Build a Quad: “Smoky Duo”

To me, the classic smoky eye is a mix of grays, silvers, and blacks–but the best part about smoky eyes? You can make any eye smoky. I thought rather than just doing a monochromatic quad for smoky eyes (at least, this time around!), it’d be nice to give you the ability to create two different smoky eyed looks in one.

This quad includes: MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow (a soft, lightly shimmered beige), MAC Soft Brown eyeshadow (matte reddish medium brown), MAC Silver Ring eyeshadow (shimmery silver-gray), and MAC Carbon eyeshadow (matte black).

A few combinations to try with this…

• Ricepaper all over the lid, Soft Brown in the outer corner/crease, Ricepaper to highlight
• Ricepaper all over the lid, Soft Brown in the outer corner/crease, Carbon dusted lightly in the crease, Ricepaper to highlight
• Ricepaper all over the lid, Silver Ring on the outer lid/corner, Carbon in the crease, Ricepaper to highlight
• Silver Ring all over the lid, Carbon in the crease, Ricepaper to highlight

A few looks I’ve done that can be replicated with these shades…

• Ultra soft brown smoky eyes
• Medium soft brown smoky eyes
• Brown & gray smoky eyes
• Silver-Gray smoky eyes
• Monochromatic smoky eyes

Build a Quad is a feature focusing on creating different eyeshadow palettes that are both beautiful and functional using permanent shades of eyeshadow. We invite readers to suggest their own build-a-quads — just leave your ideas in the comments! Don’t forget to name your quad!

See swatches…

Ricepaper, Soft Brown, Silver Ring, Carbon

Easy-peasy smoky eye I consider this the “traditional” smoky eye, since I’ve always thought of a smoky eye as silver/gray. Video tutorial for this coming soon, too!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Electra eyeshadow (bright silver), Silver Ring eyeshadow (dark silver), Typographic eyeshadow (matte dark gray), Carbon eyeshadow (matte black), Blanc Type eyeshadow (soft white-beige), Blacktrack fluidline (black), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Enough Said blush (bronze), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronzy highlighter)
• Lips: Honeyflower lipstick (pinky-nude), Nymphette lipglass (pinky-beige)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, pack Electra eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply Silver Ring eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Darken crease and outer lid with Typographic eyeshadow using the 226, then deepen with Carbon eyeshadow with the 219. Sweep Blanc Type eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Blacktrack fluidline on lower lash line and upper lash line using the 208. Apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Enough Said blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Honeyflower lipstick to lips, and then top with Nymphette lipglass for color and shine.

Check out more photos!

7 Must-Have Gray/Black MAC Eyeshadows

About the Temptalia Must-Haves Series

A series of posts showcasing must-have products from MAC Cosmetics’ permanent line of products. Selections are based on quality, universality, uniqueness amongst the line, and the like. Limited edition shades are deliberately excluded to make buying easier. Readers’ comments act as a supplement to these lists of their favorites and must-haves. You can find the entire series here.

Silver Ring eyeshadow is a medium-to-dark shimmery, silver-gray color. It’s one of my favorite colors to use for a classic smokey eye!

Electra eyeshadow is a bright silver that works really well to brighten up a look, because it’s not so dark like Silver Ring.

Print eyeshadow is a deep newsprint gray. It’s a great shadow to add dimension to a look beyond just smokey eyes. I just love the smooth texture of this shadow.

Carbon eyeshadow is a must-have matte black eyeshadow. It’s pretty black, though not the blackest shadow I’ve come across–but it’s the right shade of multi-use black. It can be softened while it can also be built up into a darker black.

See three more, plus pairing recommendations!

Forgery eyeshadow is another bright silvery shade, but it has a glittery texture as it is a lustre. I feel like it is a more workable lustre than the average one, and the subtle shimmer is excellent for layering over dark shadows.

White Frost eyeshadow is a shimmery white shade, and the reason why I mention it here with grays and blacks is because you can use it to help modify the shade of gray or black to the perfect one for you!

Typographic eyeshadow is a dark gray matte shadow. It’s extremely smooth, pigmented, and pretty blendable, because it has a newer matte texture.

Pair these shadows with…

purples (like Parfait Amour), blacks (like Carbon), silvers (like Silver Ring), golds (like Nylon), greens (like Humid), blues (like Freshwater)

Check your stash for a few awesome limited edition finds…

Garcon Gray, Black Gold, Gentle Fume, Night Owl, Suspicion

What are your favorite purple eyeshadows?

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of great eyeshadows — these are shades I personally think are worth getting as a whole. I also only list permanent eyeshadow colors (and eyeshadows only–no other eye products, *just* eyeshadows for this list), which is why limited edition colors do not make the list.

How-to: Smokey Eyes

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral base), Electra eyeshadow (bright silver), Silver Ring (dark silver), Carbon eyeshadow (matte black), Shroom eyeshadow (highlighter), Graphblack technakohl (black), Blacktrack fluidline (black), Zoomlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Well Dressed blush (soft cool pink), Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer (pink highlighter)
• Lips: Sandy B lipstick (pinky nude), C-Thru lipglass (nude)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)

Quick Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Electra eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Silver Ring eyeshadow to the middle of the lid, extending to the outer lid. Darken the outer lid with Carbon eyeshadow using the 239. Darken crease with Carbon eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Shroom eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Smudge Silver Ring eyeshadow on the lower lash line using the 219 brush. Finish with Graphblack technakohl on lower lash line, Blacktrack fluidline on upper lash line, and Zoomlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Well Dressed blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Sandy B lipstick to lips, and then top with C-Thru lipglass for color and shine.

