How do I nail a colourful smoky eye?
I should know this, but... Finally got some time to master make-up? Eyes on the prize then…
WHEREAS MANY OF us refresh our lipstick colours for an instant moodboost, most stop the experimentation there. ‘This is where we’re going wrong,’ says pro make-up artist Lisa Potter Dixon. ‘Experimenting with coloured smoky eyes is a sure-fire way to revive your look, while jewel-toned shadows help to instantly enhance your natural eye colour, making the whites look brighter, too. Absolutely anyone can wear a coloured smoky eye. Keeping your eyes open, tilt your head back and blend from the lash line up, blending backwards and forwards with a brush into the socket. This will position the shadow in the best place for your eye shape. Just don’t take the shadow further out than the angle from the corner of the eye to the end of the brow.’
BRILLIANT BASE
‘A step that pays dividends for longevity; scribble on a kohl pencil in the same colourway as your shadow and blend out using a brush (for more precision) or fingertips,’ says Lisa.
CHOOSE YOUR SHADOW
‘Next, apply a powder eyeshadow over the top of your base, choosing a formula with a subtle reflective shimmer to enhance and brighten your eyes.’
BUFF AND BLEND
It’s all in the blend. ‘Buff out with a fluffy brush, from the lash line up into the socket of the eye. Have a second, clean brush on hand to buff the edges,’ says Lisa.
FINISHING TOUCHES
‘Finish with a few coats of volumising mascara to frame your eyes,’ advises Lisa. ‘Apply to your bottom lashes first so that you don’t transfer wet mascara on to your eyeshadow when you look up.’ Et voilà!