3 Eye Makeup Mistakes That Make Your Eyes Look Smaller

If you’re into the beady-eyed look, then do all of the things below. If you’re not, don’t say we didn’t warn you. These three techniques can all make your eyes look smaller.

1. Waterlining.

“Making a tight black line just above your lower lashes can have a shrinking effect,” says makeup artist Pati Dubroff. Instead, shift the line a millimeter south and nestle the pencil between the roots of your lashes. A soft, self-sharpening pencil, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner, is easy to maneuver into the lash line.

2. Using liquid liner

The strict lines created by liquid liner close off the eyes. Ditch the skinny brush and embrace imprecision: Trace your upper lashes with a powder or soft pencil, and smudge the color up and out.

3. Layering on deep, matte shadows

“When the color on the lids is too flat or too dense, the eyes recede,” says Dubroff. “Adding a touch of shimmer to the middle of the lids makes your eyes look wider and brighter.”

3 Eye Makeup Mistakes That Make Your Eyes Look Smaller