The smokey eye is an iconic, timeless, and sultry makeup look that instantly adds drama, sophistication, and allure to any style and elevates your appearance for any occasion. While it can seem intimidating to create, especially if you're trying to tailor it to your unique eye shape, achieving the perfect smokey eye doesn't have to take hours. In fact, with the right techniques and tools, you can master a 5-minute smokey eye that is perfectly suited to your eye shape! Whether you have hooded eyes, almond eyes, or round eyes, this guide will show you how to get the ultimate smokey eye in no time.

Also Read: Blessed With Dark Skin? Create Versatile Dramatic Looks With These 5 Eye Shadow Shades

(Experiment With Different Hues To Create A New EyeLook Everyday! Choose From Our Wide Collection Of Eyeshadow Shades In Different Textures!)

Understanding Your Eye Shape

Before diving into the tutorial, it is important to identify your eye shape. Different eye shapes benefit from specific techniques that can enhance your natural features. Here are the most common eye shapes:

Almond Eyes: Slightly pointed at the ends with a visible crease in the eyelid. Almond eyes can wear nearly any makeup look.

Round Eyes: Large and open with a prominent lid, often with a visible crease.

Hooded Eyes: The skin of the brow bone folds over the crease, making the mobile lid less visible when the eyes are open.

Monolid Eyes: Lacking a visible crease, monolids tend to have a smooth surface area on the eyelid.

Now that you have identified your eye shape, let us break down a 5-minute smokey eye tailored to each type.

Step-by-Step Guide: The 5-Minute Smokey Eye

Tools You Will Need:

• Eyeshadow palette (having dark, medium, and light shades or even glittery ones)
• Eyeliner (gel, pencil, or liquid)
• Mascara
• Blending brush
• Flat eyeshadow brush
• Optional: False lashes

Step 1: Prep and Prime Your Lids

Before diving into the smokey eye, it is essential to prep your eyelids. Start by applying a primer to ensure your eyeshadow lasts all day (or night) without creasing. If you don’t have an eye primer on hand, a dab of concealer will also work to create a smooth base.

Pro Tip: For hooded eyes or oily lids, this step is crucial, as it prevents makeup from transferring and smudging.

Also Read: Eye Candy: Eyeshadow Guidelines For The Beginners

Step 2: Apply a Transition Shade

Using a fluffy blending brush, apply a medium-toned matte shade slightly above your crease. This will act as your transition colour and help blend the darker shades seamlessly.

Tailor to Your Eye Shape:

• Almond Eyes: Focus the transition shade directly in the crease to define your natural eye shape.
• Round Eyes: Apply the shadow slightly above the crease to elongate and create a more almond-shaped appearance.
• Hooded Eyes: Go a bit higher with the transition colour to open up the eye area and give the illusion of a more prominent crease.
• Monolid Eyes: Apply the transition shade to the entire lid, concentrating on the outer corners to create depth.

Step 3: Define the Outer Corner

Next, grab a darker eyeshadow shade (such as black, charcoal, or deep brown) and apply it to the outer V of your eyelid. Use a smaller blending brush to blend the colour inward, keeping the darkest shade on the outer corner.

Tailor to Your Eye Shape:

• Almond Eyes: Focus the darker shadow on the outer third of your lid, following your natural eye shape.
• Round Eyes: Extend the shadow outward and slightly upward for a winged effect, which adds length and drama.
• Hooded Eyes: Use the darker shade just above the crease and blend slightly upwards to give the illusion of lifted lids.
• Monolid Eyes: Concentrate the dark colour on the outer corners, blending it toward the centre for a gradient effect that adds depth.

Step 4: Smudge Your Eyeliner

A smokey eye would not be complete without sultry eyeliner! Use a gel or pencil liner to draw along your upper lash line. Then, with a smudge brush or a cotton bud, gently blend the line to create a soft, smudged look. This step is key for that smokey, diffused effect.

Tailor to Your Eye Shape:

• Almond Eyes: Keep the liner thin and close to the lash line to maintain your eye’s natural shape.
• Round Eyes: Apply liner to the outer two-thirds of the lash line and smudge outwards for an elongated look.
• Hooded Eyes: Opt for a tight liner technique, applying liner directly to the waterline to enhance the eyes without losing lid space.
• Monolid Eyes: Smudge the liner along the lash line and slightly upwards, adding intensity to the look.

Step 5: Add Depth to the Lower Lash Line

For extra drama, apply a bit of dark eyeshadow to your lower lash line. Use a small flat brush to gently smudge the shadow, focusing on the outer corners for a more cohesive look.

Tailor to Your Eye Shape:

• Almond Eyes: Smudge a small amount of dark shadow along the entire lower lash line.
• Round Eyes: Keep the shadow on the outer half of the lower lash line to create balance.
• Hooded Eyes: Apply a soft smudge of shadow just on the outer corner to avoid overwhelming the eyes.
• Monolid Eyes: Smudge the darker colour from the middle of the lash line outward to enhance the eyes without closing them off.

Step 6: Highlight and Brighten

To brighten the eyes and give them a pop, apply a light shimmery shade to the inner corners and just below the brow bone. This step opens up the eyes and adds a bit of dimension.

Pro Tip: For hooded or monolid eyes, using a pearlescent shade in the inner corner can help create a more wide-awake appearance.

Step 7: Finish with Mascara (or Lashes)

No smokey eye is complete without voluminous lashes! Gently apply two coats of mascara to both the top and bottom lashes without smudging the eyeshadow. For extra drama, you can also opt for false lashes to enhance the overall look.

Tailor to Your Eye Shape:

• Almond Eyes: Focus the mascara on the outer lashes for a flared effect.
• Round Eyes: Apply mascara evenly across all lashes for a balanced, wide-eyed appearance.
• Hooded Eyes: Curl the lashes before applying mascara to open up the eyes and prevent them from being overshadowed by your lids.
• Monolid Eyes: Choose lengthening mascara to create a more dramatic lash effect.

Final Touches

After you have completed your smokey eye, take a clean blending brush to ensure all the shadows are seamlessly blended. This final step will remove any harsh lines and give you a perfectly diffused, smokey finish.

Take Away

A smokey eye is a classic look, but what makes it truly special is how you adapt it to your features. By adjusting the placement of eyeshadow and liner to suit your eye shape, you can make this bold makeup look work for you in just five minutes. So, practice, have fun, and experiment with different shades to discover what works best for your unique eyes!

(This article is reviewed by Kalyani Krishna Chief Content Editor)

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Soumita Basu:

Soumita Basu holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy and is keenly interested in Ayurveda, home remedies, yoga, fitness, diagnostics, and beauty. With nearly 6 years of experience, she produces evidence-based health content, including articles, videos, and infographics, to provide valuable insights to her audience.