How to Do a Navy Blue Smoky Eye

We’re forever fans of the classic smoky eye, created by blending silver, charcoal, and black eye shadows across your eyelids—but that isn’t the only way to pull off smoky eye makeup. For a less traditional, but just as wearable look, swap out gray shades for navy. This updated version of a smoky eye doesn’t require any extra effort on your part, but you’ll be sure to have a makeup look that’s all the more eye catching for it. Ready to mix up your makeup and give it a try? Follow our step-by-step tutorial to get a navy blue smoky eye.

Step #1: Lay Down a Base of Eye Primer

If you’ve been under the impression that eye primer doesn’t make much of a difference, it’s time to change your way of thinking. In reality, eye primer can make all the difference in whether or not your smoky eye applies easily and lasts through the night. Trust us, it’s worth taking an extra moment or two to dab some on. Dot a small amount of primer on your eyelid and beneath your brow, then blend out with the pad of your finger.

Step #2: Apply Navy Blue Eye Shadow

As you likely already know, the key to creating a navy smoky eye is eye shadow. Instead of searching for the right single eye shadows to achieve the look you’re after, use a small palette with all the colors you’ll need, like the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Pocket Palette Eye Shadow in Bleu Nuit. Start by applying a matte navy blue eye shadow to the inner two thirds of your eye lid, then fill in any remaining lid space with a shimmery navy shadow. Carry the shimmery shade down, applying it along your lower lash line, too.

Step #3: Blend Everything Out

Harsh lines have no place in a smoky eye look. Use a fluffy blending brush to blend out all of the eye shadow you just applied. To soften the transition, you can use a neutral, matte brown in your crease.

Step #4: Clean Up Fall Out

Fall out is nearly unavoidable when dealing with darker eye shadows. (That’s why we recommend applying concealer and foundation after eye makeup.) Thankfully, when it does happen, you aren’t doomed to have dark eye shadow circles under your eyes. You can clean it up and look good as new. Instead of reading for an oily eye makeup remover, tackle any fall out with micellar water. Dip a cotton swab in the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof – All Skin Types and wipe off errant specks of navy blue eye shadow before moving on.

Step #5: Add Eyeliner

You may be used to topping off every look with black eyeliner, but that isn’t the only option. Match your eyeliner to your eye shadow, smudging a navy eyeliner along your waterline. Try the L’Oréal Pars Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner in Navy.

Step #6: Coat Your Lashes with Mascara

No eye makeup look can really be complete without a coat or two of mascara. For a boost of volume and length, sweep a fiber mascara onto your lashes instead of a standard formula. The L’Oréal Paris Voluminous X Fiber Mascara features a black primer on one end and a fiber-rich mascara on the other to give you an extreme lash fringe effect when used together.

Step #7: Groom Your Brows

Anyone keeping abreast of beauty trends knows one thing to be true: It’s all about the brows right now. Pair your navy smoky eye with an equally bold brow look. Start by filling in your brows with the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Shape & Fill Mechanical Pencil, then lock them in place with a coat of L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Boost & Set Brow Mascara in Clear. Almost done! Finally, highlight beneath your arches for a lifted look, using the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Brow Raiser Highlighter Duo.

Looking for another way to spice up your smoky eye? Here’s How to Create a Brown Smoky Eye.