What’s fashion without flattering make up? Tess Wilmans-Higgins is a complete genius at creating both natural and dramatic looks. She’s also great at explaining how to achieve them at home! Thankfully, she agreed to fill us in on her favorite makeup for spring: the sultry smoky eye.
We think this makeup look would be a great complement to the top five spring trends fashion stylist Anna Chatelain of Tulip Louise showed us on Monday.
Tutorials By Tess:
Red Carpet Smoky Eyes for Everyone!
Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal; the tulips are blooming, birds are chirping, and makeup usually comes in a plethora of pastels. This year is different, however…the sultry, sexy and, dare-I-say, springy smoky eye is here to stay! Celebs like Mila Kunis, Nicole Richie and Miley Cyrus have all paired bright, colorful frocks with dark, kohl-lined eyes and nude lips. It’s a look that just about anybody can pull off, so put down those Peeps and let’s learn how to bring a smoky eye to your makeup routine!
Here’s my sweet fresh-faced pal, Kelly, who agreed to be my model! Isn’t she pretty?  Tip #1: When doing a heavy eye look, start your makeup with the eyes, so you don’t have to go back and correct foundation and concealer in case of shadow fallout or a mascara-mishap.
First things first, if you’re going to spend 15-20 minutes on a smokin’ hot eye look, you want it to last all day, right? My suggestion? Use an eyelid primer to help your shadows blend easily and stay on throughout the day, and into the evening. I’ve used Laura Mercier’s EyeBasic in Flax for Kelly’s look.
Next, I applied Chantecaille’s Rose Gold shadow onto Kelly’s lid, up to her crease.
Then, I highlighted Kelly’s browbone and inner corners with a very light, shimmery, pinky-peachy shade called Ballet Pink from Laura Mercier.
Here’s a tricky part…but don’t worry, with a few days’ practice, you can tightline like a pro! Use a flat liner brush to press and wiggle Laura Mercier’s Tightline liner in Bleu Marine with Tightline Activator to line underneath the top lashes. This will make your eyes appear brighter, and give the appearance of fuller, thicker lashes. You’ll be hooked on this tip
Next, I blended a deep bronzey, honey-colored shadow called Jasper (by Chantecaille) into Kelly’s crease. This is where your tools come into play. If you don’t have a blending brush, go out and get a decent one. It’s one of the most important makeup purchases you can make. It applies your darker shadows in a lighter, smoother fashion, so you can’t tell where one color ends and the other begins. And, if you happen to botch your makeup look one day, just blend, blend, blend with your ponytail brush and you’ll be A-Ok.
Then, I smudged an awesome, black-gold color called Black Karat by Laura Mercier on the top and bottom lash lines. A smudge brush is an absolute must for any smoky eye! If there’s any dark shadow fallout on the cheekbones, use a large powder brush to sweep any excess away.
Okay, so the following step is not something I recommend doing everyday, as it could potentially be irritating to the eyes, especially if you are a contact-lens wearer. But for special occasions, what the heck…go for it! Take a super-black kohl pencil like Black Extreme from Laura Mercier and line the inner rim of the bottom lashes.
To bring out the eyes even more, you’ll want to fill in your brows. For a soft, natural look, use a brow powder with a brow brush. Be careful to use a shade that’s not too dark….brunettes out there should never wear black brow powder, or you’ll get the dreaded Sharpie Brows! Eeek! For Kelly, I chose a medium blonde shade.
After a couple coats of Full Blown Volume Mascara by Laura Mercier, (make sure to use a very black mascara), we were ready to move on to blush and bronzer. I used a peachy blush called Lush Nectarine, and Dune Bronze, both by Laura Mercier.
Lips were last, but not least. To complete a smoky eye, you’ll generally want to stick with a soft, neutral lip. For Kelly, I chose Laura Mercier’s Nude Lips Liner, Caramel Lipstick, and a touch of Bare Beige gloss.
Voila! Kelly’s springy, smoky eye is done!
Thanks for letting me teach you a thing or two! With these tips you’ll be rockin’ a smoky eye in no time! Still have questions? Are you you are baffled by bronzer? Is your lipstick is giving you the kiss off? Please feel free to give us gals at Glo Limited a call at 501.224.8222.
Peace and Lipgloss,
Tess
Tess Wilmans-Higgins is a makeup artist and esthetician at Glo Limited in Little Rock. When she’s not at work creating the perfect red lip, you can probably find her at yoga class or baking up tasty vegan treats at home.
www.facebook.com/tess.wilmanshiggins
Photography by the oh-so-talented Gary Higgins. You can find him online at:
