There is a buzz about brown smokey eyes. And for a good reason. They are versatile and can range from a dramatic night look to a wearable daytime makeup. Celebrities AND real women can both look great in it. Here is my glamour research on how it is done this season!

Eva Mendez is an expert at making brown smokey eyes look natural yet glamourous enough for the red carpet. Her look consists of three elements. One: the eye is sculpted with brown eyeshadow and then blended perfectly. (Depending on the mood she keeps the brown eyeshadow closer to the lashline or goes over the crease for a stronger look.) Two: the eyeliner is winged for a slightly sixties look. Three: The brow bone is accentuated with a fair highlighter. A honey complexion (with the aid of bronzer) and almost nude mouth complete the look. This is the perfect way to appear sultry but still create the impression of natural beauty.

Brown smokey eye is great for pale-skinned girls too. Another celebrity loyal to this eye makeup is Alexa Chung, famous for her understated sense of style. While attending the Burberry Spring 2011 fashion show she complemented her well blended brown smokey eyes with coral-tinged mouth and blush. This color combination made Alexa look radiant and it perfectly suited her outfit in earthy tones.

Brown smokey eye is not reserved for dark hair only. It's suitable for blondes too. That's why Diane Kruger, the blonde beauty of impeccable taste, is faithful to it. When she aims for drama, she does her smokey eyes in very dark brown. For more ethereal looks she loves to use lighter browns. Whatever smokey eye makeup she wears, Diane always lights up her face with satin lipstick in pink and a matching delicate blush. For an update on the hottest styles check out my advice about choosing great lip color to complete your smokey eye look.

Is looking smoldering your purpose? Brown smokey eyes can deliver a punch too! You can opt for very dark brown to create an almost black look. Or you can play with shimmer and textures: just take inspiration from Kim Kardashian. Going for shimmer is a great excuse to use bronze, copper and gold: they add drama and excitement to the mix. Go way above the crease and do all you can to sculpt the eyelid to the maximum. The result is attractive and a real show-stopper.

For something more unexpected, inject some color into your brown smokey eyes. It can look incredibly stylish. Just check out one of the recent looks by Keira Knightley. For the fashion show of Chanel's collection for spring she mixed brown and aubergine in her smokey eyes. To look fresh and pretty she wore it with a cool pink mouth and matching blush. This is a very clever and realistic way to experiment with burgundy and aubergine shades which are very fashionable this season.

When going for brown smokey eye it is important not to go 100% for the neutral look. It might look dull in real life. That's why I recommend to use pretty shades of blush and lipstick: this ensures that the overall result is fresh and vibrant. It is also effective to add a touch of shimmer either in the form of eyeshadow (in the inner lid area preferably) or a metalic eye pencil.

Brown smokey eyes are user-friendly. And as the celebrities featured above show, there are many ways to do it. Lady-like and subtle a la Eva Mendez and Diane Kruger. Or over the top and fabulous Kim Kardashian-style. So choose your look, apply and stay pretty!

Solve you eye color questions with this great free report about smokey eyes To look positively fabulous read another of Ewa's articles on smokey eye makeup where the secrets of highlighting and defining are revealed.

How to make your smoky eyes even more impressive? By choosing the perfect color for your lips. It has to be sexy. It has to be trendy. It has to be flattering. Let's see which trends deliver it all?

Before we get into the the hottest trends it's good to touch base here. Trends come and go. Yet your priority should always stay the same: does it make me look pretty? If it does than it's good. Now, back to the lip colors.

The nude lip is the sexy addition to a dark, sultry eye. Although it looks amazing on catwalk and magazine covers, it might not work in real life. Nude lip is high-maintenance although it seems not to be. Let me uncover two secrets to looking great in the "smoky eyes/nude mouth" design. Secret 1: sculpt and define your face with makeup: you can find the easy way to do it in my article about smokey eye makeup Secret 2: choose a nude lipstick with a bit of vibrant hue in it. It will make you look much prettier than a pure, colorless one. For inspiration browse through some of Kate Moss' smoky looks: she does nude mouth like no other.

