Two Ways to Wear a Smoky Eye

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The sultry dark smoky eye is a standard makeup favorite for a night out or for a special event, but is it just me or is this "standard" not as easy as everyone leads you to believe? More often than not, my "smoked out shadow" just becomes a blurry mess. It wasn't until I sat down and followed the Bat a Lash Beauty tutorial for a smoky eye that I got the desired effect. Here's the breakdown.

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After applying eye primer to your lid, add MAC Pro Longwear Eye Shadow in Uninterrupted to your crease, smoking the shadow out to the corners of your eyes. Next, apply MAC Eye Shadow in Swiss Chocolate over the crease, concentrating the color only to that area.

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Apply a base color over your eyelid, like MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Quite Natural.

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Next, blogger Angela Grigoryan uses the Saucebox Creme De La Creme Palette and a flat brush to apply eyeshadow in Black Widow to the lid. "Pat, don't swipe, or you will have a metric ton of fallout. Keep it focused on the lid and avoid the cream."

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Blend the black eyeshadow gently into the crease, but avoid going too high up across the brow bone. (You want to stay away from that dreaded raccoon look.)

Smoky eye makeup is a standard look for a night out, a special occasion, or hey, just because you're feeling sexy. However there's a fine line between a masterfully smudged and blurred smoky eye and an eye makeup look that's simply a mess.

Angela Grigoryan and Samantha Ravndahl, the beauty bloggers and freelance makeup artists behind Bat a Lash Beauty, break down two smoky eye looks step-by-step so you can get it just right. After you've mastered the basic smoky eye, move on the a whole other level -- the rocker smoky eye. You'll be a pro in no time.

Two Jaw-Dropping Smoky Eyes You Can Do at Home

Intimidated by eye makeup? Try this foolproof tutorial for sexy, smoky eyes

Your Standard Smoky Eye Breakdown

Shadow Time

Neutralize It

Darken It

Blend & Buff

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