The other day my sister mentioned that she always wants to wear a darker eye makeup in the day, but doesn’t really know how to. She also noted that a friend was trying a tutorial online for a smokey eye but it involved way too many steps and a ton of makeup brushes.

SO today this is my tutorial on how to add more drama in the daytime with only the essentials.


all photographs taken by Brett Howe

Here’s what you need:

1. A black eyeliner and mascara. I used mac powerpoint eyeliner in ‘engraved’, and voluminous mascara in black.

2. Eyeshadow! I love palettes because they give you a the colour range you need for a darker eye makeup all in one (above is a mac palette from last year’s holiday collection). I also have a couple of staples that I use every day: a light toned eyeshadow for highlighting and a white shadow for more highlighting :) (above is ‘dazzlelight’ from mac on the left and ‘aspen summit no. 23′ from sephora on the right). As well, a grey shadow that will be the base of my dark eye (I used ‘keep your cool’ from mac). These three colours I use daily and therefor go through them more quickly, which is why I tend to purchase them separately.

3. Brushes. (left to right above): a dome brush for applying colour in your crease, a rounded fluff brush for highlighting/your light colours, a fluffy angle brush for blending, and another rounded fluff brush for your dark colours. It is important to use separate brushes for your light and dark eye shadows so that your colours don’t get muddy.

4. q-tips and kleenex are always good to have on hand.

And you’re ready to go!

Step One

Apply an even later of light eyeshadow from your lash line up to your eyebrow with your rounded fluff brush for light shadows.

*I always start with an eyeshadow base before I begin my eye makeup. Apply the base to the same area you apply you light shadow, afterwards apply a thin layer of pressed powder to set the base. This will prevent your shadow from creasing.

Step Two

With your rounded fluff brush you use for dark eye shadows, apply an even layer of grey shadow from your lash line up to the crease of your eye, following the natural curve of your crease. Tap off extra shadow before applying, it is always easier to add more than to take away.

Step 3

Wipe off the excess grey shadow on a kleenex. With the same brush, apply an even layer of dark brown shadow over the same area that you applied the grey shadow. Layering shadows gives a greater depth of colour and will help it to last all day long. After this take your clean fluffy angled brush and lightly blend the the brown at the crease of your lid. This is only to blend, not to add colour.

Step 4

Don’t be afraid to mix colours! I like this golden tone for my crease - it is a nice contrast to the darker shadows, brightening it up for the daytime. Apply it to the crease of your lid, just above the dark shadow with your dome brush. Start from the outside and work your way in, taper the colour off towards the inner edge of your eye. I tend to swipe this colour back and forth a couple of times.

Step 5

Blending and layering are key here. I like to apply another layer of this grey next. This goes over top of the brown, helps to add a depth of colour and to blend the golden colour into the lid colour nicely.

Step 6
You want to blend the golden colour out above and below from where you placed it, so that there are no hard lines. As well this reinforces the highlight just under the brow bone and at the inner eye. Take your round fluff brush and apply the white just under the brow bone, blend lightly down until you reach the gold colour. Apply white to the inner eye as well, blending above the gold towards the brow all the way to the outer edge of the eye.

Step 7Line the top and bottom of your lid with black eyeliner. Start from the outside and work your way in, tapering it off as you reach the inner eye. You want your liner to be thicker the outer corner, and to grow thinner towards the inner corner.

Step 8Take the dome brush that you applied the golden colour with and wipe off any excess shadow on a kleenex. Take the darkest brown in your palette, tapping away excess shadow before you apply. Starting from the outer corner of the eye, lightly apply this over the black eyeliner. This will help to soften and blend the liner smoothly. Repeat this under the eye.

Step 9Apply a few coats of mascara to the top lashes and a single, thin coat to the bottom.

And Done!

You have appropriate drama in the daytime!

If you have any questions or we like me to post a how-to on another topic, send me an email below!

With Love, Sarah