“Sex appeal is fifty percent what you’ve got, and fifty percent what people think you’ve got.” -Sophia Loren

Sexy, Sultry, Rock‘n’Roll and Classic, the ‘Smokey Eye’ is one of the most highly sought after make-up designs I find as a Make-Up Artist. Donned by style icons all over the world, such as Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Nicole Ritchie and Mischa Barton; the ‘Smokey Eye’ can suit most women no matter what their colouring. Many women, however, tend to be scared of applying it to themselves, even though it will no doubt enhance their undeniable sex appeal.

Most women don’t realise this, but the ‘Smokey Eye’ is actually one of the easiest designs to achieve as it follows the natural contours of the eye using only 2 to 3 colours. What many women also don’t realise is that the ‘Smokey Eye’ design isn’t limited to blacks and greys. In fact you can use almost any colour you wish, simply following the same application technique. So here is your step by step application guide.

1) Apply a base concealer to the eye lid such as Ultima II Crease Not Fade Not for $26. This will even out the skin tone of the eye lid, as well as providing a base for the shadow to adhere to so it will last longer throughout the day.
2) Apply a base eye shadow colour such as an Ivory or Cream tone from the lash line all the way up to your brow bone (try Estee Lauder’s Ivory Box Shadow). This light colour will also act as your highlighter on your brow, creating a more ‘lifted’ eye area.
3) With your chosen ‘Smokey’ colour, (whether it is a traditional black or maybe something a little brighter such as a purple); using a dome eye shadow brush, apply the colour on the mobile lid. The mobile lid is the area from your lash line (following your lashes from the inner to the outer corner of your eye), up to your socket line (which is the ‘crease’ of the eye lid where the eyeball ends).
4) After you have applied the eye shadow colour; using a clean, blending brush, blend the edge of the colour so it fades into nothing. Simply run your blending brush along the line edge line you have created with your colour to diffuse it out. This should result in a look of the ‘Smokey’ colour blending seamlessly into you chosen base colour.
5) Now line the eye with an eyeliner pencil; MAC Powerpoint Liners are great because they last fantastically throughout the day and have a great colour range. The eyeliner on the top of the lash line can either run from the centre of the eye and outwards, which creates an open, lifted looking eye; or running all the way along the lash line, from the inner to the outer corner, for a more dramatic effect.
6) Follow this with liner on the bottom lash line (under your eye), running the pencil from the inner to the outer corner of the eye. To make this last longer, set the pencil line with the same coloured eye shadow over the top of the liner with a small liner brush. For example, if you have lined your eyes with a black liner, once you have achieved the line you want, set the pencil with some black eye shadow directly over the top of the pencil line. This will give you a more intense colour and longer lasting liner.
7) You can also follow this with liner on the inner rim of the eye, however, if you have sensitive or extremely small eyes, avoid this step.
8) To complete the ‘Smokey Eye’ Look, lashings of black mascara on the top and bottom lashes are needed. This will open up the eyes and pull the whole look together with a beautiful dramatic effect. My favourite dramatic mascara is MaxFactor 2000 Calorie in black for 300% more volume.

As with any new make-up look, practice makes perfect; so try this design again and again to master it. What is imperative for this look to work, however, is the blending of the colours. No matter what colours you have chosen, you do not want people to be able to detect where one colour ends and another one begins, so blend the line away. To achieve this, a blending brush is essential, and I love the Napoleon Perdis ‘Deer Foot’ blending brush. An odd name, granted, but it will make sense when you see its shape. This makes the blending process much easier and is a must for any make-up kit.

So next time you have an event to go to, or just want a sexy new look, try the ‘Smokey Eye’ look. If you are still a little apprehensive, however, book yourself in to a MAC or Napoleon counter for a make-up consultation. Both these companies guarantee all of their staff are qualified Make-Up Artists, and during your lesson watch the step by step application and ask as many questions as you need so you can re-create the look at home.