Learning a few simple eye makeup tricks can take your peepers from plain to perfect. A lot of makeup application can be a matter of trial and error. You often don't know what looks good on you until you try it.
Looking at magazines is one way to get some ideas, but celebrities have an arsenal of stylists and professionals helping them look their best. How can the average woman on the street achieve picture perfect makeup herself? Try some of these tips and make your eyes "pop."
Easy Eye Makeup Illusions
If you want to make your eyes look fabulous, there are tricks you can try that will make a big difference between your naked eye and your made-up eye.
Make Your Eyes Appear Bigger
Many women want their eyes to really open up or look bigger than they really are. The best product to help you achieve this is mascara. There are so many mascaras on the market, all promising longer or thicker lashes. Try several brands and see which one you prefer. In addition to mascara, use an eyelash curler to get maximum curve on your lashes. This inexpensive accessory makes your lashes look longer and after applying mascara to curved lashes, they really stand at attention. To get an open eye look, try these steps:
- Apply light colored shadow all over your eyelids. You can color your crease in a slightly darker shade if desired, but too much dark shadow makes your eyes recede. Peach, tan, gold and beige are all shades that will work.
- Dab a spot of even lighter shadow in the middle of your eyelid.
- Apply eyeliner in a thin line.
- Curl your eyelashes with a curler.
- Apply mascara in two or three thin coats. Make sure to place the wand at the base of your lashes and pull it all the way to the ends in smooth motions.
Create the Illusion of Close-set Eyes
You can't literally make your eyes closer if they're set wider apart than you'd like, but you can create the illusion. Here's how:
- Color your lids with a light eyeshadow.
- Apply a medium tone shadow to the inner corner of your eyelids and blend the color all the way to the outer lid.
- Apply eyeliner all the way across your lids and follow with mascara.
Make Your Eyes Appear Wide Set
If your eyes are closer together than you'd prefer, use eye makeup tricks to make them appear wide set:
- Sweep a light color shadow over your eyelids, concentrating on applying it just slightly past the inner corner of your lids.
- Starting at the middle of your lids, apply a medium or dark colored shadow to the outer corners, blending well.
- Apply eyeliner, but don't begin at the inner corner of your eyelids; instead, start the liner a little ways in from the inner corner.
- Apply two or three coats of mascara, concentrating on the outer corners.
Use Contrast
The best way to emphasize your eye color is with contrasting makeup. This means women with light blue eyes should use darker tones when trying to play up their eyes' light color and women with brown eyes should try light shadows to make their eyes intense. For blue eyes:
- Use light charcoal, tan or any medium to dark shadow, emphasizing the crease in your outer eyelid with heavier application in that area.
- Apply dark brown or black eyeliner to the upper and lower lids.
- Curl lashes and apply two or three coats of black mascara.
Brown-eyed girls should try this technique:
- Use peach, bronze, pink or pale green shadows.
- Line your lids with brown or black liner and follow up with black mascara.
If your eyes are green:
- Apply lavender, pink, beige or brown shadow.
- Use brown or black eyeliner and follow up with black mascara.
Fun with Makeup
Makeup can easily transform your look. By experimenting and trying out new tricks and techniques, there's no reason your eyes can't stand out and bring attention to your beautiful face every day.
