How to Craft The Perfect Smokey Eye According to Your Eye Shape

When it comes to eye makeup, there are a few key looks you likely find yourself returning to frequently. For us, it’s the classic smokey eye. The sultry look is versatile and flattering, and it can be adapted for a multitude of situations. Plus, once you nail your smokey eye makeup technique, the glam look is surprisingly easy to achieve, which is what we want from a go-to makeup look.

The catch: There isn’t just one technique. Your eye shape should guide and help you answer how you apply your smoky eye makeup. Fortunately, we’re here to help. Ahead, we’re sharing 10 smokey eye tutorials for different eye shapes to help you find the best technique for your features.

Does a Smokey Eye Look Good on Everyone?

Smokey eye makeup is versatile, and the look can be adapted to flatter anyone. That being said, the application and colors used may look different from one person to the next. Ultimately, rocking a gorgeous smokey eye makeup look comes down to adjusting the style for your eye shape and size. Just remember that it takes some practice. Once you learn what’s most flattering for your eye shape, your smokey eye (and all your other eye makeup looks) will instantly level up.

How To Create the Perfect Smokey Eye Look for Your Eye Shape

Adapting your makeup routine to complement your unique features is one of the best ways to ensure a flattering result. So, get ready to amp up your eye makeup with our smokey eye makeup tutorials focused on each eye shape.

How to do a smokey eye for hooded eyes

Hooded eyes lack visible lid space, so if your eyeshadow tends to visually disappear the moment you open your eyes all the way, you likely have this eye shape. Fortunately, a few tweaks to your standard smokey eye routine can help ensure your hard work applying makeup doesn’t go to waste. 

Step 1: Start with brown eyeshadow

Ultra-dark eyeshadows can make the eyes appear smaller and may visually weigh down hooded eyes. As such, we recommend swapping out the black eyeshadow for a medium brown shade, like the L'Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Brown Bliss. Apply a small amount of eyeshadow and then smudge it onto your entire lid, blending it above the crease and just past the outer corner of your eye. 

Step 2: Blend with a shimmer shade

Next, reach for a lighter-toned shimmery shadow, like the L'Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Twinkly Rose. Apply it just above the brown shadow. Then, use your fingertips to blend over the boundary where the two shades meet to create a soft, diffused effect.

Step 3: Highlight your brow bone

After applying your shadow, use the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick in Glowy Crème Chic to illuminate your brow bone and inner corners. This will help to add brightness and make your eyes appear more open.

Step 4: Define with eyeliner

Once you’ve applied (and blended) all of your eyeshadow, line your upper and lower waterlines with a creamy gel eyeliner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in Brown Denim. If you’re not sure how to tightline your eyes, we break it down in How To Apply Waterline Eyeliner Like a Pro.

Step 5: Finish off the look with mascara

No smokey eye makeup is complete without long, wispy lashes. Top off the look with the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Waterproof Mascara, which provides corner-to-corner volume and offers up to 24 hours of smudge-resistant wear.

How to do a smokey eye for round eyes

If the whites around the top and bottom of your iris show, you likely have round eyes. Opting for smokey eyeshadow can give your natural doe eyes a more sultry vibe. Here’s how to get the look.

Step 1: Fill in the eyelid

Using a fluffy eyeshadow brush, begin your smokey eye look by sweeping a deep, matte brown shadow over all your lid. Blend the color past your crease so it extends toward your brow bone.

Step 2: Add subtle dimension

Next, apply a shimmery brown or bronze shade to your lid, blending the color just up to (but not past) your crease. You can also blend the pigment outward slightly to create a soft shadow wing. 

Step 3: Line your eyes

Next, reach for a creamy pencil or gel eyeliner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Brown. Use the point of the pencil to trace along your upper lash line, extending the line outward at the corner of your eye to create a soft wing. To create an elongated effect, angle the liner toward your temple rather than flicking it upward. Once you’re satisfied with your wing, lightly line your lower lash line with the same pencil.

Step 4: Accentuate your lashes

Complete your brown smokey eye by swiping an espresso-toned mascara, like the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Big Deal Buildable Washable Mascara in Black Brown, through your upper lashes.

Editor’s tip: If you have round eyes and like to wear false eyelashes, cut the lash strip in half and apply it only to the outer corners. This easy hack will help lift and elongate the shape of your round eyes.

How to do a smokey eye for small eyes

If you think a smokey eye look is too bold for small eyes, we’re here to squash that notion. When done well, a smokey eye can make your eyes look bigger. Read on to learn how.

Step 1: Start with a matte eyeshadow

Take a light, nude-toned eyeshadow, like the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Alluring Rose, and sweep it all over your lid. Use a light hand and blend upward to create a soft wash of color that coats the entire lid.

Step 2: Darken your outer corner

Apply a slightly darker-brown eyeshadow to the outer half of your lid, blending the color to your crease and toward your brow bone. Keeping the darker shades on the outer half of your eye can help make your eyes appear more open.

