Since the coronavirus has entered our lives, masks have become an essential part of our ‘new normal’. With half of our face covered while out and about, the way we do our makeup has changed along with everything else. At a time like this, the lipsticks and highlighter are better off staying home and social distancing because now — it’s all about the eyes. This pandemic has pushed us to maximize one of our most important facial features and switch up our routines to accommodate the extra layer on our face, so let’s take the opportunity to experiment with eye makeup and have fun. Come along as you enter the world of graphic liner, smokey eyes, and rhinestones galore.
Graphic Liner
Take your everyday winged eyeliner and elevate it to create abstract designs that will be sure to bring attention to those eyes! An electric blue hue drawn on in this graphic shape makes for a modern edge and looks effortlessly flattering on dark skin. For this look, try an open-ended shape starting at the inner corner of your lash line, working outward. Once you hit the outer corner, extend the line up on a diagonal, then work your way back towards the inner corner of the eye, stopping just before you reach it.
60’s Mod Makeup
Travel back in time and have some fun with the ’60s cat-eye and graphic lines — a timeless makeup look that will never go out of style. For a modern take, use a bright-colored liner with two coats of mascara to achieve those dramatic Twiggy lashes. The goal for this look is to have a “floating crease” — a graphic line between your lash line and brow. It’s best to use a freshly sharpened pencil and etch the line bit by bit, then use a pointy cotton swab to clean it up. You can either go the more simple route of only using the bright liner or you can go full 60’s and fill in the negative space with an icy blue or green eyeshadow.
Smokey Eyes
The smokey eye look is not only a classic,but it will also give you a smoldering gaze and a fierce look. Sweep a dark shadow from your lash line to the crease of your eye. Then use a small, angled brush to apply the shadow along your lower lash line. The best part is that your smokey shade doesn’t have to be black. Instead, try dark plum or forest green, which will add an unexpected element of surprise to your look. Pro tip: a smokey eye shouldn’t have any harsh lines—it should be softly blended at the edges. Gently with a Q-tip, lightly blend the shadow into the crease of your eye using a windshield-wiper-like motion, then work the same color into your bottom lash line. Top off with eyeliner and some mascara and you’re good to go.
Lashes Galore
False eyelashes are a minimalistic way to quickly doll up your eyes and provide you with a variety of styles such as wispy, fluffy, or more natural. Add sumptuous volume to your lashes in seconds with volumizing, thick lashes that will amp up your eye intensity. Go for lashes like these when you want to feel extra glam. The flare at the ends accentuate any signature cat-eye and flatters both natural and dramatic shadow. A more natural, wispy option is also good when you only want to slightly emphasize what you already have. For this look, get a gorgeous set of feathery, half lashes that accentuate and lengthen just the outer corner of the eye. They’re also great for those who have small eyes or just want a little extra flare.
Rhinestone Gems are All the Rage
Rhinestone gems, sequins, and glitter have always been essential in editorial makeup but became super popular after the release of Euphoria, a teen HBO drama starring Zendaya where the makeup inspired many to follow suit. If you want a mesmerizing eyebrow look that will keep eyes on you, then rhinestones are definitely the way to go. Forget the conventional eye shadow; give your eyes an instant glow and shape with some rhinestones. Line them up the way you would do your favorite eye makeup. Use a flattering color like clear bling or soft rose quartz color. Another way to play around with those bejeweled eyelids is by simply dotting your cat eye with a gem. Strategically place a rhinestone or two at the end of your eyeliner wings to give your look a fun yet subtle accent. It’s a simple makeup look but it still holds just the perfect touch of drama.
Brows, Brows, Brows
Other than your eyelids, your eyebrows are another face feature that you can play up to your advantage and there are different styles from every decade so you have plenty of options to choose from. A common trend resurfacing nowadays is bushy brows so if you have a lot of hair up there, this one’s for you. Take some clear gel and a spoolie wand to brush the hairs and make them larger. Then take a dark brown eyebrow pencil and do light strokes in an upward direction until the spaces are filled in. Lastly, take the spoolie and lightly brush over them again to get a natural and blended-out look.
An even more recent trend are pointy brows. These brows became popularized on TikTok and before you knew it, everyone was shaving off the ends of their eyebrows on the “For You Page”. This look was created as a means to extend the eye shape and give more of a cat-eye look. To achieve this, simply shave off the remaining hairs at the arch of the brow and then take an eyebrow pencil and fill in the eyebrow, ever so slightly going over the arch to give you a more feline look with a wider lid space. Last but not least, if you want to go for an edgier look — try an eyebrow slit. This 90’s beauty trend involves creating a vertical line in your brow hair using an eyebrow razor, trimming scissors, and an eyebrow pencil.
Masks are indeed plentiful at this day and age, so let’s not ignore the countless opportunities to experiment with unique makeup stylistics. More people have been discovering new ways to stand out in a half-faced crowd. Now, it’s all about the upper face sector around the eyes. It is both a cultural element and an aesthetic representation of living through the era of a pandemic as an image/fashion-conscious individual. Best believe that makeup is neither trivial nor frivolous during the coronavirus pandemic.
