“Eye contact is a fundamental aspect of communication, intimacy and a sign of honesty,” says Kay Montano, makeup artist and Chanel beauty ambassador. “Your eyes also reveal your state of mind more than any other feature on your face, so perhaps this is why, in this particular crisis, the main makeup focus is on the windows of the soul. There’s no better way to represent an enthusiastic outlook than with perky lashes and a chic flick.” Now is the time to experiment, with bright colours, a formula switch-up or simply a new mascara. So, without further ado, here are five easy ways to define your eyes while wearing a face mask.
Brighten
Make eyes bright and engaging with a pop of a lightweight, non-creasing concealer, like Laura Mercier’s Candleglow Concealer & Highlighter, around the eyes: “Apply it minimally to brighten the under and inner eyes,” advises Montano, who advises deploying a half moon shape in the inner corners, patted down until it has melted, seamlessly, into the skin.
Define
Feline flicks are the easiest, most faff-free, way to define your eyes and for that you need a good eyeliner pen. Chanel’s Signature de Chanel Eyeliner Pen is Montano’s choice, since it allows silky application and has a fine tip to begin and end your flick neatly. Other great options include Surratt’s Auto Graphique Liner and Uoma Beauty’s Afro.Dis.Iac Liquid Eyeliner.
And to nail the flick? “Look down into a mirror so that you can clearly see the base of your lashes, then place your eyeliner pen midway along the eye at the root. Follow the line to the last outer lash,” advises Montano. “Then, because there is less product on the pen, begin to carefully apply a finer line onto the inner corners of the lash roots. For the flick itself, face your mirror directly ahead, as if you were looking straight into someone’s eyes, and while keeping this gaze, continue the line outward, ensuring it goes outward and doesn’t curl up.” She recommends keeping a Q-tip handy for any mistakes which, inevitably, we all make.
Curl and lengthen
For mega-watt lashes, try a curler and mascara combo because, yes, the extra step really does work. Montano recommends looking down into your mirror as you curl, placing the flat side of the curler curve onto your eyelid and as close to the root of your lashes as possible (“The curl should start there, not halfway up the lash.”). Kevyn Aucoin’s Eyelash Curler is excellent for this.
Follow with one of a roster of new mascara formulations, which make long, luscious lashes (often quite difficult to achieve) a total breeze. Hourglass’s new Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara creates definition and length and, since it’s a tubing mascara, easily comes off with water; Dior’s Diorshow Iconic Overcurl offers lots of volume and helps shape lashes in a curl; and Chanel’s Volume Stretch de Chanel contains a flexible latex-type film to lengthen and stretch lashes while providing controlled volume.
Experiment
With a wealth of excellent eyeshadow palettes on the market, all that house an array of different hues for every look going, there has never been a better time to experiment with some colour. The new Pat McGrath Labs Mothership VIII: Divine Rose II Artistry Palette is a case in point with a selection of warm, shimmering hues that can be built up for a high impact stare or applied as a wash of light-reflecting colour. Huda Beauty’s Matte & Metal Melted Shadows offer two finishes in one easy-to-apply pen and Trinny London’s Eye2Eye Eye Shades offer an excellent selection of muted tones for the shy shadower. Pre applying, make sure you use a primer, like Hourglass’s Veil Eye Primer, for colour that stays put all day.
Frame your face
To finish your look, ensure you tend to your brows to help frame the eyes. Marc Jacobs Beauty’s new Brow Wow Duo offers a pencil and a tinted gel in one, making it your one-stop-shop for excellent brows. However, if, like Montano, you prefer just a clear gel, look to BBB London’s Clear Brow Gloss, which she recommends brushing through brow hairs straight up at the inner corners, then outward until your desired effect is achieved.
