For a big night out, we love a look that really makes our eyes pop. From which shadows to use to how to maximize the effect of false lashes, Kira Nasrat, lead resident makeup artist at Violet Grey, shared some of her best-kept eye-opening tricks to achieve that gorgeous, doe-eyed effect—get ready to bat your lashes.
Mascara & More
L to R: Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes, Serge Lutens Comb Mascara, Johnson's Baby Powder
First, soak the tube in warm water—this will help to remove clumps from the formula. Next, sprinkle a bit of baby powder on your lashes to plump them before putting on any product. When applying your mascara, concentrate the formula in the center of the lashes on both top and bottom for an eye-opening effect. If wayward mascara gets on your top eyelid, use a smudge brush to blend it into the lash line as a diffused top liner—this will further add to the doe-eyed effect and amp up definition.
Falsies For The Win
Clockwise from top: Velour Lashes You Complete Me Mink Lashes, Rubis Straight Tip Eyelash Tweezers, Velour Lashes Cluster-Holic Mink Lashes
The easiest way to achieving high-impact, eye-opening drama is via faux lashes. Before applying falsies, wrap your lash strip around the handle of a makeup brush to give it some curve—this will allow it to better form to the shape of your eye. For easier application, cut the strip into halves or thirds. When you're ready to apply, wait a few seconds for the glue to get tacky on the strip before adhering to your lashes. Use Rubis' surgical-grade stainless steel tweezers to get the lashes precisely in place—its straight pointed tip helps grip the lashes by the hair with no slippage. If strips are too intimidating, try individual lashes instead, using the shorter clusters closer toward the inner eye corner and gradually getting bigger as you go outward.
Throw Some Shade
Clockwise from top: Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color, Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Liquid Eye Pencils, MAC Eye Shadow, Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Eyeshadow Palette
Adding a dab of shadow to the inner corners of the eye adds instant luminosity to the face—Kira recommends MAC Eye Shadow in Shroom as the best highlighter. To make your eyelids appear larger, draw Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rosegold into the top lash line and blend. Next, work Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Cream into your waterline for an added brightening effect. If you like to play with color, swapping your basic black or brown eye liner for a navy blue hue will make the whites of your eyes really pop. For a smokier effect, Tom Ford's eye shadow quad in Golden Mink lends a warm, shimmering wash of color without being too intense (super-dark colors can sometimes close up the eye if not applied properly).
