Posts Tagged ‘holiday’

How to do Smoky Eyes for the Holidays

Party season is upon us, and there are multiple occasions for you to try out different looks for yourself. As a fan of drama and glitter and feathers and what not, I kind of adore the sultry look. I’ve been to a few makeup training sessions and the professionals always want to demonstrate the “Smoky Eye”. There’s something ridiculous alluring about all that dark makeup drawing attention to our eyes. It’s an intimidating concept (hence even the pros demanding multiple demos) but with a little practice you’ll get comfortable and figure out the look that works best for you.

1. Prep the area! This is one look you definitely want to stay put. Use a lid primer or even a liquid foundation and follow with a light dusting of your facial powder. This will create a solid base to keep your makeup ravishing.
2. Starting with a lighter base color (shimmery, but not metallic) apply to the middle of the lid from the lash line. Highlight under the eyebrow from arch to outer edge.
   Line around the entire eye with a black eye pencil or use shadow applied with an eye liner brush. Use a q-tip to gently smudge into the lash line and keep everything under control
   Choose your darker color. Blacks, grays, browns, greens, they all work. Be bold! This is where you have options and get to play. Fun!You can apply the darker color to the entire lid area to the crease. Blend into the brow highlighter, hard edges with eye makeup are not cute. Apply a little more shimmery color to the middle of the lid or the inner eye to add glamor. Follow with a couple of coats of black mascara and then smolder away!
3. A little more advanced technique is applying the colors in a v-shape. Apply your shimmer base color. Line the eye area and smudge. Taking the darker shadow start ¾ of the way in along the lash line and extend to the outer eye, thickening the line along the way. With the outer eye representing the point of the “v”, apply the darker color in the crease area. This leaves the inner portion of the lid a lighter color. You could add another color in there if you’re feeling adventurous. Try and keep everything within the same color scheme. Now blend like you’ve never blended before! Follow with mascara.

There are several different patterns you could use. Take a look at magazines and see what those crazy, famous women are up to. There are limitless ways to combine colors and placement to create a look that is distinctly you!

A few tips I’ve learned along the way:

• Press the dark shadows into the skin as opposed to sweeping or brushing it on. This keeps the color where you want it, not flying all over the rest of your face. You can also hold a folded tissue under the eye area. Q-tips are great for tidying and smudging as well.
• Always blend to remove edges, but not to the point where you tone down the color.
• Mascara makes a huge difference. The process can look a little strange until you finish up with the mascara. It completes the look. So be patient.
• Keep the lips in a neutral tone. Focus on one feature to avoid looking clownish

Don’t be intimidated by this look. There’s a reason why it almost never goes out of fashion. The holidays give you the perfect excuse to sparkle and shine, so use it!

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