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Create the Illusion of Bigger Eyes with Makeup

Jul/22/2021 / by Melanie Fourie
makeup for small eyes
Image courtesy of Pixabay

Even though small eyes are gorgeous, you may want your eyes to pop when trying out a new eye makeup trend. There are several techniques you can use to make your eyes look bigger, and you don’t need to be an expert to make it happen. Just a few tweaks here and there to your makeup regimen can make all the difference. Here’s a guide on makeup for small eyes. 

Steps on Applying Makeup for Small Eyes

  1. Prime your eyelids with a good primer like Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Hydra Prep
  2. Apply a concealer over your eyelids as a great base to work with. Use a highlighter in the inner corners of your eyes, underneath your brow bone, and the center of your eyelids. This creates the illusion of lifted, big eyes.
  3. When using the concealer, ensure that you conceal under your eyes too. If your skin is exceptionally uneven across your eyelids, you may need to use a color corrector as well. 
  4. Don’t forget to define and shape your eyebrows, as this can help enhance your eye area.     
  5. Try to steer clear of black eyeliner, as this tends to make small eyes appear smaller. You can use a nude eyeliner instead, to help open up your eyes, and make it look more natural. 
  6. Use white eyeliner as well to make your eyes appear larger. If you’re a fan of the cat eye look, then white eyeliner is for you, as using white eyeliner here makes your eyes seem brighter and bigger. 
  7. If you still want the best of both worlds, and prefer to use black eyeliner, then use the white eyeliner as a double liner with the black. Simply draw your black eyeliner line as you normally do, then use your white eyeliner to trace along the upper end of your black eyeliner. This creates a softer line. 
  8. For an even bigger illusion, use your white eyeliner to create layers between two eyeshadow shades. To do this, draw a line with your white liner over the top end of your crease, and a bit past your lid. Create the illusion of even bigger eyes with some longer length false eyelashes. Make the white liner pop even better, by drawing a straight white line across your upper lash line. 
  9. Don’t forget your false eyelashes, as this will definitely draw lots of attention to your eyes. 
  10. If you want to make eyes look bigger, then simply tweak your eyeshadow technique. If you’re wondering how to do this, just start by defining your crease more. This gives the illusion of deeper set, larger eyes. 
  11. You should also utilize an eyeshadow three times darker than your natural skin tone and contour your crease with that. Contouring your crease moves attention toward your eyes and makes them appear larger.
  12. Select an eyeshadow palette with several eye-catching colors, as opposed to using just a single shade. Multiple eyeshadows also create the illusion of depth, making eyes appear larger. 
  13. If you want your eyes to look like it’s more opened up or doe eyed, apply mascara to your bottom lashes. You should also apply a few strokes of mascara to your upper lashes, or over your false eyelashes. This lends dramatic effect and makes your eyes pop even more. 

Products You Will Need for This Look

  • Primer 
  • Concealer 
  •  A highlighter 
  • A color corrector 
  • White eyeliner 
  • An eyeshadow palette
  • Mascara 

Tips on Applying Makeup for Small Eyes

  • One surefire makeup product to make eyes bigger is a liquid eyeliner. Line your upper lash line thicker than you would normally, to give your eyes an instant pop. 
  • You can also use a method called tight-lining, where you line your upper lash water line. Note that this is sometimes referred to as invisible eyeliner, as you don’t see it. What you do however see is the base of your eyelashes appearing thicker. This creates the illusion of lifted and bigger eyes. You can use a gel eyeliner for this technique. 
  • Use a colored eyeliner over the tight-lining eyeliner on your upper lash line, to accentuate your eyes more. 
  • Avoid using dark eyeliner at the corner of your eyes, as this will just make smaller eyes look more closed in. Instead, opt for a light colored or shimmery liner for the inner corners of your eyes. 

FAQs

How do I make my eyes look bigger?

If you want to make your eyes look bigger, you need to make a few adjustments to your makeup regime. For instance, you could use an eyeliner along your upper lash line to create an illusion of bigger eyes, via tight-lining. Be sure to prepare your eye area adequately with primer, color corrector, or concealer first. Highlight the corners of your eyes to create a more open look too. Remember that your brows should be shaped properly, as this helps make your eyes pop more. You can also apply mascara to both your lower and upper eyelashes, as this makes your eyes stand out more. When it comes to eyeshadow, try to contour your crease, to draw more attention to your eyes. You should also use multiple shades from your eyeshadow palette to create an illusion of greater depth. 

What color eyeliner makes your eyes look bigger?

Avoid black eyeliner, as this has been known to make eyes appear smaller. Remember that black eyeliner applied to the corners of your eyes, can make them appear closed in. The best eyeliner for small eyes would be colored, nude, or white ones. Nude eyeliner gives your eyes a bigger, more natural look. Colored eyeliner also looks brighter than black eyeliners, and therefore draws more attention to your eyes. This is great if your eyes are small, and if you are trying to get them to stand out more. Also, if you use white eyeshadow between varying layers of eyeshadow, you can create the illusion of larger eyes with more depth. False eyelashes add dramatic effect, and are the perfect accessory to help make your eyes stand out more.

Does eyeliner on top make eyes look bigger?

Yes, applying eyeliner at the top of your eyes, does create the illusion of bigger eyes. When you apply the eyeliner, try applying it a bit further away from your lash line. This will make the overall shape look rounder or more oval shaped. 

How do I apply eyeliner to make my eyes look bigger?

Use eyeliner wisely when trying to make your eyes appear bigger. You should avoid black eyeliner if possible. Try to apply your white eyeliner the same way you would normally apply a black eyeliner. You can use white eyeliner to create a cat eye wing, or along your lower and upper lash lines for a bigger look with more dramatic effect.