Bridesmaids' Smokey Eye: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners

Smokey eye makeup is a sultry, glamorous look that's perfect for bridesmaids, especially for evening weddings with darker-coloured dresses. To achieve the smokey eye look, you'll need a base, either foundation or concealer, or an eye primer, and a pencil eyeliner or eyeshadow palette in earthy tones. It's recommended to do eye makeup first to easily wipe away any fallout from the shadow. You can start with the lightest eyeshadow colour and work your way across the eyelid, using the palest tone on the inside of the eye, then the mid-tone across the entire eyelid, and ending with the darkest shade on the outside corner and crease. For a more dramatic effect, you can add kohl pencil to the waterline and smudge through with a brush. Smokey eye makeup is quite powerful, so it's best to pair it with a matte nude or understated pale pink lip.

Tools and preparation

Before you begin, it is important to have the right tools and to prepare the eye area.

Firstly, you will need a base, either your usual foundation or concealer, or an eye primer. This will help to create a smooth and even base texture for the eyeshadow to stay put.

Next, you will need to choose your colours. Smokey eyeshadow is usually grey or black eyeshadow that is blended to look smokey, but you can also use nude, brown, or taupe hues for a softer look. You will need either a pencil eyeliner or an eyeshadow colour palette of earthy tones.

You will also need blending tools, such as makeup brushes or cotton buds, and eyeliner brushes if you are using a gel or liquid liner.

It is recommended to do your eye makeup first, in case of any fallout from the eyeshadow, which can then be easily wiped away.

If you are doing a smokey eye, it is also best to do most of the eye, then the skin, and then go back to the eye if you need to add more product. It is also recommended to build up colour gradually, rather than putting lots of product on at once and then having to blend it away.

If you are doing a soft brown smokey eye, you can use a light peachy gold all over the mobile lid, a warm mid-tone brown in the outer corner, and then blend. You can then add a darker matte dark brown to smoke it up, and blend with a soft tapered blending brush.

For a taupe smokey eye, you can use an earthy brown base, and then pack on a gorgeous taupe colour with a slight shimmer over the whole eye. To increase intensity, add a darker matte tone, blending backwards and forwards with a blending brush.

For a plum smokey eye, use a base with a peachy undertone, and then build up the eyeshadow using a purple hue without being too purple. Press a burgundy matte shadow into the outer corner of the eye and then blend.

For a gold smokey eye, you can use golds, silvers, and bronzes, perfect for a formal and sophisticated wedding.

For a charcoal smokey eye, pair with a nude or neutral lipstick for a glamorous look without looking too done-up.

For a seamless transition, use darker outer corners with moody and alluring hues, and flecks of gold to catch the light.

For a soft smokey eye, use browns and taupes to bring dimension.

For a glamorous look, consider using false eyelashes to make the eyes pop in photos.

For a dramatic look, try a bold eyeliner with a vintage vibe, which can be achieved with an ultra-fine felt-tip eyeliner pen.

To avoid your makeup looking too heavy, use a light contour for a natural look, only contouring the nose or forehead if you want a more dramatic look.

For a glossy appearance, use a cream eyeshadow, but be sure to use an eyeshadow primer to avoid creasing.

For a natural look, use neutral colours for the eyeshadow and lip colour, and add mascara to the lashes.

For a bold look, use a vampy lip colour like dark red or black.

For a subtle glam look, use neutral eye makeup shades and a nude lip colour.

For a glittery eye, look for a gold colour that complements the bridesmaid dresses.

For a pop of colour, choose a bold lip colour like red.

For a polished look, use a subtle glam style with neutral eye makeup and a nude lip.

For a fresh and natural makeup look, opt for rosy cheeks and a fresh face for a daytime event.

For a sultry evening look, use a smokey eyeshadow.

For a summer wedding, wear less makeup than usual, and stick to nude palettes.

For a fall or winter wedding, use a muted palette, or bolder, deeper colours and metallic finishes.

For a glamorous ballroom wedding, try a glitter bomb makeup style with a gorgeous, glittery eye.