A nude shade that has become an established look on the red carpet is a peach-infused nude. I often see it on Victoria Beckham who wears it to great effect with her strong smokey eyes. And a recent appearance that made headlines was Charlize Theron as she was attending Dior's Fashion's Night Out. She combined black smokey eyes with a peachy nude. It shows that this shade is universally flattering and fabulously warms up even the most severe smokey eyes.

When in doubt, go for soft pink lips. They are a fail-safe smokey eye companion. They give the smokey eyes the "innocence" factor, thus making the overall look even more tempting. Diane Kruger often completes her smokey eyes with this hue. She usually opts for a satin finish with a bit of sheen. A more vibrant pink can be a good idea too, especially with a warmer skin tone. Natalie Portman wore blue smokey eyes and a rather intense pink mouth at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

Until recently the universal advice was to complete smokey eyes with understated lips. But the trend has shifted: now the approach reminiscent of silent movies era is on. More and more we see a strong, even dark mouth with smokey eyes. Autumn and winter are perfect seasons to accomodate these slightly heavier looks.

The biggest trend this year is a plum mouth. And it's cool to make it part of smoky eye makeup. It looks fabulous with charcoal smoky eyes: I saw this combination on Iman at the Met Gala where she looked like a vision from 1930's. For an inspiration check out Lancome's latest look "French Coquette": Aaron De Mey created sizzling smoky eyes combined with a rich, plum mouth. A note: the lighter your skin is the lighter your lipstick application should be. On the other hand, warm-skinned women can apply lipstick boldly, without fear of looking over-made up.

And finally, the eternal dilemma: is it ok to combine red lips and smokey eyes? Apparently yes, this season. It is not a look for the faint-hearted and requires confidence. Be inspired by the ad for Rouge Pur Couture: the new line of lipstick by Yves Saint Laurent. The images of black/grey smokey eyes with a very red mouth are striking. Variety of textures and finishes is key to making this look modern and fresh. An easier take on the red mouth is to combine it with a softer smokey eye in bronze, brown or grey.

This season you have two options. To complement your smokey eyes with a pale mouth. Or to pump it up even more with a dark, glossy mouth. Both looks are on-trend. It is up to you to choose the one that makes you look great.

For the perfect smoldering eye be sure to get this ultimate free report about choosing the right color of smokey eyes . Get more of Ewa's advice on looking amazing in smokey eye makeup .

Purple smokey eye continues to be trendy this Fall 2010. The good news: learning it is easier than you think. Here is some top advice on how to do it.

Start off by checking if you look good in purple. And remember that there is a plethora of shades: from intense purple to misty mauve and many more in between. To make sure that you make the most of your eye color read my detailed report on finding the perfect shade of smoky eyes

Once you decide this color is right for you, see how professionals use it. In short that means: looking at the work of artists who apply makeup on celebrities and who create new eyeshadow ranges for cosmetic companies. These lessons are very educational and I have put together a comprehensive overview just for you!

Kim Kardashian is the smokey eye goddess of our times. What is her latest take on purple smokey eyes? A beautiful and moody combination of purple and charcoal. The charcoal makes the purple less color-intense while retaining the appeal of it. As usual with Kim, her eyelashes are pure perfection while cheeks and mouth: understated.

A different take on purple was seen recently on Emmy Rossum. It was purple all over her upper lid "smoked out" with some black eye pencil. (Brown liner might work too for a softer look.) Delicate blush and warm nude mouth made sure the focus was on the eye. And there were coordinating clothes: a purple pattern on her dress connected with the purple smokey eye and created harmony.

At this point you might ask what does "sculpting" mean? It is a technique that makes your eyes stand out more by applying eyeshadow in strategic places around your eye socket. When opting for purple smokey eyes it is important to create dimension with at least two colors. You need to learn this technique for your purple smokey eyes to be a success. And the choice of appropriate colors is vital.

Browsing through the new eyeshadow palettes for Fall 2010 is a great way to learn what's in, what's out, what color combinations work well with purple. Let's remember that the artists who create these color palettes are some of the best makeup specialists around. I have selected four fabulous eyeshadow palettes for this season: all including purple and all offering different solutions on how to do a great purple smokey eye. Just reading about these color selections will help you choose your perfect formula.

For a purple look which is high on dimension and drama be inspired by the Estee Lauder set created by Tom Pecheux for Autumn 2010. "Surreal Violets" has three shades of purple plus a soft gray and vanilla. The sculpting and defining can be done with gray and deep aubergine which are in matte. Shimmery lilac and mauve open up the eye and give color. Vanilla highlights. When choosing your eyeshadows take note that several finishes (as in matte, satin, metallic) really add to smokey eye design, especially when dealing with color. Variety of finishes simply makes it easier to build more dimension.

Another way to treat the purple dilemma is to soften it with pink. That's the idea behind Dior's latest five-color palette "Pink Design". On the purple side it has a very deep aubergine in matte and shimmery vibrant amethyst. Then there are two shimmery pinks of varied intensity which are perfect for blending and adding glow. And a vanilla-hued highlighter. It's a pretty, feminine look with plenty of shimmer and very flirty. Key to remember here is that the pinks should not be "too pink" but delicate and milky.

The third way is to sculpt the eye with several shades of neutrals and one shade of a powerful purple. An example? Guerlain's "Champs Elysee" palette which consists of six colors. It's up to you how much of the purple you use and the main job of defining the eye is done with the wide selection of charcoal, gray, taupe, brown and black: all these neutrals go fantastically well with purple. The result is pure sophistication.

The fourth solution is the classic way to do it: combine purple with black. A three-color palette "Twilight Hues" by Giorgio Armani can be an inspiration. With the two shades of purple (one soft and the other one vibrant) you can sculpt the eye socket area. With the black you can define the lashline. (Black can be used for sculpting too but with a very light hand.) The variety of satin and metallic textures has a modern touch so it's good to remember about that aspect when picking your own eyeshadow selection.

And a note on the finishing touch: mascara. Black always works. But there has been a new trend: some reputable makeup artists have been championing purple mascara. It does finish off purple smokey eyes splendidly and it strengthens the purple effect.

I am sure that at least one of the above tips will help you achieve that mystic purple smokey eye you want. It is trendy. It is flattering. And, from my experience, men quite like it. So get your purple eyeshadows out and start practicing. Good luck!

Before starting your eye makeup read this one of a kind free report about choosing the right color of smokey eyes Also grab more tips about looking great in smokey eye makeup

It's essential to consider your eye color before finding the right smokey eye look. There are various approaches you can take: it all depends on what you would like to achieve. Do you want to enhance your eye color or rather harmonize with it? Enhancing? Harmonizing? If this sounds a bit complex read on and learn all about it.

Enhancing your eyes is all about making their color come out more and look brighter. Enhancing is usually done by applying a shade unlike your eye color, in the opposite spectrum of the color scheme. In the case of brown eyes, which are the topic of this article, you would apply blue which is a cool color.

Making your eye color more intense is just one of the aspects of makeup. Another idea is: harmonizing. Its purpose is to make all elements of makeup work together (and your eye color is an important part of it). Sometimes a particular shade will not enhance your eyes, but the final effect will still be great. A case in point? Brown-eyed girls look beautiful in brown eye makeup.

After this brief introduction let's cut to the chase: the perfect shades for creating smokey eyes. Brown is a pretty universal eye color, which means that you can choose from various hues and still look good. For my complete advice on creating perfect smokey eyes for this color read the free report about smokey eyes for brown eyes Let's continue to three fail-safe, favourite colors that will help you create amazing smokey looks.

My first recomendation is: brown smokey eyes. It sound pretty obvious but it just works together so well! And it is convenient too because brown and earth toned makeup is totally on trend this (and next) season! You can play with different finishes (matte, irridescent, shimmery), introduce a variety of shades and related colors like bronze and gold. If you are still not convinced just consider these two words: Kim Kardashian. She single-handedly made brown smokey eyes sexy and hot: need I say more? A tip worth remembering: refresh this look by using a dash of soft color with your blush and lipstick.

The second tip is all about enhancing. Dark shades of blue and navy are perfect for brown eyes: they make them look dark and rich and full of sparkle. And they make wonderful smokey eyes. Just think of Oprah Winfrey at this year's Met Gala: her brown eyes enhanced with midnight blue smokey eyes. More pastel shades of blue are a good solution as well, mainly as accents of color. For inspiration look no further than stylish Eva Mendez who recently wore brown smokey eyes with elements of blue. This makeup was a great example of how you can simultaneously harmonize and enhance (using a touch of blue).

The favourite number three for brown eyes is charcoal. Charcoal is unrivalled when it comes to smokey eyes. And it's often seen on brown-eyed celebrities. Victoria Beckham uses it a lot: and she does her smokey eyes to perfection. I also recently spotted it on Emmy Rossum. Both Victoria and Emmy sprinkle some silvery powder in the inner corner or at the bottom lashline to add some sparkle and frivolity to their charcoal smokey eyes. Charcoal and other shades of grey are also perfect for mixing with other colors. Navy and grey make a great sculpted smokey eye. And purple on top of charcoal looks mysterious: Kim Kardashiam wore such a design at a function recently.

Make your brown eyes sultry and rich with these elegant and selected shades, from charcoal to brown smokey eyes. And stay fabulous!

To make your eyes mesmerizing get this great free report about smokey eyes To look positively fabulous read another of Ewa's articles on smokey eye makeup where the secrets of highlighting and defining are revealed.

Have you noticed how Jennifer Lopez looks in her smokey eyes? Always fresh. Always glowing. Always pretty. What's her secret? Well, she is a beautiful woman and she definitely takes good care of her skin. But her main advantage is immacculate face makeup. It is essential to remember smokey eyes musts such as: the shape that flatters your face, the blending, correct level of intensity. You can learn these skills in my smokey eye ebook. But doing the rest of your makeup right can have an amazing effect on how you will look.

Learn the following tips on defining your skin and you will love the way you look in black smokey eyes. And all this just by using six rather basic makeup products. Let's get started.

Never skip an under-eye concealer. It is something different than a face concealer or a highlighter. It goes under the eyes and makes you look younger and fresher. It can also help cover up dark circles if you have them. A celebrity that uses under-eye concealer to perfection is Kim Kardashian. She always balances out her smokey eyes with this product: that's why she never looks tired even in the strongest makeup. Just remember a few tips on how to use it. Apply very little of the product. Blend it especially on the edges, otherwise you will look as if you are wearing white goggles. And go for a tone or two lighter than your skin.

When wearing smokey eyes it's best to wear foundation. Dark eye makeup, when combined with a totally natural face, might look too harsh and out of place. Whatever product you choose: foundation, tinted moisturizer, powder foundation, make sure it matches your skin as perfectly as possible. Not only would it look more natural but also you would be able to cover only where needed, like the areas around the nose and mouth. Then powder your face to set the foundation.

The modern way to use bronzer is to sculpt your face for definition and a healthy glow. That's why it should not be too dark nor too shimmery. A sheer and rather matte formula would be perfect. When applying, think of two 3s facing each other and encompassing your face. Do your hairline, continue under the cheekbone, then below the chin. As with all cosmetics: harsh edges need to be avoided. Bronzer should be felt not seen.

Although these days bronzer sometimes substitutes blush, I always apply both: blush on top of bronzer. A touch of color is welcome when doing dark eyes. As a rule of thumb, blush goes a bit higher than bronzer. It should not be too harsh or too dark: just a wash of colour is the desired effect.

