Eye Makeup a Must for Everyone

Bold eye makeup has its seasons, but one thing doesn't change: eyes carry the face. Even if you skip every other category, walk out the door with a little eye definition — a stroke of kajal, a touch of mascara. It lights up the face and adds personality with almost no effort.

The three products worth your money

Eyeliner. This is the one daily essential. A gel eyeliner glides on cleanly without the mess of a liquid liner, and a single pot can last months of daily use — that's genuine value for money. Line both the upper and lower lids.

Mascara. Don't economize here — the wrong mascara gives you clumpy lashes and no formula can fix that. A good volumizing mascara fans lashes out corner to corner. Black is the most flattering choice for most people.

Eyeshadow primer. Optional but genuinely useful: a dab of primer gives eyeshadow a base, keeps it from creasing or running through the day, and makes colors more vivid. Match it to your eyeshadow or foundation tone.

A simple routine

1. Primer (optional): pat a small amount from the inner to the outer corner of each lid. Skip it if you're going bare.
2. Eyeshadow: save the drama for parties. Start at the crease and blend upward toward the brow — the whole secret is blending until you can't see where the color starts and ends.
3. Mascara: one or two coats, wiggling the wand at the base of the lashes.
4. Eyeliner: your everyday workhorse. For daily wear, keep it close to the lash line; go bolder when you want a statement.

The one balancing rule

If you've gone bold on the eyes, keep the lips light or nude. Only one feature gets the spotlight at a time — that's what makes a face look classic rather than overdone.