BEAUTY BLOG

Get voiced! PalladioBeauty.com gets over 50,000 hits per day and we're currently seeking guest bloggers to showcase their mad skills and love of our line! Interested? Read on for more details ...

HOW IT WORKS

1) Send your blog drafts to Rachel@palladiobeauty.com. Feel free to include your full and/or nickname, as well as links to your website, blog or any other personal content channel you would like to promote.

2) Not all blogs will be accepted, and not all will be accepted immediately. (If you submit a smokey eye tutorial that we like, and one was recently posted, we may hang on to yours to post down the road.) If yours is chosen, you'll be notified 24-48 hours prior to it going live; so you can tell your friends, colleagues and the local paparazzi to check it out.

HOW IT BENEFITS YOU

1) Build/Increase your own web audience. Each person who visits our page, will be referred to yours, as well. Not to mention, you'll be advertised on our social media networks.

2) If your blog is chosen, you'll receive a $10.00 PalladioBeauty.com store credit! =)

RULES

1) You must be at least 18 years of age.

2) Posts must be beauty-related tutorials or reviews. Even more importantly, cosmetics mentioned must either be Palladio products or be a general category of Palladio products. (i.e. "Apply Herbal Eye Liner Pencil in Black"; or "Apply a black eyeliner" ... Something along these lines.)

3) Photos are welcome, and should be attached to your email. (If including more than one, please indicate where each should uploaded. A simple "Insert Image A, Here" will work.)

4) All content must be original. Don’t plagiarize someone else's work, or copy and paste one of your old blogs.

5) Profanity will get you a one-way ticket to the trash can.

6) Palladio Beauty Group reserves the right to edit spelling and/or grammar.

7) By submitting you agree to the following legal mumbo-jumbo. (Our lawyers made us do it!):

I hereby represent and warrant that (i) I own or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents and permissions to use, and authorize Palladio Beauty Group to use all patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights in and for this submission to enable inclusion and use of this submission in the manner contemplated by Palladio Beauty Group’s Terms and Conditions; and (ii) I have any necessary written or implied consent, release, and/or permission of each and every identifiable individual person in this submission to use the name, picture and likeness of said individual(s) to enable inclusion and use of this submission in the manner contemplated by Palladio Beauty Group's Terms and Conditions. I hereby waive my rights to compensation and acknowledge that any submissions to Palladio Beauty Group for the purposes contained herein, shall be thereafter owned by Palladio Beauty Group and may not be reproduced or reused without the written consent of Palladio Beauty Group. Furthermore, I understand that neglecting any criteria listed herein may result in legal action. I have read and agree to Palladio Beauty Group's aforementioned Terms and Conditions.

The traditional smoky eye is one of the most popular makeup styles to date, thanks in large part to celebrity influences like Kim Kardashian, Beyonce and Lady Gaga. With dozens of variations, ranging from "soft and subtle" to "nighttime goddess", it's also one of the most versatile looks--and, surprisingly easy to apply when broken down! The good news is, no matter how meek or daring you want to be, all smokey eyes are achieved using the same basic technique. So, if you're longing for that pair of alluring, sultry eyes--and don't have a makeup artist on call 24/7--here's a simple "how to", broken down into 5 easy steps that even beauty novices can follow.

1) Prime the eye. A primer gives eyeshadow something to "cling" to and keeps it from falling off your skin (like powders typically do.) Primers also enhance the vibrancy of shadows, so they remain truer to color.

2) Apply a creamy black liner to the upper and lower lash lines, then smudge with a firm brush. Make sure the waterline is filled in, as well. (This is a key point in creating the appearance of a smaller, more elongated eye.)

3) Color is totally preferential--just be sure to start with a dark eyeshadow closest to the lashes. As you blend shadows outward and upward, towards the brow bone, they should lighten and/or fade to create a nice gradient effect. (In this example, I chose a grey theme in order to bring out the dark ring around Ashlea's eyes.)

Using a flat shadow brush, gently pat a dark shadow on top of the liner. With a blending brush, "pull" the upper, lid portion of shadow outwards and up towards the browbone, with small, circular motions. Stop approximately just above the crease.

4) You're now going to create a soft "V" shaped point at the outer corner with the darkest-colored eyeshadow. Start about 1/3 of the way in on both the top and bottom lashlines. On the bottom, drag the existing line outwards and upwards, following the natural curve of your eye. On the top, the shadow should be applied at an angle. The result is a "shadow" that lifts the eye and gives it a more almond-shaped appearance.

Once you've achieved the desired shape/darkness, go back in with your blending brush to, again, smooth lines and edges. Any errors you've made around the edges, or shadow fallout beneath the eye can be wiped away with a Q-tip.

5) Finish by applying a liquid liner, mascara and false lashes, if desired.

Because fallout is just about inevitable, I recommend completely finishing the eyes before moving on to concealer or foundation ... Just remember to re-blend the shadow edges afterwards. The look should be clean, but smooth. Also remember that this is just the basic technique. Feel free to change it up to suit your likes/needs. As someone once told me, "it's makeup, not math, so no way is the wrong way."

A big thanks to Ashlea for taking time out of her busy work schedule to model! =)

Products used in this tutorial: Eye Primer (PEP01), Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Black Tie (BES01), Eyeliner Pencil in Black (EL192), Retractable Eye Liner in Pure Black (PRE01), Blending and Flat Shadow Brushes (AB457, AB458)