I used shades of charcoal grey, black and silver on the eyes to create this sultry, smokey eye look.  Applying the eyeliner first and then applying eyeshadows on top of this helps to create a more diffused, smouldering and smokey effect on the eyes.  This type of look is perfect for a special occasion, evening out or even if you have a little more time to experiment with your make-up.  Here’s how to re-create this look:

Products

Base: MAC Painterly Paint Pot
Upper and Lower Lashlines: UD Zero Eyeliner (black)
Blend Eyeliner: MAC Typographic eyeshadow (muted matte black)/MAC Black-Tied Eyeshadow (deep satin black with sparkles)
Lid: MAC Knight Divine eyeshadow (dark satin charcoal grey)
Crease and Outer Lid: MAC Typographic eyeshadow (muted matte black)
Blend Crease: MAC Cork eyeshadow (medium matte neutral brown)
Inner Corner: MAC Electra eyeshadow (light shimmery silver)
Highlight: MAC Brule eyeshadow (light matte beige)
Black mascara (upper and lower lashes)
Cheeks (contour): Benefit Hoola Bronzer (matte medium warm brown)
Cheeks (blusher) Illamasqua Naked Rose blusher (pale dusky neutral pink)
Lips: Bare Minerals Rocker lipstick (light satin pink)

Steps

Note: There are more steps than usual outlined below and more products used as this look is slightly more complex.  Taking time when creating a look like this helps to ensure a well-blended smokey effect on the eyes.  You might prefer to try a look like this when you have a bit of extra time or if you want to try something special for an evening out.

1. Apply Painterly Paint Pot all over the lid as a base. You can either use your fingers or a flat synthetic brush (e.g. MAC 242).

2. Use Zero eyeliner (or any other black eyeliner) to line your upper and lower lashlines.  The lines do not have to be perfect as we will use eyeshadow to blend/soften the lines in stage 3.

3. Take Typographic on to a pencil brush (e.g. MAC 219) and use this to blend the eyeliner on the upper and lower lashlines.  This step helps to soften and ‘smoke out’ the liner.  I used another black eyeshadow (Black-Tied eyeshadow) over Typographic as I wanted a deeper effect but you can skip this extra black eyeshadow if you prefer to keep things simple.

4. Apply Knight Divine on to the eyelid using a gentle patting motion (e.g. MAC 239).  Applying the lid colour over the liner (from steps 2 and 3) further helps to soften the liner and creates a smokier look.

5. Sweep Typographic into the crease using a windshield wiper motion (e.g. MAC 217).  Take a little of Typographic into the outer lid as well to helo shape the eye.

6. Take Cork onto a crease/blender brush (e.g. MAC 217) and use this to blend out the edges of the crease colour.  Applying a neutral brown in this step also helps to ‘warm’ up the eye when using greys and blacks.

7.  Take a flat shader brush (e.g. MAC 239) and pat a little of Electra eyeshadow into the inner corners of the eye.  This step helps to brighten and add some ‘lightness’to the eye when using dark colours elsewhere.

8. Using a crease/blender brush (e.g. MAC 217) or a pointed crease brush (e.g. MAC 226), sweep Brule on to the browbone to highlight and further blend out the edges of the crease colour.

9. Apply black mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

10. Apply Hoola bronzer just under the cheekbones to provide a natural contour.  You can also take a little on to the cheekbones if you want to give your face some extra warmth.

11. Apply Naked Rose blusher to the cheeks to provide a natural glowy effect.  I used a pale, dusky pink for this step as I wanted to highlight the cheekbones but still keep things natural due to the strong colours on the eyes.

12. Apply Rocker lipstick to the lips.  I used a pale pink on the lips as I find this type of shade to be flattering when wearing such strong, charcoal shades on the eyes.  A nude or peach lipstick would also work well if you prefer those types of shades.