Thursday 3 December 2009

Tutorial: Black Smokey Eye

Hello my lovelies!

So I hope you're all having a lovely week so far. As promised, Ive prepared a step by step tutorial for a black smokey eye. Please excuse the fact that I have mascara on right from the beginning (instead of applying it right at the end, as it should be!) but I did this tutorial immediately after coming back from class... I already had mascara on... And I thought I'd just go with it...

So enjoy yourselves and leave comments, tell me what you thought and how you think I can improve before the next tutorial!

1. Start off with a clean, moisturised eye. Apply an eyeshadow base all over your eyelid and up to the browbone using your finger. You can use Urban Decay Primer Potion, Benefit FYI, Too Faced Shadow Insurance or any of MAC's paint pots or paints in a colour that resembles your skin tone.


2. Apply a coloured base for your look. This will help to really enhance the colours of the overall look. Since this is a black smokey eye, I chose to apply a black base all over my eyelid (NOT going past the crease). This is MAC's shadestick in Sharkskin but you can use any cream or gel based product. It doesnt have to be perfect or even neat as this will all get covered up!




3. Take a stiff, flat eyeshadow brush, pack on some matte or shimmery (depending on your preference, Ive used a bit of both) black eyeshadow and PAT the brush gently all over the black base. Don't drag the brush across the lid, just pat it gently. Youre packing the eyeshadow on, not sweeping it across.



4. This is what you should end up with... apply little and keep adding more if need be. Its easier to add than it is to take it off!

5. Take a fluffy, fairly stiff blending brush and sweep it back and forth in your crease, exactly on that harsh black line. We're going to blend that line out till we can't see it... keep going back and forth in a windshield wiper motion till you're satisfied that the line is completely blended.



6. This is what it should look like once you're done blending...




7. Pick up a dark grey eyeshadow with the same blending brush and sweep it across the area where you just blended out the harsh line in the same windshield wiper motion. This will create a gradient of colour... and the black will appear to be fading into grey...




8. Once you've applied and blended the dark grey, take a clean blending brush and a white or silvery highlight colour and sweep it across your browbone. Dont tap as you did earlier, that will make the highlight too intense which can look tacky. Take a flexible fluffy blending brush and just gently swish it across the browbone - the highlight should show but in a subtle, beautiful way. Something like this...



9. Take a small eyeshadow brush or a smudger brush, pick up some black eyeshadow and very carefully pat it on on your lower lash line. Again, go light and then build up as much as you like... In the next picture I have a very faint shade of black on my lower lashline but then I darkened it up... Dont go all the way in on your lower lashline. Stop where your lashes stop.




10. Now, Ive lined my inner lower waterline with black kohl pencil (MAC's Black Russian) and intensified the smudged black line on my lower lash line. Ive already got mascara on but this is the point at which you will apply your mascara. Two coats ATLEAST!



And this is your completed look - a dramatic black smokey eye!








I hope you enjoyed this - Im waiting on pins and needles to hear some feedback! ;)
x

13 comments:

Unknown said...

sana...i love it! i am a product junkie myself, so i am really enjoying your blog. love ya! :)

Sana Ansari said...

Thanks Nermeen Baji! Im glad to hear that you liked it! Let me know if there's anything in particular you want to see :) Love you too!

Anonymous said...

hey sana

it was great....im sure ur first tutorial will be a hit...lol..

well if possible sometimes try doing something with greens n blues..

spcly the MACs electric eel kinda blues... im sure they can look gud...the colors are so blingy that i jus dont know how to get it just ryt....


love ya

Sarah Kabir said...

Very nicely and elaborately explained! I have a wedding ceremony to attend in the evening today so I am going to use your technique on my eyes! :)

Thanks A TON!

Unknown said...

hey :)
i loved your tutorial! :) iv been searching for smokey eye everywhere, and out of all that iv read, urs is very simple and easy to follow, and the pictures help a GREAT deal! i havnt tried it out yet(always scared ill look like some1 punched me in the eye), but this time will definitely TRY to pick up the black (fingers crossed)
radhia

Sarah said...

sannnaa!! i loove itt!! and i never thought it could be done like that! =)

Unknown said...

Love it!
It came just in time for a wedding i have to go to!

Anonymous said...

wow, very cool. smokey eyes are suppose to have smokey ends :s hey can u teach me arab eye make over?

Anonymous said...

kickass is the word! tomo for welcome i will try to do this hahah ! hope it turns out as i see here

Nazia Abbasi

Sana Ansari said...

Dania: Thank you! Ill try and do one soon :)

Sarah K: My pleasure :)

Radhia: Go for it, girl! It doesnt get simpler than this... and remember blending and maths are (unfortunately!) very similiar - practise makes perfect! ;)

Sarah: Aww you're welcome, Im glad you liked it :)

Abeeha: Oh yay!! Tell me how it turns out ok? :)

Anonymous: Thank you! Will do an Arab eye tutorial definitely, their looks are so gorgeous! :)

Nazia: Awww thanks Nazia! Tell me how it goes! :)

Nazia said...

it went preettyyy OKAY ! not bad eitherrr! will take time to have my hands on it !

Nazia.

Unknown said...

Sana where can I buy the Benefit FYI or the Decay primer potion? Superdrug? Also, I wear foundation when I go out - would you recommend I use a primer? Any preferences? Thank yooou!!! :-))

Sana Ansari said...

Marie, my love, Urban Decay and Benefit are available at the bigger Boots outlets and department store makeup counters, John Lewis, Debehnams, House of Fraser, etc. Personally, I would recommend Urban Decay Primer Potion!

Hmm... face primer. For me thats an unnecessary step and I dont use face primer. But you should use primer if:
a) you feel your foundation doesnt stay on as long as you'd like it too
b) you wouldnt mind putting in the extra time and effort to achieve that extra oomph to your look - smooth, glowing skin which wears foundation really well. I know MAC and Bobbi Brown do primers but Im sure Benefit, etc also do them... Im a MAC tried and tested loyalist so I would recommend MAC Prep n Prime Face :)