In all my years of being a makeup artist, this is one of the questions I get asked the most: How do I use makeup to make my eyes look bigger? Well it’s not as difficult as you might think, especially with my help! I’m here to give you some great tips and pointers to really make your eyes pop.

Here are some key things to remember when making your eyes look bigger:

• Darker on the outside, lighter on the inside:

  This is probably the most important tip to remember! When applying your eye shadow and liner, it’s crucial to keep the light colors on the inner corner of the eye and the darker ones on the outside. Doing so will help to make you’re eyes look much bigger and more open. Remember to blend so you don’t see where the colors start and end, it should be a nice, gradual fade. The darkest color should be at the outer most corner of your eye and fade into your crease. When doing the application, I like to think of the motion I use as a horizontal “V” with the corner part of the “V” matching up with the corner of the eye and to open part of the “V” fading into the crease.

• Shimmer, shimmer!:

  Shimmery eye shadows reflect the light and help bring things out. When making your eyes look bigger, use a very light, or even a white shimmer on the inner most corner of your eye (even underneath) to really open up your eye area. Again, make sure you blend!

• Line it up:

  Liner is essential in helping your eyes stand out. To really make them pop, I like to really focus the liner on the outer corner of the eye and blend inward. You don’t want to be able to see where the liner starts and stops, it should be a gradual fade. It’s totally up to you and your personal preference as far as if you go super defined, or sexy and smudgy on the liner. Make sure to line both on top and underneath for maximum results.

Here’s a fun experiment… Try doing just one eye with the tips I gave and then look at the difference. It really is remarkable what a little makeup can do!

So that’s how to make your eyes look bigger! Don’t worry, you can totally do this! If you’re nervous, then try a neutral version and work your way up to a more dramatic look. Remember, it’s only makeup! If you don’t like something, you can take it off and change it! Just be brave and have fun. You know what they say… the eyes have it!

The eyes are the windows to the soul, so they say, so why not really help them to stand out? A little eye make up is just what the doctor ordered to help pop those peepers with some drama! I know that eye makeup can seem scary, or intimidating, but don’t worry, I’m here to guide you with some super simple tips for dramatic eyes!

The best tip I could ever give you is to not be afraid to experiment and try out something new. I know better then anyone how difficult change can be, but I’ve found that once you try something new and get used to it, more often then not, you wind up loving it. So… be brave!

Doing a dramatic eye doesn’t necessarily mean going super dark. True, the darker the color, the more likely your eyes will stand out, but you can get a very dramatic effect using bright colors, or metallics, you just need to know how and where to use them. (That’s where I come in!)

So, here are some of my best tips for a dramatic eye. Here we go!

• Eye Liner:

  Eye liner is by far, the best tool to use to bring out your eyes. Without it, there really is no drama at all! So line ‘em up, girls! It’s up to you and what look you’re going for as far as what liner you use… a pencil for smokey, a liquid for retro, a gel for defined… the possibilities are endless! The whole idea of eye liner is to bring out your eyes. The best way to apply is to try and get as close to the lash line as possible and use small strokes. You don’t want to see a gap between your lashes and your liner at all. If you’re having a difficult time with that, then try going back and smudging the liner with a Q-tip, or adding some shadow on top. You also don’t want to line your entire eye. Doing so will close off your eye and make it look smaller, and the whole idea is to play up your eyes and make them stand out and look bigger! I like to line just the top, or focus the liner on the outer corner of my eye and blend it inward. For a dramatic flare, try using a different color other then black or brown (your safety net, you can never go wrong with those) like plum, navy, or forest green. I think you’ll find the results quite pleasing.

• Eye Shadow:

  I love eye shadow! I know a lot of you out there are scared by it, but don’t be! Eye shadow can actually change the entire shape of your eye and if the right colors are used, it can make your eye color stand out like no other! As with eye liner, it’s not necessary to uses a super dark color to achieve a dramatic look although it is most effective. If dark and mysterious just isn’t your cup of tea, then try experimenting with brighter colors like blues, greens or purples. Using a brighter shade can definitely help play up the drama with out being so dark. The secret to eye shadow is to remember to blend, blend, blend, and try to keep things darker on the outside and lighter on the inside. Doing so will once again, help to make your eyes look bigger.

• Mascara:

  Oooo! Mascara makes me squeal with happiness! I simply can not live without it! What girl doesn’t want long, fluttery lashes? There’s something so feminine about lovely, long lashes and your dramatic eye is nowhere near complete without it. The bigger, the better! So don’t be afraid to layer it on. To avoid clumping, run a dry mascara brush over your lashes between coats. For the ultra drama black mascara is the only way to go.

Alright you drama queens, now you know the best tips for having dramatic eyes. Remember to have fun and not to be afraid to try something new. Be careful, though… having dramatic eyes is certain to start some serious drama!