Applying makeup to small eyes can be a challenge. Too much eye makeup can make small eyes appear even smaller while too little can cause them to appear insignificant. It's important to strike a happy medium and choose colors that will open up and accent small eyes. Here are some small eye makeup tips that can help give your eyes that extra pop:
Prepare your eyes for makeup
Before applying eye makeup, eliminate any undereye swelling by applying cold compresses to your eyes for ten minutes. A package of frozen vegetables will work well for this purpose. Any fluid retention around your eyes will cause eyes to look smaller.
Begin with an undereye concealer
Dark circles under the eyes can make small eyes recede even more. Always start with a light application of undereye concealer in a shade that's slightly lighter than your natural skin color. This will give the illusion of larger eyes while providing a nice base for eye your shadow.
Choose the right shade of eye shadow
If you want your small eyes to pop, choose an eye shadow shade that contrasts with your eye color. If you have blue eyes, brown shades are flattering and create the kind of contrast that makes eyes look larger and more significant. Purple shades do the same for brown eyes. Never wear a shadow that's the same shade as your natural eye color and avoid choosing a shade that's too dark as this can cause small eyes to recede even more. With small eyes, you need contrast to enhance them. Apply your chosen shade of shadow to the crease of the eye after applying a lighter shade such as a champagne color to serve as a base. The light shade will help to open up the eye and will contrast well with the darker shadow.
Line your eyes carefully
To make small eyes stand out more, keep your line thin and avoid uniformly lining the entire eye. This will make the eye look smaller. Keep the liner concentrated along the outer third of your eye and extend it slightly up beyond the corner to lift and open up your eyes. Avoid using a dark, overpowering shade of liner.
Curl your lashes
Curling your lashes will help to further open up your eyes and make them look larger. Once this is done, apply loose powder to your lashes before applying two light coats of mascara. The powder will prevent clumping which can further overpower your eyes. Apply mascara to upper lashes only to make eyes appear larger.
For evening, you can also apply a light, shimmering shade of eye shadow to the inner corner of your eyelids. This will open up the eyes and add additional sparkle and emphasis.
