How to... define your eyes with eyeliner | Life

17 Mar 2009

Joy Terri

The function of eyeliner is to define and enhance the eye. But it’s so easy to overpower these generally small features. Let’s think about the following two important points:

Dark shades create illusions of size reduction... we all know this effect on our derriere! So if you apply too much black eyeliner around the eyes, you could be making them smaller or narrower.

Dark stripes and solid lines draw attention, so if your eyeliner is too definite a line, you’ll be having everyone focus on the line and not your eye!

Assess your eye
Look level into a mirror and focus on the inside of the eye (the iris and the white of the eye). Slowly smile bigger and bigger.

Results

Wide: The eye remains wide and open all the time. Eyeliner can be applied to both upper and lower eyelids, from inner to outer corners.

Medium: The eye narrows to halfway closed when smiling. Eyeliner can be applied to both upper and lower eyelids, from inner to outer corners on the top eyelid, but ending about half way on the lower eyelid.

Small or Narrow: The eye is small and/or closes or almost closes when smiling. Eyeliner can be applied to upper eyelids, but the darkest and thickest section should be on the outside corner. On the lower eyelid, only apply at the outer corner.

Now follow the diagram, as well as these easy eyeliner tips and define your eyes without the eyeliner becoming the focal point

Smudge your lines using a cotton-bud or smudge applicator to take away definite edges (or use eye-shadow instead of pencil).

Thin the eyeliner edges more at the inner corners.

If your eyeliner ends before the inner eye corner, soften the end by blending.

Choose charcoal grey or brown for soft day looks if you’re fair.

Only use liquid eyeliner if you can apply a perfect line and thin the ends to fine points.

Eyes are the windows to our souls – now you can attract attention to your eyes, without closing the curtains!

Joy Terri offers a make-up video demonstrating eye make-up. Contact Joy through her website www.beyondartistry.co.za.

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