How to create a smoky eye

I have used Illamasqua cream eyeshadow, YSL mini palette, MUA purple shadow, MAC shadow in carbon, MAC eyeliner, assorted brushes, mascara, cotton buds dipped in Bioderma Crealine.

Start with a clean face. If you are using foundation with this look, leave it until after you have finished the eyes. It makes clean up easier. Use eye primer if needed. Please ignore my bad skin!

Use a flat shadow brush to apply the cream shadow. This is acting as the shadow's base, so you don't have to be too neat with this application.

Top lid covered.

To make the bottom colour join with the top lid, tilt your head and blend a line diagonally from the bottom to make an even shape.

Use a gentle light motion to colour the bottom lash line, or use a thin angled brush for an easier alternative.

Cream shadow is now all around my eye and roughly in a good shape for my eye.

Use a blending brush to lightly blend the edges.

Change to a clean blending brush to refine the edge into a clean gradient.

Line the waterline at the bottom...

And top...

After mascara, smudge tidying and a little filling in of the brow, you have a black smoky eye.

From there you can finish your make up and go, or add shadows over the top for a different effect. This cream/shadow black base looks great with sparkly shadows and pigments.

Here I'm adding a light sparkly cream to the inner corners...

And a shimmery brown to the outer corner and crease.

Which creates a neutral toned shimmery eye.

Or use a heavy pigmented shadow (patting as before then brushing gently to minimise fallout) to get a more dramatic effect.