Dear Mary,

- Traci

Dear Traci,

One of the best ways to revitalize your look or spice it up a bit is through your eye makeup. The eyes are the most dynamic, telling part of you, so you want them to look their best. Try these helpful tips to give your eyes the attention—and dimension—they deserve.

Eye Shadow
When applying eye shadow, move the applicator or brush across the eyelid from corner to corner to fill in the area from the lashes to slightly above the eyelid crease. Start with the color on the outside of your eye, accenting it and blending more as you move toward your nose. For a beautiful two-toned look, apply a complementary color over the top half of the original shadow. You'll be amazed at how effective this simple trick works to really bring out the color in your eyes!

You can also apply a highlighting color first, which helps to bring out your brow bones. To do so, apply a light shade of pink or off-white over the entire eyelid from lashes to eyebrows before applying the main color(s), and then just look at the results. Your friends won't be the only ones impressed by the powerful effects of this simple technique.

Mascara
Mascara, when applied correctly, can really help your eyes come to life and make them shine. If you want your mascara to make your lashes thicker, hold the applicator horizontal and apply from the bottom of your lashes up. If you want your mascara to make your lashes look longer, hold your mascara wand vertical with the handle up and move the applicator from the bottom of your lashes up. If you want both thicker and longer-looking lashes, hold the applicator vertical and move it side to side as you move it upwards. When finished, you can apply more layers of mascara if desired, just make sure when you do so that your eyelashes aren't clumpy—they should be separated.

To put more mascara on your brush, use small circular motions inside the tube, rather than moving the brush in and out of the tube, as doing so will cause air to enter the tube and dry out the mascara. Also, choose a high-quality mascara and make sure you replace it every three months or when it starts getting clumpy—whichever comes first. The mascara tube is a prime place for tiny bugs to grow, so replacing your mascara often is a must. If your eyes have been bothering you, consider replacing your mascara, as the microorganisms can irritate your eyes if you have had your mascara for a long time.

Brow Pencil
For the eyebrows, if you have any areas that need to be filled in, use a brow pencil and use small, light, feather-like motions to achieve a natural, even look. But keep this thought in mind: When using a brow pencil, you are only trying to enhance your brows that are already there—do not draw your eyebrows on! Remember, eyebrows act as the frame for you eyes, so they need to look the part.

The eyes really are a window to your soul, so give the time and effort to make them look their best. I promise, the effort will be well worth it!