THE EYES HAVE IT Poets and philosophers tell us the eyes are the windows to the soul. Just as our kitchen window looks nicer with care and a splash of color, so too do these human windows. Although how, or even whether, to wear color cosmetics is a personal decision, the following tips will help you make the most of your eye cosmetics wardrobe. Even though fashion changes the "In Look" from season to season, knowing the basics will allow you to integrate these trends into your beauty routine and still look your best. BROWS Nicely shaped and maintained brows give your eyes a more open look. Stray hairs on your upper lids should be removed regularly. Keep in mind that "brows" is plural. If the hairs in between your brows are beginning to turn them singular, it's time to pluck. "Ouch!!" you say? It's really not that bad. If you make a search for strays part of your regular beauty routine, you'll only be tweezing a few at a time, and you can always numb the area with an ice cube if you have a complete shaping to do. Below are guidelines for shaping the perfect brow. If you just can't manage it, have them shaped professionally. You can usually have that done fairly reasonably, and then all you'll need to do is maintenance. Use an index card or a small piece of paper as a guide to make these alignments. Mark the spots with a colored eyeliner so you'll have a pattern that's readily visible and washes away easily. Inside End Straight up from the outer edge of the widest part of your nose past the inner corner of your eye. (#1) Arch A straight line starting from the outer edge of the widest part of your nose past the outside edge of your pupil. (#2) Be sure to be looking straight ahead when you mark this alignment. Outside End A straight line starting from the outer edge of the widest part of your nose past the outside corner of your eye. (#3) Don't make the common mistake of stopping your brow directly above the outer corner of your eye. This shortened brow makes your eye look smaller. Also, stay away from a turned down look on the outer end. This has the effect of "closing in" your eye. BRUSH Once your brows are nicely shaped, brush them. First, in the reverse direction the hairs grow to remove any cosmetics that might be clinging to them. Second, brush hairs straight up to get them all aligned. Last, brush hairs in the shape of your brow, slightly up on the inner half. COLOR If your brows need a little color, either because they're pale or the hairs are sparse, use a color close to your hair, maybe a shade darker or lighter. Remember that if your hair color changes, either naturally or by your choice, you may need to change the color of brow pencil you're using. For example, if your hair has gone from dark brown to light grey, don't continue to use a dark brown pencil for your brows. Use a soft grey or blonde. Apply the brow color in short strokes, as though you're drawing on hairs. Don't color in a solid brow. CONTROL Control fly-away brows with hairspray. Yes, I said hairspray. Do NOT spray it directly onto your brows. Lightly spray your eyebrow brush with hairspray and then brush your brows into shape. LIDS SHADOW The 3-color look described below is flattering to about 95% of all women. If you're unused to applying eye colors, don't get discouraged if you don't get the hang of it immediately. Use the techniques for at least a week before you decide whether they'll work for you. While you're first learning, you might want to practice at times when you know you won't be going anywhere. Then, if you don't achieve the look you hoped for, you won't have to go out in public. When choosing eyeshadow colors, keep in mind that, although there's no rule that says your shadow shouldn't be the same color as your eyes, if it is, your eye color will look more faded due to lack of contrast. Blue eyes do not look as blue if you're wearing blue shadow, green eyes do not look as green if you're wearing green shadow, etc. What Color Placement Why Wash #1 Choose a shade very low in contrast to your skin tone. Apply over your entire lid, from the base of your eyelashes up to your brows. Blend well. The Wash gives your lid a finish to match the rest of your face so it's nice to wear even if you choose not to wear any other eye colors, or as we age when multi-toned shadows may be too much. It also provides a nice base of color for defining and accent shades. Definition #2 Choose a deep but muted shade. Apply in the natural crease of your lid. If you have prominent upper lids, sometimes called hooded lids, which tend to hide the crease, place this line of definition color just high enough so that it's visible when your eyes are open naturally and you're looking straight ahead. Blend well. The shadow of your eye's crease helps define the shape of your eye. The Definition color enhances that and is especially helpful