How to Do Smoky Eye Makeup the Easy Way

If makeup looks were insects, smoky eye makeup would be a caterpillar. Why? The classic, timeless look constantly evolves with the times, taking on new shapes and colors based on trends. And in its current era, smoky eyes are more about layering colors of all finishes and tones for dimension rather than the ultra-glam, event-ready neutral vibes of the 2010s. Best of all, smoky eye makeup suits every eye shape at every age, says Sara Wren, Milk Makeup’s Director of Artistry.

To really master smoky eye makeup no matter what year it is, Sara has some expert tips to keep in mind.

Gather the right tools.

Your Milk Makeup smoky eye must-haves should include: Hydro Grip Eye Primer, Infinity Liner in Outer Space, and Color Chalk in a dark hue, like Skateboard (black) or Double Dutch (brown), Sara explains. You’ll also need a dense eyeshadow brush for placing pigments onto your lids and a fluffy one for blending out the edges.

Focus on your eyes before your base.

When doing smoky eye makeup, Sara always leaves any concealing—especially under the eyes—for after she’s done in case of any product fallout.

Lay down a dark base.

After priming your lids, grab your black Infinity Liner, and draw a thick line along your upper lash line. Before the pigment dries down, smudge it out along your lashes and all over the outer corner of your lid with the blending tool on the other side of the pencil. This step “creates a dark base for shadow to grip onto,” Sara says. You can also line your lower waterlines while you’re at it.

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Layer shadow on top.

Now, you can focus on eye shadow. Take your Color Chalk of choice, and press the pigment onto your entire lid with the denser shadow brush. Be sure to stay below the crease. Then, smudge the same shadow along your lower lashes with the same brush. Next, diffuse the edges with the fluffier brush.

Hooded eyes? Try a winged shape.

If eyeshadow on your mobile lid disappears when you open your eyes, you can focus your smokiness on your lower lash lines. You can also blend your shadow and liner out toward your temples for a more visible cat-eye effect

For a softer smoky vibe, lighten up your shadow.

Want your smoky eye makeup to be less Avril Lavigne and more Selena Gomez? Switch out your black liner and shadow for brown ones. You can also opt for brown liner with another neutral Color Chalk hue, like Kickball (bronze) or Hopscotch (champagne), for a subtler smoky finish.

Give blue a chance.

For a true 2023 smoky eye makeup look, swap in Infinity Liner in Time (navy blue) and pair it with the cobalt Color Chalk called Yo-Yo, Sara suggests. You’ll end up with a stunning electric blue smoky eye look with retro vibes, she says.

Or green, plum, and even pink.

Instead of black shadow on a black liner base, experiment with brighter Color Chalk shades, such as Green Light, Skip It, and Bounce, on top of Infinity Liner in Outer Space. You could even add one color to the outer corners of your lids and put another color near the center and inner corners for a multichromatic metallic smoky eye. The black base will really make the colors stand out, Sara says.

Finish with dramatic mascara.

For voluminous dramatically dark black lashes to complement your smoky eye look, Sara recommends a couple of coats ofKUSH Mascarafor the job.

However you choose to do your smoky eye, make sure you blend, blend, blend it all out. To get you started on your smoky eye moment, peep these looks for a little inspiration.

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Classic Smoky

Combining brown pigments with black is the easiest way to effortlessly achieve the classic smoky eye look. If Black isn’t quite your thing, you can also achieve a classic smoky eye using mostly brown shadows, as you see here. It’s a bit softer, but still impactful.

Colorful Smoky

Adding smokiness to the outer corners of your eyes is a wonderful way to add intensity to a colorful eyeshadow look.

Metallic Smoky

Brown blended into coppery pigments gives this metallic moment that subtle bit of smoke to draw focus to your eyes without overwhelming them. The blended-out brown at the outer corners and lower lash line are what make this look really stand out.