In my course on creating fresh and smoky performance make-up, I follow an easy step-by-step guide for the complete look.
Step 1 – Foundation
a. Use any type of foundation
* Find a color to match your skin tone
b. Using your fingers, brush, or sponge, focus on the T-zone area
c. Blend to camouflage discoloration
Step 2 – Concealer
a. Use a flat head concealer brush
*Try using foundation first before concealer
b. Use small, light strokes using minimal product (build product for higher coverage)
c. Use product under eyes and gently pat and blend using fingertips or a small blending sponge
Step 3 – Eyebrows
a. Use a pencil or a powder with an angled brush
b. Use short strokes filling in any holes or gaps
c. Set brows with a translucent powder
Step 4 – Setting Powder
a. Use a loose, translucent powder to avoid cakiness
b. Start under the eye and brush lightly over the entire face
c. Use a soft, thick, dense powder brush
Step 5 – Eyelid – Cream Shadow Base/Primer
a. Use a similar shade to your skin tone with a slight shimmer
b. Use a brush or your fingers to apply, getting as close to the lash line as possible
Step 6 – Eye Liner – Pencil and/or Liquid Liner
a. Use a softer pencil or a liquid for a cat-eye – or use both!
b. Line into your lashes first using the liquid liner on a synthetic liner brush
c. Using short strokes, place the pencil liner above and as close to the lash line as possible
d. Use a smudger brush to diffuse the liner at the lash line
Step 7 – Eyeshadow
a. Using an all-over color brush, apply a neutral tone all over the lid/eyeball area patting or pressing the color into place
b. Use a darker shadow to contour the outer corner of the eye
c. Use a ponytail or blender brush to diffuse and blend the outer corners of the eyeshadow
d. Use a dark espresso color on a smudger brush and apply to the lash line on top of the eyeliner – Create a wedge shape with the thickest part at the outer corner of the eye
Step 8 – Pop of Color
a. Apply a slightly lighter or brighter color underneath the bottom lashes and blend for a pop of color (Christie uses light orange)
Step 9 – False Lashes (Optional)
a. Apply false lashes at this point at the lash line using an adhesive
Step 10 – Mascara
a. Using a ‘wiggling’ motion, apply mascara from the lash line to the tip of the lashes.
Step 11 – Blush
a. Use any color you prefer for a pop of color (Christie uses a deep burgundy)
b. Start at the apples of the cheeks and blend out and down
Step 12 – Lips
a. Start lip liner closely matched to your lip color
b. Line around the lips and fill in (try putting on lipstick first-then the liner)
c. Choose a neutral lip color to counter the drama in the smoky eye
