Let's make-up with Bina Khan: Socket to ‘em!

Bina Khan discusses her eye shadow technique.

We have discussed eye structure before, but today I wanted to discuss a little tweak on eye shadow technique that I (and many before me) have always loved. We have seen it again and again throughout history, from Greta Garbo in the ‘30s and ‘40s, to Twiggy in the ‘60s. Marilyn Monroe changed her signature look to this technique just before she died. Recently, we have seen stars like Adele and Lana Del Rey heavily rely on this component to their look.

I am referring to a deep and defined eye socket line. You can see how this can be modernised to a simply glam eye, as you can see in the photograph of actor Aamina Sheikh, where I kept it contemporary by adding a smokey corner. If all else fails, a smokey socket can add some drama to your eye and it is far easier to do than a full on smokey eye. Here’s how:

1)  Chin up 

The second you stretch out your neck and look down your face at your eyes in the mirror you will be able to easily see where you socket line is.  It’s pretty simple – the crevice created by your eye ball is your socket line, pick up some shadow on a brush and rub it in to that depression, making it look deeper.

2)  Start Lighter

If you are afraid of going wrong, you can start with a neutral, skin tone. As you get more confident you can add darker and darker hues to this. Even when you decide do be brave with strong colour, it’s a good idea to give yourself a taupe base on to which you build stronger colour. This creates really rich loking depth. You can add to your taupe a swish of soft nutty brown; then as you feel braver you can add some deep chocolate brown and then eventually you can throw on some black and really amp up the wow factor.

3)  Remember to lift the corner

The droopy eyed Greta Garbo look won’t really cut it in this day and age, so in the same way that you wing your liner a bit, wing your socket as well.

4)  Lighter socket, stronger liner

To begin with you can cover your whole lid, from lash to brow, with a vanilla eye shadow. Define your socket line with a rich, honey taupe and then do the perfect liner. Go nuts with a really strong mascara and you will have make-up that is the envy of all the girls that night!

5)  Keep the colours neutral

Since your socket colour has to fade in to your brow bone colour, I would advise the use of skin based colours here such as bronze, caramel, quartzy pink. That being said, I once had a student who used to use crazy, vibrant, neon yellow shade in her socket and pair it with an indigo liner and mascara. It scared the daylights out of me but it did look really cool! So feel free to experiment! Good luck!

Top products 

Taupe by Bobbi Brown

Kid by MAC

Black Chocolate: by Bobbi Brown

#329 by Inglot

Ground Brown by MAC

Caviar by Bobbi Brown (makes a great liner as well)

Pandora Duo by Nars

Bina Khan is a make-up artist, photographer, skin technician and writer who owns a salon and photography studio in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2013.

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