Smoky eyes using NYX pigments

Hi all,

Today I am doing a really easy make up tutorial using NYX pigments. I have never used these before so had to experiment a little bit. Hope you like the look and please excuse my stupid tan. I only just got back from a holiday and the tan constantly makes me look dirty! :-D Also because I am so dark I didn't use a foundation or powder since none of the ones I have match my colour!

Smoky Eye Make-up

For more dramatic look use falsies!

I started by applying the Urban Decay Primer Potion all over my lid to make the pigments catch on.

Urban Decay Primer Potion £18 (but soo worth it, it lasts for ages!)

Then I used the NYX ultra pearl mania. I purchased these from eBay and they cost roughly £7 which is an amazing deal for 12 pigments! However I am not a big fan of the packaging as it makes it very difficult to get the pigments out. I might try and press them in the future. 

NYX Ultra Pearl Mania

I used the following two for this look: Black Pearl and Silver Pearl.

 Black Pearl and Silver Pearl

Swatches

 Pigments can be very tricky and messy to apply. I used these 2 ELF brushes. If you are planning on wearing foundation, apply it after you have finished your eye make up because even with brushes it will have fall out! Start by applying the silver pigment on the inner half of your eye, then wipe the brush into a paper towel to get rid of the silver pigment. This will make the black colour darker and the look more dramatic. Apply the black on the outer half of your eye. Then with the same brush, blend the middle bit. After your lid is done, take the crease brush and with the black go under the eye, going from outside inward. Stop about 3/4 from your tear duct. Clean your crease brush and dip it into the silver and then apply it around the tear duct area. 

ELF Blending Eye Brush and Eye Crease Brush (£1.50 each!!!)

 Now line your waterline using the NYX white pearl pencil. This is a nice alternative to using black. It will open up your eyes and make them appear bigger. Then use L'oreal Super Liner in Carbon Gloss to create perfect winged eyeliner. 

L'oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss £6.19, NYX eye/eyebrow pencil 918 white pearl  £3.50 (available on eBay)

 To finish the eyes, curl your lashes and apply your mascara. I like to use a mixture because one mascara will never do everything. Some separate the lashes, some make them longer and some add volume. This tip has worked for me for years! After applying the mascara I would recommend to use falsies! They are definitely great with this look, although I am not wearing any on the pictures above.

Rimmel Sexy Curves £8.19, L'oreal Volume Million Lashes £11.29, L'oreal Lash Architect 4D  £10.99

 Now apply your blush on the apples of your cheeks. I have been struggling to find a blush that shows on my dark skin but this Avon True Colour Blush in Soft Plum is perfect. It comes in a lovely packaging with a big mirror and a small brush. Even though I usually use my own brushes this can be handy if you use it to reapply throughout the day.

Avon True Colour Soft Plum £6

Finally, put a lippy on and your lipgloss. I used ELF Mineral Lipstick in Runway Pink and ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine in Pink Kiss. These are super cheap but brilliant quality! 

ELF Mineral Lipstick Runway Pink £3.50, ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine Pink Kiss £1.50

Finally, I would recommend to use Mac paint in Bare Canvas instead of the primer potion, because its creamy consistency will hold on to the pigments better and will make the look last for longer whilst making the colours more vibrant! I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Sorry if I was mumbling on, but I thought I would share few of my tips as well. Future tutorials will definitely be more concise, I promise! :-)

Thanks for reading!
Kate x