The smokey eye —a dark, diffused color spread across the lid and upwards towards the brow—is ubiquitous on the red carpet. It's dramatic, flattering, and works for a range of eye shapes. It's versatile, too: You can tailor it for a going-out vibe, but it works just as well for smart-casual events or even the workplace (if your smokey eye more low-key). If you're looking for a gorgeous one to copy, look no further.
Hilary Duff
The smokey eye has been with us for a long time, but the '00s really popularized a full, maximalist look. Hilary Duff is showing an extremely easy version, with deep black eyeshadow concentrated towards the edges of the eyelid and diffused out to the rest of the eye.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner shows us how important eyelashes (specifically, full and thick fake lashes at the outer eye) really help a smokey eye look awesome. Instead of gray or black, her makeup artist uses a deep pink for the "smokey" effect, and then the black lashes do the rest.
Jennifer Lopez
J.Lo is the queen of the smokey eye, and has been for decades (this is from 2012, if you're curious). While this particular level of black eyeshadow, combined with a glittery silver, is a throwback of the '10s, opting for a gray color and shorter lashes would be a nice modern version.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato has made a dramatic eyeshadow look part of their aesthetic. This 2024 version has all the hallmarks of a classic smokey eye—deep black eyeshadow, full lashes, and an upwards "swoop"—but the pretty silver on the mobile lid keeps it from being too dark.
Amanda Seyfried
What's awesome about a smokey eye is that it can work in conjunction with a thick cat eye. Here, Amanda Seyfried attends the 2013 Met Gala, where a dramatic makeup look is more than welcome. She has a thick cat eye close to her lid, then adds diffused pink and gray eyeshadow on top.
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart often favors a "messy" smokey eye, which is in keeping with her punk-rock-cool aesthetic. Using a taupe gray instead of black helps achieve this vibe, combined with an imprecise application. A bit of light eyeshadow towards the center adds a bit of dimension.
Dita Von Teese
Dita Von Teese often goes with a vintage-inspired cat-eye makeup. But I actually really love when she switches things up a bit. The dark black eyeshadow is intense, but it's applied gentled on the lid and outer corners, mimicking the shape of the sharper eyeliner.
Yseult
Model Yseult is creating a really cool shape with her coal-colored eyeshadow. Instead of swooping up and outwards towards the edge of the eye, she keeps the color concentrated on the mobile lid and going vertically upwards, blending as she goes. She put a ton of the same color on her lower lid, too.
Charlie XCX
If you love an eye makeup look with a long "tail" (meaning it extends outwards and upwards away from the eye and towards the edge of the eyebrow), Charlie XCX is your best inspiration. Her brown eyeshadow is basically touching the very end of her brow, and it looks so cool.
Kate Moss
Remember Kate Moss' classic '00s smokey eye? (This is from 2007, in case you're curious.) It makes use of a lot of glitter all over the upper eyelid, with the darker liner and eyeshadow close to her eyelashes. Maybe a touch less silver in its modern iteration, but this is still party-ready.
Chanel Iman
This is a nice cat eye-smokey hybrid on Chanel Iman here. Her eyes are lined on top and bottom, with a ton of black eyeshadow on the mobile part of her eyelid. The tail is sharp and long, with a gentle taupe color diffused on top of it. It's got both precision and softness!
Keira Knightley
This is a nice example of a smokey eye extending to the bottom lid to create a rich and seamless look. Instead of creating a long tail on the outer lid, the makeup artist lines Keira Knightley's lower lid with a ton of black eyeshadow. It's a short, contained shape that works great on larger eyes.
Jessica Alba
If you don't always opt for a dark smokey eye—like Jessica Alba—going bold and dark is a great way to experiment. There's a sense of fun and play here, with Alba opting for a darker hair color than normal, and adding a ton of black, brown, and beige to the upper lid.
Serena Williams
I love how Serena Williams' smokey eye contrasts with the bright blonde of her hair. As with other looks on this list, the short, thick fake lashes help accentuate the shape, with the dark shadow concentrated towards the edge of her eyelid. A smokey eye doesn't have to be long to be effective.
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain has an unparalleled ability to experiment with her eye makeup look—and it works well for her modern aesthetic. Instead of black, gray, or brown, the primary color here is green. It's darker at the edges of her eyes, and lighter towards the middle.