Now, let's work on the nuance. Enter highlighter. It might be a bit of a confusing topic. First of all it's a relatively new product. Secondly the word "highlighting" is often used with other products. Basically it is a sheer product with just a dash of shimmer. It could come in the form of liquid, powder, stick or other. It can be called illuminizer or brightener as well. Applying highlighter is a small art in itself and I won't get into all of it, although it is fascinating. For now, let's see what it can do for black smokey eyes. The action here concentrates around the eyes: apply it on the brow bone and the inner corner to make the eye appear bigger and add freshness to your gaze. Another great place to apply it is along the cheekbone as if framing your eye from below, all the way towards your ears.

Shiny face and smokey eyes: these do not make a good pair. Smokey eyes, especially dark, definitely require that the face stays matte. But using your powder compact too often to keep the shine at bay might result with a powder overload. That's why blotting papers are such an amazing find! And it's not just me: gossip says that Heidi Klum never faces the camera without blotting her face first. That's quite a recomendation, isn't it?

As you can see, black smokey eyes don't work alone: it's definitely team work. Professional application of the rest of makeup can make a whole difference in the world. Use it to your benefit. Smolder and glow.

If you want that perfect smokey eye get Ewa Linsey's illustrated ebook on smokey eye makeup : it's complete with smokey eyes know-how that works time and time again. Also grab more tips about black smokey eyes : the key look when you want to be noticed!

Black smokey eyes should be intense and make a statement. But too strong and too black can sometimes be just... too much. The question I often get asked is: how to get the drama, the sultry look but without it looking too harsh? Here is how you can apply black smokey eyes without looking over-made up.

Include these six secrets in your skills and you will gain complete control over how black and how strong your smokey eyes should be.

A black eye pencil is a great tool for creating black smokey eyes. But if you are opting for a slightly softer look try substituting it with another hue. A chocolate brown eyepencil will still give plenty of definition and effect. And it will ensure that your eye makeup looks more natural.

Another way? Skip black eye shadow! Yes, it is possible to achieve "black-looking" smokey eyes without any black at all! Celebrity makeup artist Molly R. Stern recommends very dark (but not black) eye shadows for your smokey eyes: "These shades give you sexy shadow without being too overbearing or dark." (source: Emily Hebert, "Makeup Tip: Black Eye Shadow", elle.com). Such colors might be more flattering. And they will definitely be lower-maintenance to apply and wear. Ashley Olsen wore this sort of look with an eggplant eyeshadow combined with a black eyepencil. It really brought the eyes out without the harshness.

A widely used technique is to apply a lighter eyeshadow as well as your main dark color. An ideal shade for that purpose is something that matches your skin tone. Beige-pink would be perfect if you are fair, peachy-beige if your skin tone is warm.

A less publicized but very effective way of taking the edge off your black smokey eyes is to mix some bronze or brown eye shadow in. These warmer hues will help the eye design blend in better with your skin tone resulting in a more natural look. I see it quite often on celebrities. I especially liked a black and bronze smokey eye that Kate Moss wore last year in New York. It had attitude but was pretty and flattering too.

I will always be repeating this one: blending is key. And even more so when you are on a mission to soften your black smokey eyes. Making the edges less pronounced is the thing to do. To learn all about this essential skill read my detailed ebook on smokey eyes which has a chapter dedicated to blending.

If, after having applied and blended your eye makeup, you decide that it's still too strong, try powdering it. Use something soft like a cotton ball. Or, as Bobbi Brown recommends, a powder puff. Just make sure to use it sparingly, and avoid the powder getting in the under-eye area: it might accentuate fine lines.

Follow the techniques above to make your black smokey eyes just strong enough without the harshness that might bother you. And then work the magic with those eyes!

If you desire that perfect smokey eye read Ewa Linsey's illustrated ebook on smoky eyes : it's complete with smokey eyes know-how that works time and time again. Also grab more tips about black smokey eyes : the key look when you want to be noticed!