polly esther: everyday smoky eye (an lightly detailed tutorial of sorts)

I set out to make a video tutorial the other day. But about seven minutes in my camera cut off. When I watched back what did record I was really unhappy with the lighting and how everything showed up on camera. I think it just may not be the time to take on the video tutorial endeavor.

But, I really wanted to complete some kind of tutorial for my friend, Misty, who requested a quick, everyday, very wearable smoky eye look.The smoky eye has really grown in popularity. Yet, it can seem a bit intimidating or even overly dramatic. But, it can actually be quite easy and wearable. It’s one of my favorite looks. A smoky eye is not so much about color as it is application. You can have a purple smoky eye or a blue or brown smoky eye. Smoky eyes don’t come in black alone! There are several variations on the smoky eye. But the one I will outline here is one of my favorites – especially for my eye shape. I find it to be pretty quick and therefore a great every day, go-to look.If you find that smoky looks you’ve tried before seem too dramatic when you look in the mirror I think you might be fond of this version. Try some hazy shades of purple or gray. You’ll need two to three shades in the same color family and a neutral highlighting/blending shade similar to your skin tone. In this example I used grays and silvers.1) Apply an eye shadow primer all over your lid and up to your brow. Make sure to add some primer to the corners and a little below the lower lash line.
2) (Hot pink line in photo above) Take your darkest shade of gray and apply it very close to your lash line with a liner or shader brush in a fairly thick line. Don’t worry about being too precise. You’re going to blend as you go.
3) Using a fluffy dome or blending brush apply a small, light amount of the darkest color along the line your applied in Step 2. Feather this color along your lid. But be sure NOT to go above the crease with this color. Blend and feather this color until your lid is covered while leaving the darkest portion along your lashline.
4) (Green line in photo) Using your medium gray shadow blend, in a windshield wiper motion, along your lid just below and into your crease, concentrating the most color in the outer corner of the eye.
5) (White line in photo) Just above the crease blend in your lightest shade of grey, again, in a windshield wiper motion while concentrating the most color in the outer corner of the eye.
6) With a small or pointy crease or liner brush apply the medium gray along your lower lash line stopping about half-way or around the point of your lash line where your lashes begin to thin. Make sure to join this color in the outer corner to the color on your upper lid.
7) (Yellow line in photo) Then apply a neutral toned shadow under the highest point of your eyebrow’s arch and blend out.
8) To brighten the inner corner of your add your neutral tone with a small pointed brush around the tear duct. And join this color under the lower lash line to the medium gray.
9) Using a very pointed pencil liner or a good gel liner with an angled liner brush apply a thin line of black liner very close to the upper lash line.
10) Curl lashes and apply mascara!

EYE PRODUCTS USED
· Urban Decay Primer Potion
· MAC eye shadow in Soot (darkest shade – indicated by the pink line in photo)
· MAC eye shadow in Knight Divine (medium, silvery gray – indicated by green lines in photo and used under lower lash line)
· Bare Escentuals glimmer in Marquise (light silver gray – indicated by white lines in photo)
· MAC eye shadow in Vanilla (skin toned, neutral – indicated by yellow line and used to blend lightest grey and in inner corner of eye and under inner portion of lower lash line)
· MAC Fluidline gel liner in Blacktrack
· Dior Show mascara in black

Optional: if you have smaller eyes and feel like your eyes need something to open them up and make you look wider eyed you can use a white or flesh toned liner to line your water line. But do so carefully and with a clean, newly sharpened pencil liner. I used a Rimmel kohl liner in Pure White and smudged it lightly and very carefully with a CLEAN small liner brush. I smudge this white liner so that it is not so stark white. I've heard great things about Stila Kajal eye liner in the nudge color Topaz .

LIP PRODUCTS USED
· MAC liner in Subculture
· MAC lipstick in Myth
· NARS lipgloss in Turkish Delight

When I wear a darker or a smokier eye I like to wear a light lip to keep the look in balance and keep the attention on the eye.

FACE
· Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Palette cream concealer No. 1
· Bare Escentuals i.d. Prime Time foundation primer
· Bare Escentuals Bare Mineral foundation in Fair
· Bobbi Brown Taupe (for contouring)
· Bare Esentuals Mineral Veil
· MAC sheer tone blush in Dollymix

BRUSHES & TOOLS I USED FOR EYES
· Sonia Kashuk small blending brush
· MAC 222 tapered blending brush
· MAC 219 pencil brush
· Sonia Kashuk small flat shader brush
· Sonia Kashuk fluffy blending brush
· Bare Escentuals full tapered shadow brush
· Sonia Kashuk bent liner brush
· Shu Uemera lash curler

If you're looking for a line of budget friendly brushes to invest in I recommend the Sonia Kashuk line that can be found at Target. Another affordable alternative is the CVS line Essence of Beauty.

Try a smoky eye look soon and let me know what you think! If you have more questions or who like to make a request for another tutorial please leave a comment.