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We see the look on the red carpet and in the magazines, but how can us “normal” women create that amazing smokey eye? It’s actually very simple. Try experimenting with color when doing your smokey eye. A common misconception is that a smokey eye is only done with black, but it can be done with blues, gold tones, purples, or whatever color strikes you. Have fun with it! 

Step-by-Step Makeup Tips for Creating Smoky Eyes

Getting the eyelid ready : When you apply eye shadow, you want the color to “stick” and not melt away into your eyelid creases as the day goes on. To avoid this you can use an eye shadow base or primer to keep your eyelids oil-free before applying eye make-up. 

Light Shadow : With a soft brush, apply the lighter of your two shadows to your eyelids - lay it on thick because it makes it easier to add the darker color; you’ll also have more to blend with (it helps if your lighter color is close to a skin-tone so it won’t appear to heavy). 

Apply Eyeliner : Once you have applied the base to your eye lid, you are ready for eyeliner. Apply above the upper lash line, drawing the line thicker in the middle of eye. For smaller eyes, stop line half-way to two-thirds of the way across the lid. If you have large eyes, you can extend the line almost to the inner corner of your eye. Then blend to remove the hard edge of the line. 

Dark Shadow : Use a liner brush (It should be flat and slim, approximately ¾in wide) and go over the liner with your darker eye shadow. Blend so that it is very smudgy and only leaves a dark shadow effect - no hard lines! As you apply the darker shade, it should stretch across the lid, just shy of where your eyeliner ends. 

Blending : Now that you have got your darker shade towards the bottom of your eyelid (and plenty of the lighter shade as a base to work with), you can blend more dark in, but keep it below the crease. Brush up from the lash line, blending in small strokes and gradually blend the dark color into the light base. Careful not to add too much dark all at once. Keep going until you’ve achieved your look - make sure both eyes match. 

Mascara : The final touch is mascara - a couple coats. Use an eyelash curler for a more dramatic look. HINT: you can get better results from a lash curler by using your hairdryer on it for a few seconds to heat it up (the curling iron effect), but be sure to test it against the palm of your hand before curling - nothing worse than a burnt eyeball! 

Eye shadow is perhaps the most beloved cosmetic of creative makeup artists. Since eyes is the most important focal point of the face, the eye makeup techniques and choice of colors for eyeshadow should suit the shape and color of your eyes. You are excited because you have just purchased a new eye shadow palette but you are not sure how to apply them. You have applied eye shadow before and have read various articles with tips on how to apply but you’re still clueless. A quick eye shadow 101 lesson on which brushes to use and how to apply will help take out the guesswork and mystery. The most important trick to keep in mind is that the light colors highlight the spots while dark colors tame them down. The first step in applying the eyeshadow is to apply a neutral concealer that matches your skin tone on the eyelid and then sweep the lightest shade over the entire area from the lash line to the brow line to create the smudge resistant base. Apply the medium shade on the lower lid and blend it into your base shade. A third color can also be added along the lash line and outer corner of the eyes as an accent to create the depth in eyes.

The other tips that you can use are:
Blondes with blue eyes should opt for browns and taupes while those with green eyes can go for soft mauves and lilacs. Blue eyeshadow should only be worn only if you either have fair skin, black or platinum hair and brown or gray eyes or very dark skin. Don’t match your shadow with your eyes or your clothes so that attention remains with your eyes and not your makeup! Emphasizing the inner corner of the eyes to make them look closer to each other. This can be done by applying a neutral base color over the whole eye and then dust a medium color on the inner half of the eyelid and blend it outward. You can then use eyeliner to line the lid from the inner corner of the eye to the middle and blend it outward.
For day makeup, base color and mascara are the only things you need to wear for eyes.
High quality powder eyeshadows can be used wet for heavier application by dampening your applicator a little. Lighter shadows help the bigger while darker shades make them look smaller. For bigger eyes, sweep a light shade over lid and darker shade on the outer corner of the lid and the crease. Outline the eyes using the eyeliner on the outer side of upper and lower lids while tapering a bit on the outside the eye to elongate it. Dab a white or cream shadow in the middle of the brow bone as a last step. Neutral shades like browns and beiges look natural while brighter shades like blue and green look dramatic and artificial. On mature skin and puffy eyelids, avoid using iridescent, frosted, light colors and white eyeshadows and opt for soft matte colors instead. Only use cream eyeshadows that do not cause creasing upon application and should be coordinated with powder shadows that are to be used on top of them. They should be applied using fingertips. Sweep a light or medium-tone shade on the lid and slightly darker shade above the eye crease to downplay the brow bone. Eyeliner should be thick in the middle of the eye and tapering at both ends. Add light highlighter to brow bone.

To add definition to your eyelids, apply a medium-toned shade across the lid and brow bone and dust the under brow area with a light highlighter shade. Use a very fine pencil liner of natural color to line the upper and lower lash lines. To glamorize eyes for night outs, add shimmer to highlight your eyes. To lift up tired eyes extend the color from the outer corner of the lid upwards to give them a feline shape. A light highlighter on the brow bone without the eyeliner brightens up the eyes. Concentrate mascara on the inner corner of the eye. To make them look wider apart, keep the inside corners of the eyes lighter than the outer edges. Apply concealer one shade lighter than your skin at the inner corner of the lids and the sides of your nose and blend it well. Use a matte medium to dark eyeshadow and stroke it outward and slightly upward from middle of the lid to its outer half. Use the eyeliner a bit in from the inner corner of the eye and make the line tapering up and out a bit past the outer corner of the eyes.