How To: Plum Smokey Eye

I hope everyone's been enjoying this beautiful weather we've been having! I for one have been baking myself in the sun at every opportunity. Us Brits know we need to make the most of it while it lasts :)

Anyway on to the beauty stuff! I'm going to be starting a new series of posts which focus on my real passion, make up. I'm not a qualified makeup artist or by any means a professional, but I love experimenting with makeup, particularly creating different eye looks and this How To series will be showing you different looks and a step by step guide showing how to achieve them.

So lets jump right into today's look! A dark plum smokey eye, not exactly the first thing you think of for the summer, but I love this look all year round for it's glam factor. It also suits all eye colours.

First, apply a base. I used a Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Metallic Pomegranate. Apply using a stiff, flat shader brush and don't worry about being neat, it will all be blended out anyway.

Then apply a dark plum eyeshadow using a flat shader brush, I used the plum shade in the Estee Lauder 'Raisins' eyeshadow duo. Apply it all over the lid (on top of your base colour) and on your lower lash line to add to the smokey look.

Then it's all about the blending! Take a large fluffy blending brush and using a soft brown eyeshadow, gently blend through the crease.

Once you've thoroughly blended and there's no harsh lines, take a pencil brush and slightly blend the plum colour on your lower lash line to help smoke it out. Next, apply a highlight colour to your inner corner and under your brow. I love MAC's Vanilla pigment for highlighting.

You can then apply your favourite eye liner to the upper lash line, I love Maybelline's gel liner in black. I applied it with a thin eyeliner brush, keeping the line thin and creating a very slight wing. Then apply mascara to upper and lower lashes and finally add some false lashes.

And that's it! Super simple and something a bit differnet to the usual black or brown smokey eye.