The Makeup Box

[Requested] Simple Glamour: Smoky Brown Evening/Prom Eye (a la Bruno Mars “Just The Way You Are” Music Video)

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Perfect opportunity for me to combine 2 requests; one for a dark brown prom-makeup done using the 88 Matte Palette (the Warm palette has the same shades needed), and one for the smoky eye look worn by the gorgeous model in Bruno Mars’ Just The Way You Are video.

Dissecting the Look

The lighting in the video is extremely orange/yellow and the moving images aren’t crisp and clear (you can click on the images for a closer look at my screen grabs). From what I can tell, she is wearing:

• a matte chocolate brown smoky eye
• an eyeshadow shape that wings straight out, and emphasizes the outer halves of her socket line
• very defined and thick black liner but it’s not a very hard and precise line (i.e. does not look like liquid liner)
• full false lashes that are a “rounded” shape, longer in the center instead of at the outsides

It’s a very straightforward and flattering look as long as you can get the shadow shape correct, and it doesn’t matter if you have mono-lids, hooded eyes or double lids; blue, green brown, hazel or grey eyes. But in real life, it probably works better for an evening out clubbing or at the prom than to school.

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Back to Basics: Requested Basic Smoky Eye Tutorial

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Many people interpret smoky eyes in different ways, but the most common understanding is a shadow look where the color is very intense on the lid and lash line, and then slowly diffuses and fades outwards like smoke.

The basic smoky eye should be achievable using only 1 single shadow shade. Any deep color will work, regardless of whether it’s shimmery, glittery or matte.

I used MAC’s Blue Brown pigment, which works for most eye colors. MAC Club is a similar shade in pressed form, and is a shade that Kristen Stewart sported. REMEMBER: You do not need to use a duochrome like I did!

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Subtle, Glitzy New Year Glitter Eye!

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Here’s a way to pack on the glitter and glamour but still have it remain quite clean and chic for the New Year. I also wanted to reverse the typical half-glitter eye, by applying dark glitter on the outer areas of the lid, instead of a light glitter on the inner half of the lid, which is the typical way to do it.

You’ll just need

• black eye pencil
• matte beige shadow or pressed powder
• matte black or charcoal shadow
• glitter (any opalescent, multi-colored shade would work well; I used Taurus, a black with green, gold and bronze highlights)
• clear glitter glue or clear brow mascara

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Colorburst: Yellow-Gold and Sultry-Blue Eye Makeup

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This is bright eye makeup look with an intense twist of contrasting color. The star product of the show is Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #11, which is a gorgeous platinum-yellow gold shade that might be a good item to keep on your Xmas wish-list if you like this type of finishes!

Other than this, you will need:

• Black liner or kajal
• Shimmery brown shadow (I used MAC Sable)
• Deep blue shadow (try MAC Deep Truth)
• Pale blue or silvery shimmer (I used L’oreal 
• Mascara

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Step 1: Apply the Aqua Cream over the lid, going up close to the brow. If you have dryer lids or just more lines there, keep the color only within the socket line instead of going all the way up, or skip it all together. Bright metallic cream finishes can accentuate and CREATE a lot of “lines”.

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Step 2: This is a 2-step approach because I wanted a very intense metallic brown line. I lined my eyes with black pencil first, creating a short, thick flick at the end. Then using a flat brush, I coated that black pencil with a metallic brown pencil (MAC Sable). This gives you a more intense chocolate-brown than you’d get if you just used a regular metallic brown liner.

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Step 3: Using a soft blending brush, pick up the same brown and apply this gently along your socket line. Don’t over-apply as the color should be hazy and soft. If you have a small lid space or more lines on your lids (and skipped step 1), then the brown will not cut across the yellow like I did. It should be on top of the yellow.

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Step 4: Using a tiny brush and black kajal, I lined my lower waterline. Get it all thick and dark and don’t worry about it looking neat because you’ll be covering it up later.

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Step 5: Using a flat brush, I ran a navy blue along the lower lash line. NOTE! The blue doesn’t go on the waterline. It goes on the lash line, overlapping the black liner, but slightly below it. If you have a slightly dropping eye shape, don’t overdo this bit as it can drag your eye shape down further. Just trace a tiny bit of the blue along your lashes; enough that you can see the color intensity.

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Step 6: The fun step. I’m using L’oreal’s Infallible Shadow Marshmallow from the Miss Candy Collection earlier this year. (It’s still available in many places, but if you can’t get it anyore, just use any pale silver-blue.)

Using a fluffy blending brush, I just applied the shade a little under the darker blue earlier, going from a thin line and spreading into a bigger area at the cheekbones. This actually extends it into a highlighter, for that extra “shine” whenever the light catches it. 

