Cat Eyes

Cat Eyes

Photography: Sohail Anjum (http://www.SohailAnjum.co.uk),

Model: Mona Lisa Adli (http://www.ModelMayhem.com/852879).

 

Photography: Keven Erickson (http://www.Erickson-Photo.com),
Clothes/Accessories: Model's own,

Model: Krystyna.

Photography: Oleg Kvashuk,
Hair: Violetta Podets,
Clothes/Accessories: Model's own,
Model: Lydia Cockburn-Smith.

Photography: Keven Erickson (http://www.Erickson-Photo.com),
Hair: Styled myself,
Clothes: Styled myself from Diva (http://www.DivaCorsets.com),
Model: Zoe Banks at MOT (http://www.MOTModel.com).

Drawing on "cat eyes" is a good way of elongating round eyes, making close-set eyes appear wider-set, and making striking eyes stand out more.  They're a good look at night-time for going out to parties, meals or clubbing.

Before you start, apply foundation, under-eye concealer, and powder, as instructed in the blog further down this page called "Getting Flawless Skin".  This will act as a base for the eyeshadows, and will get them to last longer.  Eyeshadow doesn't last as long on oily eyelids, which is why it's important to powder the eyelids first.

Then apply some loose face powder generously below the eyes and on the tops of the cheeks to catch any falling flecks of eyeshadow, so they don't mark the skin below the eyes.  (This is important, as fallen flecks of dark eyeshadow that have marked the skin or made dirty-looking smears on the skin below the eyes would really ruin the look).

Using eyebrow pencil, define your eyebrows, and then brush them in an upwards and outwards direction.

Use small eyeshadow brushes with thin tips for drawing on "cat eyes", as you will need the accuracy and ability to draw precise fine lines/edges that you can only achieve with brushes with thin tips.

There are several ways of creating "cat eyes":-

One way is to apply a light coloured eyeshadow (i.e. silver/gold/copper/purple/pink/yellow/blue) to the top eyelids as far up as the sockets, and then using a dark colour eyeshadow (i.e. black/midnight blue/midnight purple/brown/grey) contour the socket lines just above the sockets, and line below the lower lash lines with the dark eyeshadow, and then wing the dark eyeshadow out past the outer corners of the eyes (as in the first photo above).  When you wing the dark eyeshadow out past the outer corners of the eyes, form triangle shapes with it, and get the triangles to taper to sharp points at the outer edges (as shown in the photos above).

Another way is to apply dark eyeshadow all over the top eyelids as far up as the sockets, then line the lower lash lines with it, and wing it out past the outer corners of the eyes (as in the second photo above).  Again when you wing the dark eyeshadow out past the outer corners of the eyes, form triangle shapes with it, and get the triangles to taper to sharp points at the outer edges.

You can apply a touch of light/bright colour eyeshadow (in silver/gold/copper/white) to the inner corners of the eyes to highlight the inner corners (as in the second photo above).  Or otherwise you can apply it along the inner halves of the lower lash lines (as in the first photo above).

If you want to jazz the "cat eyes" up more for parties or clubbing you can apply glitter over the top of the eyeshadow to make it sparkle.

If there are any bits of eyeshadow or glitter that have gone astray, cotton buds are brilliant for gently removing them.  (Their thin tips give you the precision required).

If the eyes look small or narrow when you have drawn the "cat eyes" on, and you want them to appear larger, wider or more innocent, apply some white/ice pink kohl pencil to the inner rims of the eyes, to make them look wider.

If on the other hand the eyes look too wide or large, and you want them to appear more mysterious or more sexy, apply dark coloured kohl pencil (black/midnight blue/midnight purple/dark grey/dark brown) to the inner rims of the eyes to make them look less wide.

Then using a powder brush, brush the powder (with any fallen flecks of eyeshadow that may have accumulated on top of it) away from under the eyes and tops of the cheeks.

Apply a few coats of black mascara to top and bottom eyelashes, then comb through the eyelashes with an eyelash comb, and stick on some false eyelashes too if you want.

You can team these eyes with either pale lips (matte or glossy), to create a 1960s look; or with bright colour lips (matte or glossy), to create a funky or gothic look; or with dark lips (matte or glossy), to create an edgy gothic look.

Have fun with these "cat eyes"!