Noir D'Or - Black and Gold smokey eyes

I have been waiting for that golden chance to do a gold and black smokey eye but somehow I never happened to do it until recently when a fellow blogger and friend Aparajita wanted to try it for her wedding. I loved the idea and promised her to do 2 tutorials for the same. This is the first one.

Before we get on to the tutorial, I'd like to highlight the precautions one need to take and not ignore when using a black or a gold color on the eyes. This is important to know as both the colors have their strengths and gold is highly reflective where as black can be stark and receding. When Gold is warm, Black is a cool color and they can clash if they meet. Gold is a highlighting color while black is a defining color. So a transition color is what is needed in between the two or else you get a partition on your lids.

Lets have a look at ways to create a black-gold smokey eye...........




When using GOLD

• Its very important to have a bright gold color only concentrated on the centre of the lid. Too much of gold on the eyes can be very overwhelming and everything looks too shiny. 
• There as to be transitional colors applied with gold to make it stand out and yet create a subtly muted effect. Add a beige, brown, dark brown and black to a gold and see how it bedazzles (just the same way gold shines through rocks and soils in the gold mines).
• Layer 'gold' eyeshadows for maximum impact. You can apply 2-3 layers of the eyeshadow instead of putting it all together.  
• A gold glitter on top creates a very beautiful scintillating look but beware - you don't want Tinkerbell on your face.
• I love to use a light beige or champagne shimmery highlighter instead of a matte one. It can really look scary with the metallic tones only bordered on the eye lid. 

When using BLACK

• Let the black not dominate the look. Black color is very stark, highly defining and very intense when paired with a highly reflective color. 
• The smokey eye should have black in the corners and nearest to the lash line.
• Do not attempt of making a black base and then trying a Gold eyeshadow. It looks good in the beginning but later on it becomes muddy and weird looking.
• Opt for the most matte black and not a shiny one. There is too much of pandemonium happening already and a shimmery black will just accentuate it too much.

Saying so, lets begin with the tutorial........

Prep the skin with your favorite moisturizer. Apply Dior Glow Maximizer Primer to give that amazing effervescent glow on the face. Apply your favorite foundation like Christian Dior Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Foundation and conceal the under eyes with your favorite concealer like Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place concealer to bid adieu to under eye circles. Set the foundation with your favorite powder like Chanel Poudre Universelle Compact in PRESAGE for getting that flawless canvas.

Conceal the under eye area with Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay in Place concealer and then as another layer of coverage  I applied Becca Foundation Stick in Mallow.

Apply Guerlain Ombre Eclat eye primer on the lids to create a base for the eyeshadows to adhere. This may look creased now but as soon as powder eyeshadows touch the base, they amalgamate and stay put really long without creasing or fading.

From the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, apply Blackout eyeshadow on the outer corners of the upper and lower lids. Black is a color that adds dimension and thus I am placing it in the areas which I want to recede so that it highlights the areas that need to come forward.

Apply Blackout in the outer crease and also on the upper lash line with a Sigma E 30 Pencil Brush.

Trace the upper lash line with Elizabeth Arden Smokey Eyes Pencil in Smokey Black.

Apply Blackout eyeshadow liberally on the lower lids, inner corner and the inner crease. Also trace out the stencil to create beautiful 'almond' shape.

Apply Blackout eyeshadow on the inner and outer corners along with the lash line. Extend the lines and shadows outwards to create a perfect 'almond' shape. This technique is good for all eye makeup shapes.

Apply a medium shimmery brown from the Tom Ford Golden Mink quad in the crease and blend towards the brow bone. I love the bronze tone in this eyeshadow which compliments the GOLD so well.

I have mentioned the 'opium' den effect and thats why I blended some of that shimmery brown over the Black out shadow that was smoked on the lower lids. Its better to clean the mess later using a foundation over a foundation brush. No one is devoid of drop outs.

With a dome shaped eyeshadow brush like Real Techniques one, apply 2-3 layers of Half Baked eyeshadow from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Quad

From the Tom Ford Golden Mink Quad, apply the shimmery beige eyeshadow on the brow bone and also in the inner corners. A shimmery beige is a flesh toned shimmer that balances the bright gold. I opt for shimmers and not mattes since the latter can really make the eyes looks stark. 

Thinly trace the upper lash line and inner rims of lower lids with Clinique Quickliner Intense in Intense Black.

Darken the edges and the outer corner with some more of that black eyeshadow. This is a repetitive step as the other colors tend to dilute the saturation of the blackness. Black can turn charcoal grey so its better to reapply.

Curl lashes with Shiseido eye lash curler and apply lashings of LORAC PRO mascara. The Christmas tree wand of this amazing mascara does miracles.

To extend the eye shape apply Uroparis no.82 Demi lashes on the outer corners of the eyes and create a feline flick using the Clinique Intense Ebony pencil. This adds a lot of horizontal length to your eyes and make them look more feline like and smoldering. 

This is the final sober look without adding the falsies.

This is fabulously feline smoldering eyes with addition of demi lashes.

If its a bridal occasion then there has to be color on the face. Begin with an Elizabeth Arden Beautiful color lipstick in Red Door Red and trace the edges of the lips with a complimenting Red Door Red liner to create a bright yet alluring pout. Then contour the cheeks with Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder and apply a peachy blush like Clinique Blushing Blush in Innocent Peach. Add highlights with luminescent gold highlighter like Becca Shimmering Perfector Pressed in Topaz and look scintillating. 

(I have provided links for products from Strawberrynet.com. These are not affiliate links and are just for reference or as a buying guide.)

Hope you liked the look. Do let me know in the comments.

Thanks a lot.