When it comes to eye makeup, I know no boundaries.

Neutral eyeshadow colors and understated mascara have no place in my makeup bag. Bring on the black liner, charcoal shadow, and three different types of mascara—there’s nothing I love more than a smoky eye.

The smoky eye look also happens to be one of the most daunting to pull off. One wrong flick of the wrist and you can look like you gave yourself a black eye.

So, before you wield your mascara brush, read my guide for your sultriest eye makeup look yet.

1. Start by making sure your skin is clean and oil-free. Sop of any extra shine and oil, especially around the eyes, with Sephora’s Matte Blotting Film.

2. Swipe some concealer on your eyelids to start with a smooth base. I’m already obsessed with anti-aging products at the ripe old age of 21, so I’m partial to Revlon’s Age-Defying Concealer with Botafirm.

3. Dot a black or charcoal eye pencil along the lash line of your top eyelid and make a smooth line along just half of your lower eye lid, starting from the middle, dragging it to the outer corner of your eye. Stay away from liquid liner or retractable eye pencil for this; it makes the line too harsh and severe. I’ve been a eyeliner junkie for years and I’ve still yet to find anything that works as well as the ultra-cheap Wet n Wild pencil in charcoal. Read More »

My name is Diana, and I’m a mascara junkie. In addition to touching up my Almay retractable eyeliner numerous times a day, my purse always holds an eyelash curler and a tube of my mascara-of-the-month.

I am not one of those classic Maybelline Great Lash girls. When I shop for a new mascara, I pick up whichever package has the most exciting adjectives (Volum’ Express Turbo Boost!) and lofty promises (“Visibly lengthens by 40% Volumizes up to 4X!).

And yet, despite all my efforts and the naturally thick, dark lashes I start with, I can never quite achieve that flirty, heavy eyelash fringe I was seeking. I don’t envy celebrity bodies—I envy their lashes. Read More »