7 Eye-opening Makeup Tricks That Work Better Than A Shot of Espresso

We know it’s really hard to pull yourself out of a warm bed every morning, and it’s even harder to not look exhausted when you wake up with your eyes on the swollen and tired side. Rather than wishing the day away or getting three shots of espresso, there are a few simple things you can do to help your eyes look wide awake and refreshed.

Step 1: Brighten Under-eye

This is the first step, but also the most important step.

Firstly, mix your favorite eye cream with a little tinted moisturizer, and gently tap it around your eyes, over the lid, and along your lash line.
Then, dab a peach-toned concealer, start at the corner of each eye, tap in a V-shape below your eyes and gently blend it in with your fingers. This will perfectly cover up your dark circles or any other imperfections. Then, we can continue on to the following steps.

Recommendations: we suggest using a gentle and cooling eye cream like Clinique’s All About Eyes, IT Bye Bye Under Eye or Fresh Black Tea Age-delay Eye Concentrate.

Step 2: Wear Bra for Eyes - Curl Lashes

Celebrity makeup artist Kira Nasrat describes curling lashes as “wearing a bra for your eyes”.

Before you touch any other products, remember to curl your lashes. This step only takes five seconds or less but it will really open up your eyes. We recommend using a light hand and apply light pressure from the base of lashes and the middle point, so to avoid hurting any lashes.
Tip: heat your eyelash curler with a hairdryer before curling lashes will result in a stronger style.

Recommendations: Shu Uemura, Shiseido, Koji are very popular choices for eyelash curlers.

Step 3: Use Matte Light Brown Eye Shadow Instead of Black Eyeliner

You may think that dark shadow will make your eyes look smaller, but the right color placed correctly will do the opposite. Using a stiff brush and simply sweep a sheer layer of neutral matte eye shadow (we recommend light brown one) along your lashes, which can make your eyes look wider and bigger, and also hide your concealer.
Tip: you can sweep a sheer layer of shadow below your bottom lash line, sticking to the outside third of your eye, the wider impact will be more obvious and natural.

Recommendations: you can find brown eye shadow from all beauty brands, here we recommend Nars, Bobbi Brown and Dior.

Step 4: Apply Nude Eyeliner To Your Waterline

Maybe this is the oldest trick in the book, but it is still quite useful for women.

Step 5: Apply Mascara with A Fan Brush

Have you heard of the fan brush? If the answer is no, you really should have a try!
It is quite a useful and popular makeup tool which could help to concentrate your mascara on the roots of lashes and make them lighter at the ends.

The only thing you need to do is simply run a fan brush over your mascara, then gently wiggle the brush from the roots to the tips of your lashes, then you will see the eye-opening and lifting effect.

Recommendations: Sephora, MAC and Sigma lash brush are suitable for makeup beginners.

Step 6: Highlight Inner Corners

This step is optional. You can choose to skip it if you’re short on time.

Put some champagne eye shadow (or highlighter) on the tip of your finger, close your eyes and center it over your tear ducts, or you can use the brush to apply it to the inner corners of your eyes.

Recommendations: try Bareminerals, IT Cosmetics, ELF Cosmetics for eye highlighter.

Final Step: Brush Eyebrows Up

Don’t forget to brush your eyebrows up!

Take an eyebrow gel or brush to brush your brows up and out. If your eyebrows are light, just fill them in with a soft pencil or eyebrow powder to make a natural effect before this step.

Recommendations: Bobbi Brown, MAC and Makeup Forever are common choices of eyebrow gel.