Early in my career as a makeup artist I was completely obsessed with the images of Peter Lindberg. In the mid- nineties Lindberg shot one of my favorite Pirelli calendars of all time. The calendars are the most exclusive “girly” calendars in the world created in limited numbers for Pirelli clientele… and dating back to the 60’s the calendar has been shot by some of the world’s most famous fashion photographers. Between Avedon, Lindberg, Elgort and Ritts the nineties was an amazing time to be inspired in the photography world.
I’m not sure if it was that little bit of backdrop stand that always showed in the corner of a Lindberg image or the smudgy, smokey eye before the term “smokey” eye was even a thing. Lindberg’s images were the perfect combination of grit, edge and prettiness that drew you in like no other.
These days of course the phrase smokey eye” has been tagged on to anything that includes black eye liner…. but if you are old school like me, it can only mean one thing – Deep dark shadow in charcoal, black or brown and fully smudged liner top and bottom. So if you are yearning to perfect the smoldering look for yourself, here are four easy steps that are a snap to do.
Step One: First prime the eye lids with foundation and or shadow primer like Benefit Bo-ing to create an even canvas. Make sure that the product is set with powder to remove any sheen or oil on the lid which will help the shadow to go on more smoothly and last longer.
Step Two: Fully line eyes top and bottom tightly along the lash lines with a black pencil like Revlon Luxurious Color Smokey Crayon in Black Smoke smudge with a small brush.
Step Three: Apply black, charcoal or chocolate brown shadow like Bobbi Brown shadow in Charcoal or Lancome Color Design Eye Shadow in Couture from the lash line to the crease and blend to soften any harsh lines. Follow with a cream or vanilla shadow on the inner corner and blend.
Step Four: Line the inner rims (waterline) top and bottom with the same black pencil, then finish with mascara top and bottom.
Don’t forget to groom brows and fill in any sparse areas to help create a frame for your standout eye shadow. And keep lips subtle with a nude or sheer pink gloss instead of a heavy lip color to balance out the drama of the eyes.
