MAKE-UP TIPS FOR YOUR EYE SHAPE
DEEP-SET EYES
Turning to a classic smoky look might not be your best bet if you have deep-set eyes, as it will only emphasize their already hollow appearance. CoverGirl makeup artist Greg Wencel recommends soft washes of colour to help bring your eyes to the foreground. Use shimmery shadows to attract light and brighten up the area, counteracting the natural shadow effect. How can you make a statement without going smoky? Wencel suggests going bold with brightly coloured shadows.
WIDE-SET EYES
Create the illusion of closer together eyes by drawing attention inward. Try sweeping a coloured, shimmery shadow across the inner half of the eyelid and applying a metallic shade onto the inside corner. Contrast this with a subtle, matte shadow on the outer half of the lid. For an edgier look, Wencel suggests half-lining your inner eye, top and bottom, with a black or coloured pencil. Avoid pairing the reverse-liner technique with a dark hue on the lid. Instead, use an all-over cream shadow in a light- to mid-tone.
Make smaller eyes pop with makeup tricks to help them appear rounder. Wencel recommends lining the inner rim of the eye with a white pencil and using a highlighter on the inner corner and brow bone. Then, apply coloured shadow on the outer corner of the eye and blend it heavily into the crease to create roundness. For an open-eye effect, accent the outer corner lashes by flipping them up with a lash curler and applying a lot of lengthening mascara. To make the lash line really pop, try extensions or falsies to accentuate the outer lashes. What to avoid: kohl-rimming and applying dark shadows that will make your eyes look smaller. Also steer clear of liquid liner and cat eye looks that will add length.
FASHION JUNKIE picks: Smashbox Eye Beam Double-Ended Brightener, $25. At select Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaprix, Murale, Sephora and select independent boutiques throughout Canada. Nars Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara in Black, $30. At The Bay, Holt Renfrew, Sephora and Murale. 
EYE-OPENING TIPS FOR ALL EYES
Regardless of your eye specifics, Wencel shares a few no-fail techniques that will help anyone’s eyes look their brightest and best.
1. Always play up your lashes—the eyelash curler is your best friend. And don’t forget to apply mascara on the bottom lashes, too.
2. Line the inner eye with a white pencil to make it appear larger and more open.
3. Avoid dark shadows, but don’t be afraid to use medium tones that are bright and rich. Shimmery shadows are another great eye-opening option.
4. If your makeup application skills leave a lot to be desired, look for shadow palettes that specify eye colour categories and include step-by-step application instructions. That way, you won’t have to stress about colour choices or how to apply them.
FLARE picks: Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in Milkyway, $4.95. In pharmacies and mass retailers across Canada. L’Oréal Paris Wear Infinité Eye Shadow Quad in Subtle Berries, $10.95. At drugstores and mass-market retailers.
Photos by PR Photos, except for Taylor Swift (Keystone Press).
FAKE IT
You might not be naturally wide-eyed like Bambi, but don’t let that stop you from fluttering your lashes with well-deserved confidence. With the help of some trusty cosmetics and a few pointers from the professionals, you can maximize the beauty of your eyes—no matter their shape, size or positioning—to make them appear bigger and brighter than ever. Read on for dos and don’ts for every eye type.
DEEP-SET EYESTurning to a classic smoky look might not be your best bet if you have deep-set eyes, as it will only emphasize their already hollow appearance. CoverGirl makeup artist Greg Wencel recommends soft washes of colour to help bring your eyes to the foreground. Use shimmery shadows to attract light and brighten up the area, counteracting the natural shadow effect. How can you make a statement without going smoky? Wencel suggests going bold with brightly coloured shadows.
FASHION JUNKIE picks: Christian Dior 5-Colour Iridescent Eyeshadow in Endless Shine, $58.00. At Dior counters nationwide. CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Shadows in Tropical Fusion, $6.99. At mass-market retailers nationwide.
Do (Bottom) Don't (TOP) for Deep Set Eyes
Drawing attention to the inner-eye corners is a big no-no if you have close-set eyes. Instead, play up the outer corners to create the illusion of more space between them. Wencel suggests a timeless cat-eye look, making sure to avoid applying liners and dark shadows on the inner-eye area. Start in the middle of the lash line and extend a liquid liner slightly past the outer corner of the eye, towards the temple, to create a wing tip. For a dramatic evening twist, apply light shadow from the inner- to mid-eyelid and blend darker shadow from the mid- to outer-lid.
FASHION JUNKIE picks: Giorgio Armani Maestro Liquid Eyeliner in Black, $33. At Holt Renfrew. M.A.C. 20 Lash, $16.50. At M.A.C. stores across Canada. DON'T (Bottom) DO (Top)
Create the illusion of closer together eyes by drawing attention inward. Try sweeping a coloured, shimmery shadow across the inner half of the eyelid and applying a metallic shade onto the inside corner. Contrast this with a subtle, matte shadow on the outer half of the lid. For an edgier look, Wencel suggests half-lining your inner eye, top and bottom, with a black or coloured pencil. Avoid pairing the reverse-liner technique with a dark hue on the lid. Instead, use an all-over cream shadow in a light- to mid-tone.
FASHION JUNKIE picks: CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Purple Plume, $8.99. At mass-market retailers nationwide. Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner in Onyx, $22. At select Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaprix, Murale, Sephora and select independent boutiques throughout Canada.
SMALL EYES
Make smaller eyes pop with makeup tricks to help them appear rounder. Wencel recommends lining the inner rim of the eye with a white pencil and using a highlighter on the inner corner and brow bone. Then, apply coloured shadow on the outer corner of the eye and blend it heavily into the crease to create roundness. For an open-eye effect, accent the outer corner lashes by flipping them up with a lash curler and applying a lot of lengthening mascara. To make the lash line really pop, try extensions or falsies to accentuate the outer lashes. What to avoid: kohl-rimming and applying dark shadows that will make your eyes look smaller. Also steer clear of liquid liner and cat eye looks that will add length.
FASHION JUNKIE picks: Smashbox Eye Beam Double-Ended Brightener, $25. At select Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaprix, Murale, Sephora and select independent boutiques throughout Canada. Nars Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara in Black, $30. At The Bay, Holt Renfrew, Sephora and Murale.
DON'T (Bottom) DO (Top)
EYE-OPENING TIPS FOR ALL EYESRegardless of your eye specifics, Wencel shares a few no-fail techniques that will help anyone’s eyes look their brightest and best.
1. Always play up your lashes—the eyelash curler is your best friend. And don’t forget to apply mascara on the bottom lashes, too.
2. Line the inner eye with a white pencil to make it appear larger and more open.
3. Avoid dark shadows, but don’t be afraid to use medium tones that are bright and rich. Shimmery shadows are another great eye-opening option.
4. If your makeup application skills leave a lot to be desired, look for shadow palettes that specify eye colour categories and include step-by-step application instructions. That way, you won’t have to stress about colour choices or how to apply them.
FLARE picks: Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in Milkyway, $4.95. In pharmacies and mass retailers across Canada. L’Oréal Paris Wear Infinité Eye Shadow Quad in Subtle Berries, $10.95. At drugstores and mass-market retailers.
Photos by PR Photos, except for Taylor Swift (Keystone Press).
Anonymous Said,
Being fun and decorative is all good. Accepting yourself and your own personal type of beauty is another thing though.
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 5:34 AM