How to Have Sexy Eyes

Last Updated: November 19, 2021

They say the eyes are windows to the soul, and they're often the first thing people notice about one another. Wearing makeup can make the eyes stand out and enhance their natural beauty, whether you prefer a sexy natural look or you want your eyes to look smoky and alluring. No matter what type of look you choose, make sure you take good care of your eyes so they look bright and beautiful.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creating a Sexy Natural Look

1
Start with concealer. Wearing an application of concealer can help your eyes stand out more. The concealer evens your skin tone around your eyes, providing a sort of blank canvas against which your eyes will look more striking. Choose a concealer that matches your skin tone, and lightly apply it around your eyes.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.} Blend it in with your foundation to create an even palette.
- If you have dark circles under your eyes, you might want to go with a concealer that's a shade lighter than your natural skin tone.
- Apply it gently with your pinky finger, lightly dabbing and blending. Don't rub it in, since this can tear at the delicate skin around your eyes.
2
Apply a natural eye shadow. Since you're going for a natural look, choose a natural-hued pink, brown or gold shadow that's just a shade or two different from your natural skin tone. This will help your eyes pop without screaming "look at me!" The effect will be subtly sexy, almost like you're not wearing makeup at all.
- Use an eye shadow brush to apply the color to your lids, from one corner of your eye to the other.
- Blend lightly at the top of your lids up toward your brows so no distinct line is visible there. This will help the look appear more natural.
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3
Apply light eyeliner. If you want look like you're barely wearing makeup, choose a liner that's just a few shades darker than your natural skin tone. Navy blue is also fine, but avoid using black, since it will create a much more striking look. Apply the liner on your upper and lower lids.
- Use a steady hands so that the liner goes on evenly. If you accidentally draw a wavy line, you can wipe it off and try again. Try to draw the line right up against your lashes.
- You can use a cream eyeshadow instead of regular eyeliner. Simply dip an eyeliner brush into your cream shadow and apply it on the upper and lower lids. This creates a much wider range of color choices.
4
Don't forget your lashes. If you have short or thin lashes, curl them with an eyelash curler to help them stand out a little more. Otherwise, just apply mascara to your upper and lower lashes. Keep the application light so that your lashes don't clump.
- If your lashes clump, use a toothpick to gently separate them so you don't have to wipe it all off and start over.
- Avoid false eyelashes when you're going for a natural look. They can help your eyes stand out, but it's better to use them when the rest of your makeup is just as bold.
5
Try highlighter to brighten your eyes. Create a dewy, natural-looking glow by strategically applying highlighter around your eyes. Dab a little around the inner and outer corners of your eyes, as well as along your brow bone. Swipe more over the applies of your cheeks. The overall effect will be fresh, pretty and sexy.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating a Smoky, Alluring Look

1
Start with concealer. Any time you want to bring focus to your eyes, using concealer is a good first step. Create an even palette against which your eyes will stand out even more by using a concealer that matches your skin tone. Dab it on under and around your eyes, and make sure to blend it well. Dab some over your lids as well, since it will serve as a base for your eye shadow to adhere to.
- If you have dark circles under your eyes, you may want to use a color that's a shade lighter than your regular skin tone.
- Blend it well with your fingertips to create a matte appearance. If your skin tends to get oily, use a little powder to set it.
2
Line your eyes with dark eyeliner. Choose black, very dark brown or very dark grey to line your eyes. Create a thick line on your upper and lower lids, sweeping from the inner corners of your eyes to the outer corners.
- For a striking cat-eye look, continue the line past the outer corners of your eyes.
- Take a step back and look at your eyes. Make sure the lines are even and that your eyes look striking, but not raccoon-like.
3
Apply a base shadow. Choose a medium brown or gray that will provide a base for the darker color you'll be applying to your lids. Apply it lightly from your upper lash line to the corners of your eyes, sweeping from the inside to the outside.
- Use a shadow color scheme that matches your skin tone. If you have a cool skin tone, choose a bluish-black or bluish gray; if you have a warm skin tone, choose dark brown or a black with some red mixed in.
- To figure out your skin tone, use jewelry to help you out. Which makes your skin seem to glow more: silver or gold? If it's silver, your skin tone is cool. If gold works better, it's warm.
4
Apply dark shadow to your lids. Choose a dark, smokey grey or dark brown that looks striking against your skin tone. It should be in the same color family as the base shadow; you just want it to be several shades darker. Apply it to your lower lids, sweeping from the inner corner to the outer corner. Use your finger to blend it with the base shadow.
- Be careful to apply the shadow to your eyelid only. You don't want such a dark color ending up on other parts of your face.
5
Play up your lashes. The smokey eye is not complete without a set of gorgeous lashes. Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler, then apply a coat of volumizing black mascara. For a truly sexy look, consider apply false eyelashes, which are becoming more and more popular as a way to create a sexy smokey eye.
6
Contrast with a nude lip. With eyes this sexy, it's best to wear a nude lip instead of wearing an over-the-top cherry or berry color. Let your eyes stand out all the more as opposed to making them compete with a striking lip.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Your Eyes Look Brighter

