Kim Kardashian’s Sexy Eye-Makeup Trick

If you’re looking for a way to spice up your smoky eye makeup, steal this move that Kim Kardashian has perfected: On your bottom lid, try a darker color than the one on your top lid. 

In this recent snap, she’s got a shimmery gold on her upper lids (with a smoky brown in her creases) and a darker steel gray along the bottom. The combination actually opens her eyes up as opposed to closing them in, as a circle of dark color would tend to do. Just something to try the next time you’re going for a smoky eye and want to change things up a bit.

Other color combos that would work? Navy on the bottom and silver on top, plum on the bottom and lavender on top, and brown on the bottom and shimmery beige on top. If you can’t decide which combo you’re into, Smashbox’s Proof Cream Eye Palette has 10 shadow shades for $32! And if the idea of trying to re-create Kardashian’s smoldering eye makeup seems stressful (or downright impossible),Too Faced Smoky Eye Palette comes with handy how-to instructions. —Beth Shapouri

Eye Makeup Tricks From Alicia Keys’ Album-Cover Shoot

I found this on Glamour and thought I'd share. Have you seen how gorgeous Alicia Keys looks on the cover of her latest album, The Element of Freedom? I found out some intriguing tidbits about her beautiful eye makeup—and the shockingly affordable products used to achieve the look.

I got the inside scoop from makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff, who counts Alicia among her many A-list clients. “The look was soft, beautiful and ethereal,” she says about the album-cover shoot. “My favorite part was creating Alicia’s long and luscious lashes.” To get them extra-dramatic, she bought two sets of inexpensive Ardell faux lashes(the “demi” style), cut the strips into thirds, then glued these smaller pieces close to the lash line, staggering and layering them. Then she applied two coats of CoverGirl LashBlast Length mascara in black, to softly blend the lashes with Alicia’s real ones. As for the shadow: “I wanted Alicia’s eyes to have some color, but very natural,” Ashunta says. She wanted to keep the focus on the lashes and the eyes’ shape and chose a warm neutral shade, Mary Kay loose shimmer eyeshadow in Cashmere, brushing it over Alicia’s entire lid. (Unfortunately this shade’s no longer sold, but Ashunta says Laura Mercier Satinee Creme Eye Color in Rum Satin is a great, easy-to-apply substitute.) —Petra Guglielmetti

I definitely want to try this Laura Mercier Satinee Creme Eye Color! What do you thnk of the Alicia's look? 

To get Keys’ picture-perfect look, try using these:

Ardell Fashion Eye Lashes, $4, sallybeauty.com

CoverGirl LashBlast Lengthening Mascara, $6, ulta.com

Laura Mercier Satinee Creme Eye Color in Rum Satin, $22, neimanmarcus.com

Courtesy of Glamour Magazine