How To Create Beautiful Smoky Cat Eyes

By Joanne Elliott

It is easier than you might think to create professional looking, ‘sex kitten’, smoky eyes like Keira Knightley. This vampy look can be as subtle or dramatic as you wish. The tips below will create a more powerful look in black, but to achieve a more understated look simply select light grey, burgundy or dark khakis instead. Remember, a lot depends on your skin tone and hair color - see blonde to brunette, so why not try a few different tones to see which suits you best?


Ingredients for powerfully sexy eye makeup:

* Black eyeliner - pencil. Ensure that it is sharp.

* Black eyeliner - brush. The thinner the liquid eyeliner is the better.

* Eye shadow brush. Thin stumpy bristles are best to maintain control.

* Dark eye shadow. Irridescent rather than flat matt (too hard), or shiny (too messy).

* Highlight shimmer for under the eyebrow. Avoid garish looking ‘high glitter’.

* A good eyebrow pencil. Try to select the most natural shade for you as possible.

* Eyelash curlers - see Jessica Alba.

* Black mascara. Obviously choose a quality brand to avoid clumping and ‘spider eyes’.


Step-by-step instructions for smoky cat eyes like Keira Knightley:


Apply your foundation, under eye concealer and powder.

Using your black eyeliner pencil, start from the front corner of your eyelid. Draw a soft smudge line to the end of your lash line.

Use your eyeshadow brush to apply the dark eye shadow over the top of the smudged line for a soft smoky look. Ensure that the edges are neatly blended.

Then take the brush eyeliner and apply as close to your lashes as you can on the top lid only. Make the line as thick and pronounced as you wish, but make sure that the line is thickest at the outer corner, and thinner as you go inward.

Apply another smoky coat of eye shadow with the brush to blend the harsh edges.

Subtly blend your darker eye shadow up from your lashes to your eye crease. Then apply a shimmery highlight in white or cream under the outside corner of your eyebrow.

Use your eyebrow pencil to make your eyebrow curve more pronounced.

Curl your eyelashes, then apply thin coats of mascara, building the layers up gradually to avoid clumping.

Perfect Eyebrows

Perfect Eyebrows
Six Steps To Perfect Eyebrows



1. Brush brows upward. Carefully trim any excess hair above the top of your natural arch. Be careful not to take off too much at the ends or you'll have brow "bald" spots.

2. Look closely at the shape. Your brow should begin at your tear duct, peak at the outer edge of your iris and end at the outer corner of your eye. "Many women make the mistake of taking off too much at the outer corners," says Weston. "This slants the brows upward and makes the person look perpetually angry."

3. Prep your skin: Soak a cotton ball in astringent and wipe the brow area.

4. Hold a pencil in line with the outer side of your iris and note where the peak of your arch naturally occurs. From the arch to the outer corner of the eye, your brow should fall in a straight or slightly curved line, depending on the look you're trying to achieve.

5. Hold the tweezers at a 45 degree angle and pluck the stray hairs below the brow line. "Pull in the direction of the hair growth, or you may end up breaking the hair mid-shaft," says Engle. Follow your natural brow shape, not the trends. "It's very difficult to let your brows grow back into their natural shape after you've plucked them to death trying to achieve a particular look," she says.

6. Fill in sparse areas with a freshly sharpened brow pencil - be a bombshell; use light, quick strokes to draw in hair. Brow powder will give thin brows overall definition, and is great for a more natural look. Using the brow brush, sweep powder up and outward over brows. If you're a brow novice, a tinted brow gel is a foolproof way to keep brows in place. Lightly coat brows using upward and outward strokes. Wipe off any excess and allow it to set. Get Glowing!

Age Spots

If you notice brown spots on your skin, up to about an inch in diameter, then you may have solar spots or solar lentigos. These age spots result from years of sun exposure.

The age spots most commonly appear on the back of your hands, chest, or face. These are areas of the skin that typically receive the most sun exposure throughout your lifetime.

The best ways to prevent age spots are to avoid sun exposure, particularly sunbathing, and use sunscreen regularly (SPF 15 or higher). However, this will not get rid of age spots you already have. To reduce and fade the appearance of age spots, see your family doctor or dermatologist. He or she can recommend a prescription or over-the-counter skin cream containing alpha-hydroxy or retinoic acid.

If you use alpha-hydroxy or retinoic acid creams, make sure you put on sunscreen, because these creams contain chemicals that can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun rays.

Laser treatment against age spots is another option. Although this method of treatment is more expensive, it does offer immediate results.

Do & Don't of Healthy Hair

Do :

Choose brushes and combs with widely spaced and smooth tipped bristles and teeth to avoid the risk of splitting hairs and scratching the scalp.

Wash combs and brushes in shampoo or soap at least once a week.

Always rinse your hair thoroughly.

Use a conditioner to smooth the outer surface of the hair, which is roughened by washing.

Apply extra conditioner when using a hairdryer, rollers, or tongs.

Always try a temporary rinse first, before you risk using permanent color.

Go to a professional colorist for permanent dyeing or bleaching.



Don't

Don't over brush your hair, for it may increase the greasiness of oily hair and break the ends of dry hair.

Don't tangle the hair while washing it.

Don't give dry hair two applications of shampoo.

Don't rub hair too vigorously when drying, it may break and tangle the hair.

Don't have a permanent bleach if all you really need are "highlights".

Don't apply a permanent color until you have tested the solution on your skin for 36 hours to check for any adverse reactions.

Know Your Hair Type

Oily Hair




APPEARANCE

Strands separate and stick to your head.


CARE GUIDELINES

Shampoo as often as necessary even if that means everyday.

Use a mild shampoo.

Use very little shampoo.

Put a conditioner on the ends unless the hair is very oily.

Don't use too hot a hairdryer.

Don't brush or comb more than necessary.


SPECIAL TREATMENTS

To help reduce sebum production use 2พ pints of water with the strained juice of 1 lemon added for the final rinse after shampooing.




Dry Hair




APPEARANCE

Tangles easily, brittle


CARE GUIDELINES

Shampoo your hair every 4-6 days.

Use a mild shampoo.

Use a cream conditioner after every shampoo, combing it thoroughly through the hair and leaving it on for a few minutes before rinsing.


SPECIAL TREATMENTS

Massage 2 tablespoon of warm olive of almond oil into your hair.

Wrap your head in a warm damp towel or a plastic turban and keep it on for at least 30 minutes.
Do this every 3-4 weeks.




Combination Hair




APPEARANCE

Oily roots/dry ends (most common type)


CARE GUIDELINES

Adapt the guidelines above for your own hair type.