Smoky Eyes

The ever-classic smoky eye never fails to add drama and intensity and celebrities like Victoria Beckham certainly know its captivating power. Modern smokies are full of fluttering lashes and shiny metallic accents.

Victoria's look for the Armani flagship store opening in New York was sophisticated and seductive thanks to her feline eyes. The singer-turned-designer's long, feathery lashes spiked out from the corners of her eyes for that modern twist and silvery shadow sparkled from the inner sockets. No smoky eye would be complete without a nude, glossy lip like Victoria's and tawny coloured cheeks are the perfect sculpturing shade for this look.

The Olsen twins are rarely seen without smoke-rimmed eyes to go with their edgy, rock-chic looks but Ashley chose a softer approach for their book signing in New York with deep browns around the lash lines to compliment her hazel-green eyes.

"When you're blonde you can sometimes get away with black but it's better to tone it down with a dark chocolate or use a plummy colour which looks fabulous on blondes," says make-up expert Ariane Poole. "This aubergine-brown colour brings out the green in Ashley's eyes and makes her iris appear whiter."

Smoky eyes don't have to be black or brown as Sarah Jessica Parker modelled for the Wonderful World film premiere. Metallics are more modern than traditional smoky shades so go for green or gold flecks in the shadow for a new twist. Paul Herrington, one of Bobbi Brown's main make-up men, says "using different colours for an alternative smoky eye is very on-trend and a metallic texture makes eyes sparkle and shine."

Always on-trend with her fashion pickings, Mischa doesn't disappoint with her make-up efforts, either. Spotted at the New York fashion week for the G-Star autumn-winter 09 show, she went for a winged smoky look that was dramatic and very rock-chic.

Evan Rachel Wood appeared at the Tribeca Film Festival for the premiere of her new release, Whatever Works, in fashion-forward eye make-up. Smoky eyes were given a Noughties twist with long, fluttering lashes top and bottom and a hint of deep navy shadow to complement her blue eyes.

Rachel Weisz's dark features allow her to carry off a smoky eye effortlessly and for The Brother's Bloom premiere, she opted for classic charcoal eyes and light peachy lips. Having well-groomed eyebrows is essential for a smoky look as the attention is all at the top of the face.

Make like Hilary Duff and showcase your smouldering skills with shimmering shadows and pared-down lips. Hilary has used a grey-brown palette to make the most of those hazel eyes, with a pale shade under the brow for a finished look. The key here is to blend blend blend, so invest in some good quality brushes and don't be afraid to use them!

While twin sister Ashley went for the neat, groomed smoky eye, Mary-Kate opted for a smudgy, gothic version with plenty of khol and a metallic shadow. Silver is blended into charcoal-grey shadow on the eyelid and taken under the eye followed by a line of black along the inner rims of the eyes. 

Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko went for smouldering siren when she attended the Quantum of Solace premiere. The Ukranian-born actress wore an intense brown shade blended up beyond the eyelid crease for full-on drama. 

Gwyneth Paltrow complimented her cool colouring with an icy silver-grey shadow for this smoky eye look. This is a variation on the look which is slightly smudgy and rough round the edges. Rather than use brushes, try dipping your fingers into a pot of silver powder and smudge the colour on. 

Eva Herzigova went for a smoky espresso-brown in Cannes that was beautifully offset by her Versace cream gown, drop-down gold earrings and fair blonde hair. The winged-out eyeshadow smouldered from the outer corners of her eyes and lower lashes were defined with the intense shade too, making it a dramatic but still elegant look.