Make up Monday - Mastering the Smokey Eye

There is a time and a place for the Smokey eye for sure. But, how do you pull it off without it looking like a total train wreck?

Well, firstly, practice. But, there are some rules you can follow to achieve this look pretty easily. And remember, you don’t have to use black and greys for a smokey eye. You can do this with browns, purples, blues; whatever tickles your fancy.

Here are some tips for that perfect smokey eye:

1. Prime your eyelid. Use either an eye primer or a concealer or thicker foundation and set with a pressed powder. Apply to your lid and under your eyes. (My suggestion would be to do your eyes before you apply foundation to your face)

2. Pack on (yes, I said pack) the darkest color to your outer corner and into the crease. With a clean blending brush, blend out any harsh lines. Repeat this step until you achieve your desired “darkness”. Tip: Stick with a matte eyeshadow such as Mary Kay's mineral eyeshadow in “coal” for this step.

3. Apply your second color. This is where you can use a bit of glitter, or shimmer. Just make sure you stick to the same color family as the dark on your outer corner as you want this to be a gradual fade. Try Mary Kay's mineral eye color in silver satin for this step. This color can be patted into the centre of the eye lid stopping at the pupil.

4. Apply a light color (can be shimmer) to the inner corner of your eyes. Use a blending brush to blend out any harsh lines. Try Mary Kay's mineral eye color in sterling or crystalline here.

5. Apply a gel liner as close as your can to the lash line. Always use black for this step for that true, intense smokey eye look.

6. Bring the liner to under the eyes, but use the dark matte shadow for this. Soften out the lines using a smudger brush.

7. Pop on some mascara and those gorgeous magnetic lashes and wipe any fall out (there will be tons) off your face. Apply the rest of your makeup and hit the town ladies!

Remember, practice makes perfect.
Before you try this for that special event that’s coming up, practice a few times before so you aren’t in panic mode if you end up not nailing it on your first try