There is no "one way" to do the smokey eye. There are many versions of it, and in my opinion, when done right are all beautiful. The look I'm going to help you achieve in this article is the smokey eye of Britney Spears, in the photo to the right. All the products used are from MAC Cosmetics. Please do your eyes before applying foundation. Working with dark shadows causes fall out that you often have to clean up, causing you to have to fix your foundation. If it seems that there are a lot of steps, it is because I'm trying to be as thorough as possible. As a makeup artist, I find that very often in magazines and such they don't completely tell you what product is being used and how. So you really can't achieve the whole affect! So I hope this helps!

1. If you are going to use an eye cream, make sure it is a light eye cream formulated for under eye makeup. Use sparingly so that it doesn't interfere with the blending and longevity of your makeup application. MAC's Fast Response Eye Cream is a good choice.

2. Now let's start with a good base so that your eyes will stay smoldering all day and night! Use Prep n Prime Eye in a choice that suits your skin tone. Apply it sparingly from lashline up to your brows with either your finger, or a synthetic brush such, you want to apply either a paint or paint pot. With lighter to medium skintones such as Britney's, I like to use Bare Canvas in the paint or Bare Study in the paint pot. With darker skintones Bamboom in the paint and Groundwork in the paint pot are good choices. You want to apply a small amount of either of these shades all over lid from lash line to brows in quick strokes so that it doesn't dry before you've finished! Next, take a tad of the product and apply just under the bottom lash lines. This step is CRUCIAL in keeping your eyeshadow on and helping you to blend!

3. With your finger search for your crease by feeling for your eye socket. using the 217 brush and a warm brown eyeshadow (try corduroy), apply eyeshadow in a "windshield wiping" motion, back and forth into your crease and above staying away from the area just under your browbone. I like to switch from the "wind shield wipe" motion to little circles to make sure it's nice and blended. Use a lighter brown such as Soft brown or Malt to soften the line of your darker brown shadow by softly blending right on top of the edge of your darker brown. This is to ensure that you don't have any harsh lines.

4. Take a light creme colour base such as Pearl and with your finger, or once again the 242 brush, apply a tad (and I mean a tad!) of it on the inner half of your eyelid. Do not go into the crease with this, doing so can cause creasing. Take a nice silvery color such as Silver Pigment or Electra, and using the 242 brush, pat the shadow on top of the creme colour base going just up to the crease. The creme colour base underneath the shadow will not only help the shadow to stick but will also help to create that beautiful bright shade as seen on the inner corner of Britney's eye!

5. Okay, next is the trickier part. Take a short yet full bristled brush that is stiff, such as the 213 brush, and pick up some product from a black shadow (Carbon). On the outer part of your eye between your crease and the end of your upper lash line, create a "sideways v" with the point of the v pointing outward using the tip of your brush (as seen in the photo). Don't brush this on, pat in on. This will help deposit the color. Now take your 217 brush and, just barely tapping into the black shadow, place the brush on the v and start blending a bit in a circular motion right over the v. Without picking up any more product take your brush in the crease all the way to the inner part of your eye in the "windshield wiping" motion . Repeat this entire step as needed to obtain the amount of darkness that Britney has, or that you feel comfortable with. Try not to over blend the outer v though, you want that to be more defined. I always like to start with a little and keep adding until I get my desired affect because it actually looks more blended and pretty this way! After blending is done, pick up some more of your silvery color that you used and pat on the same area as in step four to brighten anything that may have been erased by blending your black shadow. Take a clean brush and dust a tad of a highlight color under the brow, try Naked Lunch. Apply liquid liner (Boot Black) on top of your upper lash line and in your upper water line (makes lashes look fuller!).

6. Take a deep black kohl eyeliner such as smolder or feline. Draw a line on your bottom lash line. It doesn't have to be perfect. Take a pencil brush (219), dip it in black shadow, and making little "erasing" motions buff that black eyeliner out with the black shadow. Repeat as needed to get the desired affect. Take your 217 brush and, without picking up any more product go over what you just did in fast sweeping motions to help buffer it downward a bit. This will create a very pretty smokey affect. If you pay close attention to the photo, you'll see that it goes from being very dark at the lash line and progressively buffs out to a lighter, almost greyish shade. Doing the process above with the right brushes with help create this look.

7. Wipe off our pencil brush, dip into a white shimmery shade such as White Frost and pat it close to your tear duct. Pick up more product and place in the "inner v" of your eye (closest to your nose). Apply a few coats of mascara top and bottom (try Prep n Prime Lash followed by Plush Lash in black). Apply natural looking lashes such as number 4's or 7's with Duo Adhesive. Allow to dry. Apply liquid liner on top of the strip part of the lashes to hide any glue that may be showing.

8. The photo above doesn't include this. But if you want even more drama you can add black liner to the inner water line on the bottom!! And don't forget to do your brows!! You're done!! Enjoy!