How to Make Eyes Look Bigger

Short haircut with bangs that make the eyes look bigger

Q: I have small eyes, and I would like them to look bigger without applying makeup. What haircut will make my eyes look bigger?

A: A haircut that draws the focus of attention to the eye line and upper portions of the head is excellent for making the eyes appear more prominent. These styles include texturized pixie cuts, low-volume shoulder-length styles, and many cuts that feature bangs.

Given that you want to make your eyes appear larger, a soft, face-framing style with wispy bangs is highly recommended. Thick, blunt bangs should be avoided, as they create a heavy horizontal line that overpowers smaller eyes and makes them look recessed. Instead, choose soft, feathered bangs that allow some of the forehead to show through. The bangs should fall right at the eyebrow line, but not below it. Longer bangs cast shadows over the orbital area, which darkens the space and makes the eyes look smaller.

You can also request a curved line in the bangs, extending the sides of the fringe downward to blend into the rest of your hair. This creates a literal frame around the eyes, directing attention straight to them while subtly minimizing the visual width of the face.

The most important concept to understand is scale and contrast. Small eyes are easily diminished if the surrounding hair features excessive width or volume right at the temples, which makes the eyes look smaller by comparison. However, this doesn't mean you can never pull your hair back. While a flat, slicked-down look might expose too much face, a high ponytail or sleek updo can actually make your eyes look bigger. This is because pulling the hair upward creates a subtle, physical "lift" at the temples, opening up the eye area.

Your hair texture and face shape should also be taken into account:

• Fine Hair: Wispy bangs and light, face-framing layers are easy to achieve and will naturally maintain a soft silhouette.

• Thick Hair: Ask your stylist to texturize the bangs and remove bulk from the sides so they don't appear too heavy or blocky.

• Curly Hair: Keep the curls around the face soft and controlled rather than overly full or wide at the sides.

• Face Shape: If you opt for a short pixie cut to draw attention upward, ensure your stylist leaves a few soft, texturized pieces around the cheekbones to keep the look balanced.

It's also worth experimenting with your part. A deep side part creates asymmetrical lines that open up one side of the face, drawing immediate attention to the eye on that side. A middle part keeps things symmetrical and frames both eyes equally. Try both in front of a mirror to see which effect you prefer.

Beyond the cut itself, strategic hair color can act like permanent makeup. Adding soft highlights along the front hairline behaves exactly like cosmetic highlighter. It reflects light around the face, brightening the orbital area and drawing the gaze directly to your eyes.

Finally, remember that your hairstyle works in tandem with your eyebrows. Keeping your bangs at or just above eyebrow level ensures your brows remain visible to provide a secondary frame for your eyes.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Dealing with specific facial features

The different types and styles of bangs