Makeup That Makes Your Eyes Look Bigger:
Tutorial: How To Make Your Eyes Look Bigger
Tip 1: Your color map should go light to dark to light again
When planning your colors, you want the colors to start light in the corner of the eye and stay light over the lid. You can use a shimmery nude color to pick up light on the inner corner of the eye and then fade into a light/medium color across the lid. Nothing too dark on the lid or it’ll make eyes heavy. Then, your darkest color in the crease moving from the middle part of the eye and outward. Creating a cat-eye shape with the crease color can also help draw the eyes out. Then, your lighter color along the brow line and blending down into the contour.
Some people use the same color on inner corner and brow. Personally, I’ll use a color with some shimmer on the inner corner of the eyes as this can help catch light and makes your eyes sparkle. Then, I use a matte color along the brow. I don’t like it when light catches the brow line – especially in pictures – so I prefer matte there. Find what works best for you and what you like.
Annie also talks about how you don’t want to deposit the darker color on the outer edges of the eye going down – because it actually draws the eyes visually down and gives them a sad look as opposed to a lifted, bigger look.
Why this works:
By placing lighter colors on the inner corner, lid and brow, you create contrast with the crease color, you brighten and lift the eyes, and you create the illusion of bigger eyes. Voila!
Tip 2: For hooded eyes, create your own crease
Why this works:
Tip 3: Place brow highlight strategically
Why this works:
If you put that light shade all over that area, it makes it look puffy, and therefore closes your eye further.
On this side, Annie puts it all over and you can see how it starts to drown out the crease work:
Tip 4: Use eyeshadow on the lower lash line
To warm up the eyes even further, place a warm shade of eyeshadow under your lower lash line to make those eyes pop! Stop the color about 3/4 of the way to the inner corner of the eye. If you feel you start to get raccoon, use a q-tip to remove some of the undereye eyeshadow until it looks more like eyeliner.
Why this works:
This creates the illusion that your eye extends lower than it actually does by creating a new line. This is a similar effect to eyeliner, so long as you don’t go all the way to the inner corner.
Tip 5: Don’t judge it until the mascara is on
Applying mascara can be transformative for how your eyeshadow looks. Wait until you’ve added a couple coats of your favorite mascara to upper and lower lashes before making any final decisions about what you think. You can always blend more or lighten crease and undereye colors after.
Why this works:
Mascara lengthens and darkens the eyelashes, which will create contrast, as well as cover up, some of that beautiful eyeshadow work. Plus, long, gorgeous eyelashes really get people’s attention, so they’ll be looking at those lashes, rather than just your eyeshadow. This will make the eyeshadow appear less bold and noticeable.
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What do you think? Have you tried any of these tips? If you love learning about makeup application, you have to check out my list of my favorite makeup books – including the book that started it all for me and was my bible while doing professional makeup.
If you’re looking for more makeup tutorials, we’ve got you covered. You might also like these:
- Contour vs. Bronzer: what’s the difference and how do you use them?
- Skeleton makeup tutorial – great for Hallowee
- Giraffe makeup tutorial – great for Halloween!
- Deer makeup tutorial – A-doe-able for Halloween!
- Pink Mermaid tutorial – genius hack idea!
Have a fabulous day,
E
