Having captivating, large eyes is often synonymous with youth and beauty, drawing inspiration from the classic, doe-eyed look of Disney princesses. The quest for brighter, more prominent eyes is not just a vanity affair—it’s rooted in the desire to exude vibrancy regardless of age. While our eyes themselves don’t diminish in size over time, the illusion of smaller eyes can manifest due to the natural laxity of the surrounding skin.
To counter this, there’s an artful blend of makeup tips and products designed to create the illusion of larger eyes. These tricks, which include the strategic use of eyeliners, mascaras, and shadows, can highlight the eyes, making them appear wide-open and arresting. Introducing brightening techniques and emphasizing the right areas can transform how our eyes are perceived without compromising on a natural look. A palette of well-considered beauty hacks can offer that youthful, bigger eye appeal, which, coupled with the right products from brands like Tarte and Charlotte Tilbury, can help achieve the desired effect with ease.
Chapter Overview
Why Your Eyes Appear Smaller
- As we age, firmness around the eyes diminishes.
- This affects key areas:
- Under-eye region
- Eyelids
- Corners of the eyes
- These changes impact how wide and open our eyes appear.
- Focusing on these areas, we recommend strategies:
- Strengthening under-eye support
- Lifting techniques for hooded eyes
- Accentuating the outer corners for a broader look
- The iris is also framed differently as eyelid space reduces, affecting perceived eye size.
Brighten Your Waterline
- Inner corners can appear more luminous with strategic liner application.
- A nude eyeliner along the lower waterline creates the illusion of wider eyes, exuding a natural finish.
- For a pronounced effect, opt for a white liner to define the lower waterline sharply.
| Pencil Liner Shade | Effect |
|---|---|
| White | Dramatic, eye-enlarging |
| Beige/Nude | Natural, subtly enhances eye size |
- We suggest carrying the liner for touch-ups due to the transient nature of waterline makeup.
Brighten Dark Circles
- To minimize dark circles, opt for an eye cream enriched with hyaluronic acid; this helps plump the skin, reducing the appearance of puffiness.
- When concealing, choose a hue slightly lighter than your skin for a subtly brighter look.
- Apply concealer in a V-shape under the eye, extending down to the cheeks, to illuminate the entire bottom area of the eye, enhancing a skincare routine focused on a rejuvenated appearance.
How To Use a Highlighter
- Brow Bone: Apply highlighter along our brow bone to create lift and define shape.
- Inner Corners: A touch of shimmer in the inner corners can illuminate and enhance the eyes.
- Center Lid: Dab highlighter onto the center of the eyelid to make eyes pop.
- Cheekbones: Swipe to accentuate and add dimension to our cheekbones.
- Tools: Utilize a fluffy brush for a seamless glow.
Remember, the key is subtle enhancement to our natural features.
Concealer For Eyes
We apply concealer at the inner and outer corners to brighten these typically darker areas, which helps eyes stand out. For enhancing brows, we opt for a brown eyebrow pencil to define the shape subtly.
Lift The Lashes
We’ve found that augmenting your mascara with false lashes can truly accentuate your look. It’s essential to choose lashes that complement your eye shape:
- Almond Eyes: Lashes that are longer in the center provide a mesmerizing effect.
- Round Eyes: To enhance your eyes’ shape, opt for lashes that fan outwards.
- Hooded Eyes: Use lashes that taper from the inner to the outer corner to give the illusion of depth.
Should you prefer a more natural enhancement, we suggest coupling your trusty mascara with a lash curler. This combination works wonders to elevate and brighten your eye area without the need for eyelash extensions. However, the key to this effect is using high-quality mascara—investing in superior products pays off with every glance. Remember, the goal is to lift your lashes and, by extension, amplify the allure of your eyes.
Mascara to the Lower Lash Line
- Application: Gently swipe mascara on lower lashes.
- Effect: Achieves a doe-eyed appearance.
- Color tip: Use brown for subtlety.
- Caution: Apply sparingly to lower lash line.
Define The Crease
When crafting a makeup look, we prioritize the crease, tailoring eyeshadow to enhance it.
- Shape: Match eyeshadow to the eye’s natural contour.
- Smoky Eye: Utilize dark pigments for drama.
- Pigment: Gradually add light brown for a subtle, no-makeup appearance.
- Dark Color: Intensify at the outer corner for depth.
- Blending Brush: Employ soft, fluffy brushes for seamless transitions.
Ensuring the crease is well-defined brings dimension and focus to our eyes.
Framing your face
Well-shaped eyebrows are key to balancing and harmonizing the facial structure. Here are steps to refine your brows, ensuring a perfect frame for your face:
- Assess your brow shape and size considering personal features.
- Aim to extend brow tails towards the ears, enhancing an uplifted look.
- Use brow gel for definition and to keep hairs in place.
Remember, creating a natural contour around the brows can accentuate cheekbones, complementing your overall makeup and enhancing the top portion of your face. Opting for microblading can provide a more permanent definition if desired.
Wing eyeliner
- Upper Lid: Keep the eyeliner thin to avoid making the lid appear smaller.
- Winged Effect: Extend eyeliner from the last third of lashes outward for a subtle flick.
- Liquid Liner: Opt for liquid eyeliner to achieve precise and defined winged looks.
- Color Choices: Use black for classic wings or colored eyeliner for a playful twist.
Curl Your Lashes
- Aim: Instant eye lift and wider look.
- Method: Carefully clamp at the base of upper lashes, hold, and release.
- Tip: Select a high-quality lash curler for durability and efficacy.
Drawing Fine Lines
- Start close to the upper lashline
- Gradually increase thickness toward outer corner
- Cotton swabs can help for precision
