intro

This rain cloud makeup tutorial is for any time you feel a storm brewing inside you. Manifest those emotions through the power of cosmetic artistry! Round up your gray shadows and liners and lipsticks—let’s turn that face into a dark and stormy masterpiece.

What you’ll need:

  • Foundation or concealer (optional)
  • Light gray eyeliner. I used Eyeko Making Eyes Automatic Gel Eyeliner in Dove Gray ($19, Eyeko).
  • A dark and a light shade of gray or silver eyeshadow. I used Urban Decay eyeshadows in Mushroom and S&M ($18 each, Urban Decay).
  • An eyeshadow brush
  • Dark gray eyeliner. I used NYX Slim Eye Pencil in Charcoal ($3.50, NYX).
  • Blue eyeliner. I used L’Oreal Infallible Eyeliner in Navy ($9, ULTA).
  • Mascara
  • Light gray lipstick. I didn’t have any gray lipstick handy, so instead I used a cream eyeliner—Ben Nye Creme Color Liner in Grey ($6, Camera Ready Cosmetics). If you’re looking for a good shade of gray lipstick, though, I’d recommend NYX Macaron Lippies in Black Sesame ($6, NYX).
  • A lip brush
  • Clear lip gloss

How to do it:

Step One:

step one

Prep your face with foundation and/or concealer, but only if you’re into that. Apply the lighter shade of gray eyeshadow all over both lids.

Step Two:

step two

With your eyeshadow brush, trace the darker shadow along each brow bone from the inner to the outer corners of your eye. Blend it into the lighter color—make those lids cloudy! This is what you’re going for:

step two and a half

Step Three:

step three

Use the light gray eyeliner to line your lower lash line. Start from the middle of the lash line and extend the liner past your eye’s outer corner—kind of like an inverse cat-eye. As an optional step, use the eyeliner to fill in your eyebrows (if you’re going for a SUPERSTORM).

Step Four:

step four

Here comes the rain! (Again?) Using the blue eyeliner, draw as many droplets as you want near the outer corners of your eyes. The drops don’t have to be any particular size or in any certain order—storms are messy! I put three on each side just ’cause. Apply a coat of mascara, and your eye look is all set:

eyes done

You can stop here if you want, but I recommend polishing things off with gradient gray lips and glossy gray cheeks.

Step Five:

step five

With the dark gray eyeliner, fill in the middle of your upper and lower lips.

Step Six:

step six

Dab the lip brush in the light gray lipstick, then line the outer perimeter of your lips. Fill in the remaining space, and use your fingertip to smudge the lipstick with the liner.

Step Seven:

Dab a little gray lipstick on your cheeks and blend the color into the apples with your fingertips. Put a spot of clear clip gloss on each cheek, then use your fingertips to gently sweep it over the gray until there’s a slightly hazy sheen.

all done

There you go! Play this look up or down as much as you want—like the weather, it can change in an instant. ♦