Tutorial: Dark smokey eye using the Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette

I realised that I had never gotten around to doing a tutorial with the Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette. The options are plentiful, but for today I went with a dark, satin smokey eye. I will most likely do some more with this palette, as the colours are very appropriate for fall.

Naked face alert! My skin is sort of behaving at the moment, so I didn't mind putting up a naked face picture. You can tell I have some hyper-pigmentation and some overall redness going on. Not to mention blotchiness and small impurities throughout. Oh well, that's what makeup is for!

Today we will start off a bit differently than I normally do my makeup, as we will be working with dark colours. I did my brows using a Catrice Eyebrow Pencil in Date With Ashton and Urban Decays Buck eyeshadow, from the first Naked Palette. I primed my eyelids with Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potioin in Eden.

Seeing as the eyeshadow will be very dark and intense, I started off doing my eyes first. I applied Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in Dark Brown along my upper and lower lashline and blended it out with my finger. This helps create a dark base for the eyeshadow to layer upon, helping to create an even darker and more intense look.

I applied Habit from the Vice 2 palette with a fluffy blending brush throughout the socket of my eye and all the way up around my orbital bone. This helped warm up the skin a little and obviously also will help me blend out the darker colours. And we all know that blending is key!

I then went on to apply Rewind from the same palette with a slightly less fluffy blending brush throughout my crease, working down towards the lid. This is once again to help transition from dark to light. Always start with the lighter colours and work to dark and not the other way around, you will just end up with a messy un-blended mess on your eyes.

With a flat shader brush I applied Smokeout from Vice 2 on my entire moving lid. Make sure you apply, blend, apply and blend until you have to look/finish/blend that you want. But layers are certainly key, as well as blending.

Then it was time for foundation. Before applying my foundation I made sure to clean up under my eyes using a makeup wipe, as there was a little fall out. And this is exactly why I did my eyes first, dark eyeshadow is a BITCH to correct. The foundation I used was Catrice All Matt Plus 010 Light Beige. I applied this with a damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. This is, for me, a step up from the Beauty Blender, and it only costs a fourth of the Beauty Blender!

Apply concealer where needed! I used a mix of Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 and Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in 01. For blemishes and redness I only used the Fit Me and for everything else I mixed them on the back of my hand, applied them with the Fit Me applicator and blended everything in using the sponge I used for my foundation. After finishing the blending of the concealer, I applied Smokeout to my lower lashline and lightly blended it using Rewind.

For contouring I used Nyx Powder Blush in Taupe. I applied this underneath my cheekbones, underneath my chin and along my jawline with a Real Techniques Setting Brush. To warm up the skin, I applied my The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzer in 02 along my forehead, on my temples, under my cheek bones and along my jawline. I did countour a bit heavier than I normally do today, as I figured this is very much an evening look. I also applied Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Black Market to my upper and lower waterline.

Along my cheekbones I applied Nyx Powder Blush in Peach with the Real Techniques Blush Brush.

To finish off the skin I applied my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle on the tops of my cheekbones and on the inner corners of my eyes with the Real Techniques Setting Brush.

For my lips I used the new Maybelline Colour Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in 630 Nude Perfection. (PHEW, what a mouthful!) These are a beautiful, smooth, matte formula. Check them out of you love a matte lip.

To finish off the eyes, I curled my lashes using my Tweezerman Lash Curlers and applied a generous amount of Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara. If using this for a special event or a night out, I would certainly pair this with some voluminous false lashes.

The finished result! I powdered my face off using the Essence Stay Matte Translucent Powder. This look is a little out of my comfort zone, but I do think I need to start wearing darker eye-looks more often. I like it! This might very well be the makeup I wear when I go to a Poets of the Fall concert next month.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, if you have any specific types of looks you'd like me to do, let me know!

Thank you for reading.

XXX