Although I love to play with makeup, I admit that I’m not the most adventurous with color.  I love a neutral lid consisting of warm nudes and shimmery browns, big lashes, and a strong cat eye.  I’ve received a lot of tutorial requests for a natural and subtle smokey eye appropriate for everyday wear, and here it is~  My signature cat liner, fluffy mink lashes, full brows, a matte lip, and defined cheek bones finish off the look.

*I should point out that I am by no means a professional makeup artist.  Although there are no strict rules when it comes to makeup application, I can’t promise that all of my techniques follow the “right” way to do things.  Everyone, from makeup artists to bloggers to teenagers, has their own application style; this is simply mine.  I will be using the Coastal Scents ‘Revealed’ Palette, an Urban Decay ‘Naked’ dupe, but any neutral palette you have on hand will work.

Starting with a clean and moisturized face, use a flat angled brush to stroke in some brown brow powder (Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Duo) or a matte brown eyeshadow where the hair is sparse.  With a brow pomade (Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow) start outlining your brows and creating your desired shape.  Use small, hair-like strokes to place the product.  I prefer to stroke in powder on the inner corners and to use the pomade more heavily on the outer corners to keep the brows from looking too dense and unnatural.  Try to be as light handed as possible.  After brushing with a spoolie wand to soften, use the BDB Highlighter Pencil or any concealer a few shades too light and a flat smudge brush to draw a clean and precise line under the brows while buffing it forward to brighten and define the area.  Next, prime your lids with MAC ProLongwear Paint Pot in ‘Painterly.’

*My current eye serum is orange, so don’t mind the false look of discoloration on my eyelids before the primer.

Do your eyes first so any product fallout can be cleaned up before starting on your face.  Unlike the Urban Decay ‘Naked’ Palettes, the Coastal Scents ‘Revealed’ Palette doesn’t list shadow names… please bear with me.  First, take your matte brown transition color (7th on top row) and place it in your crease.  After depositing enough color, blend into your crease and upwards with a fluffy tapered blending brush.  Go into your crease again with a fluffer brush and the 4th shade bottom row (slightly shimmery, darker brown than transition), concentrating on the outer “<” corners.  Keep patting and blending the outer corner color until satisfied.  Apply an eyeshadow brightener (Limecrime Eyeshadow Brightener) or a few dabs of liquid concealer onto your eyelid, from below the crease to the lash line.  Pat it in then apply your bright, light shadow (2nd on top row, shimmery light pink) over that brightened area.  I like to spritz my shadow brush with MAC Fix+ before applying shimmer shadows for a more vibrant look.  Blend harsh lines with a big, fluffy shadow brush.  You should have bright lids with an emphasized crease and extra depth in the outer corners; you will apply shadow to the bottom lash line after finishing the skin.  Take cleanser wipes and clean up any shadow fall out from under the eyes.

Use a primer with SPF, like Smashbox PhotoFinish spf20, then apply MAC Strobe Cream moisturizer.  Apply your liquid foundation (NARS Sheer Matte) and buff it out with the rounded end of your beauty blender ball.  For highlight and contour, always highlight first.  Apply a mildly brightening cream concealer (Amazing Cosmetics) in an upside down triangle under your eyes/on your cheek bones, down the bridge of your nose, your forehead, and your chin and blend it out with the pointy side of your beauty blender ball.  Then take your lighter, highlighting concealer (Kevyn Aucoin Skin Enhancer) to pack on to your upside down triangle, above top lip, down the bridge of the nose, chin and forehead.  Don’t blend yet.  

Apply your cream contour color (Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick) by your ears curving down into the hollows of your check bones, slightly onto your forehead, very thinly on the side of your nose, and below your bottom lip.  Spray MAC Fix+ on a stipple contour brush and start blending the contour first.  Stipple in a circular motion, starting on the cheeks first brushing backward then forward.  Don’t let the contour sit on your skin for too long or it will “stain.”  Stipple with the brush, then blend the highlight with the pointy end of the beauty blender ball.  Clean up under the contour on the cheek to create a clean line that isn’t too low, and blend along the forehead and nose.  Stipple to add darkness back in if you feel that you’ve over blended.

Add more concealer to the upside down triangle under your eyes if you need the coverage.  Spray a large tapered brush with MAC Fix+ and set liquid makeup with powder (Mineral Fusion Setting Powder) before continuing with the powder contour.  If your face starts to look “cakey” at any point, spritz directly with MAC Fix+ so some powder is absorbed.  With a tapered contour brush take a matte bronzer (Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer) lightly over the contoured areas also bringing it along the jawline and slightly down the neck.  Apply blush (NARS Orgasm) to the apples of your cheeks.  Take your powder highlight (NARS Albatross) on a fan brush right on the high of your cheek bones, down your nose, and on your cupids bow.

Now you’ll go back and add the final touches.  Loose powder may have dropped onto your brows, so with a clear brow gel (Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel) you can go back and set them in place and clean them up if need be.  It’s also important to mimic the top shadow to the bottom lash.  Brush the same transition color and crease color along the lash line, and smoke it out a little bit on the outer corners.  Add a touch of MAC pigment in ‘Vanilla’ to the inner corners to brighten the eyes up.  I like to use a liquid liner (Canmake Pen Liner), but you can use gel if thats more comfortable for you.  Extend the bottom lash line out very lightly, then trace the top of the upper lash line out to meet it.  Fill in the triangle you’ve created and trace it back along the upper lash line.  The end of your cat eye should be a thin wisp that extends out a bit and fades, not a blunt edge.  I don’t really use black liner for my lower lash line during the day, but I do swipe on some beige or white eyeliner to the lower water line.

Line and fully fill your lips with MAC Lip Pencil in ‘Soar.’  Top that with NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in ‘Cairo.‘  Brush lashes up with a wand.  Apply duo glue to your hand, then apply to the lashes and onto the eye.  I used Eyelashi mink lashes in ‘Stunner.’  If you’ll be out all day, spritz your face with Urban Decay ‘All Nighter’ setting spray so you won’t have to bother with touchups.

Are there any particular steps you would like detailed pictorials or video tutorials about in the future?  What does your signature makeup look include?

xxLK