Mila Kunis, Sarah Hyland, Zooey Deschanel, Priyanka Chopra, Eva Green, Audrey Tatou have all got one standout feature in common: big, beautiful eyes. Is it any surprise we find them all attractive? We’re wired to view people with bigger eyes as more attractive. Bigger, brighter eyes are viewed as a sign of youth and fertility, meaning if you’ve got larger than average eyes, you’re likely to look more youthful and be an instant hit with the opposite sex. Want bigger eyes? These makeup hacks have you covered.
1. Get even
Dark circles and discolouration around the eyes cast a shadow making your eyes look sunken and smaller. Evening out your skin tone and highlighting the area with a brightening concealer will help open up the area making your eyes look bigger. The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle is soon becoming a cult favourite because of its ability adhere like second skin, nix under eye circles and stay all day without settling into lines.
2. Add definition
Contouring your eyes – yes, that’s a thing – will also make them look bigger. This time you want to use a matte taupe shadow that is a shade or two deeper than your skin tone – just as you would to contour your face. Using a fluffy brush blend the colour into the crease of your eye – just below your brow bone – going from outer corner towards the nose. Adding this extra definition will make it look like you have more eyelid space, making your eyes appear larger. The Naked Basics palette has a variety of shades sure to suit every skin tone.
3. Lighten up
If it’s bigger peepers you’re after, opt for eye shadows with a pearlescent or iridescent finish like those in the Zoeva Rose Golden palette. These reflect light, giving the illusion of bigger eyes. Pale, yellow and rose gold shades look gorgeous on tanned and deeper skin tones, while silver and pink shades will complement lighter complexions.
4. Curl your lashes
Always, always curl your lashes. It may seem like an extra step, but curling your lashes makes your eyes look wider and more open a la Princess Jasmine or Ariel. You don’t see them with straight lashes do you? Besides, straight lashes can cast a shadow negating all your efforts at concealing.
5. Add mascara
Once you’ve curled your lashes its imperative to add mascara. Pick one like the Benefit Roller Lash mascara that will hold the curl and then go over it with a lengthening formula like the Urban Decay Perversion mascara – there is no such thing as too much mascara. And definitely apply mascara to your bottom lashes as well to accentuate that wide, doe-eyed look.
6. Add falsies
If your own lashes are stubby and no amount of curling or mascara will do the trick, there’s always false lashes. Pick a pair that offers length, volume and curl without looking OTT. The Illamasqua Captiva No 14 lashes give your eyes a naturally wide-eyed look. You can also add a few individual lashes on the outer one-third of your eyes to give them a flattering shape.
7. White out
To eliminate any redness and ensure the whites of your eyes look brighter, line the lower waterline with a flesh toned pencil. I prefer to use a spot-concealing pen like the VOV Skin Cover pencil which I have from ages ago or the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil aptly named Walk of Shame which launched with their summer collection. Not only will this brighten the whites of your eyes, it also makes them look bigger. I find concealer pens more suited to deeper skin tones as they don’t look as stark against the rest of your complexion.
8. Line it
While black eyeliner may make your eyes look smaller when applied on the waterline, the exact opposite is true for when you apply it to the outer corners of your eyes. Starting at the outsides of your eyes, outline your eyes tapering the line as your get to the inner corners. Defining your eyes in this manner gives the illusion of big, almond-shaped eyes. Try the Nudestix Magnetic Eye colour in Night that doesn’t smudge as the day (or night) progresses.
9. Highlight
Another easy way to instantly open up your eyes is to add a dab of highlighter to the inner corner of your eyes. Pick a highlighter that suits your skin tone: those with pale skin tones can opt for rose gold highlights, while pale gold highlighters will flatter those with medium to deep skin tones. The MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Stick in Crème Filled works well with a variety of skin tones.
10. Shape up
It’s essential to pay attention to your brows when you want your eyes to look bigger. Make sure to tweeze or thread any stray hair, and shape them is to give them a soft arch. Next, add a dab of highlighter to the brow bone and blend – this helps accentuate the brow, giving the illusion of space and making your eyes look bigger.
THE BEAUTY DESK 