A soft & smokey eye

next
September Beauty Favorites + A Magazine Feature

makeupfor1

I tend to stay in my little box when it comes to makeup. And I’m not typically very experimental when it comes to new eye makeup looks. On a daily basis, you can find me with a mix of soft browns, black liner, and plenty of mascara for eye makeup. If I’m doing something fancy, I may add a flick of liquid liner to the edges of my lids to create a bit of a cat eye. If I want a really smokey eye, I’ll layer on the grey shadow, and add a bit of heavier liner to my lower lash line.

And those a pretty much the three looks that I’m most comfortable doing.

Sometimes, though, I want a little bit more of an interesting eye (especially with my new found interest in nude lips), but I don’t want to always default to a smokey eye.

So I tried a soft version of a smokey eye. And I have to say, I really liked it! I didn’t feel overly “done up” for the day, and could have easily lined my inner rim to make it a bit more fancy for evening.

I love, love, love my Make Up For Ever concealer, but had never really ventured into many of their other products. I know their HD Microfinish Powder is a cult favorite, but somehow I missed out on tossing it into my basket at Sephora.

So I was thrilled when they approached me about working together on a make up look featuring their new shadows. Choosing the colors I wanted to experiment with was the hardest part!

Here is what I chose:

colors1

 Gunmetal, Pearly Grey Beige, Vanilla, Pink Ivory, Crystalline Grey Beige, Cement

Below is the step by step of how I created the soft, smokey eye.

1. Start with a bit of eyeshadow primer on your lids.

1

1. Using a Make Up For Ever Shader brush, press Vanilla all over my lid and up to my brows.

2

2. Using the same brush, swipe Pearly Grey Beige all over the lid (excluding the brow bone area).

3

3. With a smaller brush, like the Make Up For Ever small shader brush, press Cement into the crease and outer corner.

4

4. Add a strong line of liquid liner to the top lash line using Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in Diamond Multi Color Black

5

5. To soften the boldness of the liner, I like to swipe a bit of lighter shadow just above the line using a small angled brush. In this case, I dipped my Make Up For Ever Straight brush in Vanilla, and swiped it right above the liner.

7

6. For just a bit of shadowing along the lower lash line, use Make Up For Ever Straight brush and press on a bit of Gunmetal.

8

7. Curl lashes with a curler and apply a few coats of the seriously lengthening Smoky Lash mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

9

10

What I love about Cement is that it’s almost a perfect mix of grey and blue. It’s a bit more interesting than just a flat grey, without being too colorful and intense. This would also be beautiful all across the lid for a really smokey eye!

face1

Adding Vanilla right above the dark liner goes a long way in creating the “soft” smokey eye. It’s not too intense for daytime, but can easily be darkened up for something fancy!

12

*this post is in collaboration with Make Up For Ever

comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Courtney @ titus2minutes says · 10.06.14

This is so helpful! I almost never wear eyeshadow because I don’t know how to do it. Thanks for this! It looks lovely!

Reply
Kristen says · 10.06.14

Absolutely LOVE it. I need to try something new with my eye shadows. I might have to try this!

Reply
Diana Maria says · 10.06.14

Great tutorial, thanks!

Reply
Sammy says · 10.06.14

This looks so lovely for every day wear, I tend to stick to warmer colours but adding the grey in gives it a little depth. I tend to wear just mascara for work though, I’d rather look ill than get up early to do a full eye in the morning!

Sammy xo.

littlefickleblog.blogspot.com

Reply
Megan @ Never Finished says · 10.06.14

Very pretty look! So wearable, too. I haven’t tried any of Make Up For Ever’s eyeshadows but that cement color is so perfect- you showed how it can be worn for daytime beautifully, and I can just imagine the intense nighttime looks I could use it for!

Great step-by-step photos, by the way.
🙂

Reply
Angela says · 10.06.14

This looks really pretty. I love all the colors. I would have never thought to soften the liner by putting a lighter shadow above it, looks great! Thanks for the tips.
http://palsywalsyblog.blogspot.ca/

Reply
Stefanie says · 10.06.14

Love this tutorial! I like how Cement doesn’t look as dark on you as it does in the palette–that would have deterred me from buying it. You look lovely!!! Thanks for the this tutorial.

