Smokey eye makeup is one of the most common trends in the beauty world. This regular go-to look may look daunting but is pretty easy to create once you know the steps. With it probably never going out of fashion, master this look with us and start flaunting it at a girl’s night out or your favourite cousin’s wedding. 

 

Why the fuss about smokey eyes?

smokey eye makeup

[Image credit: YRF, @dishapatani]

Trends are more or less fickle, one day being all the rage and the next suddenly being hated. But one constant look that we can count on is smokey eye makeup. From Kareena Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai popularising it in the early 2000s to Alia Bhatt and Disha Patani making bold statements on red carpets and TV show appearances, smokey eye is quite a fan-favourite. 

 

A guide to smokey eye makeup

smokey eye makeup

Step 1. Start with the base  

Don’t be too eager to grab your eyeshadow palette just yet as you have to create the perfect base first. Step one is all about prepping. Thoroughly wash and moisturise your face so that it is ready for all that makeup. Apply a primer like the Lakme Absolute Blur Primer as it blurs imperfections. It is also lightweight and waterproof so that your makeup lasts all day long. It even helps with blending your eye shadows. Now, let’s get to the actual base by using the Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Foundation. Like its name, it’s weightless and provides full coverage without giving a cakey look. Dot a little foundation well around your eyes, all over your brow bone and under the eye and blend it well by dabbing with a beauty blender. 

smokey eye makeup

Step 2. Move to the eyeshadows 

Now, the fun part begins. A good rule of thumb is to have a minimum of two shades that you want to play with. If you are comfortable with blending you can add more colours. Take a light shade like a peach or a lavender from the Lakme Absolute Spotlight Eyeshadow Palette’s ‘Smokin Glam’ and apply it all over your eyelid. This range has a striking combination of glitters and mattes in 48 shades so that you can choose whatever colours suit your mood or your outfit. 

smokey eye makeup

Step 3. Get smoking 

Next, take a darker shade like black or dark blue and using a flat top brush, apply it to the outer corner of your eye that is shaped like a horizontal ‘V’. If you feel brave enough, take a lighter shade next to highlight the inner corner of your eye. We’d suggest a similar shade to the peach/lavender that you used first like copper or champagne. Then take a blending brush that is round and has soft bristles and get to blending the dark eyeshadow in! Start smudging it all up and move in the same direction. Keep going till you cannot make out where the dark eyeshadow ends and where the light shade begins.  

smokey eye makeup

Step 4. Eyeliner and mascara 

Now that the hard part is over, let’s get to the finishing touches. Outline your eyes with the Lakme 9 to 5 Black Impact Liner. With a long handle and easy grip, don’t worry about messing up your eyeshadow as it dries quickly and is highly pigmented. If a smokey eye isn’t dramatic enough for you, wing out your eyeliner to match the smokey ends of your eye. Applying mascara brings even more attention to your eyes. Get to batting your eyelashes and flaunting your hard work by generously coating them with Lakme Eyeconic Curling Mascara. Giving a naturally curled shape to your lashes, the lightweight mascara is another step in completing your eye makeup. 

smokey eye makeup

Step 5. Groom your eyebrows 

Further define your smokey eye makeup by grooming your eyebrows. Using a spoolie brush even out your brows. Then take a brow pencil like the Lakme Eyebrow Pencil and fill in your eyebrows. It provides a natural look while being waterproof and long-lasting so that the attention isn’t diverted from your eye makeup. You can also highlight your lids by applying a thin line of concealer around the edges of your brows to clean up any smudges that weren’t intentional.  

smokey eye makeup

Step 6. A sweep of highlighter 

You may want to keep the rest of your face simple so that all attention stays on your eyes. But that doesn’t mean you have to forego everything that you love about a full-face look. Squeeze out some highlighter from the Lakme Absolute Liquid Highlighter and lightly swipe them on your cheekbones and brow bone. The light and shimmery liquid highlighter will complement your eye makeup while also creating that oomph factor your look might be missing.  

smokey eye makeup

Step 7. Complete the look with lipstick 

Complete your look with a nude or light shade from the Lakme 9 to 5 Primer + Matte Lip range. Bring your face to life by adding colour with a ‘Coral Date’ or ‘Blush Pink’ and make it match your eyeshadows perfectly. With a hydrating matte base that lasts for 12 hours, don’t worry about touch-ups.  

Tips to perfect the smokey eye 

While you may have the steps down, it may take a while to perfect the smokey eye makeup. But don’t fret, we’ve got you with some easy tips and tricks. 

  • Replace the black eyeshadow with a grey to switch things up. A lighter colour is also easy to hide if you make mistakes. 

  • Keep white eyeshadow or concealer handy to fix any mistakes. But always fix them at the end after you are happy with your look. 

  • There is no shame in extra help. Apply a thin strip of tape from the outer corner of your eye to the edges of your brows so that you are in control of the smokiness. Keep it on even when you are applying eyeliner if you are interested in adding a wing. 

  • Remember, glitter creates the perfect illusion. If you’re not happy with the blending, pack in some ‘Karat Gold’ from Lakme Absolute Explore Liquid Eye Shadow Duo on the middle of your eyelid. This textured liquid eyeliner will hide your blending mistakes and let the light reflect off the glitter so that everyone simply ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from afar.