One of my favorite things about makeup is how you can use to subtly change your features. I have fairly small eyes, so for everyday looks my goal is usually to make them appear larger. Here’s the step-by-step of the tricks I use. All of the eyeshadow colors are from the Laura Mercier Artist Palette for Eyes.

1. Apply your eye primer and a skin-colored powder shadow as a base. The neutral base will keep your primer from ‘grabbing’ your shadow, and it also makes blending easier. The color I use for this is Urban Decay Laced.

2. Using a powder eyeliner & brush, tightline your upper lashes. Wet the eyeliner with your choice of liquids (I use Visine), dip the brush in, and wiggle the brush as close to the root of your lashes as possible.

3. Use a light shimmery eyeshadow on your lid to visually bring it forward and create the illusion of more lid space. I used Sunlit.

4. Use a midtone matte shade in the crease to add dimension, blending out the top edge with a large fluffy brush. Here I used Cafe Au Lait.

5. Using a small pencil brush, put a darker shade on the outer 1/4 of your lid, and along the upper lash line (no further than halfway in, though!). I used the color Coffee Ground.

6. Blend it out a bit with a small, fluffy brush.

7. Using a small brush, add a little bit of the same shadow along the outer 1/3 of the lower lash line to open up your eyes. Use a small fluffy brush in a back & forth motion to blend it a little bit.

8. Use a skintone pencil liner to line the lower waterline. This is Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl in Nude.

9. Add a light highlight shade under your eyebrow and in the hollow between your nose and eye. If you have a very prominent brow, you might want to skip highlighting that area since it can emphasize it. I used Vanilla Bean, which is matte, but a subtle shimmer can have a more obvious effect.

10. Curl your lashes. It works best if you make weird faces while doing it.

11. Add some mascara to the top and bottom lashes. Be sure to get the baby ones in the corners! I used CoverGirl Clump Crusher in Very Black.

12. Admire your handywork while practicing your ‘chronic bitch face’.

13. Do the other eye and finish your makeup, otherwise you’ll look sort of odd.

Have any other good tips & tricks for getting huge eyes? Share them in the comments!