The smokey eye has maintained longevity in popularity for good reason: it looks sexy. Smoldering, smokey eyes offer an air of mysteriousness and captivating allure; they’re the makeup equivalent of your most enticing LBD. But an inky, too-dark smokey eye can look too harsh and even a little dated, especially in the July heat. With summer skin and easy, undone hair, smudge on a bronze shade for a modern (and even sultrier) take on the classic smokey eye, and watch heads turn.
LIGHT
Yes, you can do smokey eyes for daytime. The trick is to keep it a little lighter in both colour and application. Stila’s Eye Shadow Trio in Gold Glow ($37, well.ca) is the perfect wash of shimmering colour that defines beautifully and looks fresh when the sun is still shining. Boasting a high pearl content that lends eyes the most gorgeous shimmer, swirl all three shades together or apply separately for a look that’s uniquely you.
If you’re on the more fair side and craving something truly out of this world, get your hands on the limited edition Christopher Kane x NARS colab’s Eyeshadow Single in Outer Limits ($29, narscosmetics.com). A really, really special glimmery, multi-tonal rose gold, this luminous shadow brightens and illuminates eyes with its pinky, bronzey shade and makes eye positively sparkle.
For a smudgier, softer look, sweep on MAC Cosmetics’ sexy, sudsy Wash & Dry collection’s Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow Trio in Permanent Press ($33, MAC Cosmetics). A white beige, bronzey brown and gold-flecked black blend beautifully together with their cream-to-powder formula, making this the perfect palette to achieve that easy, sexy, bronzey smokey eye.
MEDIUM
For a deeper look, mix up The Body Shop’s Spring Bronze Shimmer Cubes ($22, The Body Shop) for a custom smokey shadow. The four shades illuminate with their iridescence, and define with their eye-enhancing colours. Light eyed girls: blend a little extra of the copper in to make baby blues and greens pop; brown eyed girls: smudge the espresso shade all over lids for your sexiest bronze smokey eye.
For a modern take on the look, there is no better, sexier, sultrier pick than Rodial’s Eye Sculpt ($34, murale.ca). The perfect shade of taupe-y brown, this matte, mousse-like miracle product can be applied directly with fingers or with Rodial’s perfectly paired Eye Sculpt Brush ($28, murale.ca). A soft wash of colour defines but easily builds to a deep, seductive shade that is easy to work with yet has impressive staying power.
For girls on the go, nothing beats NARS’ The Multiple in Malibu ($46, narscosmetics.com). Simply swiped on and blended with fingers, this flattering, shimmering warm bronze shade is a creamy dream to quickly smudge into lids and around the eyes. Pat on until desired saturation is achieved, blend and go! Beauty tip: This multi-use stick looks good everywhere; for a chic, monochromatic look, blend into cheekbones for an allover bronzey, sun-kissed look.
DARK
For a dramatic nighttime look, Cargo’s Limited Edition Summer in the City Eye Shadow Palette ($46, well.ca) is a perfect pick. Inspired by the sizzling summer days and nights in New York City, there are twelve sultry shades to choose (and blend!) from. Shimmering nudes play well with deeper bronzes, and create the ultimate city glam, night-on-the town look. Bonus: this palette includes a black eye pencil to define and dual-ended brush for easy, perfect application.
To create a deep and dark yet soft look, colour lids with Rodial’s Smokey Eye Pens in Black and Brown ($21, murale.ca). The easiest way to blend and seamlessly combine the two colours is by making a hashtag on each lid: use the black pencil to draw the two horizontal lines, and the brown for the two vertical. Simply blend and smudge the gel-like formula up and outwards, adding extra strokes of either pencil to deepen and define. A super easy yet luxe, chic look is achieved, and these formulas have an astonishing ability to stay where you smudge them.
If you’re keen to pull out all the stops with full-on glamour, treat lids to NARS’ Eye Paint in Baalbek ($30, narscosmetics.com). Silky and lightweight yet rich and super-pigmented, this gel formula glides on and stays put for a whopping 18 hours. The dark and seductive Baalbek is a true bronze with its deep, brown, shimmering shade. Proactive and truly stunning, brush on and blend into lids and on the lower lashline for a deeply lush, supremely sexy look.
