How To Apply The Ultimate Smoky Eye According To Charlotte Tilbury

Make-up legend Charlotte Tilbury is famed for her mastery of a smoky eye, here she reveals all her secrets

by grazia |

Updated on7th May 2020 at 6.29am

Over the years, Charlotte Tilburyhas created many smudged-up rock-chick eyes, for everyone from Kate Moss to Emily Ratajkowski. She talks us through how to get it right. What better time to give it a go than now? We know how we'll be filling our copious hours free at home.

The Look

‘Darlings, I’m known as the queen of the smoky eye, it’s my go-to look for every occasion. I even have a famous smoky bedroom eye I wear at night!’ says Charlotte. ‘A smoky eye is the most versatile, mesmerising way to enhance your eyes.'

My husband has never seen me without make-up on!

'My husband has never seen me without make-up on! A little smoky eye make-up at night keeps the magic alive. Wherever I go around the world, people know the sexy allure of a smoky eye and the power it has to hypnotise. It’s been every supermodel, screen siren and starlet’s secret weapon for decades.’

©Jason Lloyd Evans

The Steps

1. Prime: ‘Start by using the “prime” shade, a light and eye-enhancing colour, and wash it over the eyelids back and forth like a windscreen wiper, taking it right up to the brow bone with a soft blender brush. This instantly brightens the eyes.’ (Try using Charlotte Tilbury's The Luxury Palette in The Bella Sofia, £40).

2. Enhance:‘Next, follow with a slightly darker shade, using the same windscreen- wiper motion but, this time, focus on blending the shade into the crease of the eye socket.’

3. Define: ‘To create more definition, apply your smoke shade – a deeper, rich colour, using a smudger brush and run this shadow along the lash line and outwards into a V-shape.’

4. Pop: ‘To finish, no smoky eye look would be complete without a pop of molten sparkle pressed on to the lid. My Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette of Pop shades, £42, are so finely milled and emollient-rich they make the eyes glisten in an instant!’

©Jason Lloyd Evans

Charlotte’s Top Tip

‘Dial it up by intensifying the smoke and drama using the ‘smoke’ shade from your favourite palette in the crease and along the upper and lower lash line. Draw an eyeliner like my Rock ‘n Kohl, £19, along the lash line and extend up and out into a feline flick, then trace along the waterline to intensify the look and give yourself an instantly more seductive gaze for evening.’