Makeup Tips To Make Small Eyes Look Bigger Using An Eyeliner

That absolutely gorgeous doe-eyed look is easier to achieve than you thought!

Reviewed by Nyssa Green, Makeup Artist
Written by Jyotsana Rao

Fact-checked by Bhumika Daga • Nov 16, 2023

Makeup Tips To Make Small Eyes Look Bigger Using An Eyeliner

Image: Shutterstock

If you are searching for how to make small eyes look bigger with eyeliner, your search ends here. We agree that eyes are not only the window to the soul but also the key to ensure a perfect makeup look. Well-defined eyes can accentuate your facial features, even while wearing minimal makeup. Some are blessed with big doe eyes, while others depend on makeup to get the desired look. If you are someone with smaller eyes, worry not, because you can get brighter and bigger eyes too. If you have an eyeliner (gel, pencil, or liquid), read this article to know how you can use it to enhance your eyes and make them look wider. Swipe up!

Keep In Mind

Stencils: Stencils Eyebrow stencils for diamond face shapes are the best accessories for beginners to help them find the right eyebrow shape and fill it in with precision.
Staying Neutral: Stencils Too thick or bushy eyebrows can make you look plump or cartoonish. Therefore, keep it medium-sized.
Eyebrow Mapping: Stencils Begin by finding the key points of the brow before you start shaping the arc or curve. Prevent any sharp angles.

In This Article

How To Apply Eyeliner To Make Eyes Look Bigger? – Tutorial

Before I start with the tutorial, I would like to tell you that the basic trick applied here is to create a thin line at the inner corners and thicker at the outer corners. This helps define your eyes, making them look bigger than they actually are.

Things You Will Need

Concealer
Eye Primer
Eyeliner (Pencil/Gel/Liquid)
Eyeliner Brush
Eyelash Curler
Mascara

Related: How To Wear A Gel Eyeliner?

Step By Step Tutorial

Now, let’s begin with the tutorial.

Step 1: Moisturize Your Eyes

Step 1 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Start with moisturized eyes and well-groomed eyebrows. You may use a concealer and/or compact to hide your dark circles. to emphasize your look. I haven’t used any in these pictures, thanks to the early sleeping habit that I am keeping up to since the past few days.

Step 2: Apply Eye Primer

Step 2 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Apply an eye primer. This is an optional step. I prefer applying this because I have oily lids and this increases the longevity of the eye liner/eye shadow and prevents early creasing.

Step 3: Blend In Primer

Step 3 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Blend in the primer nicely. This particular eye primer from Makeup Academy looks almost transparent after blending in.

Holly Kitney, a trained makeup artist and blogger, shares how she makes her hooded eyes look bigger in her personal blog. She explains how she applies eyeshadow and insists that blending is key, “…the most important thing when applying eyeshadow is to ensure that you are blending UP and OUT. When hooded eyes are open, very little of the eyelid shows, so in order for your eyeshadow to show when you have your eyes open, it needs to be blended up to the crease and out towards to [the] tail of the brow. Don’t be afraid to blend too high, chances are you’re not (i).”

Step 4: Create An Arc With Eyeliner

Step 4 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Take the eyeliner and create a rough line of the thickness you want. I have used the Maybelline Gel eye liner and created an arc-shaped line with the thin eyeliner brush.

Quick Tip

Choose an eyeliner color based on your skin tone. A dark color may make your eyes appear smaller than they actually are. A medium shade of brown will be a good option if you want to keep it subtle.

Step 5: Fill The Space

Step 5 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Take the same thin tip eyeliner brush to fill the space you have created. I am not taking a thick brush because I want the line to be very precise and thin at the inner corners.

Step 6: Thicken The Eyeliner In The Outer Corner

Step 6 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Now, in the above step, you can see that the outer corner is not so thick as compared to the inner corner. In fact, it is more of an arc-shaped line that we have formed. So, I took a thick eye liner brush and increased the thickness of the eyeliner in the outer corner, to highlight the makeup.