Step 3: Define your lower lash line

Use an eyeshadow brush to apply the darker brown shadow to your lower lash line. Blend it well to create that smokey, diffused look you desire.

Step 4: Create a wing

Next, grab a liquid eyeliner and trace your upper lash line. When you get to the corner, flick the line toward the tail of your brow to create a thin wing. You can keep it thin or trace again your work to create a thicker, more defined wing. (If you have trouble with winged liner, we recommend using a fine-tipped eyeliner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner, for a precise, controlled application).

Step 5: Create look-at-me lashes

Lastly, curl your lashes and apply a few coats of the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Waterproof Mascara to lift and lengthen your eyelashes for a wide-awake look. The unique formula catches every lash for a fanned-out look, making the eyes appear up to 1.4 times larger. 

How to do a smokey eye for downturned eyes

Downturned eyes typically have an almond shape with a slight downward tilt at the outer corners. Opting for winged eyeliner and blending your eyeshadow upward can help visually lift the outer corners of your eyes.

Step 1: Create a nude base

Start by applying a light pinky-nude eyeshadow to your entire lid and the inner corners of your eyes. If you’d prefer a cool-toned smokey eye, a soft stone or taupe shade would work well, too.

Step 2: Add depth

With a fluffy eyeshadow brush, blend a medium brown or taupe shade from the middle of your lid all the way to the outer corner. At the corner, sweep the shadow upward to visually “lift” the eye.

Step 3: Create a soft wing

Step 4: Trace your wing with liner

Once you’ve finished applying your eyeshadow, grab a liquid eyeliner (we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner in Black). Line your upper lash line, then create a wing at the outer corner to “frame” your eyeshadow wing. You can skip lining your lower lash line. For this smokey eye look, we want all the focus on your upper lids.

Step 5: Finish with mascara

Finish off your smokey eye with a few coats of the L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara. Again, we suggest keeping the mascara to your upper lashes only to help accentuate the lifted effect you created with shadow.

How to do a smokey eye for almond eyes

Almond eyes have an almond-like shape: elongated rather than round, with a slight angular quality. A lot of different makeup looks can flatter this shape, but this is one of our favorites.

Step 1: Apply a matte shade to your lid

Start your smokey eye look by applying a matte gray shadow to your lid. Blend the pigment upward, stopping just beneath your brow bone.

Step 2: Add shimmer

Next, use your finger to tap a metallic gunmetal shade onto your lid, bringing it just up to the crease.

Step 3: Highlight your inner corner and brow bone

Use a small eyeshadow brush to pat a shimmery silver shadow onto your inner corner and above your crease. Make sure to blend this highlight well with your gray shadow to create a seamless gradient of smokey color. If you need a recommendation, we think that the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Ice Sparkle makes for the perfect highlighting shade.

Step 4: Line and define your eyes

Line your upper and lower lash lines with the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Grey for a balanced look. If you’d prefer a sultry, siren eye effect, swap the gray liner for a classic black and trace both your upper and lower waterlines.

Step 5: Complete the look

Finally, lift, lengthen, and add volume to your lashes with a long-lasting black mascara. We love the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Volume Mascara, which features a soft, wavy brush perfect for coating each and every lash.

How to do a smokey eye for monolid eyes

Monolids don’t have a defined crease, which makes it challenging to follow smokey eyeshadow tutorials that aren’t created with your eye shape in mind. But don’t let that make you miss out; a smokey eye is a great way to enhance and flatter your eye shape. Here’s a tutorial for getting the look when you have monolids:

Step 1: Swap eyeshadow for eyeliner

Our best tip for creating a smokey eye when you have monolid eyes is to use eyeliner, not eyeshadow. This helps you to be super precise with your application before you smudge it out. Use a waterproof eyeliner like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Aubergine, which is dark and dramatic but not as stark as a pure black shade. 

With the pencil, draw a thin half-moon shape above your eye. Connect the line to the outer corner of your eye to create the illusion of a natural crease. Once you’re satisfied with the placement of the liner, fill in your lid with the eyeliner before moving on to the next step.

Step 2: Blend the eyeliner out—quickly

Blend the curved edges of the shape you drew with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. It’s key to work quickly here because the waterproof eyeliner dries fast.

Step 3: Bring it all together with a matte eyeshadow

Once the edges are blended, use a neutral-toned powder eyeshadow and apply it where your eyeliner meets your skin. Blending the shadow on top will give you a more seamless, smokey look. Then, continue blending your shadow outward and upward to create the subtle shape of a wing.

Step 4: Add some smoke under the eye

Use the same brush and eyeshadow to smoke out your lower lash line. Finish off the look with winged eyeliner (if you want) and apply the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Washable Mascara.

