How to do metallic smoky eyes for summer

Smoky eye makeup (often referred to as "the little black dress of makeup") elevates your evening look to something truly dramatic when punctuated with metallic glimmer. For summer, we’ve come up with a few creative combinations to brighten your smoky eyes and give them a shimmering 24k goddess effect. Try on metallic eye makeup in our virtual makeover studio now and shimmer, shimmer, shimmer for summer!

"Smoky eyes can make fair skin look sooty and dark skin look muddy, if done improperly. A metallic gold works on all skin tones to make the look light and sexy."

To start your metallic smoky eye, determine which eye shadows complement your eye color. Brown and hazel eyes look gorgeous in metallic golds, blues are pretty in metallic pinks with golden undertones and green eyes stand out in metallic plum or violet shades. A touch of metallic in the center of the lid or at the browbone can open up the eyes tremendously and impart a glowy goddess look.

To apply: begin with eye shadow. The darkest eye shadow can be applied allover the eye lid, or in the crease, depending upon the shape of your eye and the look you desire. Applying dark color in the crease and blending it upward and outward toward the browbone elongates round eyes; many Asian women prefer to create depth by putting dark color allover hooded eye lids. Apply metallic eye shadow all over the lid or at the inner corner of each eye and keep the brow bone light.

Line the upper lashes from corner to corner; line the lower lashes just three quarters of the way, beginning from the outer corner of the eye. For an intensely metallic smoky eye, dip a flathead eyeliner brush into classic black liquid eyeliner (brick brown or plum if you have green eyes) and push it into the lashline. Do the same with black powder eye shadow (brick brown or plum if you have green eyes). Layering your liner with different formulations (pencil, powder, liquid) will give your look staying power.