It’s been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Unfortunately, many of us are walking through life with the curtains drawn! Lack of sleep, allergies, environmental factors, and even spending eight hours a day in a cubicle under fluorescent lights can all contribute to bleary, bloodshot peepers, but there is hope. Try these tips for beautiful, brighter eyes…and a new window on life.
Skin is In
The condition of the delicate skin around your eyes can make or break your look. While smooth, supple skin will highlight your best features, dark circles, bags, breakouts and wrinkles can minimize the impact of even the prettiest eyes. Curb breakouts on sensitive skin by choosing products with the right ingredients. While harsh chemicals like alcohol will inflame tender skin, ingredients like aloe and milk proteins can smooth bumps and redness away. Pick products designed for sensitive skin and use them sparingly. Another skin soothing tip: pat the eye area with a cotton ball soaked in milk or chilled chamomile tea, both of which help ease inflamed skin and remove redness.
For dark circles, gently pat a neutral or yellow-toned concealer underneath the eyes to help counteract blue and brown tones. Apply foundation to upper eyelids to give your eyes an even tone and help makeup last longer. The skin around the eye area is extremely delicate and prone to wrinkling over time. To minimize the effects of aging, pick soft liners and shadows that glide on and don’t require you to tug or pull at your skin while applying.
Are you waking up puffy? Add a few pillows to your sleep routine to keep your head elevated and extra fluid from collecting around your eyes. Try a cool compress as well to de-puff the tender skin around your eyes before you get ready for the day. Still swollen? Check your diet. How much sodium are you taking in day-to-day? Salt is a sneaky culprit that causes you to bloat and retain water all over your body.
Rabbit eyes
We all have bloodshot eyes from time to time for a variety of reasons, but here are a few ideas that can help. By now you’ve surely heard that staying hydrated is a key to looking better and having more energy, but drinking enough water throughout the day can keep your eyes working and looking better too. Because the eyes (like the rest of the body) are composed mainly of water, dehydration can cause blurred vision and bloodshot or dull looking eyes. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink; by this time you’re already dehydrated. Instead, keep drinking water throughout the day to keep those come-hither eyes at their best.
As tempting as it may be to use eye drops that promise to “get the red out,” an artificial tear product is better. Products that make the eye less red do so through chemicals that constrict the vessels along the surface of the eye, which in the end makes eyes drier. Although results aren’t as instantaneous, it’s better to use a natural eye drop without chemicals to keep eyes moist and bright.
Shadow Boxing
Even after pulling an all-nighter at work or with the kids, you can still look alert and ready to take on the world. Sweep an ivory or bone colored eye shadow along your brow bone (just under your eyebrow) to immediately open the eye area and make you look more alert. It’s like an instant facelift! Another trick to try: use a light colored shimmery or iridescent shadow on the inner corners of your eyes, both upper and lower lids. Shadow placed here will catch the light and really make your eyes pop. Add a little shimmer to your cheekbones while you’re at it to help open the eye area. One word of caution – too much sparkle can emphasize fine lines and make anyone look dated so use shimmery shadows strategically in one or two spots instead of all over.
Eyeliner is another friend for the weary. Use a white eyeliner along the inner rims of the eyes, both upper and lower, to make eyes appear larger and brighter or try a navy blue eyeliner along the lashline to help bloodshot eyes appear whiter.
Lash Out
Long, lush eyelashes make eyes appear larger and add that finishing touch to a polished look. Ask any make-up artist, and chances are this is what you’ll hear: when it comes to big, beautiful eyes an eyelash curler is a girl’s best friend. Gone are the days of scary metal contraptions reminiscent of torture devices from the Spanish inquisition. Today, eyelash curlers come in a variety of styles, including user-friendly plastic versions and self-heating curlers for that added oomph. Still not convinced? Try one of the new curling mascaras now available to bend your lashes skyward, and be sure to look down while you’re applying it to add maximum length to your lashes. False eyelashes have also evolved over time with many salons offering individual eyelash applications customized to suit your eyes that last anywhere from 3-6 weeks.
Raise Some Brows
Have you ever seen a fine work of art in a junky, old frame? The same look applies to you if you don’t maintain your eyebrows. Whether your brows are too thick, too sparse or just out of control, there is hope for you! First, invest in a quality set of tweezers (slanted or angled tweezers are your best bet for easy plucking) then determine what your eyebrows need to look their best.
If you suspect that your brows are too thick, grab a pencil for a quick and easy test. Line the pencil up along one side of your nose. Your eyebrows shouldn’t extend farther than the pencil point toward the inner corner of your eye. Now, tilt the pencil (keeping it anchored at your nostril) until it touches the outer corner of your eye. See where the tip of the pencil extends? Your eyebrow shouldn’t reach farther than this outer point. Word to the wise: go slowly when plucking. Start by cleaning up the underside of the brow, nearest the eye. Don’t worry about shaping a fancy arch right now, but focus on removing stragglers and stray hairs. Pluck sparingly on the upper side of your brows.
Maybe you have the opposite problem: you went a little crazy with the tweezers one afternoon and now you look like Pamela Anderson. Invest in a good eyebrow pencil as close to your brow color as you can find. Now, fill in sparse areas with short, light strokes, remembering to blend as you go. Put your tweezers in a locked drawer for a while. Your eyebrows will grow back in, but it may take several months.
Beautiful, well cared for eyes can dramatically improve your appearance and give you new confidence to face the world. Luckily, keeping your peepers in pristine condition is as easy as taking care of your health and investing in a few beauty tools. No more curtains for you!