Give Your Eyes a Boost

Makeup application tips to brighten your eyes.

Play up top lashes.
Droopy top lashes can make your whole eye look like it's sagging. Give the lid a lift by first blending a dark eyeliner along the top lashes (start at the inner corner of your eye and follow the lash line to the outer corner, concentrating the color on the outer third of the lid) and then curling and coating lashes with mascara. Leave your lower lashes bare: Lining them only draws attention to dark circles and makes the eye look smaller.

Use concealer strategically.
If puffy eyes or dark circles make you look like you pulled an all-nighter—even when you've had eight hours' sleep—cover them up with a swipe of concealer in just the right place. Some people are naturally more prone to puffiness (which is caused by fluid retention in the tissue around the eyes) than others, and as the skin ages and loses elasticity the problem can seem more pronounced. The best tactic: Blend a liquid concealer only on the line created by the bag—the swollen area itself doesn't need coverage, says Alison Raffaele, a makeup artist who specializes in cover-up (Skin Alison Raffaele). If dark circles are your nemesis, erase them by blending concealer over the entire eye area—including circles and from lashes to brows—to even out your skin tone and give you a well-rested look. Always use your fingers to apply concealer around the eye; this allows you to achieve a flawless finish.

Brighten up with an eye pencil.
Line the inner rim of your lower lashes with an eye pencil (in white or flesh tones for light skin; in golden tones for dark skin) to erase any redness around your eyes and make whites look brighter and larger. We like Chanel's Line Perfector Face Pencil and Three Custom Color Specialists' Clarifier Pencil. Be sure to blend well so that people will notice your eyes, not the liner.

Pick the right eye cream–and put it on ice.
Creams containing anti-inflammatory ingredients can help reduce puffiness, says Dennis Gross, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. Cucumber extract, caffeine, and vitamin K have been shown to constrict blood vessels and cut down on fluid retention. Refrigerating your eye cream can also help, since the chilled cream works like a cold compress, reducing swelling.