Gracie Kay: HOW TO: Dramatic Smokey Eye

Tutorial time, enjoy! Here's the link to my album on Imgur: http://imgur.com/a/nmNvO

1. Here's a little before shot, lookin fly.

2. Start by priming your eyes. Blend in your primer using your fingertips or a small brush. I like to use concealers that don't crease, both the Maybelline Age Rewind and MAC Pro Longwear are great options. I prefer concealers like these over primers because they blank out any discoloration as well as provide creasless staying power.

3. I also went ahead and did my base and brows to make this a more pleasurable experience!

4. Next start defining your crease with a shade that is a few shades darker than your skin tone, this will create a smooth transition between the darker shadows we'll be using later. I used Nars Laguna Bronzer as my transition color. Laguna is a medium/light warm brown with a slight shimmer. Generally I wouldn't use shimmer in my crease but shimmery shades tend to blend easier (which is essential for this look) and most of the other shades we'll be using are matte so it'll balance out fine.

Using windshield wiper motions and a light hand I used a Sigma E25 brush to blend in the product from the outer to inner crease. Since this look is pretty blown out, I took a bit more product and blended it upwards, slightly above my crease. I created a bit of a "cat eye" shape because I want my eye to look more lifted.

5. Next take a slightly darker, warm tone brown, I used Sable from the Lorac Pro Palette. The goal here is to deepen the crease a bit, adding more dimension.

I took Sable on a Crown Brush SS012 Deluxe Crease Brush and buffed it into the outer half of my crease. Make sure not to bring this color above Laguna, as we want to create a blended look. I blended out any harsh lines with the Sigma E25 brush used earlier.

6. Next take a black shade with a flat shader brush and pat it on the lid. I used an SS011 Deluxe Oval Shadow Brush from Crown Brush. Be sure to keep this shade on the lid only. Blend out any harsh lines, but for the most part we want to keep the darkest shade low on the eye.

7. Then take any shimmery Taupe color, I used Pewter from the Lorac Pro Palette to keep it simple.

Take Pewter on a pencil brush and gently work it into the inner lid, blending it about 1/4 - 1/3 of the way across. I used another Crown brush for this.

8. Clean off the pencil brush and use it to define your lower lid with the same warm brown (Sable) we used earlier. Follow the curvature of your eye until you get about 7/8 (getting mathematical up in here) of the way across your lower lid.

Leaving space between your inner corner and where we stopped with Sable, drag whatever product is left on the pencil brush down a bit, tapering off how much pressure you apply as you go. Do this step very slowly and carefully, with a very light hand. You can always build up more product to make it more defined.

9. Then take a blending brush and lightly blend out the product to make it soft and diffused.

10. To add a bit more dimension to the lower lid, take a black shade on an angle brush and push it into the lower lash line. Take this color only about 1/2 way across the lower lid, again to keep the look soft. Then blend out the black with a small blending brush. I cleaned off the SS012 Deluxe Crease Brush and used that.

11. Next take a shade that's a couple shades lighter than your skin tone and use this to define your brow bone and inner corner. I used Cream from the Lorac Pro Palette on a small flat shader brush from Urban Decay (Good Karma Shadow Brush). I also used Cream on the same Urban Decay brush to clean up the lower lash line a bit and make the graphic detail look a bit more polished.

12. Then add your favorite black liner. I used one with a glossy finish to help it stand out against the black shadow.

To be exact, I used NYX Collection Noir Liquid Black Liner.

13. Then add a coat of mascara on the top and bottom lashes. I used Covergirl Clump Crusher on my top lashes and L'oreal Voluminous Waterproof on my bottom lashes.

14. If you'd like you can add false lashes. I find this step necessary because the look is quite dramatic and looks unfinished without them. I used Salon Perfect Lashes in Demi Wispies.