Makeup Artists’ Tips for a Bright, Lively Eye Look

If you have a big event coming up, whether it’s a wedding or a big birthday bash, you’re likely spending ample time testing and trying makeup and hair products to make sure your glam is as authentic, flawless and long-lasting as possible. While a solid beat and hair that’s snatched to the gods can go a long way, nothing ruins a look like dull, tired eyes. When you’re focusing on foundation, lips, nails, hair and more, it can be easy to let your eyes fall to the wayside, but celebrity makeup artists and A-listers alike will assure you that lively eyes are the sleeper hit ingredient to a top-notch makeup moment. To help make sure your next big-event glam look is as red carpet-caliber as possible, we tapped celebrity makeup artists for the best bright-eye tips to help your orbs stay stunning from pre-game to after-party.

Featured Experts

• D’Andre Michael is a celebrity makeup artist and aesthetician
• Ermahn Ospina is a celebrity makeup artist

How do you make your eyes look bright and rested before a big event?

Let’s be real—even though we like to prioritize a solid eight hours of sleep before any big celebration, pre-event jitters and the regular stresses of our day-to-day can make getting ample rest a struggle, even for A-listers. Luckily, our celebrity makeup artists have mastered the bright-eye routine regardless of how many zzz’s you got the night before, and their hacks range from pre-makeup massages to redness-relieving eye drops, hand-picked concealers and more.

“Before a big event, I like to start by doing some gua sha and facial massages on my clients for lymphatic drainage,” says celebrity makeup artist D’Andre Michael. “This helps de-puff eye bags, brighten dark circles, stimulate circulation and awaken and lift the eyes.” To help combat unwanted redness, Michael reaches for Lumify Redness Reliever Eyedrops ($22) or Rohto Max Strength Cooling Eyedrops ($7). Celebrity makeup artist Ermahn Ospina also swears by Lumify’s redness-ridding eye drops, explaining that “I like to start my clients’ routine by applying a couple of eye drops by LUMIFY to clear the eyes as they also give your eyes a sensation of feeling rested.”

Getting into skin prep for bright eyes, Ospina explains he focuses on adding hydration around the eyes, opting for iS Clinical’s C Eye Serum Advance ($71). “Besides hydrating, this serum also helps diminish the appearance of puffiness and dark circles under the eyes,” he explains. “To lift and brighten I use 111SKIN Eye Lift Gel NAC Y2 ($190) which is known as an ‘eye lift in a bottle,’” Michael adds. “It contains NAC Y2, argireline and caffeine for de-puffing, brightening and awakening. Michael finishes off his bright-eye skin prep with DIME Beauty TBT Eye Cream ($38) to visibly diminish fine lines and wrinkles, plump, firm and add hydration. For daily use, he recommends Dr. Dennis Gross’ DRx Spectralite EyeCare Max Pro LED Device ($199) “which targets puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles,” he raves.

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While skin prep is an integral part of a wide-awake glam look, Ospina emphasizes how a curated makeup routine is key to making sure those orbs stay shining for hours on end. “I start with shaping the eyebrows with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen ($26) and Brow Definer ($26),” he begins. “Then I use the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer ($34) to get a real brightening eye effect. I like to apply a dot on the inner corner of each eye and then another dot on the top inner corner, extending the concealer with your finger tips or a makeup sponge for more even finish.” To ensure long-lasting wear, Ospina sets the concealer with Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Longwear Setting Powder ($43), applying a small amount on a makeup puff and “pressing it gently onto the skin then brushing the excess using a small makeup brush.”

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When it comes to the eyes themselves, Ospina says less is more. “I like to keep the eye makeup minimal to keep the eyes looking bright and rested,” he explains. “I curl the lashes and add a couple of coats of mascara. One of my favorites at the moment is Lancôme’s Hynōpse Drama Waterproof ($32), and when I want the eyes to look extra bright, I like to use Ardell Beauty’s Naked Lash in 421 ($13).” As showcased in his work below on actress Whitney Cummings, Ospina calls her go-to glam look the ultimate wide-awake, bright-eyed beauty moment, thanks in large part to his expert product line-up.