Hello Fashion Capital, I'm Ashley Kay a freelance make-up and hair artist and this is my first time writing for Fashion Capital so I thought it would be good to introduce myself!

As a make-up artist, I spend a lot of time talking about make-up. Everyone I speak to seems to say the same thing to me: 'How do I get this look myself?'. This is exactly what I am going to show you!

This is for Keke, the fantastic and beautiful model I had the pleasure of working with recently. Here is how you get that 'smokey eye' your boyfriend loved so much!

Smokey Eye with little fuss, minimal product and a single eye shadow brush, here is the first tutorial in FIVE EASY STEPS!

The list of things you'll need:

1.      A light cream, shimmery shadow

2.      A beige shimmery shadow

3.      Black shadow

4.      Black soft pencil eye liner

5.      Black mascara

6.      A smallish eye shadow brush which is firm and flat

·        I used a ScreenFace shadow pallet and MAC for the eye liner, mascara and brush. You can use any brand you prefer and for those who like to watch the pennies why not try Barry M  Cosmetics for their animal friendly, colourful array of shadows or Sleek for their fantastic range of shadows and brilliant mascaras, both available at Superdrug.

Step 1

Prep the face and eyes. (Cleanse, tone, moisturise) Apply your foundation or just concealer if you prefer.

*Tip: place a good amount of loose, translucent powder under the eyes and on the cheeks to catch any falling dark shadow, which can be swept away with a brush once eyes are complete.

Start with the light cream shadow and apply, with your shadow brush,  all over the eyes from lash line to brow line.

Step 2

From the outer corners of your eyes to the centre of your eyes, sweep the beige shimmery shadow. The colour should cover the outer corners, up to the crease of your eye socket and down to the lash line. Make sure it is blended with the shimmery cream shadow.

Dip just the tip of your eye shadow brush into the black shadow. Gently dot the shadow along your upper lash line.

Dab off any excess shadow on tissue then gently buff the black shadow to make a smooth graduation of black up the eye, until it blends to nothing. Gently buff the shadow to the outer edge of your eye, ensuring you keep the line straight and facing up. (Never drag eyeliner or shadow downwards…it will make your eyes look tired!)

Repeat the same process for under the lower lashes. The shadow should be tucked right up under the lashes and blended gently OUTWARD and UPWARD with the natural curve of your eye so that it meets the smokey line on your top lashes!

Take your black eye liner pencil and draw a thin line along your upper lash line. Take your shadow brush and smudge it out gently. This will enhance the length of your lashes and strengthen the smokey look. I also like to run the black liner along the INNER rim (wet part) of my lower lashes to dramatise the look even more!

Last, but not least, apply your black mascara to upper and lower lashes! Dust off your powder on your cheeks, fill in those brows if needed and voilà, your smokey eye is COMPLETE!!

Yours Truly,

Ashley Kay