Beauty Tutorial: Bright, Awake-Looking Eyes
I am not a morning person. Never have been, never will be. And it shows on my face in the form of dark circles and tired eyes.
Even though I always want to crawl back into my comfy bed and get more rest, I know that with a touch of the right makeup I can instantly fix that problem. As a girl, I know that no matter how tired I am, I always want to look my best. Therefore, here is a tutorial on how to achieve that bright-eyed, wide-awake look. Even if you received zero hours of sleep, with these steps, nobody will be able to tell!
1. Dab concealer underneath your eyes. Make sure to blend well!
Dark circles under the eyes are probably the most obvious sign of a tired student. By concealing those problem areas, you will be amazed how much more awake you look.
A good concealer will brighten up the undereye area and cover any darkness. I personally love any of Maybelline’s liquid concealers but several of my friends swear by MAC’s Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer as well.
Maybelline’s Mineral Power and MAC’s Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer
2. Apply a shimmery skin toned eye shadow all over the eyelid area.
Adding eye shadow that reflects light will instantly help you achieve that wide-awake look. Lack of sleep will leave your eyes looking gray and dull, so brighten them up with a flattering shimmery eye shadow.
There are so many gorgeous eye shadows to choose from so variety should not be a problem. Some great eye shadows that fit the bill include Stila’s Kitten Eyeshadow, which is one of their most famous products and my personal all-time favorite. Also, you could use MAC’s Naked Lunch or Covergirl’s Champagne for a similar look.
Stila’s Kitten, MAC’s Naked Lunch, and Covergirl’s Champagne
3. Line your bottom eyelid with white or cream-colored eyeliner.
By adding white eyeliner to your bottom water line, your eyes will instantly look brighter and larger. However, some people think that white liner looks too unnatural, so try applying a cream-colored liner instead.
For your bottom lashline, you want an eyeliner that is smooth and soft since that area is incredibly sensitive. So if you’re browsing the drugstore aisles, look for kohl eyeliners because these often have a softer application than regular eyeliners. Some of my personal favorites are Rimmel’s Soft Kohl Kajal Eyelinder pencil in Pure White and Stila’s Kajal Eyeliner in Topaz. Both products have an amazing creamy finish and will definitely help your eyes look brighter.
Stila’s Kajal Eye Pencil in Topaz
4. Apply a creamy white shadow to your inner tear duct.
White shadow, applied to the inner corners of your eyes, will reflect light in that area. Combined with the shimmery eye shadow and white cream base, your eyes will instantly look brighter. My personal favorite is Revlon’s Illuminance Crème Eyeshadow in Seashells for its budget-friendly cost and superb quality.
Revlon Illuminance Creme Eyeshadow in Seashells
5. Curl your eyelashes and apply mascara. You’re finished.
My eyelash curler is one of my most prized makeup tools. With one small squeeze, my eyes instantly look more open and awake. Trust me ladies, I know these tools can look quite frightening but they’re quite useful.
Try using the cult favorite Shu Umuera Eyelash Curler, or if you’re on a budget Revlon’s Eyelash Curler produces similar results. Then swipe on your favorite black mascara and you’re good to go!
Shu Uemura and Revlon Eyelash Curlers
Your thoughts?
Do you struggle to wake up in the morning like me? What is your typical morning makeup routine to help yourself look more awake? I could always use some extra tips!
Also, for those of you who read my last post, I recently got a pedicure with OPI’s Mad as a Hatter on the tips. It actually looks pretty cool! It is definitely something new so you all should try it sometime!
Posted on on January 27, 2010 / Filed Under: Beauty & Hair / Tags: Beauty, Cover Girl, Eye Shadow, eyelashes, eyeliner, Makeup, Revlon, Shu Uemera, Stila, Tips, Tutorial
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Vicky
Very good, I do this all the time and it works.
JG
I am totally not a morning person either. I actually do all of those things to make myself “appear” awake except instead of applying concealer under my eyes, I use a brightener/corrector. I’m kind of obsessed with it because it’s the only product I’ve ever used that makes my dark circles completely disappear with just a dab. I use the Bobbi Brown corrector in Bisque.
