There’s a reason a smoky eye is a timeless classic—it’s effortlessly sexy, sultry, and downright seductive. Whether you’re headed out on the town or looking for a subtly dramatic look for everyday, packing on the shadow and blending out the crease is a great way to look and feel fierce. Universally flattering and endlessly adaptable, the smoldering eye look really is the little black dress of eye makeup.
And, like the LBD, each season brings with it a slew of fresh takes and iterations on the beloved classic. Keep scrolling for 29 smoldering dark eyeshadow looks we’ll be recreating all year long.
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The Classic
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There’s something about a vampy eye paired with rosy cheeks and glossy lips that just works. It’s the perfect mix of girly and grunge, and keeps the dark eyeshadow look from feeling heavy and overpowering the face.
06
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Hot and Cold
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This look uses Nudestix’s Dark Romantics Kit ($27) to create smolder with some serious depth, thanks to shades of smokey-green, eggplant, and a rich greige. The outcome? An easy, editorially chic eye. Plus, the pop of white on the waterline brings an unexpected brightness that complements the rest of the look’s natural glam.
09
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Airy Smolder
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There’s something about the contrast of the liner and lid that just works here. And while the bold lip packs an absolute punch, we think this would look just as good with a glossy, neutral pout. By the way, if you were curious, this look gets its maximalist touch from Pat McGrath Labs products.
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Bronze Bombshell
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According to makeup artist Ash K. Holm, the key to this look is starting with a base of black liner along the lash line. Then, smoke it out up the eyelid, making sure to swoop it up and out on the outer corner to lift the eye. Don’t worry so much about creating the perfect line here—it’s a smokey eye so the smudgier, the better.
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Glitter Wings
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Celebrity makeup artist Alexx Mayo tells us he really wanted to create something impactful and striking for Tinashe. “She has a song called ‘Stormy Weather,’ and I couldn’t get it out of my head that day,” he says. “I guess it subconsciously influenced the look. I started by using a navy metallic pencil to sketch a rounded shape with a slight wing on the outer corners; blended the pencil out with a small dense fluffy brush and added a matching navy metallic shadow on top, with a more silver tone in the center of the eyelid and inner corner. Top it off with two coats of mascara and voila!”
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Smoke and Ice
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Take monochromatic dressing to the next level with matching shadow. The dark eyeshadow below the lash line adds an edginess that takes Hunter Schafer’s coordinated look from preppy to daring.
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House of Smolder
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For hooded eyelids, focus the darkest color along the lash line to avoid overwhelming the eye. Add subtle smokiness to the lid and pair with natural makeup on the rest of the face for maximum effect.
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