Mornings. If you’re anything like me, no amount of positive thinking, yoga or caffeine can turn you into a morning person. Trust me, we’ve tried it all. But no matter how much we may feel like death warmed over, sometimes we simply don’t have the option to look like zombies.
When you need to look more alive even though you really don’t feel like it, we’ve got you covered. We spoke with expert makeup artists to learn the tried-and-true methods to bringing life back to your eyes, how they feel about the latest makeup trend to look more alive and what products they love to keep looking fresh and rejuvenated.
Prepping Your Workspace
For celebrity makeup artist Lottie, looking more alive begins with skin prep. “I like to use an ice roller under and around the eyes to freshen and wake up tired eyes,” Lottie explains.
Using ice or an ice roller is a lot like a facial massage; one that wakes you up and leaves you feeling refreshed.
“Ice rollers stimulate the lymphatic system and massage the face to get rid of puffiness and toxins, stimulate blood flow and reduce muscle tension,” explains Miami dermatologist Annie Gonzalez, MD.
The cooling aspect of an ice roller will also make your skin look brighter and rejuvenated.
“Ice rollers may also help constrict blood vessels, thus decreasing inflammation and reducing the appearance of broken capillaries,” adds Dr. Gonzalez.
Emmy Award Nominee and celebrity makeup artist Gregory Arlt adds that a key way to look more alive is by brightening the eye itself. “I always recommend eyedrops first! Lumify drops are a favorite,” Arlt explains. “Or for my more holistic clientele, I love Similasan homeopathic drops.”
Look Alive: Brighten Your Undereye
We all know that the one thing that can make you look more tired than anything else is dark circles. These pesky patches of discoloration can make your eyes look hollow and dull, contributing to an overall tired complexion.
According to fashion and celebrity makeup artist Gilbert Soliz, utilizing an undereye brightener with a soft peach tint can go a long way. “Applying a peachy pink under eye brightener like Kaja’s Cat Nap Under Eye Brightener to the inner and outer corners give an instant bright-eyed effect,” Soliz explains.
Additionally, color correctors in soft pinks can help breathe life into your whole face.
“If you’re showing signs of fatigue under your eyes, try first tapping a color corrector like Bobbi Brown’s Color Correcting Stick in a peach or pink shade to the outer corner of your eye,” Soliz says. “And tap the product up towards your temple for an instant lift.”
And of course, if you want to look alive, you can’t forget concealer. “After eye drops, I love to use a brightening concealer,” Arlt explains. “A good option for tired eyes is Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer. “
Choose Your Colors
If you suffer from a chronically tired look, you may need to reevaluate how you choose your eye makeup. Tired eyes are weighed down by darker colors and heavier applications.
“I love a tinted eye primer to combat that issue,” Arlt explains. “It will brighten the eye and prepare the eye area for shadows. Also, a light, shimmery shadow in the inner corners adds light and ‘pop’ to tired eyes.”
If you’re used to smoky, darker shades, switching to something brighter can help bring the life back to your eyes. “You want to avoid dark shades and try something bright or pastel instead,” Lottie explains. “And generally, avoid liners or dark colors under your eyes.”
You may need to let go of thick, bold eyeliner as well if you want to look alive and awake.
“Tight lining the upper lash line is an easy way to add definition,” Soliz explains. “You can pair this technique with a light shimmer shadow to help open and awaken the eyes.”
According to Soliz, shimmers are going to be your very best friend to bring life to your eyes. “Shimmery neutrals are a fool proof way to brighten eyes,” Soliz explains. “Clé De Peau’s new Eye Color Quads make it easy since they’ve taken all the guess work and curated some beautiful wearable shades.”
Trend Alert: Undereye Blush to Look Alive
We all know TikTok makeup trends can come and go in a flash, but since last year, the trendy tip of adding blush to your undereye has seemed to stick around. It’s latest evolution, ombre concealer, is the latest incarnation of the eye, which sees a light, contour, and blush shade dotted on the undereye and carefully blended.
You can check out our step-by-step guide to achieving the ombre concealer here.
Where do the Experts Stand?
For Soliz, the inclusion of more pinks near the eye is generally a good thing. “Pink or peachy shades placed under or near the eye give a youthful flush to the complexion,” Soliz explains. “It’s a beauty trend that I’m here for!”
This trend can help bring a natural flush of color to your skin, particularly after you’ve washed your face out with foundation. But is it foolproof?
“Well, the area under the eyes is quite thin and can already look pink,” Arlt says. “So, make sure you even out the skin tone with foundation and concealer before attempting this trend so it’s the ‘right’ shade of pink and does the trick!”
If you end up choosing the wrong shade of pink or apply the blush too heavily, you can end up looking the opposite of alive, awake and rejuvenated. “I don’t think this works on everyone, it can make you look sick if not done lightly or with the correct tone,” Lottie explains. “Instead try an eye brightener like YSL Touché Eclat and set with a pink toned setting or finishing powder.”