Also, blush is a good way to appear more awake to add a little color to your face. Any pinkish tone should do!
Great post!
Catherine
Wow, I will totally try this, this morning. As you can see I’m not a morning person either. Thanks for the tips!
Elizabeth - University of Missouri
LOVE CoverGirl’s Champagne- a great drugstore alternative to Stila’s Kitten!
Also, a few weeks ago I layered Mad As A Hatter over a purple nail polish when I was getting a pedicure… It looks awesome. It reminds me of outer space haha.
s.
I tried this right after you posted…
I rarely ever wear cover up or eyeshadow..
but WOW what a difference.
This is my new morning routine.
Thanks so much!!
Madeleine
I hate waking up in the mornings because my bed is just so unbelievably comfortable! Awake-looking eyes are not really a top priority of mine. If my eyes look wide-awake then great but if I look tired I really don’t care because I usually am truely tired but then again, so is everyone else.
jitushka
Maybe I’ll try it… I’ve got dark cirkles all the time. My mom too…
Grace
My sister introduced me to this stuff the other day- Olay touch of foundation moisturizer.
http://www.olay.com/boutique/totaleffects/products/te1015
I used it for the first time this morning- buy it. I have really good skin so I don’t need much coverage, but if you need more coverage, put powder over it. It’s really awesome and I definitely recommend it to look brighter any morning.
Lindsay
love this post! great suggestions! have you ever tried benefit’s high beam? it works really good as a highlighter. it’s kind of pricey, but will last foreverrrrr :)
Kirsten
This was perfect timing! I had an awful sleep and woke with the worst bags and only a few minutes to spare for a morning class.
I also heard that using a cream with vitamin K in it is supposed to be very helpful for bags under eyes, and that applying this the night before or the morning of will make your eyes naturally brighter. I’ve used “vita-k” in the past and found it works to some degree.
Different
The one about cream eyeliner is a great tip.
I actually tried it this week before i saw your article and my eyes looked better.
Sherry
i would never wear maybelline, covergirl, or rimmel, because they test on animals, but that’s just me i guess.
luckily revlon doesn’t! neither does physician’s formula.
do you think college fashion could feature more animal-friendly items? i’m no peta fanatic or anything, but i think backing up these products is just as bad a backing up a fur company.
lalalina
Sherry- Thanks for the heads up about who tests on animals. I had no idea Covergirl did, but I do not support companies that do (despite how much I love their lip stain). I agree a post on animal-friendly items would be fab!
I had tried parts of this article in the past, the concealer and such, but never the lighter eyeliner under my eyes. Definitely trying that next time I head to Sephora.
Does anyone know a website that lists companies that test their makeup products on animals? Or does anyone know what reputable cosmetic companies do not test on animals?
Sherry
here’s a list:
http://www.thevegetariansite.com/ethics_test.htm
oh an nicole i forgot to say that this really is a good article! and there are several animal friendly examples so i can still try your methods :]
Nicole
Lindsay- I actually use MAC’s cream highlighter in Hush, which is like a creamy version of High Beam. But I’ve been eyeing High Beam for a while so I might have to succumb hehe.
Sherry- Thank you for the wonderful insight! One of my favorite brands, Urban Decay, is incredibly animal testing friendly. In fact I believe they even have a foundation that donates to animal rights organizations! Here’s a link about their certification. http://www.urbandecay.com/certifications.cfm
Also, my last article features one of their most recent hit products which an Alice in Wonderland inspired eye shadow palette! I love the brand so I’d definitely check out some of their products :)
Thank you everyone for the positive comments and insight! I really enjoy reading them and I’m so appreciate you guys take the time to provide feedback. It really means a lot to me <3
- xoxo Nicole
Emily the Panda
I totally need these tips right now I have been sleep deprived for the last 4 months and its finally showing! gross!
Vivi
I love these articles on how to look more awake!! This will help me so much, thanks!!
Elizabeth
Excellent tutorial. I would add, though, that no amount of makeup makes up for being sleep deprived. A good night’s sleep can be better for your complexion than even the best concealer.
rock_chick
i always love your beauty posts.keep em coming