1
Wear colors that bring out your eyes. Have you ever had someone tell you that a certain color looks great with your eyes? The color of your clothes and jewelry can do a lot to make your eyes stand out. Figure out which items in your wardrobe enhance your features, and wear them when you want your eyes to look especially sexy.
- Try colors that are the opposite color of your eyes on the color wheel. For example, if you have green eyes, red will make them pop.
- Or choose colors that are in the same color family as your eyes to enhance them. For example, gold makes brown eyes look warm and inviting, and purple makes black eyes sparkle.
2
Deal with puffy eyes in the morning. When your eyes are puffy, they look smaller than normal, and you might appear to be tired or ill. If you tend to wake up with puffy eyes and dark circles, there are measures you can take to make your eyes look bright and pretty again.
- Put cold teabags or cucumbers on your eyes. It will help the puffiness go down.
- Try rubbing ice cubes wrapped in a dishtowel over your eyes for a few moments.
- Moisturize around your eyes to keep the skin supple.
3
Drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet. Your dietary habits have a huge effect on your eye appearance.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.} First and foremost, stay hydrated so your eyes never look dry and irritated. You should also be eating plenty of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables in order to keep your eyes healthy and bright. Carrots, sweet potatoes and mangoes, which are full of vitamin A, are especially good for your eyes.
- On the other hand, avoid drinking too much alcohol or coffee, since these beverages are dehydrating and can make your eyes look puffy.
- Same goes for very salty foods.
4
Sleep well to prevent under-eye circles. When it comes to having sexy eyes, nothing helps like beauty sleep. Aim to get eight hours of sleep every night so you wake up fresh and bright.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.} Your body needs this time to renew itself, and when you don't get sleep, your eyes the first place to show your exhaustion.
- For the times when staying caught up on sleep is impossible, use eye drops to help your eyes feel fresh.
- If you're sleep-deprived, don't make matters worse by being dehydrated, too; remember to drink plenty of water to brighten your eyes.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my under-eye bags less obvious?

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Christin Birckhead

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

You should sleep for eight hours. Exclude things that cause inflammation from your diet. Take anti-inflammatory things like turmeric. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. All this will help to remove puffiness and dark circles. You can also use eye creams that have caffeine in them.
Question

Which type of eyeliner should I use, gel, pencil, or liquid?

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Christin Birckhead

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Liquid eyeliners can be very drying, and if you have any texture on your eyelids, they can enhance that texture. They can crack up and sometimes get into the mucous membrane of the eye. It is best to use a pencil or a gel and make sure all of these items are waterproof.
Question

How can I prevent the eyeliner applied to the waterline from smudging or smearing?

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Christin Birckhead

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Before putting the eyeliner, take a Q-tip and dry off your waterline quickly, with just one to two little swipes. Then put your pencil or gel eyeliner. Finally, take a small brush and tap on a similar eyeshadow color so that it sets it.