I have discovered the easiest, most fool-proof, flattering, fabulous and quick way to a smoky eye. Easy, foolproof and quick because it's just two beautifully formulated products (3 if you count the brush), fabulous and flattering because of the magical color. It might sound like I'm exaggerating a bit, but honestly, I've become addicted to this as my new lightening quick makeup routine.
Check it out...
See that color? I don't know if there's a word to describe it. Clinique calls it 'Egyptian' (not even close to being a color name) and Make Up For Ever calls it 'Bronze' (which is at least a color, but not the right one, and pretty unimaginative if you ask me). I would say it's a deep dark slate khaki with miniscule flecks of gold in it for added depth and dimension. Like glamorous army camouflage. Or an oil slick. None of which sounds very desirable, I get that. But just look at it! Trust me when I say this is the perfect smoky eye color. It has a softness you would never get from black, and a certain warmth that greys would never provide, but it doesn't really read as any sort of specific color once it's on. Just smudgy smoky goodness. It works magic against my pale skin, and I think it makes my hazel eyes look a little more honey, but I can imagine how glorious it would look on darker skin tones as well.
Here's how you do it:
Use Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes in Egyptian, liberally and messily, on your waterline, in the roots of your lashes, and then from there take it out as big as you want. I usually just add a bit to the outer third of my upper lid. Be reckless and careless. Smudge with your finger. Then to deepen and soften the effect (simultaneously! Pretty neat, huh?), use a small eyeshadow brush like the #23 from Sephora (currently on sale!) with the Make Up Forever Eyeshadow in Bronze 84, and go over the edges, blending out and expanding as much as you dare. I tend to go pretty easy on the liner and a little more heavy-handed with the shadow; it gives me that desirable slept-in look pretty effortlessly without looking overly heavy or dark.
It literally takes 2 minutes. And I never look like I've been beaten up, or worse, dead for days, which has happened to me with bluer, blacker, or greyer shades of smoke. Khaki oil slick perfection. Try it, I bet it will rock your world.
Do you do smoky eyes? What's your perfect color?
This is almost the same as what I do! I use Maybelline's cream shadow in On and On BRonze instead of a pencil, then put a shimmery brown on top (I've got a shimmery brown for every day of the month, I can't pick just one). Blend, curl, mascara, done! :)
ReplyDeleteCurl, huh? I pretty much always skip that step. And honestly, with this deep khaki color I can even get away without mascara and it still looks rich enough. I do have a paler bronzey option for more subtle days, which sounds maybe like what you've got? I don't own too many shimmery browns, but I do have so much makeup I would be deeply ashamed if anyone actually saw the depth of my collection. Trying to cut down though, and simplifying my daily routine is a big help. Course there's still those days when you just want to play...
DeleteThis is a very nice colour indeed! It reminds me of my goth days, I had a Bourjois eye colour that was exactly this one (don't remember how they called it at the time though). Now I have decided to get rid of the single colour palettes so I only have the ones from the Naked 2 (it is lighter than this one, a sort of warm golden grey) but it also works wonders for a smokey eye, with an eyeliner pencil and brings forward my brown eyes wonderfully too.
ReplyDeleteYour goth days? That totally cracked me up. I guess I could see it, but I bet I'm using less than a good goth would. I had my own goth days as well, but I went more with just pale skin and red lips. Oh, the nostalgia... ;)
DeleteI've heard so many rave reviews about those Naked palettes, but I have so many singles and duos that I think I would just be adding to my clutter if I got one. So I stick with what I've got until I run out, and then maybe I can streamline.
Really like that khaki/bronze color- I wear Stila "Golighty" and Urban Decal "Pistol" (from the Naked 2 Palette) for a very similar look. I am another vote in favor of Naked 2, all the colors work really well for a smoky but not over-the-top eye.
ReplyDeleteI have Golightly as well and I love it! On me that rich coppery bronze reads much lighter than this shadow though, so I use it on my more subtle days. Such a great color!
Deletei love your description of the colour:) i have the similar one in a palette from the local brand it has shimmery beige, coppery brown, your colour and mat black in it and i use them all up for a special occasion smokey. but for day i use some kind of olive-green-gray under the eye because the dark one makes me look like a ghoul but on the upper lid it is great. i have very light skin, green eyes and red hair, so the olive one makes my eyes shiny. oh, and i love the eyelash curler. sometimes i just curl and use mascara for day :)
ReplyDeleteYour palette sounds perfect! As to the eyelash curler, I go through phases with it, I fall deeply in and out of love with the way it makes me look. Right now I'm totally off it, I feel like it makes me look like some weird Disney cartoon or like a pageant contestant or something. But then of course there are moment when I appreciate how wide-eyed and awake it makes me look and I can't get enough!
DeleteI walked into M.A.C. recently, and they showed me what you can do with one dark color of eye shadow and three little brushes - it turned my make-up routine on its head, let me tell you. Lots of mileage out of one little product. Sounds similar to what you're doing!
ReplyDeleteReally?! (Sorry for taking so long to reply..) I'd love to hear. So curious. I rarely use that many different colors, but I can't really imagine what the three different brushes would be for! Do tell!
DeleteCan you please explain how to do this, step by step, from applying the tightlined eyeliner and then liner on lid, to where/how to apply the shadow? And is it better to use a softer or stiffer brush? Do you put a neutral base color or primer under the shadow?
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to elaborate, but really, it's pretty simple and messy, that's what keeps it so quick! I use the eyeliner (which is very soft and blendable until it sets, that's key to making this work) to tightline and then smudge it literally into the roots of my lashes. That's the minimum to make it work, but if you wanted it more dramatic you could go outside the lash line as well, bringing it out as much as you have the courage to :) I then smudge it with my finger, but you could use a smudge brush as well if you like. I used to use a brush, but I actually found my finger to be much more gentle. It might look a bit harsh at this point, but then with the small eyeshadow brush I listed above (or another one if you prefer) you go directly over the area where you have the eyeliner. It will help set it and also soften the edges. And that's it! I don't use primer or any other shadow shades when I'm doing this look, but if you find it doesn't stay well on your lids you may want to. Let me know if it works or if you have any other questions!
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