Beauty Mood: Seductive

You start noticing the signs well before nightfall. Your walk becomes a spellbinding sway. Your skin takes note of every breeze and rustle of fabric. Oh, hot mama, you’re feeling extra sexy. Positively intoxicating. And combustible!

When you’re smokin’, a smoldering gaze only adds fuel to your fire. Rim those eyes with kohl, and any man is at your mercy. Just promise to use your powers for good, you vixen!

Achieving a captivating look is not nearly as complicated as mastering the art of seduction.

Follow these eyes-focused steps (and your heart), and success will be yours.

Start with primer, foundation, and blemish concealer (if needed). Leave the under-eye concealer for later. Apply powder everywhere except right under the eyes. You’ll see why in a minute.

Beauty Mood: Seductive

Beauty Mood: Seductive

Beauty Mood: Seductive

Next, begin smudging dark eyeliner on the upper lash line as close to the roots as possible and on the inside rim of the eyes.

Now sweep on a dark contour shade of eye shadow across the lid from the lash line to the crease, and use an angle brush to apply the same shade under the lower lash line. Blend on a midtone eye shadow across the crease. Place a highlight shade under the brow and on the inner corners of the eyes. The gradation of color from darkest at the lashes to lightest under the brow is what gives this look its intensity.

Apply black mascara on the top and the bottom lashes. Smooth away any traces of shadow that may have fallen beneath the eyes with a nonlatex sponge dipped into a bit of under-eye concealer (my magic eraser trick). Then sweep the lightest application of powder under the eyes to set it.

Keep the rest of your makeup simple so the eyes steal the seductive show. Lightly sweep on a powder blush in a soft color, and apply a nude or neutral shade of lip gloss. Ravishing.

Now swing those hips out the door, you passionate minx!

Beauty Mood: Seductive

Carmindy Fan Q&A

Q: My green eyes are large, and I also have highly arched eyebrows. How can I achieve a smoky-eye look without it looking like a black eye? I usually only wear neutral makeup.

—Barbara, 39, Kennett Square, PA

A: You don’t always need to use black or charcoal shades to create a smoky eye. Go for a subtler version by using shades of purple to accentuate your green eyes. Line the eyes with a dark amethyst pencil and then apply a dark shadow in the same color family across the lid. Now blend on a midtone shadow across the crease; this will soften the color on the lid slightly. Sweep a highlight shade under the brow and on the inside corners, then finish with black mascara. Devastating!

Q: I always like dark, dramatic eyes, but I have trouble evening out under my eyes with concealer. I can still see some gray. What to do?

—Lucy, 23, San Francisco, CA

A: A great trick is to apply foundation on your eyelids and under your eyes. Then apply powder only to the lids. Next, sweep on your liner, eye shadows, and mascara. After your eye makeup is complete, apply under-eye concealer, and set it with powder. This method allows you to sweep away any bits of eye shadow that may have fallen during application and even out any natural darkness in one go.

Beauty Mood: Seductive

Updated: July 18, 2015 — 1:23 pm