How to Do Smokey Eyes on Dark, Tan, or Indian Skin

Co-authored by Alana Schober

Last Updated: July 12, 2022 References

The smokey eye is a timeless classic that can take your look from simple to glam in just a few minutes. When you have darker skin, it can be a little challenging to get that sultry, bold look without feeling like you have to pile on the shadow. To combat this, steer clear of light or translucent shadows and instead stick with deeper, richer shades, like plum, emerald green, dark blue, grey, and black. Keep the rest of your look fairly simple so that your eyes will really pop.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Priming Your Face and Eyebrows

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Apply your foundation and concealer before doing your eye makeup. Before you do anything else, you need to get your foundation, concealer, blush, contour, and highlighter in place. Do as much or as little as you’d like, just depending on your daily beauty routine.^{[1]
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- If you want to avoid looking overdone, try to keep the rest of your makeup fairly simple. Foundation and a little blush can go a long way in supporting your smokey eye.
2
Prime your eyelids with a concealer or lighter shade of eyeshadow. If you didn’t put concealer on your eyelids at the beginning, take a moment to do this now. If you’d rather not use concealer, use a beige eyeshadow. Prime your eyelids, the crease, and the section between the crease and your eyebrows.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Alana Schober
Pout Pro Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 15 June 2021.}^{[3]
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- This helps create a neutral backdrop for the darker eyeshadows, and it’ll also help your eyeshadow stay in place a lot better.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alana Schober
  Pout Pro Makeup Artist
  Expert Interview. 15 June 2021.}
- Try using a primer that's a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone to really help your smokey eye pop.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alana Schober
  Pout Pro Makeup Artist
  Expert Interview. 15 June 2021.}
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3
Define your brows so you have a boundary for your eyeshadow. The start and end of each eyebrow creates a natural line for your eyeshadow. They let you know how far out to extend the shadow, and they also make your entire look more defined and polished.^{[6]
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- Take your time while doing your brows. The last thing you want is different lengths and looks on either side of your face!
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Highlight your brow bone to add dimension to the area. Use bronzer, a highlighter stick, or something similar. Simply swipe the product along the underside of your eyebrows with a fluffy brush.^{[7]
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- This step simply helps to create a slight separation between your dark brows and what will soon be your smokey eye.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Applying Eyeshadow and Liner

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Choose the color combination you’d like to use for your look. You’ll need to pick at least 2 shades of complementary eyeshadows, one of them lighter than the other. The second shade can always be black, but you could also use deeper shades that aren’t black. Here are some classic colors that will look great with darker skin:^{[8]
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- Plum
- Deep purple
- Emerald green
- Navy blue
- Bronze
- Gray
- Other jewel tones
2
Use the lighter shade of eyeshadow on the crease of your eyelid. Use an eyeshadow brush to apply the shadow over the crease of your eye, extending from the end of your eyebrow to the inner part of your eyebrow. Use a blending brush to blend the shadow up toward your brow line and into your skin so that there are no defined lines.^{[9]
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- A huge part of the smokey eye is creating a color gradient, with the darkest shade being closest to the lid. Experts recommend starting with the lighter shade on the crease of your lid so that it’ll be easier to blend in the darker shadow later.
3
Take the darker shade and apply it to your lid, blending it up into the crease. Use your eyeshadow brush to apply a layer of dark shadow over your entire lid. Don’t forget to bring it out to the inner and outer edges of your eyebrow. Use the blending brush to work the shadow into the lighter shade you already applied so that the transition from one color to the other is seamless.^{[10]
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- Avoid pressing down too hard with your brush. Use a light hand to create a sophisticated look.
- If you want a bolder look, you can go ahead and apply more of both shades of eyeshadow. Just make sure to keep blending them together where they meet so that the gradient looks natural.
Tip: If you’re going for a really intense smokey eye, use black eyeliner as a base over your top lid first. Smudge it all over the lid, and then apply the dark eyeshadow over top of it.
4
Add eyeliner to your top lid for a more dynamic nighttime look. Because your skin tone is darker and you’re using dark eyeshadow, you could skip this step if you want to, especially if you’re just creating a look for the daytime. But if you’d like a more stunning effect, use black eyeliner.^{[11]
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- A soft eyeliner works best for a smokey eye. It tends to blend in more naturally and it won’t be as noticeable if you make a mistake.
- You can always take your blending brush and smooth out the line between the liner and the shadow if you prefer.
5
Line your bottom lid with a black eyeshadow or eyeliner. Make the liner thicker at the inner and outer edges of your eye and thinner in the middle to help create a more defined shape. If you use eyeshadow, use a tapered blending brush to apply the shadow. If you use an eyeliner, opt for a kohl liner since it’ll naturally create a smokey look.^{[12]
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- To create a thicker line at the edges, simply use a little bit more pressure when applying the shadow or liner. A light hand creates a thin line, and a heavier hand creates a thicker line.
- Your lower lashes should still be visible, so don’t make the shadowed section extend down so far that your lashes get completely lost.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing the Look

1
Add a light shadow to your tear ducts to make the eyeshadow pop. Tan or beige shadow works well for this step, and you don’t need to apply much to make an impact. Just get a little bit of light shadow on your brush and gently dab it over your tear ducts.^{[13]
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- If the shadow looks too bright or out of place, pat it with your ring finger to remove some of it without completely smudging it away.
2
Apply 1 to 2 layers of mascara to lengthen your eyelashes. Once your shadow is exactly how you want it, you can apply your mascara. Because your eyes are already so defined by the smokey eyeshadow, you don’t need to worry about using too many coats of mascara. The main definition is coming from your smokey eye.^{[14]
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Tip: If you don’t like the look or feel of mascara, look into false eyelashes to create voluminous lashes that don’t require any additional makeup.
3
Complete your look with a complementary lipstick. Because your look is already so bold, you could choose a lighter, more neutral shade of lipstick. Or, if you want to really stand out, choose a darker, richer shade of lipstick, like wine or deep purple.^{[15]
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- If you don’t like lipstick, try out a lip gloss, lip stain, or tinted balm.
4
Set your look with a finishing spray so your makeup won’t smudge. After all your hard work, the last thing you want is a look that smudges or spreads easily. Follow the instructions and let the spray dry completely before touching your face.^{[16]
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- If it’s going to be hot or humid, look for a sweat-resistant spray.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my smokey eyes stand out more?

Alana Schober
Pout Pro Makeup Artist
Alana Schober is a Professional Makeup Artist at Pout by Lipsticknick, an inclusive beauty bar in Los Angeles, California. With over a decade of experience, Alana specializes in hair and makeup. As a Licensed Comselotologist, she has worked for both MAC Cosmetics and Paul Mitchell. Alana's celebrity clientele includes Iggy Azalea, Solange, YG, and ASAP Nast. She has worked on campaigns with Nike, Adidas, Morphe, Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics, and Quay. Alana has also worked on countless music videos and photoshoots and her work has been featured on two billboards in Los Angeles.

Alana Schober

Pout Pro Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Apply an eyeshadow primer that's a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone. This will help your dark shadows stick better and stand out more!
Question

How do I do smokey eyes on porcelain skin?

AStrangeEvent02

Community Answer

Use lighter colors such as a brown or grey instead of a black. Start with lighter shades and stop once you reach the desired effect.
Question

Which brand eye shadow should I use?

Angel OnFire

Community Answer

Which ever brand you like, I love Revolution make up.