See step-by-step directions…

1. Start with a clean eye space.

2. With your 249 brush, apply a thin layer of Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid, from lash line to brow bone.

3. Make sure you apply the paint pot to your brow bone area.

4. Brush out the base color to the outer lid.

5. This is what it should look like.

6. Pick up a good amount of Electra eyeshadow with your 239 brush. Apply it to the inner half of your lid.

7. This is what it will look like.

8. Using the same 239 brush, pick up Silver Ring eyeshadow. Apply it to the outer half of the eye lid.

9. This is how it should look like.

10. With the 239 brush, pick up just a little bit of Carbon eyeshadow. Hold the brush horizontally and begin applying it to the outer third of the crease.

11. Blend it into the crease by moving side-to-side.

12. Make sure you blend it enough so that the line isn’t too visible.

13. This is what you should have.

14. Repeat the same method with more Carbon eyeshadow.

15. Blend Carbon into the crease.

16. This is what it should look like.

17. Apply Shroom eyeshadow with the 239 brush on your brow bone to highlight.

18. Brush out the highlight color so it applies evenly to the entire brow bone.

19. This is what it should look like.

20. Gently apply a dusting of Silver Ring eyeshadow to the lower portion of the crease, just to add more dimension.

21. This is what you should have.

22. Apply intense black liner on your lower lash line if desired.

23. Use a firm smudging brush or a pointed pencil brush (like the 219) to smudge the black liner with Silver Ring eyeshadow.

24. This is how it should look.

25. With the 266 brush, pick up Blacktrack fluidline. Begin applying it to the inner portion of your upper lash line.

26. In either quick, short strokes or one fluid stroke, move the brush towards the outer upper lash line.

27. Take the 266 brush and create a diagonal line on your outer lid for the “wing” of the liner. You want it to be a continuation of your lower lash line, extending towards the end of your brow. (It’s like you were drawing a line to connect the two, but you don’t actually do so.)

28. This is how it would look. (Albeit, mine is not quite perfect here.)

29. From the tip of the winged line, draw a curved line back to the middle of the lid — it should look something like the above image.

30. Fill it in with Blacktrack fluidline.

31. This is how it should look like. Add mascara and/or false lashes as desired to finish the eye.

It’s been SO long since I’ve done the “traditional” smokey eye, so I had the urge to try it out again I’m spending my weekend cramming/studying for my Stats and Managerial Accounting finals on Monday (yay, back-to-back finals, so awesome!). I’m meeting up with some study buddies for Stats in an hour — I’m hoping it will really help bring things together for me.

What are you doing this weekend? Let me live vicariously through you so my weekend isn’t a total bummer!!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral base), Electra eyeshadow (bright silver), Silver Ring (dark silver), Carbon eyeshadow (matte black), Shroom eyeshadow (highlighter), Graphblack technakohl (black), Blacktrack fluidline (black), Zoomlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Well Dressed blush (soft cool pink), Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer (pink highlighter)
• Lips: Sandy B lipstick (pinky nude), C-Thru lipglass (nude)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Electra eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Silver Ring eyeshadow to the middle of the lid, extending to the outer lid. Darken the outer lid Carbon Flip eyeshadow using the 239. Darken crease with Carbon eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Shroom eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Smudge Silver Ring eyeshadow on the lower lash line using the 219 brush. Finish with Graphblack technakohl on lower lash line, Blacktrack fluidline on upper lash line, and Zoomlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Well Dressed blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Sandy B lipstick to lips, and then top with C-Thru lipglass for color and shine.

Check out more photos!

I’m totally late when it comes to getting on the loldog train, but I uploaded Mellan onto the site

The weirdest part about this look was how clumsy I felt doing it. I think it turned out fine, but it had been SO long since I had done any makeup–let alone anything this bright or bold–and my hands felt awkward, clumsy. I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing! It all felt so new, LOL.

Oh!  And you can see my new hair in this look.  I got it cut from the same picture as before, but I went “all the way” in terms of length.  To be honest, I preferred the longer, modified version last time.  But it’s okay, because I was able to go this short and be OK with it.  I didn’t cry or feel like I lost a part of me.  It’ll grow out soon enough!

Today I’m off to meet up with a bride I’m doing makeup for in June 2009. Wish me luck  What are you all doing this hump day?

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Too Faced Shadow Insurance (base), Silver Ring eyeshadow (silver), Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow (fuchsia-purple), Parfait Amour eyeshadow (cool purple), Climate Blue eyeshadow (dark cool purple), Shale eyeshadow (mauvey-purple), Hush eyeshadow (pink-toned highlighter), Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner (dark purple), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Dior Rose Diamond blush (soft pink)
• Lips: Sweetie lipstick (medium pink), Calvin Klein Knockout Lip Gloss (pink-purple)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Climate Blue = Contrast

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Too Faced Shadow Insurance all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Silver Ring eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow to the middle of the lid. Darken the outer lid using Parfait Amour packed on and drag into crease using the 239. Darken crease with Climate Blue eyeshadow using the 239. Blend the harsh line of the crease by overlaying Shale eyeshadow. Sweep Hush underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Rose Diamond blush using the 129. Apply Sweetie lipstick to lips, and then top with CK Knockout lip gloss for color and shine.

Check out more photos!