Eyes are the window to the soul, so it’s no wonder why people are always searching for ways to make their eyes pop. Eyes of all shapes and sizes are beautiful, but there are a few hacks you can employ if you wish to make yours look a bit bigger. These tips and tricks are not meant to show you how to get “dolly eyes,” but instead will help you achieve a subtle enlarging and doe-like effect using strategic makeup placement. With frequent mask wearing, there’s no better time to nail this look.

Prep

Concealer is the first makeup tool you can use to create large, doe eyes. Conceal all around your eyes to create a light, blank canvas, essentially lightening any existing shadows and moving your eyes forward. Be sure to also conceal the shadows on the sides of your nasal bridge and directly underneath your bottom lashes. 

Now that the canvas has been set, resculpt your eyes using neutral matte eyeshadows. Apply a matte white or light nude eyeshadow (depending on your skin tone) all over your lid to bring it even more to the forefront.

Next, apply neutral brown matte eyeshadow along your existing crease (or slightly higher) to make the “ball” of your eye appear more pronounced - and thus larger. This eyeshadow should be very well blended, so it appears as simply a shadow.

Using that same neutral brown eyeshadow, use a thin makeup brush to accentuate the natural shadow that appears under your eyes when you smile. This further adds to the size of your eyeball. The image below is just meant to show placement, so your version should be much more blended.

 

Finish off your eyeshadow application by dashing a small bit of very light eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes (near the tear duct).

Mascara

Applying a white mascara primer from the roots to the tips of your bottom and top lashes will create an excellent base for colored mascara. The white will also camouflage the lashes in areas where you might not want them to be as prominent, such as the roots (more on this later).

After the white coat dries, apply a volumizing dark brown or black mascara to the tips of the top and bottom lashes, avoiding the roots. For perspective, the white mascara should still be visible about 2mm from the roots. This makes your lashes look like they start further away from the eye, giving the illusion of a larger, more open eye.

Eyeliner

Choose a more natural color of eyeliner, like dark brown, and grab a very thin applicator. Apply a very thin eyeliner line on the top lash line, getting as close to your lashes as possible. Prolong the length of your natural eye shape by continuing the eyeliner just 1-2mm past the outer and inner corners.

Finally, draw a small thin wing that mimics the last eyelash on your eye’s outer corner, but extend it just 1mm higher than your natural lashes. This “false eyelash” naturally lifts the eye upward without the drama and obviousness of “cat eye” eyeliner.

Waterline

Finally, apply a pale nude eyeliner to your lower waterline. Using a nude eyeliner as opposed to white makes the white in your eyes appear even brighter. 

A totally optional final step is to use a few eyedrops, like Visine or saline, to help reduce any eye redness or irritation. This can help your eyes look extra white, bright, and healthy. 

Voilà! Using these tricks your eyes should appear bigger and brighter, while maintaining a more natural look.