When it comes to learning how to make eyes look bigger, few understand the craft better than professional makeup artists who’ve spent years perfecting the quintessential doe-eyed gaze. “Doe-eye makeup looks are a favourite of mine,” celebrity makeup artist Tasha Reiko Brown tells Vogue. “Since the early days of ingénues on screen, they’ve been a timeless way to draw attention to the eyes in a softer, more diffused way than a smoky eye.”
It’s true: whether you have small eyes, hooded eyes, round or deep set, the simplest of eye makeup tricks can transform your look from siren or ingenue. “Making the eye appear larger is a delicate endeavour. It all comes down to balancing the natural shape,” celebrity makeup artist Kate Lee tells.
Of course, there are the usual suspects: sky-high lashes, strategic liner, and thoughtfully placed shadow. But there’s a real method behind where each touch of colour goes. “As a sculpting rule, dark shadows recede and highlights bring features forward, so brightening the lid can instantly make the eyes look more awake and defined,” Reiko Brown explains. She recommends avoiding dark tones on the lid and lower lash line. “Instead of black for drama, reach for a warm, light brown with a hint of shimmer,” she says. “Soft, pale greys can also add depth to smaller eyes without closing them in.”
Interestingly, makeup artist Leiya Phinao Ningshen, national artist, M·A·C Cosmetics India, echoes a similar sentiment but takes it further with a soft-smoky approach. “Diffusing kohl along both lash lines for dimension instead of tightlining the inner rims can make the eyes look bigger,” she says. Her approach focuses on smoked-out kohl and strategic blending to enhance width rather than weigh down the eye.
As for lashes, restraint is key and the false-lash look isn’t your friend. “Lashes absolutely help open the eye, but too much mascara (or a heavy strip lash) can weigh everything down and undo the effect,” Lee adds. More on all this below, where both our pros share step-by-step tricks to fake your way to larger-looking eyes.
Get strategic about your concealer placement
A well-placed dab of concealer can work far more magic than you’d expect, especially when applied with intention to subtly open the eyes. Lee suggests tapping a light-toned concealer onto the inner and outer corners for an immediate brightening effect. She’s adamant about choosing a lightweight formula to prevent any creasing around the delicate eye area. A serum concealer is your friend. “Another tip to brighten the eye area, depending on the eye shape and the fullness of the brow, is to apply a little concealer in a light shade just under the arch of the brow,” she says, noting that this trick is particularly effective for those with a naturally arched brow shape.
Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Concealer
MILK MAKEUP Future Fluid All Over Cream Concealer
Natasha Denona HY-Glam Concealer
Apply nude and shimmery eyeshadows
Reiko Brown’s favourite makeup technique for bigger eyes involves picking the perfect eyeshadow shade. She often reaches for a nude, bright, shimmery eyeshadow to create a luminous, uniform backdrop behind freshly curled lashes. “After applying a nude brightening shadow across the lid, I’ll take a shimmer shadow in the same tone and place it on the eyelid just above the iris, as well as on the inner corners,” she explains. “A touch of light in the inner corners can spark an instant awakened effect. When paired with lifted, angled lashes, the whole eye appears wider, fresher and more alert,” she adds. Lee echoes this approach, noting that a grey-toned matte shadow can subtly enhance the socket line without closing the eye in. Ningshen also recommends applying a slightly deeper shade at the outer ‘V’ of the eye and blending it upwards instead of sideways. She explains that even a subtle upward lift in shadow placement can elongate the eye shape and create the illusion of height.
Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mini Clutch Palette
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color
Sisley Les Phyto-Ombres
Curl your lashes to the Gods
Then, of course, there’s the matter of getting your lashes to stand at full attention. “Hold the eyelash curler as close to the base of the lashes as comfortably possible and press, holding until they’re firmly locked into place. Apply two coats of an inky, ultra-black volumising mascara from root to tip, concentrating most of the product at the base,” says Reiko Brown, stressing the importance of starting at the roots of your lashes and wiggling upward as you brush it on. “Keeping the bulk of the formula near the lash line ensures the tips stay light, which prevents the curl from collapsing.”
