8 clever eye makeup tricks to make eyes look bigger

I love my mother and grandmother dearly (and unconditionally, let me point out – hi, mum!), but it’s because of them that I have teeny, tiny eyes. Teeny, tiny eyes that almost look asleep if I either a) apply my eye make-up the wrong the way or b) don’t wear any eye make-up at all. Thanks, genetics.

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Since I know I’m not the only one who wants doe-like eyes (thanks, Disney!), here are some very clever tricks you can try to make your peepers look a whole lot bigger than they actually are. Once we’re done, you can pretty much call yourself a master of optical illusions.

#1: Ditch the dark circles

Those dark semi-circles under your eyes make you look more tired. The trick is to neutralise the colour and add some radiance to make your eyes pop.

Start with a peach-coloured concealer – it's just the right hue to soften the darkness under your eyes – and apply it from the outer corner of your eye across your bottom lash line to the inner corner, and then down the side of your nose to the midpoint. Now, join the line from your nose to the outer corner and you’ve got a triangle to fill in. Then, go over it with your regular concealer. Use a product like the jane iredale Circle Delete Concealer in #2 because it has both colours.

Finish by applying illuminating concealer to brighten up the area. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat contains little particles to capture the light, leaving your under-eye area looking more radiant.

#2: Make your crease more obvious

The more defined your crease line, the bigger your eyes look. If you’re opting for a ‘no make-up make-up’ look, use an eyeshadow that’s a shade or two darker than your skin tone. If you’re wearing a little more coverage, use one that’s a bit darker than your base colour. To make the effect look subtle, use a large, fluffy eyeshadow brush (like Lancôme Soft Blending Brush 05), and gently sweep the colour from the middle of your eye to the outer corner.

Handy hint for hooded lids: Your crease may get lost when you open your eyes, so try faking it by applying the shadow just above the crease line.

#3: Add curl

The extra step in the morning seems unnecessary, but curled lashes will actually open your eyes right up and make them appear wider and more open (so those highly opinionated people won’t ask if you’re tired).

#4: Tactically highlight

Using a pearly white, silver, or gold eyeshadow or a highlighter on the centre of your lids, on the inner corners of your eyes, and under your brow bone can make your eyes look bigger and more awake. Just remember that less is more – a gold stripe under your eyebrows might look a little out of place in ‘real life’.

#5: Learn how to line

When using black or dark eyeliner, always make your line thicker as you work your way to the outer corners on your top lash lines. Also, if you’re going to line your bottom lash lines, don't line from corner to corner as this will make your eyes look even smaller. Instead, take your line from the outer corners to about one third of the way across.

#6: Lighten your waterline

When it comes to small eyes, applying black eyeliner on your bottom waterline is a massive no-no. Instead, use a white or cream liner, preferably a waterproof one. The light colour will make your eyes seem larger and more vibrant. Use the Chi Chi Double Ended Eye Brightener to save time – the matte colour is perfect for the waterline and the shimmer highlighter will help you with trick #4.

#7: Try a tightline

Tightlining is a technique where instead of lining your lid, you line under the top lash line. By doing this, lashes seem like they start a bit further back, making your eyes look a bit bigger.

#8: Don’t forget mascara

Apply one-to-two coats of lengthening mascara to extend your lashes and fan them out. You can also try a fibre lash mascara, like ModelCo Fibre Lash, to give your lashes extra length and oomph.

Do you have small eyes? What do you do to try to make them look bigger?