How to Get the Sexiest Smoky Eye of Your Life With Just 3 Shadows
The launch of a new Urban Decay Naked palette causes a lot of panic fangirling in most beauty circles. Here at the POPSUGAR office, we stopped everything when the new Naked Smoky palette arrived. All that could be heard from our beauty corner were exclamations like: "This is the best packaging ever." "Ooh, I love this new color!" "Can we share it?" We couldn't keep our fingers out of the glittery and matte shades (even though there is a double-ended brush included). And our readers are falling in love with this launch, too!
Obviously, we had to come up with a professional excuse to play with this particular product more. So, we teamed up with makeup artist Pepper Bass to create the ultimate smoky eye look using only shades in the palette — as research, of course. In addition to feeding our craving to test out all the gorgeous powders (that's our resident Urban Decay junkie Emily Orofino modeling above), we learned a few smoky eye tricks to avoid that dreaded blackout, raccoon look. You won't be able to feed your lust for the Naked Smoky palette until July, but you can get on the waiting list right now.
Step 1: Prime Lids
Prep lids with a layer of Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion ($20) or concealer. The product erases redness and visible blue veins.
Step 2: Apply a Matte Base
Use a fluffy eye shadow brush (like the one that comes in the Naked Smoky palette) to spread Combust from lash line to brow bone. The looser brush picks up less pigment, creating a sheer matte foundation for the smoky look.
Step 3: Highlight Inner Corners
Press the gunmetal glitter shade, Armor, on the inner corners of the eye with the tapered, flat eye shadow brush.
Step 4: Mark the Outer Corner
Press Armor on the outer corner of the eyes, too. Hold the brush flat to the lid at an angle to place shadow precisely from crease to lash line.
This should leave a blank space in the center of the lids.
Step 5: Exaggerate the Lower Lashes
Blend Armor down to the lower lash line. Use just the tip of the brush to press product under the lower lash line. In this case it's a bad idea to use a sweeping motion because that will cause fallout later on.
Step 6: Blend
Blend Password into the outer corners and lower lash line using a fluffy shadow brush. Instead of using a windshield-wiper motion to soften shadow, sweep the brush in a circular pattern. The typical side-to-side move can leave harsh lines on the lids, but circles give a softer effect.
Step 7: Add Eyeliner
Apply Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil in Perversion ($20) on the top lash line. Then add the color to the tightline and waterline, too.
Step 8: Smudge
Use the smudger brush in the Naked Smoky palette to diffuse the black liner. To get even better blending, dip your brush in powder before you smudge.
Step 9: Add Mascara
As a final touch, add a few coats of Subversion Lash Primer ($20) and Perversion Mascara ($22).
The Finished Look
For even more vamp, add a bold lip. This wine look was a combination of Liar Lip Pencil ($20), Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Liar ($22), and Apocalypse Lip Gloss ($22).