How to emphasise your eyes when you’re wearing a face mask

If you think there’s no point in applying makeup at the moment, as your face mask will cover it up – be prepared to be inspired with our easy eye makeup ideas!

With the festive season approaching, we’ve got all the advice you need on how to emphasise your eyes, to draw attention away from your face mask.

Even though we’re wearing masks, it doesn’t mean we can’t still look good as we help protect others. This is the perfect time to practice the more advanced eye looks you’ve had pinned on your Pinterest board or saved in your Insta folders. Even if it’s only for the ‘gram, we still deserve to feel good!

Read on for easy ways to emphasise your eyes, and for eye looks and eyebrow tips you can perfect ready for the festive season.

Start by prepping your eye area

As with all makeup looks, preparation is key to getting a pro-style finish that lasts. This means you’ll need a good quality day cream and eye cream, to give skin a well-moisturised surface, leading to an even result. Once you’ve applied them, you’ll need a good long-lasting concealer. Blend it beneath and around your eyes to give an even, brighter look with any dark circles disguised. Adding an eye primer is a great way to make sure your eye-emphasising makeup look stays put. Now you’re ready for the fun part.

Emphasise your eyes with feline flicks

So now you have your base sorted, it’s time to move onto the eye makeup. Lines of liquid eyeliner are the perfect way to make the most of your eyes when you’re wearing a face mask. Although it can be a bit trickier than pencil liner, it has more impact, and you’ll only need a liquid felt tip liner with a fine tip to finish the look.

1. To create the “flick” look straight ahead and draw a straight line from the last lash upwards and outwards.
2. Draw a returning line back towards the lash line, creating an elongated triangle at the outer corner of the eye.
3. Sweep liner along lashes from outer to inner corner. To steady your hand, rest your elbow on the table. Applying with short dashes can also help create a neat line. Then fill in the gaps.
4. Continue to build until your desired look is achieved, making sure to keep both eyes looking as similar as you can.
5. Neaten line if needed with either touch of concealer and a small brush or some eye makeup remover on a cotton bud.

Emphasise your eyes with the smoky look

The smoky eye is a dramatic look that works perfectly with a face mask. It’s a little more involved than the feline flicks, but once you’ve perfected it, you can explore different colour combinations and get creative. For classic smoky eyes, use black, grey, or navy. For a more colourful look, jewel tones like deep red, purple, green can work well, especially for the festive season.

To create the smoky eye look you’ll need an eyeshadow palette or quad, an eyeshadow brush and a soft pencil eyeliner.

1. Cover your eyelid and under the lower lash line with the middle shade from your palette, using an eyeshadow brush.
2. Line your upper lid with a dark eyeliner pencil as close as possible to the lashes, and smudge. Be sure to get between the lashes for coverage without gaps. For a full-on smoky look apply along your lower lash line and waterline too. Don’t worry about how perfect the liner is, as it’ll be smudged and blended with the rest of the eyeshadow.
3. Apply the darker eyeshadow shade over your liner and blend and blend again upwards and outwards, for a soft smoky look. Layer up more eyeshadow and blend again if you want more drama.
4. Add a light shimmer on the inner corner of the eye, and beneath the arch of your brow for contrast. Gold or silver can suit more neutral smoky eyes, light colours like pink, orange, or blue can suit more colourful looks.
5. Clean up under your eyes where eyeshadow may have fallen, either with a cotton bud or concealer/foundation.

Eye look with bold lashes

Whichever eyes look you choose, you’ll need to finish it off with lashings of mascara. We love lash-building mascaras that add both length and volume for the most eye-catching effect. Don’t stop at just one layer. Apply your mascara, let it dry and then add another layer for added flutter power.

Don’t forget to whip your brows into shape

When you’re emphasising your eyes, it can be easy to forget about your eyebrows. But now, more than ever, they are taking centre stage, thanks to those face masks. If you think getting beautifully defined, well-groomed arches needs a professional – think again! With the right products, it’s actually really easy to define and sculpt your brows at home.

Natural-looking brows

The easiest and most natural way to groom your brows is to comb them through (an old clean mascara wand works well) and then to add tiny hair-like strokes with an eyebrow definer in a shade close to your natural brow colour. This also works well if you have sparse brows from overplucking. When you’re happy with the shape, brush your brows through again to neaten them up.

Fluffy brows

Fluffy or feathered brows is the latest brow trend and it’s super easy to do yourself because it doesn’t have to be too neat. You’ll just need a brow mascara to give your brows a bit of oomph. Brush it against the direction of the hairs first, then go back over them working outwards and upwards to give a texture boost.

Sculpted brows

The trend for sculpted brows is not going anywhere. Using a brow powder and setting wax is the best way to achieve this precise look at home.

How to finish your makeup

Now your eyes and eyebrows are finished, add a quick flush of blush, and a nude or pale pink lip gloss to finish your look. Your eyes will draw all the attention when you’re wearing a mask, and if you take it off when you eat or drink.

Now you know how to emphasise your eyes when you’re wearing a protective face mask, you can practice the looks until you perfect them. They’ll take your eye makeup to the next level and give you confidence in your application skills.