Soft Glamor: Easy Evening/Party/Prom Neutral Eye

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For everyone who is relatively new to eye makeup and not sure how to add some flattering glamor for formal occasions, this is a look you can try.

It’s comprised of neutrals, so it goes with pretty much any outfit, although you can change the lid shade from a smoky brown to any other color and retain the shape and application.

I used a:

• Matte black
• Smoky taupe brown (semi-matte)
• Coppery-beige shimmer
• Silver-white shimmer

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Step 1: First use a firm smudge brush or angled brush to apply black to the lash line, like you would apply a thick swatch of liner. As always, draw in the outer flick first, parallel to the angle of your lower lash line, and then extend the line inwards to the inner corners.

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Step 2: The main lid shade for the smoky look. I used a deep taupe brown (BH Cosmetics MS17; use MAC Satin Taupe if you have it) above the black earlier, and gently filled in the entire lid EXCEPT the inner corners. Follow the line of the black and wing the brown out at the outer corners.

On the inner corners, run it along the socket line only.

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Step 3: On the inner 1/3 of the lids, apply a peach-tan shimmer. MAC Tan pigment or BH Cosmetics CS09). This doesn’t show up that well on camera but in real life both these shades are very intensely metallic.

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Step 4: [Recommended for the very pale to medium-fair skins; Optional for everyone else] Dab a bit of silvery-white shimmer right in the inner corners just to brighten things up a little. This is only needed if the tan shimmer is the same tone or darker than your natural skin tone. You’d need a little more brightness at the inner corners for a more flattering effect. 

If you have caramel to dark chocolate skin, the peach-tan shade should already pop against your skin.

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Step 5: The lashes. I cut a pair of wispies (fluttery, irregular, natural-looking) into 2 halves and then used one half on the outer lash line. This beefs up your lashes only on the outside, and emphasizes that sultry, catty effect. You want to curl your natural lashes before you apply falsies.

Let the glue dry at least 30 seconds or until you see a bit of the glue going grey or transparent. Then place the inner corner in the center of the lid, and then tuck the outer corner down.

(Half strips are a much easier way to apply false lashes for those who aren’t familiar with it, and cutting a single pair of lashes into 2 is cheaper than buying a single pair of half strips for the same price!)

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Last step: Finish by applying black pencil along the inner rim of the lower lids to just intensify the lash line further, and then you can apply some mascara just to weave your natural lashes into the false ones.

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Tips on cutting lashes:

1. Look for lashes that are symmetrical, with longest hairs in the center, and outer hairs equally short. 
2. The best lashes for cutting have short outer hairs and much longer hairs in the center. This helps if your natural lashes are short, because the short end of the false lashes should more or less blend in with your own instead of sticking out obviously in the center of your eye.

Silver Smoke: MAC Electra

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I think every makeup collector should “shop their own stash” once in awhile, as a way of rediscovering and digging out items that they have forgotten.

Electra was one of the very first shadows I ever bought from MAC (along with Vex) and my first pan has been with me years and years because I’ve worn it probably less than 10 times.

It’s a steely silver that has enough depth and sheen to still look dimensional when worn alone on the lids, while playing well with other colors. The main reason I haven’t used this much in the past is probably because it’s not exactly a subtle shade to wear on a daily basis. 

Beautiful it certainly is though.

I’m bringing out the sheen and texture by pairing it with a matte black and a darker charcoal grey. If you have any silver-grey-black palette you will be able to recreate this look. (Maybelline Charcoal Smokes and L’oreal Blackened Smokes would both work. Just avoid picking any silver that is too white/platinum unless you are extremely fair-skinned.)

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Step 1: First apply black cream shadow or base over your entire lid and along the lower lash line as well. This is a step that can help to intensify the whole look. If you don’t have black cream shadow, just use black pencil or kajal to get the same look.

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Step 2: Begin by packing the bright silver shade over the inner 2/3 of the lid, leaving just the outer corner and socket area dark.

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Step 3: Using a dark charcoal grey (if you don’t have anything this dark, mix a black with the silver you used earlier) and apply that in the outer corner and along the lower lash line where there isn’t any silver shadow.

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Step 4: Run black pencil or kajal along the inner rims of the lash line, and then use a flat angled brush to run black matte shadow along the upper lash line. This adds definition to the lash line. These 2 steps intensify the lash line without an overly-defined line that a pencil or liquid liner would give.

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Step 5: Finish by curling your lashes and applying black mascara. If your silver shadow has faded a bit by now, you can always touch up a bit more. Make sure you add a little silver to the inner corner of the lower lash line as well.

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Cheeks and Lips:

This look works fab with softer lips and cheeks like nudes or soft pinks and peaches. I’d just avoid anything overly metallic on the lips since you don’t want to distract from the strong-textured eyes.

You CAN apply a strong red lip as well for a look that’s a little more 70s/80s. Totally up to you!