Old Will Shakespeare was right: Your eyes are the windows to your soul—and the first thing people notice about your face.
You want to keep your peepers as attractive as possible. Here are five ways to ensure that people are drawn to your eyes for all the right reasons.
Perk Up Your Undereye Area
First things first: In addition to boosting your health in general, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep (“with a few pillows under your head to avoid fluid settling around your eyes,” suggests Healthline.com) can help reduce eye puffiness. It’s also a good idea to consume less alcohol and/or salt.
In the morning, wake up your face (and the rest of you) with something cold, such as a cool washcloth or a bracing facial bath with ice cubes and cucumber slices.
“A compress of green or black tea bags may also do the trick,” says Healthline. “The tea contains antioxidants and caffeine that can constrict blood vessels.”
After that, you can try some light massage.
The beauty website Foundation Fairy recommends “starting from your inner corners and working your way out.” In addition to reducing puffiness and dark circles, “it’s also a wonderful self-care practice.”
Correctly applied makeup can help reduce the appearance of undereye darkness. Use a concealer that’s a little lighter and warmer than your skin tone to brighten and even out your appearance.
Curl Your Lashes and Shape Your Brows
Before applying anything to your eyelids, get out your lash curler and brow-shaping tools.
Why? “Straight lashes can cast a shadow on the eye area,” according to the beauty subscription service IPSY. “Curling them up will instantly open up the eye area.”
In addition, IPSY says that “a little bit of eyebrow shaping can make a big difference. By creating an arched shape, you're essentially lifting the ceiling of the eye area, allowing it to look bigger and more open.”
After you finish shaping, brush your brows up to enhance the opening effect.
Brighten Your Waterline
While many women think dark eyeliner makes their eyes more alluring, it also tends to make your eyes appear smaller than they are.
To counteract this effect, go to the other end of the scale: Pick an eyeliner in a creamy, neutral shade. This will help your eyes look bigger and brighter.
Define Your Crease
Pair your lighter eyeliner with shadow that’s slightly darker than your natural skin tone concentrated in the crease area.
This works for the same reason you shade your cheeks–it gives your eyes a subtle shaping, opening effect.
Use a fluffed-out brush to sweep the shadow from the outer corners of your eyes into the centerpoint.
Use Eyeshadow Creatively
Don’t put down that eyeshadow brush just yet.
IPSY suggests bringing your shadow close to the browline, which helps open up the lid space. This is especially helpful if your eyes are hooded, with extra skin folding down from the brow bone.
In addition to the darker shadow in the crease, you can overlayer with a brighter, more shimmery or pastel shade. Be sure to blend the layers to avoid the painted-lady look.
Want a strong finish for your eye routine? Add a dab of iridescent shadow at the inner corners of your lids.
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**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
