Smokey Eyes Intimidate You? Try This Metallic Version Instead

Courtesy of Getty Images/Delmaine Donson

This winter, our makeup demands a little more drama. We (and other beauty industry experts) predict the metallic smokey eye look will be trending this upcoming holiday season. And with all the frosted makeup going viral right now? We're willing to bet we're on the right track. 

Eyeshadow by itself can seem intimidating to many makeup rookies, and a smokey eye is even more so—even to the seasoned pros among us. That's why we asked J. Brandon Correra, celebrity makeup artist and Senior Manager of Artistry for YSL Beauty, for help on how to master this trendy, tricky makeup look. 

"What I love about a metallic smokey eye is that you get the depth and sensuality of a classic smoke, but the reflection keeps it from feeling heavy," he told E!. "That little bit of light makes the eye feel dimensional, like jewelry for the face."

• Start with a creamy black eyeliner on the lower and upper lash line and blend it out: Yves Saint Laurent Lines Liberated 24H Waterproof Eyeliner
• With brushes and your fingers, use a cool-toned eyeshadow palette that has metallic and matte shades to press on top of the liner and blend: Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mini Clutch Eyeshadow Palette
• Finish with a black mascara on the upper and lower lashes for a dramatic look: Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara
• Can't get the smokey blur right? Use a loose setting powder to help blend it out.

Cool-Toned Metallic Smokey Eyes Will Be Trending This Winter:

Not all metallic smokey eyes are created equal. While we've seen sunset warm-toned and perfectly foiled looks take over in previous years, this winter we'll be seeing something different. It'll be diffused, lived-in, and cool. 

"I think we will be seeing cooler smokey eyes; I love pewter, gunmetal, smokey taupes, and softened silver, but not in that icy, super-frosted way we’ve seen before. Think more lived-in and diffused with flashes of metallic rather than a perfectly foiled lid," Brandon told E!

Still, don't be afraid to add a little bit of color in there. "Especially muted plums and navy," he explained. "The metallic catches your attention, but the haze around it is what makes it feel modern."

Products to Create a Metallic Smokey Eye Look:

To create the metallic smokey eye look, Brandon recommends using three main products (and two eyeshadow brushes): a black creamy eyeliner, a cool-toned eyeshadow palette that includes mattes and metallic shades, and a mascara. 

"I would start with YSL Lines Liberated and work it into the upper and lower lash line, use a small dense brush to blend before it sets," Brandon told E!. "This will create the depth needed around the lashes to draw attention to the eyes without it being overwhelming." 

Next step is to grab an eyeshadow palette (Brandon recommends YSL's Couture Mini Clutch in #700 Over Noir), and use a soft taupe shade on the top right of the eye to "blend the edges of the smoke into the crease." Then, use a flat eyeshadow brush with the metallic shade, press on top of the liner, and gently blend over the lid. Lastly, press the shimmering topper shade to the center of the lid with your index finger for extra shine. 

To finish off the look, add mascara to your lashes to create a plush and dramatic look. Brandom recommends YSL's Lash Clash Extreme Volumizing Mascara in Noir. 

Yves Saint Laurent Lines Liberated 24H Waterproof Eyeliner

This designer pencil features an ultra-creamy eyeliner on one side and an angled brush on the other to seamlessly smoke out the formula for a transfer-proof look that lasts all day. 

NYX Epic Wear Liner Stick Long Lasting Eyeliner Pencil

Looking for a variety of colors and finishes? This drugstore eyeliner promises up to 36 hours of waterproof and smudge-proof color on a smooth formula that glides on effortlessly. 

Editor's Pick

Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mini Clutch Eyeshadow Palette

This mini-clutch-sized eyeshadow palette includes four shades with matte, satin, metallic, and shimmer finishes that all go together to easily create one chic look. Plus, they're soft and blend like a dream. 

ColourPop Silver Lining Eyeshadow Palette

Looking for cool-toned greyscale shades? This affordable eyeshadow palette features nine shadows in matte, metallic, glitter, and sparkling finishes in black, grey, silver, and white. 

NATASHA DENONA I Need a Cool Eyeshadow Palette

If you want even more cool-toned eyeshadows, this palette features 15 taupes, grays, and smoky brown shadows in matte, metallic, and sparkling finishes. Plus, it uses Natasha Denona's dreamy formula. What's not to love?

Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara

This designer mascara promises to deliver insane volume in a deep black finish with its double-conical brush and unique formula of nourishing iris extract.

L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Washable Mascara

Ophthalmologist-tested and safe for sensitive eyes, this drugstore mascara is special for its flexible, slim wand and lengthing formula that'll leave your lashes defined with no mess in sight.

MUA-Approved Application Tips for a Metallic Smokey Eye

While having the right products is important, application is also essential to achieve the perfect metallic smokey eye look. Brandon recommended going little by little and not overdoing it with color. 

"Start small and close to the lashes. I will add small strokes of liner and blend until I reach the desired intensity, [rather than] loading the eye up and then trying to blend," he told E!. 

"Here’s my favorite trick: take a tiny bit of All Hours Hyper Blur powder in translucent on a clean fluffy eye brush and lightly buff the edges of the bottom smoke," Brandon explained. "If everything underneath the eye is the same depth and color, it can easily read muddy. You need that gradual fade from deepest at the lash line to almost nothing on the edge."

Yves Saint Laurent YSL All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Setting Powder

This loose setting powder is formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, plus limetta sourced from the brand's Ourika Community Gardens, and micro-pigments to diffuse the skin for a blurred, soft-matte finish.

Editor's Pick

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Longwear Setting Powder

This iconic setting powder is made up of botanical blurring, natural amino acid, and vitamin C and E powders to blur the look of pores, absorb excess oil, and melt into skin for an undetectable finish.

Morphe Bake & Set Setting Powder

This affordable loose setting powder promises to set makeup for up to 16 hours and control your skin for up to 24 hours, leaving your skin with a soft and natural finish with smoothed pores and fine lines. 

How We Choose

The E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.

As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.