The smoky eye is one of the most classic eye looks because it looks good on everyone and it’s seasonless! You don’t have to think black when it comes to the smoky eye, you can also achieve the look with purple, bronze, grey, green, blue, silver, etc.

The most simple way to create a smoky eye is to line your eyes with a dark eyeliner pencil (black, bronze, purple, green, whatever color you choose) and then smudge the line upwards with either a eyeshadow brush like MAC#214, a Q-tip or the tip of a makeup sponge. Follow with two to three coats of mascara.

To get a bit fancy with it, you’ll need to layer your products for the boldest, longest-lasting smoky eye. Start out by applying an eyeshadow base like Urban Decay Primer Potion all over the eyes. Next apply a matte eyeshadow closest to your skin tone all over the eye. After that layer a shimmery eyeshadow color similar to the matte one just on the lid and on the brow bone. Then take your main smoky color and with a thick eyeshadow brush like MAC#217 and apply it in a V shape to the outer corners of the eye and in the crease. Be sure to blend the shadow carefully so that there are no harsh lines where the different colors meet. Then line eyes with black eyeliner. Last, curl lashes and apply a lash primer (if needed) then apply two to three coats of mascara. As with any eye look, if your eyes are small or close-set, do not line all the way into the inner corners with a dark liner or shadow. Doing so will make your eyes appear even smaller and more close-set. Instead line the inner corners with a pale gold or silver liner or shadow.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to the smoky eye. I advise beginners to start out with the quick and easy eyeliner type of smoky eye technique I described above and then work your way up to the more advanced techniques.

Unless you work in a creative environment, I suggest leaving the darker smoky eye looks for night time. For the day time, go for lighter smoky eyes done in brown or bronze colors with a light application.

Tools of the Trade:

(from left to right, starting at top) YSL Eyeshadow Duo $41; bare Minerals Tutorials: Rocker Eyes $38; bare Minerals Tutorials-Lesson 1: Smoky Eye $32; Sephora Smoky Eyes Palette $38.

(from left to right) MAC #217 Blending Brush $22.50; MAC #214 Short Shader Brush $23.00; MAC #275 Medium Angled Shader Brush $24.50; MAC #224 Tapered Blending Brush $28.00

(if your short on cash, check out the Flirt collection at Kohl’s or the Sonia Kashuk collection at Target for pretty decent makeup brushes)

More Smoky Eyeshadows (from MAC):
Carbon
Electra
Humid
Deep Truth
Shadowy Lady
Bronze
Contrast
Twinks
Knight Devine
Typographic
Beautiful Iris
Cranberry
Beauty Marked
Nocturnelle
Sable
Mulch