Beauty Buzz: How to Create a Smoky Eye

I’ve always been intimidated by the smoky eye look, both creating it and then wearing it. I’ve always felt like a smoky eye look would make my dark circles more pronounced so when I had the chance to connect with local beauty favorite, Fonda Lee, at her popular eponymous beauty bar, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., I told her I’d love to learn how to create a “natural smokey eye” (whatever that means!). Luckily she didn’t look at me like a crazy person and immediately starting giving me the best beauty insight with her friendly, informative demeanor.

In the first photo, I’m wearing just a little make-up, what I had when I rushed out the door about eight hours earlier at 7:40 am with my kids. I had an evening event and well, mama needed help. Check out Fonda’s step-by-step strategy, and awesome beauty insider tips, to achieve the look for yourself. Yes, it may take time to master but just like how I finally learned how to create beachy waves, knowing how to do it is such a game changer (and money saver!).

HOW TO // 

First, know that a smoky eye can be in a range of colors, such as charcoals, browns or greens. Determine what’s most wearable for your complexion; for me it’s the browns, and pick up a palette so the range of colors are pre-selected for you (no guesswork).

Before getting started with your eyes, even out your skin tone and add brow color. Your brows define your face! She used her auburn brow powder and brow brush, similar to what I do at home.

1. First, put a light to medium base on your lid as a primer. This will help set the shadow and make it last.
2. Swipe a neutral shadow across your lid.
3. Now, contour with a darker color just above your brow bone. Her game changer? A fan brush! She sells one (Fonda Lee actually has an entire, affordable line of make-up and brushes!) or you can get a similar one here. Simply press and sweep. MAGICAL. I always felt like I’d get brush marks so this fan brush that’s almost the size of your lid makes it fool proof… no guess work.
4. Add a deeper tone in the formal crease of your eye where your eye goes in. Do not press hard. The lighter you press the more movement you get; the firmer you press you’re actually pushing color into the lid instead of sweeping it across for a more blended look.
5. Now, your liner: dip a thin, slightly damp brush into that same deeper tone of shadow to use as your liner, this way your eyes are in sync (smart!). Make sure your shadows have a strong pigmentation and if you’re nervous about this step, practice first on your hand. Instead of sweeping across, tap across to create a crisp line. Also add liner under your eye.
6. My personal favorite step: highlighter. It brightens up your face. Add it just below your eye brow to illuminate your eyes. Then reapply your base color (a neutral hue) just above your liner on the lid. This way your eye still has a lightness to it instead of a completely dark lid.
7. Add mascara, looking down and really grabbing the root of lashes with the wand to get that rich, thick color.
8. Touch up concealer under your eye, and swipe on lipstick. Gorgeous!

Thank you to Fonda Lee for hosting TAGG for this beauty lesson; no compensation or products were provided… simply great tips for all of us from a local beauty favorite. All opinions are my own.