we may not be able to give you Kim Kardashian’s genetically blessed tush, but her makeup—now, that we can help you with. And that’s good news because not only is this girl known for what is possibly the world’s best smoky eye, but she has a lot of other beauty tricks up her sleeve. Read on for her 10 all-time best eye, lip and cheek looks, along with a few beauty secrets to re-creating that Kardashian mystique.
Cleopatra style Eyeliner
Let’s all bow down to the makeup queen on this one. The basic how-to for this black-and-white-rimmed eye look: Line your inner rims with a white pencil like Rimmel London Soft Kajal Eye Pencil in Pure White, then trace your lash line with black liquid liner (Kim’s favorite eyeliner is MAC Liquid Eye Liner).
The Dramatic Bronze eyeliner
All three Kardashian sisters wore fabulous makeup looks to the opening of their New York Dash store, but Kim’s bronze eyeshadow stole the show—no easy feat in this family. It’s the perfect pick for brown eyes—just go at least one step lighter or darker than your eye color so your peepers pop (as opposed to blending in).
Pinkish Red lip gloss
Few things are as glamorous as a pink-red lip gloss—it has the impact of a bright crimson lipstick without ever feeling like your lips are screaming for attention. Two lip colors to try: Lipstick Queen Fifteen Minutes of Fame Pop Art Gloss in 13 Minutes and Tarte Lipgloss in Nirvana.
Glowing Bronze Skin
If they gave out black belts in bronzer, Kim Kardashian would surely qualify. To master your own golden glow, look for a bronzer with just a hint of shimmer like Maybelline Mineral Power Bronzer Shimmer Loose Powder and apply lightly—less is more with this stuff.
Purple Gray Smoky eye
Sure, regular gray smoky eye makeup is gorgeous, but throw some purple in there and suddenly it’s all a little more unexpected. To make Kim Kardashian’s look your own, you can either use a dark gray shadow with strong purple undertones (like Pur Minerals Pressed Powder Eyeshadow in Lavender Mourite) or create your own by layering a dark grape shade over your favorite gray.
Hot Pink Lips
Although Kim is known mostly for playing up her eyes, when she concentrates on her lips, she really goes for it. One of her go-tos: hot-pink lipstick (like the Nars Hot Wired Lip Lacquer you see here). It’s just a bright, fun, playful pop of color.
The Allover Peach Look
Here’s what a monochromatic palette does for your face: It prevents any one thing from standing out so you look overall lovely (and understated). And while pink blushes and soft bronzes work, apricot tones like you see here on the lovely Kim Kardashian are especially beachy and glowy—and gorgeous on any skin tone.
Contrasting Lipstick and blush Colors
While you might have heard that your cheek and lip colors should always come from the same family, Kim Kardashian throws that theory out all the time by going for peach blush and pink lips with very striking results. Just go for see-through shades so the contrast is pretty, not jarring.
Fresh Faced Thing
When you think of Kim Kardashian’s makeup you usually think of drama, but when she goes for something soft, the results are equally striking. The key is to start with 100 percent perfect skin—or forget that and fake it with a thin layer of a really great foundation. Kim’s pick: Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation.
