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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at George Mason University chapter.

During your time at college, there are different occasions that will come up, and each requires a different beauty look. Sometimes, a girl’s got to look more conservative, perhaps for a job interview. Other times, a more fun look is what you’re going after, like for a party. Knowing how to nail these different looks will make sure you’re always appropriate and fabulous. There are three key eye makeup looks that all glamour girls’ need to know how to do; the classic smoky eye, retro winged liner, and an everyday neutral look.

The Classic Smoky Eye
The beauty of this look is that you can do it with virtually any color family, the trick is having three different shades; light, medium, and dark. The possibilities are endless. You could use purples, blues, or browns, but for a timeless look, go for the black smoky eye. Start with the medium color, and apply it all over your eyelid. Next, take the darkest color, and apply it in the crease and close to your upper and lower lash line. Make sure you blend the edges! Finally, take the lightest shade, and apply it in the inner corner of your eye near the tear duct, and on the brow bone. Apply mascara and eyeliner and you’re good to go!

Retro Winged Liner
This look can be quite intimidating for a girl who has never tried it before, but fear not! With a few tools, and a little patience, we can all have that Adele cat eye look. For beginners, I recommend a liquid liner with a felt tip, because it is the most precise, and is easiest to control. Rest your pinky on your cheek for extra precision. The trick to mastering liquid liner is making short strokes across the lash line, then going back to connect them all. The line should gradually become thicker as you go from the inner part of your eye to the outer part. To make the wing, flick the liner towards to end of your brow, and then drag it back to the original line. Fill in the empty space, and voila! Keep cotton swaps and makeup remover on hand in case you’ve made any mistakes! When you’re done with the liner, apply tons of mascara. This look is great because the eye makeup is so simple, that you can play with different colors on your lips, from red, bright pink, or nude!


Everyday Neutral Eye
This look is great for class or work, or any other daytime occasion where you want to look your best, but not too made up. Plus, it’s incredibly simple, so you can do it in a pinch if you’re running a bit behind. Apply a wash of a shimmery beige or taupe shadow across your lid, and then a matte medium brown in your crease. Use a matte skin colored shadow on your brow bone, and blend all the edges. Apply one coat of mascara, and you’re set. Easy as that!


Having the right tools in your arsenal of beauty products makes achieving any of these looks easy as pie. The best part is that once you’ve mastered these looks, you can play with different colors and products to find what works best for you. Now there’s no excuse for not looking your best for every occasion!

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Jordan Fontenot

George Mason University

Jordan Fontenot is a senior at George Mason University and is a Communication major with a concentration in Public Relations and a double minor in Business and Tourism and Events Management. When she's not busy with school, working at a local boutique, or writing for Her Campus, she loves to work out at the campus gyms or go shopping with her friends. Jordan is obsessed with Harry Potter, chai tea lattes, and New Girl.
Sabel is a senior at George Mason University majoring in History and Economics. Although she'd rather stay a student forever, she is excited to see what the future brings her in the fashion industry. Besides her endeavors at HerCampus, Sabel is a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista.com writing the Style Advice of the Week column for Mason. Adding to her busy schedule are her duties in her sorority, volunteering for Operation Smile, contributing to the social media world, feeding her soda addiction, shopping at J.Crew and coloring everything around her pink. And yes, the last three are major priorities in her book.