the eyelashes, while applying a couple of layers of mascara to the upper ones, and just one to the lower ones (otherwise the look will turn out to be too “doll-like”). It is better to stick with black mascara, but ladies with light brown hair can experiment with a brown tint. With a brush you can press down a little, as if to “flatten” the eyelashes, which will visually give them more volume. Remains of shadows and mascara are brushed off the cheekbones with a special large soft brush.

Eyebrow dyeing

Lastly, eyebrows are shaped. With bright makeup in the “smoky eye” style, it is enough to just highlight them slightly. The hair must be shaped correctly and evenly, combed with a brush, and the area under the bottom line emphasized with concealer or a light pencil. The brow ridge itself is highlighted with a brown or black eyebrow tinting agent. The look becomes more open.

Evening makeup for blue-eyed ladies

Smoky makeup allows you to create fatal evening and looks. A gray-black color scheme and a purple palette are suitable for its implementation. You should choose long-lasting cosmetics that will not let you down during a date or dancing. Description of the evening smokey eye makeup technique step by step for blue eyes:

prepare the skin of the face, apply base or foundation, blush;
cover the moving eyelid with a base for shadows;
to maintain the matte effect, powder the treated area;
draw arrows with a soft black pencil;
shade the lines with a brush, which will create a blurred effect and a smooth gradient;
cover the moving eyelid with shadows of three complementary shades, with the condition that the darkest tone is used for the eyelashes, and the lightest one is used under the eyebrows and in the inner corners;
decorate the upper edges of the lower eyelids with the darkest of the selected shades;
use black eyeliner to color the space in the lower eyelids;
color, comb and curl eyelashes;
put beige or light pink gloss on your lips.

In evening makeup, it is permissible to use sparkles or mother-of-pearl along the lower edge of the eyelids (carnival version). A more expressive hazy effect can be achieved by using only matte shadows.

Types of smokey eyes

The beauty industry does not stand still, developing rapidly and introducing novelty into seemingly already finely honed skills.
Likewise, the classic smokey eye makeup technique has been supplemented with very interesting options over time and with the advent of many different decorative cosmetics. Let's find out more about them: Classic smoky eyes with a pencil are a bright makeup option that requires a soft, bold eyeliner. It serves as an excellent base as it shades very well. Subsequently, the pencil is fixed with shadows. Thus, the makeup is not only bright, but also long-lasting. The classic solution is black smokey eyes. A modern variation of the pencil technique for creating such makeup involves using more shadows than a pencil.
Makeup artists use at least three related shades that are in harmony with each other. At the same time, the border between light shadows and dark shadows is carefully shaded, giving the eyes the necessary relief, volume and depth. Also, over time, the color palette of shadows for creating smokey eyes has expanded immensely. Therefore, now, wherever you go, you have the opportunity to choose smoky makeup for every taste and for any event:

for example, for work or a business meeting, you can choose a daytime version made in beige and brownish tones;

An elegant variation for going to a restaurant is the evening version, made in black, gray or graphite tones, possibly with the addition of mother-of-pearl accents;]

and if you are planning one of the most exciting events in your life, well-executed smoky eyes in a color palette that suits you will be an excellent option for wedding makeup;

If you are heading to a club, a party or a bright photo shoot and are not afraid of experiments, you can try colored smokey eyes. At your disposal are green, purple, blue, pink, gold shades. But you can also make multi-colored smokey eyes or a bold fiery red haze. Look at the photo - there are so many variations! lovers of expressive “cat eyes” in makeup will love smokey eye makeup with arrows.

Summer make-up

The warm season is best for experimenting with colors in makeup. Against the background of tanned skin, the azure look is especially expressive. A skillfully made blue smokey eye will highlight their beauty. It will require a palette of lush green (mint), bright yellow and light brown shades.

A green tint is applied to the upper eyelid. The inner corners of the eyes are covered with a light yellow color. Brown strokes are drawn above the moving eyelid and along the lower border. Transitions are carefully shaded to achieve a light, carefree look. For the evening, draw arrows using shiny golden eyeliner. With their help, the look becomes expressive and the image becomes unusual.

Advice from professionals

Beauty industry specialists have secrets that allow you to transform a woman’s appearance in a matter of minutes. In their work, they are helped by experience, the ability to accurately determine the type of appearance and decide which palette to use in a particular situation. Tips from makeup artists will help beginners who want to master the smoky eyes technique at home:

when creating makeup, it is important to take into account the skin tone: brightly painted eyes will stand out unnaturally against the background of a light face, in this case, coal-black and graphite shades should be avoided;
beautiful shimmering shadows applied in the corners of the eyes and under the eyebrows “open the eyes” (a similar technique is used in the evening and for special occasions);
owners of narrow eyes should not draw a line under the lower eyelid: the use of shaded shadows in this area will give greater expressiveness to the look.

To create a spectacular smokey, blue-eyed girls do not have to be professionals. Success will be ensured by high-quality cosmetics and tools, familiarity with makeup schemes, as well as strict adherence to step-by-step instructions.

Beautiful photos of a successful Smokey Eye

Initially, this makeup technique was used to create images of fatal beauties.

Example of Smokey Eyes for a femme fatale

When using greenish shades of eyeshadow, the bright color of the brown iris becomes especially noticeable.

Lucky Green Smokey Eyes

The “haze” on the eyes can be not only black or brown, but also soft pink, which gives the image softness and charm.

Smokey eyes in pink tones

Smokey eyes, or “smoky eyes,” are a classic and very effective makeup technique that is quite easy to master by following the instructions. Its main rules are a smooth gradient transition of tones and careful shading. Everyday “haze” can be done yourself at home; makeup for a special event is better left to a professional.