"When a client comes to me asking for a sexy makeup look — but isn't used to wearing makeup — these are the colors I use," Samra explained. He focused on using just three shades on the upper lid in order to create dimension. (The burst of green on the lower lid just adds even more pizzazz!)
"After primer, I apply a flesh-tone shadow," explained Samra. "It gives your look something to hold on to, so it lasts all day and night." He'll then layer on a vanilla-colored shadow if he's working with brighter hues — a light base shade allows a vibrant color to pop on top. For this, he used the palest shade in the Covergirl TruNaked Eye Shadow Palette in Nudes ($12). To give the eyes a glam sparkle, he applied gold eyeliner across the entire lid and around the inner corners.
"They key to perfect makeup is blending," Samra counseled. "You should not see the difference between colors." Samra’s trick to achieving highly pigmented, but flawlessly blended shadow look is to pack the brush with color and press it (instead of sweeping it) onto the lid. He then buffs the hues together and out with a blender brush. Note: go for a fluffier tool with soft, loosely packed bristles.
For this smoky eye in particular, he used CoverGirl Eye Shadow Quad in Go For the Golds ($8), gradating shades from lightest to darkest towards the outer corner of the eye, blending up towards the crease. After applying and blending a lime green shadow on the outer half of the lower lid for a subtle flash of color, he lined the upper lid and waterline with a black pencil.
Samra completed the eye with two coats of mascara using the "wiggling" technique. "Intensely applying it from the very root of the lashes and doing a zigzag motion as you go up will easily separate each lash," he shared. "With a few coats, it will also create volume."
