If you’re anything like me, nailing the perfect smokey eye is an achievement more chance than effort. Sure, it happens every now and then, but I have no idea how and please don’t ask me to repeat it.

All that’s about to change, though, thanks to the charitable folks over at NARS. During last weekend’s Makeup Show, the makeup megabrand kindly provided some easy to follow tips on creating the perfect smokey eye every single time. They even demonstrated this technique for the visually dependent, such as myself.

Below are my notes from the demonstration, smuggled through security for your enjoyment. Oh, and I’ve got pictures too!

 

The Perfect Smokey Eye

Before you begin, understand that the smokey eye is all about the graduation of shadow as you build and continue to the brow. Create a look that is more opaque near the lash and corners but more blended going up.

• First, start with your dark color and then layer with lighter colors instead of the other way around. Otherwise your dark may not be as deep as you intend.
• Second, work the product into the brush using circular motions on your index finger. This stops it from traveling all over your face during application. Note: When using water with an eye shadow, wet a makeup sponge and dab the brush with the sponge, instead of dipping the brush in water. This helps to further push the product into the brush.
• Third, blend your dark pigment up into the eye crease – not all the way to the brow! Use harsh lines to accent the shape of your smokey eye but then diffuse the line with a blending brush, creating a gradual point of pigmentation.
• Fourth, to connect your smokey eye to the rest of the face, take the blush used for the cheeks and add a very subtle amount of it to the area above the eye crease moving gradually up to the brow. This application should be very subtle.

This masterpiece was created with the brand new Dual Intensity line of wet/dry eye-shadows from NARS, available for public consumption beginning July 2014!