Eye Makeup Tips

Focus On Eyes - Tips for Getting Eyes that Will Attract A Double-Take

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

I think my eyes are my best feature, but I'm not great with makeup. Are there some simple makeup tips I can use to emphasize them and make them standout more?

Sincerely,

Window Treatments

April Masini's advice:

Dear Window Treatments,

"The windows to the soul sometimes need window treatments." April Masini

Eyes are one of the most expressive parts of your face, and men love to stare into them. Foreplay starts with a look, a glance, or a sensual stare. Having sexy eyes takes more than a bit of mascara.

Here are some basic rules as well as some helpful tips for eyes that will attract a double-take.

"The Russians love Brooke Shields because her eyebrows remind them of Leonid Brezhnev." Robin Williams

Eyebrows make a huge difference on your face depending on how they are shaped. (Please tell me you pluck your eyebrows.) Using a good tweezers, natural light, and a magnifying mirror, shape the arch of the brow. Be careful not to rush or over pluck. The result will give you a beautiful frame for your eyes.

Trick: Here is a pencil trick you can use to help shape your brows. Hold a pencil on the side of your nose. Your eyebrow should start at the tip of the pencil. Then hold the pencil diagonally, and extend it to the other end of your eye. That is where your brow should end. To determine where the arch should be highest, hold the pencil from the nostril to the outside edge of the iris – and that is the apex of your arch. Ideally, the inner edge of the brow should be equal to your nostril. The space between your brows should be equal to the width of your eye.

Before plucking, brush the eyebrow hair straight up. You may use eyebrow mousse or gel to hold your eyebrows in place when you’re done plucking. If you have an accident and do over pluck, use a brow pencil to lightly color in the missing hair until it grows in by itself. Never shave your eyebrows.

For a quick fix, have your eyebrows professionally waxed or plucked. When you have your bikini line and legs waxed, have the waxing technician do your brows as well. It takes less than five minutes.

Eyeliner is always applied before eye shadow for a more natural look. Neutral tones are classic. Stay away from color that is too trendy and more likely, out of style. Felt tip eyeliners may be too severe on older eyes, and powder pencils give a shadowy look to eyes. Best are cream pencils or fat crayons, which are easy to use and can double as shadow. Liquid eyeliner is something you should save for your most dramatic looks.

Tip: If you have close-set eyes, define the outer corners with eyeliner to draw attention outward. If you have narrow eyes, widen them by emphasizing the outer portion of the top lid and you can also line underneath with a thick, soft line.

You’ll want to avoid shimmering eye make up which emphasizes wrinkles. Another pitfall is a monochromatic look which can be over-kill. Blue shadow, blue mascara, etc. with blue eyes will not give enough contrast to the eye.

Eye shape, placement and color tricks:

Small eyes – use eye shadow in light tones to give the impression of opening your eyes.
Close set eyes – apply color to the outer corners to draw attention out and give the impression that your eyes are further apart. Another trick is to apply lighter shadow at the inner corner of each eye. Do the opposite for wide set eyes.
Deep set eyes – light tones “open” the eye.
Droopy eyes – a darker shadow towards the outer corners of the eyes is most flattering.

Avoid color in the middle of the lid, which just emphasizes the droop.

Tricks: Apply loose powder to your lid with a latex wedge before applying to increase staying power of eyeliner.

Chill your makeup pencils in the fridge or freezer before sharpening to avoid their breaking off.

Mascara should be the last makeup you apply. Apply one coat, let it dry then apply another. Start at the base of the lashes, wiggle the wand horizontally a few times, and then brush the wand out to the tips of your lashes. If you want to use an eyelash curler to curl your lashes, apply your curler before you put on your mascara for 5-10 seconds. Do not wiggle or pull the curler while it is holding your lashes. Mascara color should be brown if your lashes are fair, or black if they’re dark or if you want more contrast. Don’t use brown, green, lavender, blue or anything else that’s trendy. The waterproof type is great if you’re going to have a cry in the movies or a swim in a pool.

Trick: For fatter lashes, apply powder to closed eyes, and then apply mascara.

Hint: Straight wands are better than curved ones. The straight wands allow you to get to the small lashes in the corners of your eyes more easily.

Tip: Don’t throw out your old mascara wands. Clean them in eye makeup remover, and keep them to remove clumps from lashes with too much mascara on them.

Mascara lifespan: Two to three months, tops.