For a classic look, use a clean eyeliner, subtle shades of brown, and a soft lipstick.

For a glossy lip, use a matte lipstick, and be sure to exfoliate and moisturise lips beforehand for a smooth application.

For a monochromatic look, match the dress colour with the eye shadow.

For a bold eye, use a double dose of liner and extra-long lashes, using a lengthening mascara formula.

For a subtle, natural look, use matte shadows and makeup to create a clean, elegant base.

Step-by-step process

Firstly, decide whether you will be applying the makeup yourself or hiring a professional makeup artist. If you are doing it yourself, make sure you have the right tools, including brushes, eyeliner, eyeshadow palettes, and mascara. If you are hiring a professional, bring a photo reference to speed the process along.

Step 1: Prepare the base

Start with a base, either your usual foundation or concealer, or an eye primer. This will help create a base texture for the eyeshadow to stay put and look even.

Step 2: Choose your colours

For a classic smokey eye, choose grey or black eyeshadow. However, you can also opt for nude, brown, or taupe hues for a softer look. If you have blue eyes, go for anything with a warm undertone, such as peaches, golds, bronzes, oranges, warm browns, or chocolates. For brown eyes, plums, burgundies, silver, golds, and greys work well. For green eyes, think about anything with a red undertone, such as burgundy, plum, or purple.

Step 3: Apply the eyeshadow

Start with the lightest colour on the inside of the eye, then apply the mid-tone across the entire eyelid. Finally, add the darkest shade to the outside corner and crease. You can also add a cream eyeshadow over the base and a matching powder colour on top for extra staying power.

Step 4: Blend

Use a blending brush to smudge the eyeshadow and fill in the rest of the eyelid. You can also add a darker shade to the outer corner and socket line and blend again.

Step 5: Add eyeliner

Apply eyeliner to the top lid, drawing across half the crease of the eye and filling in the wing. You can also add eyeliner to the bottom waterline and blend it across the bottom lid. For a softer look, use a soft kohl liner.

Step 6: Mascara

Finish off the look with mascara to make your lashes pop.

Tips

• Apply eye makeup first, so that any fallout from the eyeshadow can be easily wiped away.
• Build up colour gradually for a more blended look.
• Use a base for the eye to increase the longevity of eyeshadows and prevent creasing.
• Smokey eye makeup can be messy, so consider doing your eye makeup before the rest of your makeup to save time on clean-up and re-application.
• Using a highlighting and contouring makeup can widen the eye. Apply this to the inside of the eye and brow bone.
• White eyeliner on the bottom waterline can create the illusion of bigger eyes.
• Team smokey eye makeup with a matte nude or understated pale pink lip to avoid overdoing it.
• Smokey eye makeup is ideal for an evening look but can be adapted for daytime by using your black eyeliner pencil to smudge an eyeshadow effect.
• False lashes will make your eyes pop in photos.

Colours for blue eyes

Blue eyes are already striking, but the right eyeshadow can make them pop and enhance their natural beauty. When creating a smokey eye for blue eyes, it's best to opt for colours with warm undertones. Here are some eyeshadow shades that will make blue eyes stand out:

• Browns: Golden, copper, peachy, and orange shades are excellent choices for blue eyes. These warm colours sharpen the appearance of blue eyes and bring out the warm golden flecks within them.
• Purple: From lavender to plum, all shades of purple can complement blue eyes beautifully. The cool and calm hue of purple, combined with its blue undertones, will make blue eyes appear even brighter and more vibrant.
• Gold: Gold eyeshadow will boost the natural gilded sparkle in blue eyes. Using a wet eyeshadow brush will intensify the metallic finish, creating a bold and glamorous look.
• Bronze and Chocolate: These rich, warm shades look amazing on blue eyes and enhance their colour.
• Mink-brown: A wash of mink-brown is a great everyday eyeshadow choice for blue eyes. It draws out the gold flecks in the iris, while rosy, mauve-y undertones keep the look fresh and modern.

