Beauty trends come and go (remember that dark liner and light lipstick?), but big eyes have always been the ideal. And while some lucky ladies have been blessed with huge peepers (cough, Emma Stone, cough) others of us remain challenged when it comes to making our eyes pop. Luckily, a slew of cosmetics and a few tricks can help you create instant doe eyes. Truly. Here, makeup artist Jeni Lee shared with us her step-by-step application process to have you looking like a deer in the headlights (in the best way) in no time.
1. Nude-ify your lids
Apply a matte nude shadow over the entire lid, as this will even out your coloring and create a good starting base.
2. Apply eyeliner
Lightly line the upper and lower lids from the inner corner to the outer corner with a soft brown or taupe eye liner. Apply the eyeliner a little heavier on the outside corners to make your eyes look longer rather than rounded.
3. Line under your eyes
If you aren't one to use dark eyeliner on your lower lash line, take a neutral or white pencil and trace there instead—this will brighten your eyes. But if you do prefer a darker lower line, do a few extra strokes towards the edge of your outer eye for a wider-looking gaze.
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4. Add depth
Apply another shadow a shade or two darker than the nude used in step 1 to your crease and use your finger to blend the color up toward your eyebrow.
5. Highlight
Using a highlighter or white powder, dab the inner corners of your eyes. To draw more focus to your eyes, use the highlighter under your brow bones as well.
6. Coat your lashes
The bigger and thicker your lashes, the more attention your eyes will command. Curl your lashes and then apply a few coats of black mascara. If you really want to commit to the look, consider investing in fake lashes.
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I'm a writer and editor based in New York City. I love a good coat, a well-articulated feminist rant, and face masking (yes, that’s a verb) like it’s nobody’s business.
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