Smokey Eye Date Night

My go-to look for a night out is a Smokey eye and a nude lip. You need to balance this look, so if you go for a Smokey eye, go for a nude lip or a simple eye-liner flick with a red lip; keep it simple and impactful.

For the Smokey eye, I like to use three shades - light, medium, dark, in either shades of brown/golds or grey/black. If grey/black is too hard a look, go for a softer, subtle look - using shades of browns and golds instead.

I do my Smokey eye before applying concealer and foundation; this means that if you make a mistake or if the eye-shadow pigments drop on the skin under your eyes or cheeks, you can wipe it away.

The most effective and simplest way to create a Smokey eye is by firstly sweeping the lightest shade across the lids of your eye up to your brow bone - this is the base for the whole area and highlights the eye.

Then apply the medium shade over the top of this colour - but only to the lids.  I love this process of building up the colours - it adds depth to the look.  And to the outer corner, half way along the eye in a triangular shape, take the darker shade and apply it to top of the lid, smudging it under the bottom lash too.  This’ll give the illusion of larger eyes.  Always remember to blend the colours with either a soft blending brush or a blending sponge so you don’t have hard lines.

I love the triangular sponges you get from the high street chemists - you can throw them away afterwards.

For a really intense Smokey eye look using a soft eye-pencil, apply to the inside lower tear line. You can also take the soft pencil along the top and bottom lashes close to the eye as this helps define the eye and creates a much stronger look.  Always blend - as this is the key to making it appear soft.  

To finish off the look, apply lots of mascara to the top and bottom (if you like) lashes.  I build this up rather than applying lots in one go; this way you’ll stop the mascara from clumping.  Apply mascara to one eye top and bottom, then go to the other eye and then back to the first eye.

I apply mascara like this two or three times to create a good coverage. Then outline your lips with a nude colour pencil; this not only retains the colour but it gives a more defined mouth.  Fill it in with a matching lip-gloss or lipstick.

I love this Smokey eye look I created for Louise Redknapp for our brand Wild About Beauty.