The thin brush used here is the Basic care lip liner brush; I use it for applying eye liner to small eyes. The thicker brush I have used here is from Faces.

Step 7: Apply Eyeliner On Lower Lashline

Step 7 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Keeping the same brush, apply the eyeliner inwards on the lower lash line, starting from where the liner ends on the outer end of the upper lash line to form a ‘V’ kind of shape.

You don’t have to do much to beautify your eyes. You do not have to extend the liner on the upper lash line since we don’t want to have a dramatic eye look; just give a stroke on the lower side forming a ‘V’ pattern. This makes your eye makeup pop!

Step 8: Stop At Some Point

Step 8 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Follow the same eyeliner line, keeping in mind that you do not have to thicken it at the inner corner of the eye. If you notice, I have kept the tear duct area almost bare. I have not extended it on the lower lash line because it looks very dramatic on me in that case. I have used pencil eyeliner instead of the gel one for this step as I am more comfortable with that. It helps brighten the eyes and create a more open effect. I have used the Lakme Absolute Ultimate Kajal eyeliner.

Quick Tip

You may also apply a flesh-toned eyeliner on the lower lash line to make your eyes look bigger. It can also help neutralize any redness of the skin around the eye.

Step 9: Curl And Apply Mascara

Step 9 to make your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Nothing more; just curl your eye lashes and apply mascara. I have used the Basicare Eye lash Curler and L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara. Nothing can elongate your lashes like a curler. It gives a glamorized and dramatized effect that helps intensify your look. Use a good mascara that lasts long to lengthen your lashes and awaken your eyes.

Final result of making your eyes look bigger with eyeliner

Infographic: How To Make Small Eyes Look Big

Having small eyes might make you feel insecure and conscious about your overall appearance. However, you can make your eyes look bigger with a few makeup tips. Check out the infographic below for a stepwise tutorial to make your small eyes look bigger.

how to make small eyes look big (infographic)

Save the high-quality PDF version on your device now.

Download Infographic

As you can see in the pictures above, a few skilled eyeliner strokes can make a world of difference. There is no need to feel conscious about your small eyes as it can be easily dealt with using some basic tips. If you are a beginner, it might feel tricky at first since you need your hands to be stable, but it will soon become easy with enough practice. Follow these simple tips on how to enlarge small eyes with eyeliner and say goodbye to all your concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make my eyes look bigger naturally?

Brush your eyebrows upwards with a dry toothbrush or a spoolie brush. This hack gives a lift to your eyes and frames your face perfectly. You may also curl your eyelashes and apply transparent mascara to widen your eyes.

What color eyeshadow makes eyes bigger?

To make your eyes look bigger, apply white or light color eyeshadow on the inner corners of your eyes and the center of your eyelids. Next, apply brown eyeshadow to the crease of your eyes to make them appear bigger.

Are there any specific colors or shades of eyeliner that work best for making eyes appear bigger?

Using nude or white eyeliner on your waterline can make the whites of your eye appear brighter, giving the illusion of bigger eyes.

Should the eyeliner be smudged or blended after application to enhance the appearance of larger eyes?

Use a soft gel or pencil liner on the upper lid and smudge it outwards to make your eyes look bigger.

Does kajal make eyes bigger?

Yes, kajal can be used to make the eyes look bigger. However, it also depends on the shape of the eye, size of the eyes, and thickness of the lashes.

Is kajal better than eyeliner?

Kajal can be used as an eyeliner but it smudges easily and fades within a few hours if used as an eyeliner. An eyeliner can be smudge-proof and waterproof, making it a better option.

Key Takeaways

- There are numerous tips and tricks that you can use to make your small eyes look bigger.
- A primer can help increase the longevity of the eyeshadow and eyeliner.
- An eyeliner helps you create an arc and makes the lashes look lush.
- In addition, creating a small V shape on the outer corner of the eye makes it look bigger.

Learn how to make your eyes look bigger and brighter with this easy Asian monolid makeup tutorial! Get ready to transform your look and make your eyes pop!