Let Nicole Richie’s Latest Look Remind You That She’s The Queen Of Smoky Eye Makeup

A modest proposal: some wealthy benefactor opens a museum dedicated to legendary beauty celebrity looks, and there’s an entire hall celebrating Nicole Richie’s smoky eye makeup. For as long as the quick-witted star has been in the spotlight, she’s been churning out deep, sultry, smudged-out styles in every possible color — and her latest might be the best one yet. At the April 2 premiere for her new film, a remake of the cult-classic Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, Richie’s big brown eyes were rimmed in layers of jet-black and dark brown shadow, making them appear even more piercing and intense. Paired with her twisted-back updo and velvet Schiaparelli dress, Richie looks as ready for a night out in Paris as she does a film screening at The Grove.

The intense, glamorous makeup was applied by celebrity artist Beau Nelson, the mastermind creative behind so many of Richie’s all-time hits. Nelson’s done minimalist, brown-toned, ‘70s-inspired looks for the star as well as more intricate looks, but for this film premiere, he crafted an upward sweeping cat eye that concentrates a true smoky black through her lower lash line, outward toward the temples, and along the upper lashes for even more definition.

A cool-toned, medium brown sweeps through her actual lids, gently connecting with the black wing. Major lashes top it all off, along with some additional brow structure, bronzed contouring, and a pale, glossy lip. Richie’s sculpted updo keeps her hair slicked down and out of her face, which just adds to the intensity of her eyes. The fresh take on the bun was styled by celebrity pro Gregory Russell, who shared that it was created using a slew of Pureology products and the help of his assistant, Kelli Martin.

Smoky eyes have been a Richie signature since The Simple Life days, and they’ve only gotten better of the years. She’s topped the look in gemstones, opted for a deep navy blue in lieu of traditional black, and even encircled her eyes with incredibly sparkly silver glitter. Her younger sister Sofia might be the patron saint of “clean girl makeup”, but Richie’s style has always been dedicated to the fun-loving risk-takers.