Makeup and rules?! Heck no! But as a short-sighted girl with statement glasses, there’re some tips and tricks that helped me a lot to create a makeup look that really works while rocking those glasses.
I’ve worn glasses for the most time of my life. When I first had to get my first pair, as a teenager, I did everything I could to find the most invisible pair there was (I couldn’t and can’t wear contacts). I didn’t want people to see my glasses first, and me second. I went for the tastefully discrete. Last year I had to get a new pair, and in combination with my then newly dyed purple hair, discrete, unobtrusive and invisible didn’t seem to fit the bill any longer. I went for the slightly geeky black statement glasses. And while I never heeded any makeup ‘rules’ for girls with glasses before when my glasses were rimless and small, well, that had changed. And I realised that there’s some good advice regarding wearing the right makeup for glasses!
I’m short-sighted, so my lenses actually make my eyes appear smaller. Adversary to the popular opinion that you should strife to make them appear bigger, I just want them to appear more defined.
I found both this Lisa Eldridge tutorial and this article really helpful. What I love most about Lisa’s video, though, is, that she gives you just a guideline, and if that’s not your look and cup of tea, she tells you to rock your look and be happy. That really appeals to me, because common wisdom would be that I had to use light colours, wear white on the waterline etc etc. But that’s not a look that particularly suits me. So I usually do whatever floats my boat colour-wise on my eyes, following a few simple guidelines.
The most important area is around your eyes
It all comes down to your undereye area and brows. Those areas come into focus due to your glasses and should really be the perfect frame for your eyes.
I use a good concealer (pictured: Armani High Precision Retouch Concealer) and set that with Nars translucent loose powder. Extra tip: use a damp beauty blender to tap the powder onto your concealer. It won’t crease that way. Never ever. Promise.
Do your brows. Instagram brows might compete with dark frames, but it’s not a good look either if you look completely browless. Think ‘defined’ (again). I’m using Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pomade.
Eye makeup that defines your eyes
I look like a guinea pig without any eye makeup, and I like my smokey eye looks. I also think you can rock them even if you’re short-sighted. I like to define my outer V to elongate my eyes. I also use a dark liner on my upper lashline to make my lashes look more voluminous, and also like to define my lower lashline with some eyeshadow. I never line my waterline (nothing stays on it for more than three hours anyways, but if you do, go for a brightening, light colour, and don’t use black – it’ll make your eyes appear smaller).
Very important for the brightening/appearing larger thing as well – the inner tearduct highlight and highlighting under your browbone. Highlight the shit out of those areas, ladies, you’ll see a difference! Pictured here are my most trusted products: I like MAC Lightscapade for the inner corners, and use either MAC Orb or Catrice Vanillaty Fair for my browbone highlights.
Last ingredient of a look that’ll enhance your little peepers behind glasses – defined lashes. If you’re one of those incredibly lucky individuals with long lashes that tend to touch your glasses – curl them before applying mascara. Everybody else – curl them as well. Then go for a smudgeproof formula – smudges magnified by lenses under your eyes is not a good look. I use Estée Lauder’s Little Black Primer to give my lashes some additional volume and make my Lancome mascara waterproof.
To avoid marks and dents and foundation smudges on the bridge of your nose
Common sense says to use as little foundation as possible. Use a primer on those areas that your glasses come into contact with. After foundation, set with a powder (my holy grail: Nars Translucent Setting Powder) AND use a setting spray (pictured: Urban Decay all nighter makeup setting spray).
A little story: I’ve large sunglasses that tend to slide down my nose and start to rest on my cheekbones. Not pretty in the heat – that tends to smudge my foundation big time. Using a setting spray on the bridge of my nose and cheekbones has made an incredible difference for me.
And that’s it. I ALSO think that a statement lip looks beautiful with a pair of statement glasses and a neutral eye look, but as always with makeup the most important thing is to have fun and be you. And rock those glasses!
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