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore knows how to complement her brilliant red hair. Here, that means using black and brown in her eyeshadow, the latter being a rich chestnut to echo her hair color. This is also proof that you can do a smokey eye at any age and still look chic as heck.
Joan Smalls
When Joan Smalls goes maximalist, no one does it better. And this smokey eye has the longest tail, in an amazing way. Is it practical for a workday? Perhaps not, but it is great for the 2022 Met Gala and would be exactly the right vibe for a fancy party.
Ella Mccutcheon
Sometimes the best smokey eye looks come courtesy of the runway. Model Ella Mccutcheon is posing before the Roberto Cavalli fashion show, and this pretty brown smokey eye is a nice everyday option. Keeping the center of the eyelid bare makes the eye look bigger, FYI.
Sienna Miller
This is an extremely gentle smokey eye, complementing an extremely sharp cat eye. Sienna Miller lines the entire eye with a very thin black liner, and then the pink eyeshadow offers a gentle diffusion towards the outer corner of her eye and the eyebrow.
Jayme Lawson
That pretty coal-colored eyeshadow is gorgeous on Jayme Lawson. The cat eye is sharp and long (almost touching the edge of her eyebrow), but you can go with an equally dramatic smokey eye on the top of your lid, since the whole thing is forming a cohesive shape.
Kaia Gerber
Here. Kaia Gerber is backstage at the Max Mara show during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2018/19. This is a deceptively simple look—black eyeliner on upper and lower lid in a gentle almond shape. But the trick is to keep things gentle and not create a sharp line anywhere.
Taylor Swift
When Taylor Swift goes dramatic in her outfit, she sometimes accompanies it with a bolder eye makeup look. This is at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, and her characteristic black cat eye gets a smokey eye upgrade, with lots of gray on the upper lid.
Zoe Saldaña
This would be a fabulous everyday smokey eye look—yes, including for work! The key is to use a lighter color (like this taupe on Zoe Saldaña or even a deep pink) and make a gentle, blended shape instead of anything too sharp. A little liner on the lid and you're good to go.
Demi Moore
This is a "short" smokey eye (you don't see it extending much above or around her mobile lid). But if you have hooded eyes or recessed eyes, you can keep the color contained on the inside lid and leave the brow bone bare to highlight the eyes more effectively.
Emily Ratajkowski
EmRata gives a good smokey eye (and, if you're looking for inspiration generally, she's a good one to follow). She keeps the darker color in the "crease" of the eye and extending outwards with her cat eye. Keeping the mobile lid light allows for contrast and dimension.
Hailee Steinfeld
This almost feels like a throwback smokey eye—it's deep black, with a short shape that diffuses out as we get closer to the eyebrow. Hailee Steinfeld has thick eyebrows, so she can pull off a deeper, darker, more intense smokey eye, and wisely opts for short, thick, full eyelashes.
Zendaya
Pink works great for a smokey eye! Zendaya has a strong eyeliner that accentuates her upper lid at the lash line. Then the eyeshadow blends in gently all over her upper eyelid, from the very inner corners all the way out to the eyebrow. Don't forget to put a little on the lower lid.
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence has gorgeous gray eyes (which is a mildly unusual color) that works beautifully with a gray smokey eye. The thick black liner draws out the deep color of her irises, while the gray eyeshadow offers contrast. The color ends right at her brow bone.
Gabrielle Union
This is one of Gabrielle Union's most gorgeous makeup looks, and that is really saying something. We've got full lashes towards the edge of her eyes and a robust black eyeliner mimicking the same shape. Then there's a gradient from pink to gray from inner to outer lid.
Gigi Hadid
This warm smokey eye on Gigi Hadid is extremely emulatable. Make sure to work with colors of gold and brown, which look like they're coming from within instead of being placed on top of your skin (as is the case with gray and black). Opt for a very gentle, smudged shape.
Jennifer Connelly
If you happen to have a pretty eye shape like Jennifer Connelly, show it off with this pretty but low-maintenance smokey eye. Use a gentle eyeliner on top and bottom lid, then go with a very light gray on your mobile lid. End with lots of mascara and a touch of highlighter at the inner corner.
Viola Davis
When you want to go with a capital-d Dramatic look, let Viola Davis be your guide. That gorgeous purple eyeshadow is a perfect alternative to a more muted color. And the brilliant sparkle at the inner eyelid keeps the look from feeling too dark. This is a smokey eye at its finest!
