Whether they're dramatic and sexy or subtle and sweet, smoky eyes are a makeup classic that never go out of style. While black eyeliner and shades of gray are the traditional tools to creating a smoky look, we've spotted plenty of other examples on the red carpet. Here are our favourite celebrities wearing the smoky eye trend. Click on and get inspired!
For New York Bridal Week Spring 2014, Marchesa sent models down the runway with a smoky eye fit for a night-time wedding. While most women stray away from anything drastic on their wedding day, Revlon's Gucci Westman revealed the secret to pulling off the look with class. And while the hair by Kérastase seems complex, you can easily re-create it for yourself.
The look: A soft smoky eye, a twisted knot, and sheer pink nails.
Key tips: Revlon Global Artistic Director Gucci Westman recommends carrying a hydrating lipstick, concealer, and eye shadow for touch-ups during the wedding reception.
Overheard backstage: Westman also told us a little bit about her wedding makeup and mentioned she might be making an all-inclusive palette for brides in the future.
At the premiere of Game of Thrones last night, Emilia Clarke, who plays the silver-haired Daenerys Targaryen on the series, was a vision in blue. Her stand out eye makeup was what really stole the show. "Emilia's dress had royal-blue tones, so we didn't want it to contrast too much with her makeup," makeup artist Dawn Broussard said. "We wanted timeless glamour with a hint of something excitable." Emilia's smoky eye and glossy lips are the perfect pairing for an evening out.
To mimic the look, start freshly polished skin; Broussard used Bioré's Acne Clearing Scrub (to try similar, use their Pore Unclogging Scrub) for a smooth canvas. Next, smudge a black liner on the upper and lower lash lines, followed by some silver and stone-grey shadow to create the smoky eye. Apply black mascara to the upper line for drama, but use a brown mascara on your lower lashes to keep things neat. Sweep bronzer onto the cheek bones and nose and blend with a soft baby-pink blush. For your lips, grab a shade a few hues darker than your natural lip tone and dab it on with your finger to create a stain. Glamorous makeup is only a few products away.
We've got a message for all you brides-to-be — your makeup on the day doesn't have to be, well, bridal. It can be loud and proud with a punchy lip, but it can also be sexy and smouldering thanks to a well-applied smoky eye. The key to nailing a smoky eye on your big day is balance. If you're going to do it, be sure to pick a bridal pink (dusty, non-committal) lipstick. Or better yet, consider a nude gloss or matte lipstick. We need only look to the recent awards season to see the growing trend of celebeauties rocking sultry, click through to see our favourites.
For those of us needing a little help transitioning our makeup from from Spring brights to warmer hues, look no further than Karlie Kloss. The model was lounging poolside yesterday with her fellow Victoria's Secret Angels to celebrate the launch of the brand's 2013 swim collection. But instead of the string bikinis, it was Karlie's makeup that left us totally inspired. Her metallic smoky eye was the perfect juxtaposition for her dewy makeup and pink lips and cheeks, creating an ace pairing of Spring makeup transitioning to Autumn/Winter.
To get the look, start out with your metallic shadows on your lids. Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Painted Purple ($11.95) with a dusting of Bobbi Brown Metallic Cream Shadow in Candlelight ($50) in the corners of eyes is a great combo to mimic Karlie's application. Then keep your lips and cheeks very Spring with a cream blush like Prestige Mineral Blush in Peach ($22.50) to add a soft glow to the apples of your cheeks. Finish with a swipe of a pearlescent pink like Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple ($21.95). You'll give new life to your makeup look this season.
Paris fashion week is under way and we've already spotted some luscious celebrities sitting front row — hi there Ashley Olsen and Emma Roberts — but now it's time to show you some runway beauty! Lanvin showcased its 2013 Autumn Winter wares today, and creative design director of Procter & Gamble Beauty, Pat McGrath, created two beauty looks for the show. Cara Delevingne is wearing the charcoal smoky eye with a matte, nude lip above; while her fellow modelling pal is rocking a merlot lip and bare eyes. Pat only curled the lashes for this look, which we think is pretty genius in its simplicity. Both beauty looks are very wearable — which do you prefer?
COVERGIRL's head makeup guru, Pat McGrath, mixed a brown pencil with burgundy eyeshadow to make a sexy, delicious Winter eye for Gucci's 2013 Autumn Winter Milan fashion week showing. We're moving away from the bold lip and further into smoky eye territory this year; and Pat's intense, deep-hued offering is the perfect inspiration for your beauty look over the colder months. Burgundy — much like lavender, brown and bronze — is a universally flattering shade on the eye, but blue-eyed beauties will see a real pop because the tone picks up all the special flecks and specks in your iris.
Now, before you grab that three-step smoky eye palette, look instead to your favourite eyeshadow singles and get blending. With your fingers. This year's smoky is less about defined, graduated colour, and more about smudging solid colours (and even opaque glitter) all over the lid. It's a bit messy and very sexy.
To get the look at home, smudge the lash lines with a brown pencil, and then go in with COVERGIRL Smoky Shadow Blast in Purple Plume ($17.95), using the plum end only.
London's O2 Arena is home to today's Brit Awards, and Taylor Swift led the star power on the red carpet. The "I Knew You Were Trouble" singer looked soft and feminine with a glossy blow-dry and metallic smoky eyes, while the more daring Rita Ora went for what is now becoming her signature — a red lip. Rita paired it with metallic blue eyeshadow and although it's a combo that shouldn't work in theory, it does because the lipstick is a blue-based red. Click through to see all the stars up close.
We brought you the first look at Napoleon Perdis's two exclusive beauty looks for the David Jones Autumn Winter 2013 Fashion launch, and now you can see it on the runway. We loved the idea of a grey and deep emerald eye for the cooler months, but it was his tonal, natural and earthy smoky eye — as seen on Miranda Kerr who was also the only model to wear a bun — that had us gushing. There's really nothing better than a runway beauty look that is easily achieved at home, and his "2013 smoky eye" is all about a wash of colour on the lids, minus any precision. The hair moved on the runway, thanks to Aveda, with one look including a soft kink and little to no product (love), while the ponytail was modern and a little bit messy. Click through.
It's easy for a girl to get torn between a romantic, whimsical look and a sexy, sultry one, but Rooney Mara showed us how to perfectly mesh the two. The Side Effects actress was out last night wearing a smoky eye that was more ethereal than edgy. Instead of moody metallics and blacks, Rooney smudged grays and lavenders. The result was a soft shadow look that was perfectly balanced with her bold brows and sleek dark hair.
The trick to this look is blending and diffusing. Swipe on a shadow like Napoleon Perdis Color Disc in Clean Slate ($29) on your lids and then kick it out into a cat-eye shape. Then, blend a soft purple hue like Jane Iredale Purepressed Eyeshadow in Platinum ($30.60) into the crease. Using a fluffy shadow brush, blend the two shades together until they seamlessly melt into one another. Skip your eyeliner, but add at least two coats of a volumizing mascara like Laura Mercier Full-Blown Mascara ($50). For the final touch, don't forget a soft pink on your cheeks and lips. You'll look heaven-sent.
