Smokey eye makeup can be achieved without spending too much time and or money. It is not impossible to achieve it, but neither is it easy. Like a lot of things in life, even a smokey eye makeup requires a lot of practice, trial and error, until you find the technique that suits you the best. Here is a technique for every makeup beginner that may work like a charm.

But before we go into the actual technique, here is a list of things that you would need in order to create the perfect smokey eye makeup:

1. Nude And Black Eyeshadow, All Matte!

Every woman will own a palette with nude colors, but may not have a black matte share in it. It isn’t easy to find eyeshadow palettes that have nude shades and black, especially all in a matte finish. Although, it is not impossible to find. Some brands actually have palettes just for nude shades and may even be within a student budget. Here are some brands to look into for good quality and affordable eyeshadow palettes:

A.  Nykaa Eyes On Me! 10-in-1 Eyeshadow Palette – Tinsel Twilight

This eyeshadow palette has all the shades required to create the perfect smokey eye. From the lovely subtle nudes to the glamour shimmers for every occasion. The ‘Tinsel Twilight’ palette from the ‘Eyes On Me’ collection, is the perfect option for your smokey eyes, all kinds. The palette is also priced reasonably for any 

B. L.A. Colors Color Block Eyeshadow Palette – Nude

L.A. Colors is a well known brand for various makeup products, but their most desired ones are the eyeshadow palettes. They have various ranges of colored as well as nude shades available which are perfect for every occasion one can think of. They have a wide range of nude shade palettes, among them is the ‘L.A. Colors Color Block Eyeshadow Palette – Nude’ which has all the basic colors required for a smokey eye makeup as well as highlighter for a bit of enhancement in your final look. The plus point of this palette is that they have mentioned which shades go best where as well as their pricing is just as affordable as the ‘Eyes On Me’ collection by Nykaa.

C. Maybelline New York The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Maybelline has definitely made its mark in every makeup enthusiast’s heart. All their products have been exceptionally good, be it quality or price. Their eyeshadow palette range, comes with every shade one would want for every occasion. Among these, is the ‘Nudes’ eyeshadow palette that contains the perfect shades of color along with quality pigmentation. The pricing of this product is worth it as it contains 12 nude shades, both matte finish and shimmery.

2. No Brushes? No use!

The above mentioned palettes are well known brands that are at affordable prices and have the perfect shades for a smokey eye makeup. But these shades alone will not help you achieve the ultimate smokey eye look, you also need the right makeup brushes to carry and blend these pigments beautifully. So here are 3 makeup brushes that every woman should have in her makeup collection for eye makeup:

A. Eye Crease Brush

As the name suggests, it is a brush used for the crease of the eye, that is the portion just above your eyelids. Adding a dark shade of eyeshadow to this part of your eyes will create the illusion of a bigger eye. Using this brush to do so, will help you achieve it quicker.

B. Eye Base Brush

The eye base brush is flat and thick that is used to apply the eyeshadow onto the eyelid, perfectly. It will also help build the pigmentation as in when required. This brush is also perfect to add shimmer to the eyelid.

C. Eye Blender Brush 

This brush is similar to the round brush used in painting, except it is used to blend the eyeshadows of different shades, without leaving back any patches. It is the perfect brush for smokey eye makeup, so there are no strong pigmentations on at the end of the look.

Apart from these three brushes, there are many more makeup brushes that will help you apply other makeup products onto the skin, effortlessly. Having said that, the above mentioned makeup tools and products are what is required to creating your easy and simple smokey eye makeup:

STEP 1: BASE!

Every makeup method starts with a base, for instance, an entire makeup look will start with the toner or the primer that holds onto the makeup. Similarly, for eye makeup, it is important to prime them, as the eyeshadow pigments catch onto the eyelid and keep it on for hours. For an eye primer, you can either use the eye priming makeup product, or simply aloe vera gel. Aloe vera gel creates a smooth base similar to that of an eye primer, but it may not be as effective as an eye primer product when it comes to the long lasting part of it.

STEP 2: PLACEMENTS OF NUDE SHADES!

The most important part of a smokey eye makeup is always starting with the lighter shade. The reason being that, when you place the lighter shades first, you will have a control over where the darker shades can be placed.

Before you start applying the eyeshadow, for precise edges, use a masking tape on the edge of your eyes.

Start by applying the lightest shade of brown onto the centre of the eyelid moving towards the inner corner of the eye. To do this, use the eye base brush. Once the lighter shade has been applied, use a eyeliner pencil on the edge of the outer corner of the eye, drawing a lesser than (<) symbol. Do not add too much pencil pigmentation on the first try. It is best to build it up as and when required.

Using the eye blender brush, blend out the eyeliner pencil pigment on the outer corner, moving lightly into the centre of the eye. Once the pencil pigment has been blended out 50%, using the eye crease brush, and pick up a dark brown shade from the eyeshadow palette. Using the picked pigment, blend it into the area that the eyeliner pencil was added. By doing so, it will help tone down the darkness of the eyeliner pencil, giving it an earthy look. Once the pigments have blended in well, using the eye crease brush, dip it into the dark brown shade, and go over the crease line to create a depth.

There you have it, the 2-step simple and easy smokey eye. If you want to add a bit of glamour to it, you can use a gold shimmer or highlighter, and add it to the centre of the eyelid.

Smokey eye makeup, as mentioned, isn’t impossible, but can be achieved through practice. The most important thumb rule in any eye makeup is to never over pigment on the first coat, but to always build with minimal products.

Smokey Eye Makeup: Simple And Fab!