Smokey Eyes

Makeup: Smokey Eye/Wet Look

This weeks lesson was one of the most interesting lessons to date. Our outcome was to do a black smokey eye with a strong contour and nude lips but we changed it after to create a more vampy look with darker colours. To start off the lesson Branka showed us a demo.

After selecting a model Branka cleansed and moisturized the face. The eyes are made up first in this look as fall-out tends to happen a lot when working with dark eye shadows. A synthetic brush was used to apply MAC Black Track gel liner to the lid of the eye going no higher than the crease. A softer brush with no product on was then used to blend out the edges. The same gel liner is then run along the waterline of the models eye. This can be softened with a cotton bud. The liner is applied to the lid again making sure the upper lash line is properly covered with product by lifting at the eyebrow and pressing the brush gently on any gaps between the lashes and the lid. To further darken and set the gel Carbon by MAC is added on top. This is also blended at the edges and the lower lash line. A beige shade is added on a fluffy brush and swept under the brow. A cork colour shadow was then used as a transition shade and blended into the edge of the black shadow.
A darker brown was then taken through the crease and softened out at the edges. If the black seems to have gone a bit chalky because lighter colours have been added then Carbon can always be applied onto the lid area again.

At this stage it is time to move on to foundation so any eye shadow fallout under the eyes is now removed with a cotton pad and a moisturizer or water spray as we don't want to remove the existing moisturizer on the skin. The foundation that was used for this look was MAC Full Coverage Foundation. The highlight is mixed using this foundation which is a lighter shade than the models skin tone. This is applied to the center of the nose, chin and forehead. Also above the brow, on the brow bone, tops of the cheekbone, just above the jaw and on the cupids bow. A middle tone is then mixed and this matches the models skin tone. This is added to all the areas that have no product on apart from where we will contour with a darker shade. The middle shade is applied to the cheeks and under the eyes, sides of nose and forehead.

MUA: Branka Vorkapic
Model: Brittany

Now its time to buff in the base and set it with translucent powder. The eyebrows were the next step so they were combed through with MAC brow gel. Any gaps in the brows can be filled with a powder which matches the brows natural colour. MAC Carbon is also added to the lower lash line of the eye and blended with a taupe toned eye shadow. MAC eye shadow Brule which is a beige/cream colour can be used to soften the edges. Mascara was then used on a fan brush and painted on the upper and lower lashes.

Bronzer is now dusted on the face in all the areas the sun would naturally hit. This tends to be the nose, cheeks, forehead and chin. The lips were the next focus. As the eye makeup is very heavy a nude glossy lip was what we wanted. MACs Naked lip liner was used to line and fill in the lips. A neutral plum shade was then mixed with the base foundation colour and then applied on the lips. MACs lip glass was then dabbed on the models lips using a finger instead of a brush as lip gloss can ruin brushes. To further highlight the face macs vanilla pigment was used on the cheekbones, Brow bones, down the center of the nose and also on the cupids bow.

Here is the outcome of the final look:

MUA: Branka Vorkapic
Model: Brittany

For the second look we wanted to vamp it up a bit so the eyes were more glossy and the lip colour a dark plum shade.

The nude lips were taken off with a cleansing water. Foundation is then dabbed over the lips so the edges of the lips will look clean when the plum shade is applied. MAC lip liner in plum is used to line and fill on the lips. MAC lipsticks in 'Cyber' and 'Hang Up' were mixed for the dark vampy shade which is to be applied on the lips. A black pencil liner can be used on the edges of the lips and blended to create an ombre effect. Vaseline was then warmed up on the back of her hand and dabbed on the eyelids and cheekbones. this gives the eyes a glossy look and also highlights the cheeks even more giving it a dewy wet look.

Here is the second look:

MUA: Branka Vorkapic
Model: Brittany

Products: 

MAC Black Track Gel Liner

MAC Brule Eye Shadow

MAC Mascara

MAC Carbon Eye Shadow

MAC Cork Eye Shadow

MAC Full Coverage Foundation 

MAC Vanilla Pigment 

MAC Brow Gel 

Ben Nye Fair Setting Powder

MAC Lip Liner in Plum

MAC Lip Liner in Naked

MAC Lip Glass

Vaseline 

MAC Brun Eye Shadow 

MAC Verve Lip Stick

MAC Cyber Lipstick

MAC Hang Up Lipstick

MAC Shadester 
MAC Black Pencil Liner

After the demo I had a go at recreating the looks we were taught. Like Branka, I started with the eyes first as the fallout from dark eye shadows will be messy and I wouldn't want it to disturb a clean base. I then followed the same steps as Branka in order to complete the first look. 

Here is my final outcome:

MUA: Chelsey Pavey
Model: Sophie

MUA: Chelsey Pavey
Model: Sophie

Products:

MAC Mascara
MAC 'Shadester' Bronzer

MAC Full Coverage Foundation 

MAC Brow Gel

MAC Brule Eye Shadow 

MAC Cork Eye Shadow

MAC Brun Eye Shadow 

MAC Carbon Lip Liner

MAC Black Track Gel Liner

MAC Naked Lip Liner 

MAC Lip Glass

Kryolan Translucent Powder

Vamp Look - 

'Cyber' MAC Lipstick
'Hang Up' MAC Lipstick 
Vaseline
MAC Plum Lip Liner
MAC Black Pencil Liner

As I didnt get to complete both looks I had a practice at home on myself. I used the same techniques for the base and eyes. I created the nude lip look first, here is how it turned out:

Smokey Eyes and Nude Lips

After the first look was completed I then proceed to move on to the darker more vampy version of this makeup. To transform one look into the other I removed the nude lipstick with a cleansing water and dabbed the foundation base around the mouth area to add product where it may have been removed during the process of taking the first lip colour off. Then using the MAC Plum lip liner I lined my lips and coloured in the lips. I then mixed 'Hang Up' and 'Cyber' by MAC and applied this to my lips with a lip brush. I then took a MAC Black liner and lined my lips and coloured in the outer corners of my lips. Using the same lips brush i used to apply the lipstick I then blended the edged of the liner causing an ombre effect. For the eyes I warmed some Vaseline up on the back of my hand and applied it to my eye lid by dabbing the product on with a finger. This creates a wet look which I personally prefer. I added any spare Vaseline to my cheekbones for a dewy finish. 

Here is the end result:

Black Smokey Eye with Vaseline

Smokey Eyes with Plum Lips

Evaluation

What Went Well: I was a little apprehensive at the start of the makeup as I am aware that black can be a tricky colour to work with especially when the product is gel liner as it can dry quickly. However I feel happy with my results and am a lot more confident with the products I used to create this look. 

What I need to improve on:  I think lip liner is something I have to work on as lips can be very hard to get even but I think this was more noticeable with the darker plum shade than the nude one. I am also aware that my time management needs some attention as I usually run over on the first look and don't get to finish the second. I think as my application speeds get faster this will improve and if I make a conscious effort to increase my speed I will be able to fix this.

I really enjoyed this lesson and I found it to be one of my favorite yet. I loved changing one look into another and was surprised how little you had to change for a bigger impact. I felt a bit disheartened that I ran out of time to darken up the look so I practiced the makeup again at home. I found the gel liner sets quite quick so I had to work fast to apply and blend it into the eyelid. It can also be a challenge to get the shape symmetrical on both eyes when blended the black shades but I think I managed to get them pretty equal. I loved recreating this look again and can't wait to apply the techniques I have learnt to clients and models in the future.