Sexy Smokey Eye Time

Last week I became a wife. The process went smoothly and with little stress as far as the event itself. I was surprised at the frantic nature of the text messages I was receiving from my friends who would be attending our reception the week before the event. The wedding reception took place in a unique venue that brought the sexy. I insisted that my guests as well bring the sexy and dress to feel good and ready to party. My guests, heads set on not letting me down, started their outfit and makeup shopping and constructing their evening looks. This is when my phone began vibrating, hey now, with questions about the mysterious and apparently frustrating smokey eye.
I giggled when my coworkers frantically typed that they looked like Rikki Raccoon and how they wanted to return the smoky eye palettes that they had purchased strictly for my day and support of my own lust for makeup. I enjoyed their enthusiasm and getting these hysterical messages so much that I set up a lunch time beauty lesson with some of my coworkers to quell their fears. I dedicate this smoky eye tutorial to them and all the ladies who fear the smoky eye. Smokey eye, you sly hussy, you win the most feared eye makeup look of the decade.
I want to begin this lesson by mentioning that a smoky eye is like a kiss, nobody does it the same. Some end up being respectful in broad daylight and some are better saved for the dark evening hours in your bedroom but all in all they are all fun and to be played with and there are no rules set it stone.
Your Smokey Supplies-I am a product whore but worry not, I love all good products regardless of price and I will be giving you all sorts of product options and alternatives.
1. Eyeshadow base of your choice.
2. Two brushes, one medium brush to lay the base shadow and a crease brushes, NYX brush b13 and b15 can be used as an example and easily references on NYX website.
3. A vanilla shadow, shimmer or matte, closely one shade lighter than your skin tone would work well. NYX, colors white, nude, pearl, Urban Decay’s Virgin or Sin
4. Grey or silver shadow NYX Deep Charcoal, Frosted Flake, Grey or Urban Decay’s Gunmetal
5. Black or navy shadow NYX Black Sparkle, Deep Space, Navy or Urban Decay Creep. (Any brand’s smoky eye palette will work too as long as there are at least three levels color, light med and dark.
6. Black or navy eyeliner, liquid and pencil
7. Undereye concealer or foundation of your choice
8. Mascara of your choice
9. Nude liner, gloss or lipstick to polish off your look

Steps
1. Apply a light coating of shadow base or foundation on your eye area. This is optional and will elongate the wearing of your shadow and richness of color but I will not lie and tell you I always use base, I don’t.
2. With the larger of your two brushes, apply the lightest color of shadow from eyelash line to eyebrow. Fear not about being overly precise here.
3. Apply the medium color with the same brush just on your lid, go above your eyes natural crease, use a light hand for this step, you can always add more. Fear not if you feel it is too dark; just use a brush with no shadow on it to brush away excess.
4. Now it is time for the Sexy, use your crease brush to pick up some of that dark deep pigment color and prepare to smoke. The secret to the smoky eye is your discretion. Start in the outer crease you your eye and work your way inward. Use small circular strokes to spread the darkest shadow across the lid keeping closest to the lash line, gradually becoming lighter but not going much above your crease.
5. This step is optional and is used to pump the smoky up to another level. Use a small angled brush to smudge a bit of the medium or darkest color to smudge a bit of shadow on the bottom lash line.
6. If at any time you feel the look is to dark, feel free to add some of the lightest color on top or use a clean brush to shade the already on your lid color in the same circular motion, this will pick up excess shadow. The secret to a well blended smoky eye is to shade and smudge the shadow where you want it, this look is not one where you lay down shadow once and leave it as is. The skill is to play with it until you accomplish your desired amount of smoke. I also use a light vanilla color or illumination stick and dab a small amount near the inner tear duct area as a highlight.
7. Use a puffy brush, baby wipe or concealor to clean up the undereye area.
8. Line your upper lash line with the liquid or pencil liner and if desired, line your lower waterine with pencil as well.(Waterline is the area above the bottom lash that contains your tear ducts and runs along the length of your eye) Add mascara to the top lashes.
9. Blush cheeks with a neutral color and do the same with your lips; the eyes should be main focus here.

• I want to the press upon all of you trying this look for the first time that there are no die hard rules here. Play and have fun. Use other colors to smoke if the Black, Blue or Grey is overbearing. Just use the light and medium colors only if you like, use three shades of browns, use greens, blues etc. Leave the liner out if you wish. Have fun. It is makeup and the only goal is to have you feel and look your best and only you can know what is right for your taste.