This Eyeshadow Is My Secret to Creating a Smoky Eye in One Step
The Splurge is our recurring column dedicated to expensive beauty products that are actually worth it. This week, why we're rebuying Victoria Beckham Beauty Lid Lustre, despite the $36 price tag.
In my humble opinion, the smoky eye is one of the biggest makeup scams. The eye makeup look is considered is a staple, but like the elusive cat eye, it's extremely tough to nail. Over the years as a beauty editor, I've tried dozens of eyeshadow palettes, watched dozens of tutorials, and studied the techniques of professional makeup artists to try to pick up tips on how to get the look right. And every single time, it looks like my eye makeup has been smeared all over from rubbing my eyes.
What eyeshadow shades look good together? Where does each one go? What brushes do I use? These are the three confusing questions I've never been able to completely figure out. But leave it to Victoria Beckham — the queen of the charcoal smoky eye — to have the answer.
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The former Spice Girl turned fashion designer launched her eponymous clean makeup line earlier this fall, and the initial products were centered around her signature smoky eye makeup looks. Along with kohl pencil eyeliners and eyeshadow palettes, there's the Lid Lustre, a crystal-infused pearlescent eyeshadow meant to be layered over matte shadows for a bit of sparkle, or used alone for a one-step smoky eye.
Scrolling through the brand's Instagram feed, I was intrigued by how this eyeshadow could seemingly be applied with your fingertip for an instant smoky eye. So, I gave it a shot. I swiped Onyx, a deep black shade with silver pearl, across my eyelid with my finger. This created an instant sultry, smoky effect. Since I was feeling confident, I grabbed a dual-ended eyeshadow and liner brush to add dimension to the smoky eye. I dipped the liner end in Onyx and drew a line along my upper and lower lash lines. Then, I used to fluffy end to define the crease of my eye.
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Maybe it's the positive energy of the Black Obsidian crystals infused into the eyeshadow formula, but until now, I've never felt like I've come close to mastering the smoky eye.
This eyeshadow's $36 price tag may seem, well, posh. But, since Lid Lustre eliminates the need to mix and match shades when doing a smoky eye — and the source of all my stress — spending a little extra on this pot is completely worth it.
