Makeup: Eyes

Here are some steps to take to put on eye liner, shadow, and mascara. Steps you can use no matter your level of vision.

For starters, if you’ve got low vision, using a lighted, magnifying mirror will make it a lot easier to do.

Now, let’s begin with eyeliner. It’s important to keep your eyeliner pencil sharpened to help you draw nice, thin lines along your lashes. You also want to hold the pencil as close to the tip as possible. This gives you better control.

Now, using the thumb of your free hand, pull the skin of your eyelid tight and away from your nose.

Put the eyeliner tip at the very corner of your upper eyelid closest to your nose. And use the index finger of your other hand to mark your starting point.

Use short strokes to draw a thin line just above your eyelashes. Keep going until you reach the outer corner of your eye. And be sure to count your strokes to get the same amount of eyeliner on each eye.

And here’s a tip to keep your hand steady. Hold your arm close to your body or rest your elbows on a flat surface. Then, brace your hand against your cheek. After you’ve done this a few times, you’ll get the feel for where your hand needs to be and the amount of pressure you’ll need.

Now if you want a softer line, gently rubbing your index finger along the line will smudge it.

On to Eyeshadow. The first tip is to practice with a dry applicator first before putting any eyeshadow on it. And whatever method you choose, sponge tip applicator, brush or fingers, be sure to count how many times you swipe the eye shadow. This will help you get similar shading on both eyes.

You’ll start at the inside corner of your closed eyelid, right where it joins your nose. A good tip here is to use the index finger of your free hand to mark your starting point for your eye or brow.

First, you’ll go below the crease and swipe all the way across to the outer corner of your eye. Then, you’ll go back to your nose and swipe above the crease to the outer corner of your eye. Use your eyebrow as your border. Repeat these same steps for your other eye.

On to mascara: The same tip you got for eye shadow also applies to mascara. Practice with a dry applicator first.

And here’s another pro tip: sample size mascara has a shorter wand which can give you better control of the brush.

Now let’s start with the top lashes. Remove the applicator brush with your right hand for your right eye. Take the index finger of your left hand and place it on the tip of the brush.

Keeping your finger on the applicator, move the brush towards your face until you find the inner corner of your right eye. Then remove your left finger from the applicator.

Gently pinch the bridge of your nose with your thumb and middle finger to avoid getting mascara on your nose.

Now, blink until you feel your lashes touch the brush. A handy tip is try to hold the mascara wand steady and in one place as you keep blinking and turning your head slowly toward the left. Repeat these steps for your other eye.

Once both eyes are done, repeat these same steps for your bottom lashes. But instead of blinking, of course, you’ll just turn your head to apply mascara to the bottom lashes.

Finally, use a damp tissue or cotton ball to wipe the areas below and above the lashes to remove any excess mascara from your skin

As always, ask a trusted friend or family member for feedback. And as with anything new, practice will increase your skill and your confidence. Contact a learning expert if you have questions or your own tips to share.