How to Do a Smoky Eye with One Color
Sometimes when you’re in a hurry, you won’t have the time to experiment with a lot of eyeshadow colors. What do you do when you don’t have time and inclination to play with multiple palettes but still need to look all glam up? Why not try a smokey eye with just one color of eyeshadow? In this tutorial, we’ll teach you just how to achieve a complete look with a single eyeshadow color. If you’re brave enough, you can even try doing everything with only one brush as well!
How to Do a Smoky Eye with One Color
Step 1: First you have to prepare your eyelid. If you want to use a primer, go right ahead—I used my Urban Decay Primer Potion. 
Step 2: Take your flat shader brush (eyeshadow brush) and pick the color that you want to choose. Take some of it and start patting it onto your eyelid (only your eyelid) to achieve the effect above. Get it opaque and pigmented cause you’ll need it for the next step! 
Step 3: Clean your brush off, preferably by brushing it back and forth over a hand/face towel (or a paper towel will do). Then, starting from your eyelid, brush upwards and outwards so that you blend and drag the color up and out to your crease. See the image above—that is the direction you aim for. Our main purpose here is to blend so there are no harsh lines. This is basically the essence of your one color smoky eye. To make it even smokier, add another layer of eyeshadow to your eyelid. You will want the darkest part to be on your eyelid, closer to the lashline. 
Step 4: Once that’s done, you can apply your highlight color on your browbone and on the inner corner of your eye (optional). 
Step 5: Apply eyeliner or eyeshadow on your lower lashline in order to complement your eyeshadow. I used a dark, coppery gold. 
Step 6: Apply your eyeliner! I chose to make mine winged, to give this simple look a bit more flair. 
And voila, this is your finished product once you have curled your lashes and applied your mascara! Doing a smokey eye with only one color is not only possible, but easy as 1-2-3. It’s amazing for the days when you need to rush out the door. I hope you liked my tutorial on a one-color smokey eye!
Chriselle Sy
Latest posts by Chriselle Sy (see all)
- How to Do a Smoky Eye with One Color – November 6, 2012
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The instant that I saw the first photo.. I just automatically knew it was Chrissy. That’s so crazy!