Daytime Smoky Eye How-to

     I love makeup. I always have and I love sitting at home and farting around with all the colours and textures of products that I use. I pride myself on using both high end and pocket friendly brands. I love Maybelline mascara. They are always under $10 and give amazingly full looking lashes. I like to team up different types of mascara to have the falsies look. Because, let's face it, I am far too lazy for falsies. I also love palettes. They are oftentimes a better price than buying all the offered colours individually and they present a mix of hues you wouldn't otherwise pick but turn out to love. I use two palettes when I do a smoky eye: "Natural Eye" by Too Faced and "Naked 2" by Urban Decay. They are high quality pigments in cute little boxes. What more would you possibly want? 

     Maybe you want to know how I put on makeup. I am by no means or measure an expert, but I do know how to put myself together. Here are some pics, tips and tricks!

This is me...bare faced and ready to go. The only thing I have on is a light coating of Creme de la Mer. 

Yes, La Mer is amazing. I have eczema and redness....well, I did! Give it a shot, the samples they give out last 2 weeks!

The first product I use is "Stay Don't Stray" by Benefit. I dab 1/2 a piece of corn sized nub on my fingers and delicately place it under my eyes and on my lid and brow bone area. A little goes a long way. 

Next, I use the "Instant Light Brush on Perfector" by Clarins in "ghost." I am kidding! They don't call my shade ghost. I like this product because it is comparable to YSL's Touche Eclat and is half the price. I place this under my eyes and around my brows and lips to create a crisp line for the next steps.

Yes, I fill in my brows. The trick to doing it well is to:

a) use a powder that is 2 shades lighter than your hair colour

b) remember that less is more

c) use an angled brush and not a free foam tipped applicator

Next, I use "Star Bronzer" by Lancome with my Bobbi Brown fan brush. Less is more!

To add definition, suck in your cheeks and sweep bronzer onto the hollowed areas under your bones. 

Next, I use "Ladyblush" by MAC. It is a creme blush and I apply it to the apples of my cheeks. 

Now, on to the eyes!

I dust my lids, creases and brow bone area with "Foxy" from the Naked 2 Palette.

Just like so!

I then take my "Natural Eye Palette" and my scruffy brush and find the hollow part of my socket at the part of the eye nearest to my ears. I put some "sexpresso" <---no joke. *sigh* on my brush and stipple it into the hollow, a quarter way across my crease and a quarter of the way across my lid. For smoky eyes you do this with your darkest shade. Don't smudge, or it will look too light. If you get powder all over the under of your eyes, that's ok. Have a sponge with some concealer on it ready for cleanups.

Next, take your second darkest shade and stipple it in the crease and move it from your pupil to the edge of the darkest colour. In my case, this was "cocoa puff" from the "Natural Eye" Palette. 

I use a light pink as my final colour and I brush the remaining area of my lid and crease with it. I also highlight just under my brows with it. With my palette this is "silk teddy" <---another eye roll

Now that I am done my brushing, I am ready for liner. I use MAC's "Superslick Liquid Eyeliner" in "On the Hunt". Many are intimidated by liquid eyeliner. My secret is to hold the liner as close to my lash line as possible and to make small dashes across my eye, connecting them as I go. 

I like to make my lashes look thicker by putting liner under my upper lash line, just above the whites of my eyes. For this I use NYX. It is cheap and made in Germany. Nice frog face!

This is my favorite part! Lashes! I whip out "The Rocket Volum'" by Maybelline. Such a great mascara. 

If you hold the wand straight up and down, this will make your lashes less clumped together and they won't look like they are at a 45 degree angle. 

I like to use "Illegal Lengths" by Maybelline to lengthen my lashes. 

Next is Tom Ford Beauty's lipstick in "Pink Dusk". Yes, Tom Ford makes makeup. Is there anything he can't do? (Apart from make +size clothes?)

The secret to putting on just the right amount is to apply directly from the tube to your bottom lip and then press your lips together. Voila!

To finish up, I put a dab of MAC's "Cremesheen Glass" lip gloss in "Boy Bait" in the centre of my bottom lip and press my lips together. It gives just the right amount. 

There! We are all done and ready for the day!

If you are wondering about my hair, I use Fekkai Shea Butter 'Poo and Conditioner and scrunch with some Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray. It is quick and easy. I have heard you can make your own with just salt and water, but I like to err on the safe side when dealing with my hair. 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Remember the golden rule (as was stated above on several occasions) is that less is more. You are beautiful, just let makeup enhance it. 

Product List:

Benefit: "Stay Don't Stray" concealer/primer

Urban Decay "Naked 2" Palette in "Foxy"

Basic Black Crayon Liner

Maybelline "Illegal Lengths" in "Blackest Black"

Maybelline "The Rocket Volum'" in "Blackest Black"

MAC "Superslick Liquid Eyeliner" in "On the Hunt"

MAC "Cremesheen Glass" in "Boy Bait"

Bobbi Brown fan brush

Lancome "Star Bronzer"

Rock and Republic in "Diffused Saturate"

Tom Ford Lip Colour in "Pink Dusk"

MAC "Blush Creme" in "Ladyblush"

Too Faced "Natural Eye" Palette

Clarins "Instant Light Brush-On Perfector"