Eye-Opening Makeup Tips

October 19, 2016

There’s nothing more spine-tingling than a dancer who can move the audience with a single look. How can you use makeup to amplify that expressive power? We asked makeup artist Chuck Jensen to share three tricks that’ll open and accentuate your eyes onstage.

Lash Out

False eyelashes are your best friend when it comes to creating dramatic eye looks. But rather than long, heavy strips, try using individual false lashes, which you can place strategically to make your eyes look larger. Starting from the center of your eye, apply the lashes out to the corners, using between 4 and 10 lashes on each eye. (Camila is wearing 6.)

Tip: Individual lashes are especially good for performances in smaller spaces, where the audience is closer, because they look more natural than strips—you can nestle them right into your lash line.

Tip: For a more extreme, cat-eyed look, as you reach the outer corner of your eye, angle the lashes slightly outward, rather than straight up and down.

(Lucas Chilczuk)

Line Away

Applying liner strategically to your upper lids is one of the most effective ways to make your eyes look larger. Using a good black liquid liner, create a line that’s as thin as possible in the inner corner of your eye, thickens as it passes the center of your iris, and ends in a dramatic swooped wing.

Tip: When you’re looking in the mirror, your liner should appear to form a continuous line from the inner corner of your eye to the end of your wing. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be continuous when your eyes are closed. If your eyes are almond-shaped, for example, your wing might need to be significantly thicker at the outer corner of your eye to create the right swoop.

(Lucas Chilczuk)

White It Out

White eyeliner can make you appear more awake by seeming to extend the whites of your eyes. Apply white pencil liner generously to the entirety of your lower waterline and to the inner corners of your eyes.

Tip: When using this technique, always apply black mascara to your lower lashes, which will delineate the bottom of your eye.

For a super–doe-eyed look, use all three techniques at once.