Remember, when creating a smokey eye for bridesmaids, it's important to consider the wedding theme and venue to ensure the makeup is tasteful and complements the overall style.

Colours for brown eyes

When it comes to smoky eye makeup for bridesmaids with brown eyes, the possibilities are endless. Brown eyes are incredibly versatile, so you can experiment with a wide range of colours. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Plums and Burgundies

Plums and burgundy shades look amazing on brown eyes. These colours add depth and intensity to your gaze, creating a mesmerizing effect. You can also try other shades in the purple family, such as lavender, eggplant, or amethyst.

Gold, Silver, and Grey

Gold, silver, and grey shades are perfect for enhancing brown eyes. These colours bring out the different tones in brown eyes, making them glisten. Try using a gold eyeshadow as a base and adding a darker grey in the outer corner for a smoky effect. You can also use silver and grey eyeshadows to create a smokey eye, adding drama and definition to your eyes.

Warm Metallics

Warm metallics, such as golds, bronzes, and coppers, are ideal for emphasizing the natural sparkle in brown eyes. These shades pick up the different tones in brown eyes, making them stand out. Try using a shimmering bronze or gold eyeshadow on your lid, blending it outwards for a soft, natural look, or adding more intensity for a dramatic evening look.

Brown Shades

Believe it or not, brown eyeshadow can also bring out brown eyes! The combination intensifies your eye colour and is an excellent choice for an everyday look. Go for antiqued amber tones or rich chocolate browns to create a mesmerizing effect.

Green

Green eyeshadow is a bold choice that can complement brown eyes beautifully. The shade you choose will depend on your specific eye colour and the look you're aiming for. If you have dark brown eyes, try a jewel tone to deepen and emphasize their warmth. For hazel or light brown eyes, a minty green or soft metallic shade will play up the gold and lighter tones in your eyes.

Grey

Grey eyeshadow is universally flattering and looks especially modern and unexpected this season. If you have warm brown eyes, opt for a cool-toned grey to create a stunning contrast. Dark silver can be used as an eyeliner for a subtle touch of grey, while deeper brownish greys are perfect for a neutral smoky eye.

Remember, when creating a smoky eye look, it's best to start with your eye makeup first to avoid any fallout from the eyeshadow affecting the rest of your makeup. Build up the colour gradually for a more blended look, and don't be afraid to experiment with different shades to find what works best for you.

Colours for green eyes

When it comes to creating a bridal smokey eye for green eyes, think anything with a red undertone. These colours will accentuate green eyes. You might not want to wear a red eyeshadow—it's quite unusual and can be hard to wear. Instead, try burgundy, plum, or purple shades, or anything with a warm undertone, to enhance green eyes.

For a base, try MAC Laying Low Paint Pot, which has a peachy undertone and will hold eyeshadow in place for the whole day. It's especially good if your eyeshadow tends to crease. Use a MAC 217 brush to blend over the whole eyelid, stopping just below the brow bone.

For eyeshadow, try MAC Quarry, which has a purple hue without being too purple. Press the shadow into the lid up to the crease with a firm, flat brush like the MAC 239.

Use the same brush, but the other side, to apply MAC Sketch eyeshadow, a burgundy matte shadow, to the outer corner of the eye. Blend with a MAC 224 brush to get a soft, blown-out look.

Use the MAC Sketch again with a MAC 266 brush to draw a line under the eye, blending with a clean finger or brush. This gives a smokey look, and you can draw all the way to the inner corner of the eye for a more defined finish.

Add a pencil liner on the waterline for more drama. Try MAC Teddy, a warm brown, or Feline for a darker black.

General Tips for a Smokey Eye

• It's best to do eye makeup first in case of any fallout, which can easily be wiped away.
• Build up colour gradually for a more blended look.
• Use a base to increase longevity and stop eyeshadow creasing and moving throughout the day.
• Use a blending brush to softly blend eyeshadow.
• Add drama and depth to the eye by adding a kohl pencil to the waterline.
• Mascara finishes off the look.

Frequently asked questions