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How to Make Your Eyes Look Bigger: 5 Tips and Techniques

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Apr 12, 2022 • 3 min read

You can create a striking, doe-eyed look that lengthens the natural shape of your eyes with makeup and skincare tricks. Learn how to make your eyes look bigger with these makeup artist hacks and tips.

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6 Tools and Makeup Products to Make Eyes Look Bigger

The key to making your eyes appear bigger is using beauty tools and makeup products that calm inflammation, even the skin tone, and extend the length of the eyes.

  1. 1. Eyelash curler: Using an eyelash curler lifts your lashes and makes your eyes appear bigger. To use a lash curler, hold the curler open and secure your lashes between the padded base and top of the curler. Position the curler as close to the root of your upper lash line as possible without tugging the skin of your eyelid. Gently close the curler and hold for about ten seconds to lift the lashes.
  2. 2. Concealer: Adding concealer to your under-eye area covers dark circles, illuminates the eyes, and evens out the complexion. Obscuring dark circles and discoloration helps brighten the eyes and make them appear bigger. Select a concealer that is lighter than your foundation, and gently dab a pea-sized amount around your entire eye area.
  3. 3. Gua sha: Your eyes appear smaller when the under-eye area is puffy or inflamed. De-puffing your under-eye area helps soothe inflammation and enhance your natural eye shape. You can use a gua sha, a beauty tool made of semi-precious stone, to massage and de-puff the eye area. Apply an eye cream or oil to the eye area, and place the gua sha near the inner corner of your eye. Gently trail the gua sha along your under-eye area up to the temple. Repeat this motion three times on each side to reduce puffiness.
  4. 4. Liquid eyeliner: Drawing a thin line across your upper lash line with liquid liner and extending it past the outer corner of the eye can elongate the eye.
  5. 5. Mascara: Choose a volumizing or lengthening mascara for your upper lashes. By increasing the length of the lashes, mascara creates the illusion of bigger, more open eyes. You can also use false lashes to make your eyes look bigger.
  6. 6. Shimmer eye shadow: Light eye shadow colors, especially shimmer shades, reflect the light, brightening your eye area and making the eye area seem bigger. Applying a shimmer eye shadow to the inner and outer corners of your eyes can illuminate and extend your eye shape.

How to Make Your Eyes Look Bigger: 5 Tips and Techniques

Try these makeup tips to create the illusion of bigger eyes:

  1. 1. Apply light colors to your lower lash line. Apply light eyeliners, such as white or nude eyeliner, to your lower waterline—a technique called tightlining—to extend the look of your eyes. Extend the white eyeliner from your inner eye area to your outer eye for a more dramatic effect.
  2. 2. Apply dark eye shadow to your eye crease. Add definition to your eyelid with a deep brown eye shadow. Apply a dark matte eye shadow along your natural crease, blending the pigment upward and outward. A dark brown shade creates a shadow, giving your eyelid depth.
  3. 3. Highlight the eye area. Applying highlighter to different parts of your eye area can also add depth and dimension to your eyes. Start by adding a highlighter right below your brow bone, then add shimmery highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes and to the center of your lids to make your eyes pop.
  4. 4. Layer mascara. Apply mascara at the root of the upper lashes, working the mascara wand upward to open the eyes. Layering two to three coats of mascara magnifies its effect and makes the eyes appear bigger. You can also add a layer of mascara to your bottom lashes to extend your eyes out more.
  5. 5. Trace liquid liner along the upper lash line to the outer corners. Try a cat-eye makeup look to extend the shape of your eye. Apply liner across the top of your eye along the waterline, extending it past the outer corner of your eye.

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