What seems to be the most wanted eye makeup look that is totally daunting to most women?? It’s that sexy, sultry, smokey eye , a la Penelope Cruz.
I swear this is the one makeup look my husband actually comments on about me, that he really digs. When we’re having a date night or special event to attend, he always sheepishly asks, “You gonna do those smokey eyes tonight honey??” It seems really hard to achieve, but with these simple steps you can be well on your way to feeling like Penelope herself or JennySue 😉
Achieving a smokey eye typically requires at least 4 eyeshadow colors. Of course there are no set rules in makeup (thank God!) that say you can ONLY use 4 or HAVE to use more than 4 colors, but it’s a good start. A “quad of colors” is a common way today that makeup companies market them as. They really expect you to use all 4 in one look believe it or not, and they do have reasoning behind putting those 4 specific colors together!
So here’s how to make heads or tails of those confusing quads of eyeshadows:
1. Allover color – This is typically the lightest color in the bunch.
2. Lid color – This is used from the lash to the crease. Usually the 2nd lightest color.
3. Contour color – Use this along the crease of your eye extending to just the end of the outside of the eye and then creating a slight sideways V shape and connecting it to the lash line.
4. Definition color. Generally the darkest color in the bunch and can be used as eyeliner along the top lashes (and bottom lashes if you’re doing the smokey look we’re discussing).
L’Oreal Paris makes good eyeshadow quads and also has an application guide on the back of each shadow telling you where to put it. Great concept huh? Cargo cosmetics also has jumped on the quad bandwagon with their Essential Palette and telling you exactly where to place each color by writing it in the actual color.
So now that you know what shadows to put where, start off applying colors (steps 1, 2 & 3 from above). Then you must also invest in a soft black (preferably waterproof) eyeliner to help the look along.
- Line all along the top lash line, pulling the line up slightly at the end – DON’T pull it down because then you’re creating droopy eyes (yuck).
- Take same liner and line the inner rims of the bottom lashes and smudge top and bottom liner with a small amount of the definition color (step 4 – should be your darkest color).
- *Quick JennySue Tip*If you don’t have a small liner brush to apply this with, get a Q-tip- it works great for smudging.
Practice makes perfect with this smokey look, so try it a couple times and do lots of smudging and blending to make it look not so done.
The key is to almost look like you slept in your makeup, but a more sexy version! Now get out of the house with that sultry eye and go impress your man with your Spanish siren look!!
