Smokey Eye for Fair Skin/Redhead

[zeebs]

Hi gals,

Wondering what colors you would recommend to create a nighttime look in the "smokey" vein. You know... normally you'd recommend dark greys and black liner and whatnot.

I'm not really a redhead but I seem to have that kind of skin tone. Earthy tones look great on me and anything warm. Black is an absolute no-go; it's too harsh, even as mascara.

Sooooo I want to create that kind of dramatic eye look but in a softer way for fair skin. I'm thinking like a warm deep brown might work but I'm afraid of something too chocolatey because those colors are too cool for my skin. Caramely browns are much better.

Ideas?

[JenW]

In looking at my browns and warm grays, you might think of Moonstone (semimatte). It is a warm gray and would work very well. Also Wink Wink and Nudge Nudge might work, too. They are not in the realm of caramel, but not quite grayish taupe. For the caramel shades, Terra (matte), Sierra, and Bittersweet. These will be a more non-traditional smokey eye look, but they might work for you. Warmer highlight colors might include Quartzite, Boom, Bare, Sandstone, and Fire. I think Rhys is quite fond of Taupetastic.

I know we have some very color savvy, fair redheads around, and they may have some even better advice!

[Ghost]

Hi zeeb

I agree with everything Jen said.

I also recommend aztec, its one of the colours from the stonewashed pallete, oh and if you haven't brought this - do get it!!!! absolutely must have for anyone in my opionion. It will have all the colours you need to do a smokey eye look for fair toned skin.

I would also love to hear how your smokey eye goes. I haven't had the chance to do a smokey eye myself, so if you could let me know how it's done, I would be really appreciated it.

I'm sure Rhys and Karen will have some recommendations for you as well.

[karen]

I completely agree with everyone else- SWN gives you good tools for a lot of different looks. My faves (and I'm a cool toned semi redhead)- are Fire and Brimstone. Brimstone has elements of purple blended with copper- and Fire is very coppery. I just did a version of the 2 color eye with Honey and Bittersweet, and Mahogany gel liner- very golden/warm, very sultry. For me the Honey was a little too dark to be a highlight color (I'm very pale)- so I used Sprite as the highlight color under my brow bone.

If you're new to a smokey eye- I recommend just doing a 2 color eye- take the light color- do a coat from the arch of your brow all the way down to your lash line, take the deeper color, and starting about mid pupil blend the deeper color into your crease, and along your lash line. If you want to use a lighter highlight color- just put the midtone from your crease down to the lashline- then proceed with the deeper color in the crease from about mid-pupil out- and if your eyes are small or close together- a little bit of that same highlight color in the inner corner helps make them look bigger.

[Rhys]

Everything everyone has said - and Dolce! That is a wonderful olivey brown-green, and it's great for a smokey eye that's not quite (I'm another pale cool redhead). I think I used Bling as a highlighter with it - can't remember. But it's gorgeous - and Mahogany or Bittersweet as a liner colour is great - I can't wear flat browns or blacks, either, and the 'traditional' type of smokey eye makes me look like Alice Cooper back when he was doing his own stage make up (yeesh!)

Taupetastic and Idolize are another two I love, especially with Whisper (foiled) as a highlight colour.

[zeebs]

Thanks for the tips. I like the looks of Moonstone and Aztec quite a bit. A couple of questions:

1. How warm/cool is Nudge Nudge? It looks pretty grey on the photo - does it have earthy brown taupey tones to it?

2. Would Nudge Nudge and Moonstone look good together? Or no?

3. Nudge Nudge with Aztec? Based on the swatches in the photos, I think Aztec might work for me... but photos can be deceiving. And will it work with a greyer color?

I generally like to do a three-color or four-color eye so I am planning to use whatever neutral/highlighters I have laying around here for the remainder but I definitely want a dark and a medium shade that complement one another, one of which should be suitably grey-yet-not-grey (thinking Nudge Nudge might fit that if it is warm enough...?)

Oh yeah and I added Idolize to my wish list but am thinking not so much for the smokey eye.

Please advise on Nudge Nudge; looks promising. I know it is supposed to coordinate with Wink Wink but I want something darker for a 3-4 color eye. Thanks!!

[Rhys]

Nudge-Nudge is kind of taupey purple - it's fairly true to the swatch (the round picture doesn't look as true to me). It could work with Moonstone - purples and greys go together.

I'd still vote for Taupetastic, though - that's way different in real life than in the photo of it - again, the swatch gives a truer match.

What am I saying? I do wear both of them, but Taupetastic is just amazing.

[zeebs]

Okay. I will put Taupetastic in my next order. I think, after looking at swatches again, that you are right for the smokey look with Taupetastic. I will also be ordering Fire and Brimstone and Idolize soon.

I've added a lot of the other suggestions for general wear to my list - thanks for the help ladies!!

[mgmsrk]

I would try purples and bronzes. I have pale skin and chestnut/auburn hair with brown eyes so I also have to stay away from blacks and grays.

[zeebs]

I am super excited to try Taupetastic! I will let you ladies know how it works for a smoky look. I also got this other stuff... I'm not finished with my Aveda foundation but I just plain couldn't wait to try the SN foundation so I ordered the starter kit!!

1 x *Intro Foundation, Finishing Powder Kit*

1 x Sapphire- Rich Navy metallic shadow

1 x Taupetastic- taupe shimmer eye shadow

1 x Rare Berry- Strawberry Red

1 x Foreplay- shimmery golden pink Climax gloss