Makeup tricks for amazing eyes

Eyes too close together, too far apart, or you simply want to make them look bigger? There’s a makeup hack for that!

Not everyone is born with a perfect set of peepers. If you feel your eyes could do with a little optical illusion, we live in an age where the possibilities for makeup are endless. With a few expert techniques and products, a steady hand can create ways to really make your eyes pop – no matter what your limitations may be.

Too close together?

If your eyes are set less than an eye’s width apart, create the illusion of wider set eyes by keeping the inside corners light and the outer edges darker. Apply a concealer one shade lighter than your skin at the inner corner of the lids. Blend well and don’t neglect the shadowy areas either side of your nose. Take a matte eyeshadow and sweep it outward and slightly upward from the middle part of your lid to the outer half of your lid. Begin a line with eyeliner a little in from the inner corner of your eye, tapering the line up and out and slightly past the outer corner of the eyes.

Too downturned?

Give down-turned eyes a lift with a cat eye. Apply shadow to the outer corner of the lid, extending colour up and out with a feline flick. Skip the eyeliner and add a light highlighter on the brow bone. Apply mascara, concentrating on the inner corner of the eye, and smudge a light shadow in the inner corners of the eyes to give them a lift.

Too far apart?

Emphasising the inner corner of your eyes will make them look closer together. Sweep a light shadow over the whole eye area. Then dust a medium shade on the inner half of the eyelid and blend outward to create a natural finish. Lastly, line from the inner corner of the eye to the middle and blend outward.

Too small?

Making eyes larger is made easy by utilising light shades, as dark shadows will make eyes appear even smaller. Sweep a light shadow over the entire lid, then use a slightly darker hue to shade the outer corner of the lid and the crease. Line the outer upper and lower lids with eyeliner making sure to venture a bit outside the eye to create the illusion of more space. Lastly, a dab of white or cream shadow along the brow bone, just below the brow, will make eyes pop.

Hooded lids?

Open up heavy lids by applying a light-toned shade across the whole lid to highlight what visible lid space you have. Then add a darker shade in the crease, sweeping upwards and outwards to help add depth. Use a smudge-proof eyeliner to line the upper lash lines, ensuring the line is very fine and kept close to the natural lash line.

Also check out Lids By Design, temporary transparent strips you apply to the crease of your eyelid to create a “scaffolding” for sagging eyelid skin and give the appearance of an instant eye lift!

Too deep-set?

Prominent brow bones and deep-set eyes can be downplayed by sweeping a light or medium-toned shade on your lid, then shading in a slightly darker shade above the eye crease. Apply a liquid eyeliner, drawing the liner thicker in the middle of the eye and then tapering it towards the outer part of the lid. Apply a light highlighter shade to the brow bone.

Quick fixes for tired-looking eyes

• Eyelash extensions can answer your beauty woes, opening up your eyes and negating the need for mascara.
• A white highlighter shadow is your best friend – apply a little to the inner corner of your eyes. Alternatively, white eyeliner performs a similar function to brighten and whiten.
• Dot a shadow concealer/ illuminator pen along the browbone just below the brow and along the bottom of the eye and blend with your finger. This fills in the shadows that naturally occur.
• Manicured eyebrows can transform your face. Always enlist the help of a professional.
• Opt for an upward sweeping brow, as opposed to a flat or slightly downward brow, and be careful not to make your brows too thin. Lightly fill in any gaps or sparse areas with a brow brush and powder eyebrow shadow and complete with eyebrow gel.
• When applying eyeliner to the outer lash line, gradually thicken the line as you go, then sweep it up at the outer corner.
• For extra kapow on your smoky eye, faintly smudge a dark shadow underneath the lower lash line, extending to the outer corner.