If you want big, bright eyes to make everyone stop and stare, look no further, collegiettes. There are a few simple tricks to make your eyes look bigger and more awake so you can achieve that innocent, doe-eyed look.
1) Do your normal makeup routine, and make sure to apply under-eye concealer.
Apply your foundation and concealer as you normally would. However, make sure you don’t skimp on under-eye concealer! Your skin pales as the temperature drops in winter, making dark circles under your eyes more noticeable. Covering up any dark shadows will make your skin look fresher and draw more attention to your eyes.
2) Choose a neutral-colored eye liner.
Choosing a neutral shade like black, gray or brown will look very natural and bring attention to your eyes. I’m a fan of packing a punch with colored eyeliner, but if you want to make your eyes look naturally bigger, it’s best to go with a simple shade.
3) Line your upper lash line, starting where your eyelashes begin and extending a little beyond the outer corner.
Instead of starting your liner at the very inner corner of your eye, start where your eyelashes begin. If you blend in the liner, your lash line will look naturally darker and increase the contrast against your eyes, making them look bigger.
4) Do not line your waterline! Line your lower lash line, and stop about three-quarters of the way from the outer corner to the inner corner of your eye.
In the same way that making your upper lash line look naturally darker will brighten and enlarge your eyes, so will lining your lower lash line. While lining your waterline can be an intense look, it distinctly sets a closed definition for the size of your eye. Instead, take your liner and start at the outer corner of your eye. Your lower lash liner should meet the tip of your upper lash liner at the outer corner of your eye. Then, line right under your bottom eyelashes, until about three-quarters of the way in. Do not line all the way to the inner corner of your eye. Stopping right before your tear duct is usually a good marker. Make sure you blend your lower liner, so that there is no space in between your lower lashes and your liner. Your eyes will now look much more open, and they will pop against the darkness of your lashes and liner.
5) Curl your lashes.
Lashes are very important in achieving a doe-eyed look. Having long, thick eyelashes that curl up and away will make your eyes look open and large. However, if you don’t like to curl your lashes, you can replace this step by using a curling mascara, like Clinique’s High Impact Curling Mascara.
6) Use both a volumizing mascara and a lengthening mascara to create thick, long lashes.
If you didn’t curl your lashes, make sure that your volumizing mascara is also a curling mascara. Once you have your two mascaras of choice, first apply the volumizing mascara, making sure you wiggle the brush to avoid clumps. Next, before the mascara dries, apply your lengthening mascara. The types of bristles on lengthening mascara brushes will also help to eliminate any clumps.
For your lower lash line, just use the volumizing mascara. If you have long lower eyelashes, pinch off the tips to make sure you don’t get spider-looking lashes.
7) Line your water line with a light, matte color, like tan or white.
If you line your water line with a light color like tan or white, it will make your eyes pop. Tan gives you a bit of a more natural look, while white—depending on your skin tone—can look a little more deliberate. Make sure that you are not using a liner that has sparkles in it. If you’re having trouble finding a liner, Tarte’s Emphaseyes Inner Rim Brightener is a good one to go with.
Voila! You now have big, open eyes with long, luxurious lashes to boot.
If you’re a girl on the go, check out these five ways to minimize your makeup bag!
Photos courtesy of: theberry.com, stylecraze.com.
Edited by: Lauren Medwid