Dear Andi,
I keep reading that the “smoky eye” look is big this year, but it is confusing with all of the different techniques out there. How can I get this look at home?
On the rare occasion I am out of the house after six, I am rocking (or at least I think so) my favorite look, a smoky eye with a neutral lip. It’s an easy way to amp up your look in just a couple of minutes without having to redo the rest of your daytime makeup, which is a bonus when you are trying to get ready for date night while trying to corral the kiddos.
First, always start with a clean brow to keep the look from being too heavy. Then, lightly dust your whole lid with a neutral shade to help keep everything in place.
Next, line your top and bottom lashes with black eye liner. Don’t forget the inside of the bottom lid, which can be daunting at first, but is actually very easy.
I’ve mentioned before that my favorite liner is Estee Lauder’s Artist’s Pencil in Soft Smudge Black because it has a built-in smudging tip, but a q-tip works just as well for the next step. Dip your “smudger” in a charcoal gray shadow (black is too harsh) and brush it along the top and bottom lash lines to soften your liner.
With the same gray shadow, use a brush to blend up from the lash line and into the crease of your eye.
Lastly, add at least two coats of black mascara, giving it time to dry between coats.
You don’t need four different shades of gray, an industrial strength mirror and a degree in engineering to master the look, like some articles make it seem…just a couple of minutes, a little attitude and a killer LBD!
Andi Douglas is a local mom of two and the ruling make-up queen at nwaMotherlode. E-mail your questions to her at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com and the answer may be featured in her weekly column.