Reply
Brandi says · 10.06.14

I recently found the Make Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Concealer at Sephora and took a sample home. I LOVE IT! And just ran out so I need to buy a full size. Also the Make Up Forever Smokey Extravagant mascara, which I got a sample of through Birchbox or ordering online at Sephora, is really great. My lashes are really long and I have problems with them sticking together when I blink with some mascaras. I’ve not had that problem with this. And since they are long, but not thick this mascara works really well for me.

Reply
Sarah says · 10.06.14

The eyes looks lovely, however, I am more intrigued by that lovely navy nail polish. What brand and color is it?

Reply
Katie says · 10.06.14

This looks beautiful! I’d love to try these colors, but Makeup For Ever still tests on animals and I can’t bring myself to buy anything that’s tested on animals.

I bet I can recreate this look with Urban Decay or Tarte shadows, though! Thanks for the tips 🙂

Reply
Ashley says · 10.08.14

Urban Decay is owned by L’Oreal. While Urban Decay doesn’t test on animals, L’Oreal does. I am not sure about Tarte.

Reply
Jennifer says · 10.06.14

Kate, your eyes look AMAZING with the blue/grey color- they just pop!!! I’m also loving your nail polish- could you share the color/brand? Thanks!

Reply
Nikki says · 10.06.14

Love this look! It looks almost exactly what I achieve using Mary Kay creme eye shadows in metallic taupe and beach blonde (I think that’s their names!).

Reply
Adriana Morales says · 10.06.14

Thanks! I get to play around with this on Thursday night and perhaps if I do it like this wear it for my birthday dinner Friday and this entire weekend : )

Reply
Emily says · 10.06.14

Hi I love your blog and I just started my own beauty blog and it would mean so much to me if you could check it out 🙂 http://emilys-beauty-diary.blogspot.com

Reply
Jenny Loo says · 10.06.14

Animal testing is disgusting. Why do you promote this kind of a company Kate?! Very very disappointed.

Reply
Isabelle says · 10.07.14

Why?
Because she got the products for free, of course!!!

Reply
Cher says · 10.06.14

wow those look like the perfect colors for fall and your look is very subtle, I like that in a eye shadow look 🙂 enjoyed the post!

Reply
Emily says · 10.06.14

Love this – incredibly wearable as well! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow 🙂 http://meowemily.blogspot.com

Reply
Emily Shea says · 10.07.14

You look beautiful! Cement looks like a gorgeous colour.

Reply
Sophie says · 10.07.14

Such a great tutorial! You look lovely and the eyeshadows look so pretty x

SophiesMakeupBlog

Reply
Sophie Hol says · 10.07.14

Wouw, easy and light.

Sophie ~ http://www.sophiestraalt.nl

Reply
Chelsea says · 10.07.14

Thank you! I always have used very neutral eyeshadow because I like to keep it natural but this looks really nice!

Reply
Charlotte says · 10.07.14

Such a pretty look!

Reply
Janna says · 10.07.14

LOVE this…so pretty! Thank you!! 😉

Reply
Amber says · 10.07.14

I really like the Make Up Forever line. I recently started using their concealer and it’s amazing at covering dark circles and blemishes! Thanks for sharing these!

Amber
Halloween Costume Giveaway!

King & Kind

Reply
Nivika says · 10.08.14

This is gorgeous, the blue really brings out your eye colour. I love it!

Reply
Julia says · 10.09.14

I LOVE how simple these instructions are! I really like the smokey eye but I’ve never quite figured it out, I think I get it now

Reply
Karen says · 10.09.14

What lip color & nail color are you wearing in this post…love it

Reply
Svenja says · 10.11.14

Such a lovely look! It’s so easy and I love that it isn’t too heavy for a day-to-day basis. I might actually try and recreate this look sometime very soon!
Love,
Svenja

Reply
Emily says · 04.16.15

loved this , looks easy , thanks for breaking it down and telling me exactly what you were doing , going to try this tonight
Xoxo

Reply