Face & Features · 1 min read
Bridal Makeup for Small Eyes: How to Make Them Look Bigger
By Bridal Makeup Artist · Updated
Small eyes can look beautifully open and bright in bridal photos. It’s all about where you put light and depth. Dark colour all over the lid, or liner all the way round, makes eyes look smaller. Light in the right places makes them look bigger.
Eyeshadow placement
- Keep most of the lid light and luminous: champagne, soft pink or ivory satin.
- Put a soft, medium shade in the crease to create depth.
- Use the deepest shade only at the very outer corner, blended outwards and slightly up.
- Highlight the inner corners and just under the arch of the brow.
Liner tricks
- Don’t line all the way round. It encloses the eye and shrinks it.
- Tightline the upper waterline, and line only the outer third of the lower lash line.
- Use a nude or skin-tone pencil on the lower waterline occasionally if it doesn’t irritate your eyes. It makes the whites look larger.
Lashes and brows
- Curl the lashes at the base. This makes the biggest difference of all.
- Use lengthening, waterproof mascara on the upper lashes, and a very light coat (or none) on the lower ones.
- Add short, wispy lashes on the outer half. Heavy, long bands can weigh small eyes down.
- Tidy the area under the brow arch to give the eye more room.
Frequently asked questions
Should brides with small eyes wear false lashes?
Yes, but choose light, wispy styles or clusters on the outer half rather than long, heavy strips.
What eyeshadow colours make small eyes look bigger?
Light, luminous shades on the lid and inner corner, with depth only at the outer corner.
Small and hooded? See our guide to bridal makeup for hooded eyes.