if you have prominent lids which hide your natural crease. Accent #3 Choose the brightest or darkest shade of the trio. Some women prefer to use the same shade they use for the Definition. Apply on the outer third or quarter of the lower half of your lid (between lashes and crease). Some women prefer to put the accent on the entire lower lid. Whichever you choose, do NOT apply on just the outer half, as the edge of color in the center "cuts" the look of the eye. When blending in this outer area of the lid, blend from the outside inward to prevent pulling color out beyond the eye onto the side of your face. The Accent does for your eye colors just what an accent color does for your outfit or your home decor. Blending is possibly the most imporant skill to master in color cosmetic application. It allows you to blend one color into the next and soften the entire look, making it more natural and attractive. If you don't feel your eye colors are blended well enough, or the colors are too dark, brush a light film of the Wash color over your entire lid to soften the effect. Don't be afraid of dark or deep shades, though. Remember that they're very concentrated in their container, and won't be that way on your face. In fact, if your cosmetics are the same depth of color on your face as they are in the container, you have on waaaay too much. Use a light hand when applying color. LINER Subtlely outlining your eyes can make them really stand out. However, totally lining both upper and lower lids can "close" your eye. It also gives a somewhat harsher look. So mature women or women with smaller eyes should use a light hand and might want to line only the corners or either the upper or lower lid, rather than both, if they apply liner at all. Also, the wider your eyeliner, the shorter your eyelashes will look. Eyeliners are available in three formulas: Pencils can be smudged to soften the look but are sometimes hard in consistency and can pull on the delicate skin of your eyelid. You can soften an eyeliner pencil by blowing on it briefly with your hair dryer. Liquid eyeliner offers a much gentler touch but usually gives a much darker and more opaque line. Cake gives you the soft touch of the liquid since you apply it with a brush, but you have more control over the depth of color since you're adding water to the cake product. A common problem women have learning to use cake is that they add too much water, so be careful of this if you're just starting to use a cake eyeliner. LASHES CURLING Eyelash curlers are available in both metal and plastic. Although the plastic ones are gentler on your lashes, they tend to break more easily. Whichever you use, be sure to replace the rubber filler frequently and wipe it clean after each use. Curling makes short lashes look longer since you're looking at the length of the lash rather than the end, as you would if they weren't curled. ( |||| rather than .... ) Curling long lashes is helpful because it will keep your lashes from rubbing on glasses or sunglasses. Curl your lashes BEFORE you apply mascara. Mascara makes lashes brittle and more apt to break if you use a curler after application. MASCARA Mascara comes in a variety of formulas ... conditioning, lengthening, smudgeproof, waterproof, etc. You may have to try a few before finding the one that's just right for you, but it's worth the trouble, since your lashes are the "frames" for your eyes. Whatever mascara you use, there are a few simple rules that hold true. Do NOT pump the mascara wand up and down in the tube. This pumps air and germs into the product. Twist the wand to get mascara on it, and then pull the want straight out of the tube. Apply mascara in several light coats rather than one heavy coat, letting each coat dry for a few minutes. This will help prevent clumping and give your lashes a more natural appearance. Replace mascara every 3 to 4 months, whether or not you use it every day. Start counting from when you open the product. Do NOT share your mascara. No exceptions! If you wear contacts, be careful of waterproof mascara. Waterproof formulas have a tendency to flake and could cause trouble. Read the packaging to see if it says "safe for contact lens wearers." Wear black. The only exception would be a very fair-skinned, fair-haired person, who could get away with using dark brown. To prevent mascara on your lower lashes from leaving little dots on the skin below your eyes, try this simple trick. After applying mascara to your lower lashes, place the edge of a tissue under the lashes and lift it up and out. This will take the mascara off the tip of the lash and help keep you smudge free. If you have a The Eyes Have It question you'd like to ask, just e-mail me here. Be sure to put "The Eyes Have It" in the subject line. BACK TO [Wear It Well] [It's a Colorful Life] VISIT LIPSTICK'S WEB GROUP!