How to Do a Traditional Smokey Eye for All Eye Colors

Note: You will have to have makeup that will suit your eye color and skin tone for this to turn out perfectly. Also, you will need a variety of brushes to help you create this exact look.

Step One

People want to look good whether it's for their friends or for complete strangers. Without primer, your look may go from beautiful in the morning to worn completely off in the evening. So before you decide on exactly what colors you are going to use for your smoky eye, you want to use primer to make sure that your look lasts. Primer can be found in many makeup stores and is very helpful. Based on my experience, makeup lasts longer when a primer is used. No one wants to walk around with messed up makeup. Primer is successful long after makeup has been put on, so it will be a good investment if you wear makeup a lot.

Step Two

Now, it's time to decide on what colors would suit your eyes and skin.

Brown Eyes

People with brown eyes have a lot of colors to choose from. They could use anything from bronze to blue. Pale purples, beige, gold, peach, pink, champagne, greens, blues, coral, copper, orange or even plum could be the accents you need for your smoky eye. Stick to the main color of black for your smoky eye for sure.

Blue Eyes

People with blue eyes have quite a few shades that they can pick from as well, but not nearly as much as people with brown eyes can. Something that many people believe is that blues are right for blue eyes, but this is false. Unless you're using a dark blue, you shouldn't have blue on. Shades of grey, brown, orange, taupe, purple, violet, and silver also look brilliant on someone with blue eyes. Dark colors will make light eyes pop so keep that in mind. You can use either dark grey, black, or dark blue for your main color in your smoky eye.

Green Eyes

People with green eyes really have to pay attention to their skin to make most of their decisions with makeup, unfortunately. They cannot use a lot of colors with their eyes. Most people with green eyes can use colors like brown, red, beige, purple, and pink. Also, light greens look very good with green eyes and make them pop, but avoid dark green. You can use black or dark brown as your main color in your smoky eye.

Hazel Eyes

Hazel eyes are very easy to work with in terms of makeup. Since they have a little bit of everything, they can use a little bit of everything. If you have hazel eyes, you have a little more work to do. You have to analyze your eyes and see if they're more blue, green, or brown and use the category closest to your shade as listed above. You can always play it safe with brown, gold, pink, lavender, plum, khaki, mocha, purple, green, or even teal. You can use black, dark brown, dark grey, dark purple or dark blue for your smoky eye's main color.

Skin Tone

Skin tones play a huge role in your choice in makeup. Lighter skin tones should use less intense eye makeup whilst people with darker skin tones do the opposite. You definitely want to work with your natural skin tone to make sure you have the best effect possible. If you have green eyes, you definitely have to pay attention so that you can look good at all times. If you have green eyes, a pale complexion, and freckles, make sure that you avoid shimmery eye shadows no matter what. On the other hand, should you have olive-toned skin and green eyes, you can go with darker colors, but avoid silver and blue at all costs.

Step Three

Once you have chosen the right colors for your eye color and skin tone, you have to start. Choose a highlight color. Most people use white or a light beige as their highlight color, depending on their skin tone. Once you've determined which looks best with your skin, apply it with a small brush in the inner corner of your eye and right below your eyebrow. This will brighten your eyes.

Now, take an accent color that works with your eyes. Brown eyes could use plum, blue, bronze, or many other colors. Blue eyes could use grey, brown, silver, purple, or any of the colors listed in the above section marked for them. Green eyes could use brown, red, pink, or any colors listed in their section. Hazel eyes can use any of the colors we named. Apply the accent from the end of the highlight color to about 3/4 through your lid.

After your accent has been applied, grab a dark color, whether it's black, dark grey, dark brown, or dark blue. You're going to apply that shade onto the rest of your eyelid and then blend.

Finally, you have to take a lighter shade of your accent color and apply it in your crease and an even lighter shade of it above that, which will be blended into your highlight shade. Then, you take the second accent shade you used and apply a thin line of it right below your lower lash line. Blend all of the colors so they flow evenly.

Step Four

Now you grab your eyeliner and mascara so that you can finish off your look and be on your way. You will start by applying a thin line of eyeliner right along your upper lash line and upper waterline. Add another thin line along your lower waterline to create a finished look. If you wish, you may apply false lashes at this point, but if not, you will move onto your mascara and apply it evenly so there are no clumps and your lashes are voluminous and magnificent.

I hope this tutorial helped you in completing a beautiful smoky eye that lasts you all day.