How to do a smokey eye for upturned eyes

The shape of upturned eyes is similar to almond eyes, with a more noticeable upward angle at the outer corners. This shape is a gorgeous canvas for many makeup looks, including the smokey eye.

Step 1: Line your eyes and smudge them out

Line your eyes with a gel pencil eyeliner in a dark shade. (Try the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in black, brown, or taupe gray.) Drag it across your upper lashes, starting at the inner corner and going outwards, making a slight wing in the outer corner. The wing should slant upwards, as if following the shape of your upturned eyes.

Don’t worry about your wing being perfect because it will be smudged out. Our liner recommendation above has a built-in smudger you can use, but a small brush, finger, or even cotton swab will work, too. Use your tool of choice to blend and blur the wing and the line along your lashes.

Step 2: Repeat on the lower lash line

Next, take the pencil and line your lower lash line from the inner corner to the outer corner. Again, smudge out the liner.

Step 3: Smoke out the liner with shadow

Grab an eyeshadow palette with a mix of dark tones, and use a shade that coordinates with your liner to go over the lines you just drew with shadow. This will help add that smokey effect to your look.

Editor’s tip: If you like a sharper finish to your smokey eye, use a liquid eyeliner to add a sharp cat eye to your look. Simply draw it right on top of your pencil eyeliner and shadow. The smoked-out shadow and the sleek liner will make for a great contrast.

Step 4: Add the finishing touches

With a clean eyeshadow brush, apply highlighter to the inner corner of your lid, then finish everything off with a few coats of the L'Oréal Paris Paradise Big Deal Buildable Waterproof Mascara.

How to do a smokey eye for close-set eyes

Close-set eyes are, as you might expect, close together. You can use makeup to play up this feature or create the illusion of eyes that are further apart. Smokey eye makeup can be a good option for the latter. Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Play with various shades of eyeshadow

Take an eyeshadow palette with light and dark shades, and select a light, medium, and dark shadow. Blend your lightest shadow onto the inner third of your eyelid with an eyeshadow brush. Apply your medium shadow to the following third of your lid, blending where the two shades meet. 

Step 2: Use darker tones to lift

Place the darkest shadow on the outer corner of your eye, blending where it meets your medium shade. Then, at the corner, blend the shadow upward and outward to create a subtle, lifted look.

Step 3: Complete the look

Line your eyes with pencil eyeliner, focusing it only on the outer third of your eyes—this will give you a more wide-awake look. Finally, brush through your lashes with the L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara. To help open up your eyes even more, apply a second coat of mascara just to the outermost corners of your eyes. 

How to do a smokey eye for wide-set eyes

This may go without saying, but wide-set eyes are spaced farther apart. To play up your eye shape, we recommend using darker shadows to create your smokey eye. Here’s how.

Step 1: Define the eyes with dark eyeshadow

Start by applying a dark brown or gray eyeshadow to your lid, blending the pigment just past your crease to get a smokey, diffused effect. 

Step 2: Add dimension

You can always keep your smokey eye completely matte, but layering on some shimmer can take things to the next level. Stick with dark colors, like the L’Oréal Paris Le Shadow Stick in Brown Abyss. Take your finger and lightly dab the shadow onto your lid, focusing it in the center to make your eyes pop.

Step 3: Line your eyes

Next, line your upper and lower lashlines with a dark eyeliner, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in Black. Be sure to extend your liner all the way to your inner corners—this placement can help create balance and make your eyes appear slightly closer together.

Step 4: Coat your lashes

Complete your smokey eye makeup by adding volume to your lashes with the L'Oréal Paris Paradise Big Deal Buildable Washable Mascara. Use a couple of coats for a subtle lift, or add multiple layers for intense volume with a clump-free finish.

How to do a smokey eye for deep-set eyes

As the name suggests, deep-set eyes are set deep in the eye sockets, creating the illusion of a more prominent brow bone. For this shape, it’s all about really making your eyes stand out.

Step 1: Stick with matte shadows

Shimmer-packed shadows can make eyes look deeper set, so we recommend playing with matte shades instead. Reach for the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Brown Bliss and apply it only to the lid. Then, use a lighter shade to blend the edges of the shadow, bringing it outwards.

Step 2: Lengthen with a wing

Next, draw a wing at the outer corner with the black L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner. Then, make a line along your lash line, and connect it to your wing. You can also tightline your eyes to make your lashes look fuller.

Editor’s tip: If you have hooded, deep-set eyes, draw a batwing shape to create the illusion of a perfect wing when your eyes are open.

Step 3: Lift your lashes

Finally, a few coats of the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara will help to open your eyes and tie your smokey eye look together.

How To Do a Simple Smokey Eye

Creating a simple smoky eye is easier than you think. Here’s a quick three-step guide for beginners:

Step 1: Prime your lids

Step 2: Apply a neutral base

Step 3: Blend a dark shadow along your lash line

Next Up: Try This Easy Makeup Tutorial For Upturned Eyes

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris