Few looks are as forgiving and as unforgiving at once as smokey eye makeup. Forgiving, because a smoked out edge hides a slightly uneven line. Unforgiving, because one heavy hand with dark shadow can leave you looking tired rather than sultry. The difference almost always comes down to shade choice, brush choice and the order you work in.

Below you will find four versions of the smokey eye, from the softest to the most dramatic, followed by the techniques that make any of them work.

What makes an eye look “smokey”?

A smokey eye is defined by a gradient. Colour is deepest at the lash line and outer corner, then fades gradually upwards and outwards with no hard edge anywhere. That diffused shadow is what separates it from a cut crease, which deliberately creates a sharp line in the socket.

Almost any colour can be smoked out. Black, brown, plum, bronze, olive and navy all work, as long as you build the gradient properly.

Four smokey eye styles

The classic smokey eye

This is the version most people picture: charcoal or black shadow on the lid, grey or taupe blended through the crease, liner smudged along both lash lines and plenty of mascara. It suits evening events and photographs dramatically.

The brown smokey eye

Swap black for chocolate, espresso or warm brown. The effect is softer and more wearable, and it flatters almost every skin tone and eye colour. If you are new to smokey eyes, start here, because brown shadows are easier to blend and more forgiving if you overdo them.

The soft smokey eye

Here, the deepest colour is concentrated only along the upper lash line and outer third of the lid, with a light transition shade above. It reads as defined rather than dramatic and works well in daylight.

The black smokey eye

The most intense version uses matte black from lash line to crease, sometimes with a shimmering black or gunmetal on the centre of the lid. It needs the most careful blending and a clean base, and it is best kept for evenings.

Choosing eyeshadow shades

Every smokey eye needs at least three shades:

• A transition shade, matte and slightly deeper than your skin, for the crease
• A mid tone to build the gradient
• A deep shade for the lash line and outer corner

A shimmer for the centre of the lid is optional. For a cohesive set, a palette designed around one colour family helps. NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette and Catrice The Dusty Matte Eyeshadow Palette are both stocked at Dis-Chem; check the shades in person to make sure the deepest colours are deep enough for your skin.

Shades to consider by eye colour

Eye colour	Flattering smokey shades
Brown	Almost anything; plum, bronze, olive and navy are especially striking
Hazel	Olive, warm brown, burgundy
Green	Plum, burgundy, copper
Blue or grey	Bronze, copper, warm brown, charcoal

The brushes you need

You do not need a large collection, but you do need the right shapes:

• A fluffy blending brush for transition shades and softening edges
• A smaller, denser crease brush for placing deeper colour precisely
• A flat shader brush for packing colour onto the lid
• A small pencil or smudger brush for the lower lash line

Real Techniques brushes are available at Dis-Chem, and the brand makes both face and eye brushes at accessible prices. Whatever you use, keep brushes clean: a brush loaded with old dark shadow muddies every colour that follows. Our guide to cleaning makeup sponges covers the basic hygiene habits that apply to brushes too.

How to create a smokey eye, step by step

1. Prime the lid. A cream shadow or eye primer stops creasing and makes powder shadows grip. MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in a skin tone shade such as Painterly is one option; MAC describes it as a cream shadow that doubles as an eye primer.
2. Apply the transition shade through the crease with a fluffy brush using windscreen wiper movements. Keep it soft; this is the shade everything else melts into.
3. Draw the foundation for your smoke. Run a soft kohl pencil along the upper lash line and smudge it upwards with a small brush. This gives the dark shadow something to cling to.
4. Pack the deep shade over the pencil on the outer half of the lid, then use a clean crease brush to blend its upper edge into the transition shade.
5. Add the mid tone between the two to soften any line where they meet.
6. Smoke the lower lash line with the same deep shade on a small brush, connecting it to the outer corner. Keep it thinner towards the inner eye.
7. Clean up and brighten. Use a little concealer on a flat brush to sharpen the outer edge and tidy any fallout.
8. Finish with mascara on top and bottom lashes, or add lashes.

Eyeliner placement

Liner in a smokey eye should look diffused rather than graphic. A kohl or gel pencil is easier to smudge than liquid. NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil can be used as both a base and a liner, and Revlon ColorStay Eye Liner comes in black and brown.

Pencil in the waterline makes eyes look smaller but more intense, which can be striking with a black smokey eye. If your eyes are small or close set, keep the inner third of the waterline clear.

Preventing fallout

Dark shadow falling onto freshly finished foundation is the most common smokey eye frustration. Three ways to avoid it:

• Do your eyes first. Apply eyeshadow before foundation and concealer so any fallout can be wiped away. This order is debated, and we cover the pros and cons in eyes or skin first.
• Tap off excess. Always tap the brush against the edge of the palette before touching the lid.
• Use a barrier. A generous layer of loose powder under the eyes catches falling shadow and can be swept away afterwards.

Balancing dramatic eyes with lipstick

Traditionally, a strong eye is paired with a quiet lip. That remains the safest rule:

• A black or classic smokey eye pairs well with a nude, pinky beige or soft brown lip.
• A brown smokey eye can carry a warm terracotta or rose.
• A soft smokey eye leaves room for a deeper lip such as berry or brick, if you want both features defined.

Lip liner keeps any colour looking crisp next to dramatic eyes. A nude like NYX Slim Lip Pencil lined just inside your natural lip line and filled with gloss is hard to get wrong.

Common smokey eye mistakes

• Starting with the darkest shade. Build depth gradually; it is much easier to add than to remove.
• Taking colour too high. On most eyes, keep the deepest shade below the socket line.
• Forgetting the inner corner. Leaving it bare can make the eyes look smaller. A soft shimmer there opens them up.
• Harsh lower lash line. Drag the deep shade too far down and the look becomes heavy. Keep it close to the lashes.
• Skipping brows. A strong eye can make sparse brows look lost. Fill them softly to balance the face.

Frequently asked questions

Can I wear a smokey eye during the day?

Yes. A soft brown smokey eye with minimal lower lash definition works well in daylight.

How do I do a smokey eye on hooded eyes?

Blend the transition shade slightly above your natural crease so the colour is visible when your eyes are open, and keep the darkest shade close to the lash line.

Should I use matte or shimmer shades?

Matte shades build the gradient. Shimmer is optional and works best on the centre of the lid, where light naturally hits.

Smokey eyes for events

A professionally applied smokey eye is a popular choice for evening events, awards dinners and formal functions, where it needs to last for hours. If you would like a look done for an occasion, see the event makeup services on offer, or explore soft glam makeup looks if you prefer something lighter.