Sunday 3 November 2019

A Full Face of Makeup | The Subtle Smokey Eye







smokey eye makeupsubtle smokey eye
full face subtle makeup
charlotte tilbury lipstick the duchess

As a brunette myself, smokey eye makeup is always marketed towards me, but it has resulted in far more makeup disasters than I would have ever expected. I've always been a fan of the idea, but whenever I have attempted it previously, it resulted in more of an undesirable bewitched look. I have found that the darkness of a typical smokey eye can be harsh against my dark features so I've been on the hunt for a eyeshadow look that works for me. Finally, after a little experimentation and getting to know what compliments my facial features, I've mastered the perfect subtle smokey eye makeup.

Today, I'm taking it back to the old school days of beauty blogging. The days where you'd experiment with a new makeup style in your bedroom, then quickly snap pictures to share a review online. So here we are! 

Beginning with a flawless base, I used the Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer with the Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation in my shade 1,5N. Due to the light formula of this foundation, it's very easily blended in with just a beauty blender sponge. I find this one of the most comfortable foundations to wear. It's weightless and completely non-sticky, without compromising on a fantastic coverage. I added the E.L.F 16hr Camo Concealer to conceal any areas of redness or blemishes. This concealer is of a fairly thick consistency, therefore it works well to mask uneven pigments. However, it does dry a little darker than when you originally apply the product. With this in mind, I use a separate concealer to conceal under my eyes. I religiously use the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer on an everyday basis. In fact, it's been one of the only products that I have re-bought and re-bought over the years - I remember using it when I first started testing out makeup as a curious 14 year old. Here I have used the fair shade, deliberately on the lighter side of my usual shade match, to brighten up my under eyes for a more alert look. It's my favourite way to wave goodbye to those pesky dark circles!

For an extra glow, I applied a small amount of Dior Backstage Face & Body Glow to my upper cheekbones, along the bridge and the tip of my nose, onto my chin and cupid's bow. On top of this, I swept a light dust of golden highlighting powder to enhance the look of my skin and aid the contour of my face. I then added further definition by applying the all time favourite, the Benefit Hoola Bronzer. I contoured with this product using an angled brush for an easier application. With this product, I added shade to the sides of my nose, beneath my chin and under my cheekbones for a structured yet subtle look.

For my brows, I'm enjoying the natural look currently. Since I have grown them out, I tend to just brush them in an upwards motion with a simple spoolie brush. Grooming the hairs upwards flatters the facial features, almost like a natural face lift if ever there was one. 

One of my favourite eyeshadow palettes of all time is the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. If I were an eyeshadow palette, I think this would be it. With subtle golds, mauves and gorgeous browns, all of the shades flatter my dark tones perfectly. To create my smokey eye look, I initially covered my eyelid with the shimmering brown shade, Mugshot. With a flatter eyeshadow brush, I then gently applied the well pigmented gold shade, Buzz, under my lower lash line, flicking it outwards at the outer corner of my eye. Using my little finger, I tapped a small amount of the light cream shade, Strange, to the inner corner of my eyes. This softens the smokey eye, giving a brighter effect and complimenting the whites of your eyes, instead of dulling them out. I deliberately kept the eyeliner fairly minimal with this look, using a simple elongated winged line to add definition to my upper eye lid. To do this, I used the incredibly easy to apply Mary Kay Liquid Eyeliner Pen. Finally, to complete my eye makeup, I curled my lashes and carefully applied two coats of the Benefit They're Real Lengthening Mascara.

Complimenting the smokiness of my eye makeup, I decided to go with a blossom pink shade for my lips and blusher. Using a blusher brush, I gently dabbed the blusher upon the apples of my cheeks. To prepare the lips for my lipstick, I initially line them using the Mary Kay lip liner in the shade Coral. Lining the lips prior to lipstick not only defines the shape of your lips, it also prevents your lipstick from smudging. Additionally, it acts as a great base colour to enhance the final product's pigment. I often gravitate towards subtle nude lipstick shades but every now and again, I like to switch it up with a bolder choice. Accompanying my smokey eyeshadow today is the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in shade The Duchess - an elegant favourite! This burst of colour lifts the look as a whole, converting it from a smokey eye attempt to glamorous photo-ready makeup.


Shop the look



Instagram - @evieroselane
Pinterest - @evieroselane_




This post contains affiliate links

Post a Comment

Evie Rose Lane - Life & Style © . Design by FCD.