What Is Eyemaxxing? The Makeup Trend That Makes Your Eyes Pop

What Is Eyemaxxing?

There isn't one "right" way to try eyemaxxing. It's all about using placement, shape, and color to make your eyes appear brighter, more lifted, or more defined. We have a handful of techniques to emphasize your eyes. Let’s break it down:

• Shaping: To elongate the eye, you’ll want to lift the outer corners upwards, with both shadow and liner. This is going to draw the eyes upward, and enlarge the appearance.

• Dimension and Definition: Knowing when and where to highlight makes all the difference when it comes to building dimension for your look. You’ll want to place lighter shades closer to the eye and the inner corners, and create a contrast by using darker shades closer to the eyebrow. It’s not exactly a cut crease, but a play on the technique by utilizing the natural crease of your eye to frame your eyeshadow. This creates depth, and creates a solid base to build off of. To define and seal the deal, we’ve got just the trick: amplified lashes. You can achieve this by curling your lashes (we use PRETTY VULGAR You Go Curl), then going in with a volumizing, colorful mascara layered on the outer corners of your lashes. Speaking of color, that leads us into our next point. 

• Color: Eyemaxxing uses a combination of contrasting and complementary colors to enhance the visual appearance of your natural eye color. Creators are embodying this trend in a variety of ways, like using colors similar to their eyes to brighten the eye. Opting for the contrasting route looks good on you too; whether you go for matching, complementary, or opposite shades, you really can’t go wrong.

The bottom line is that no single technique defines eyemaxxing, and the trend is ever-evolving. The point is to combine several placement techniques to be bolder, bigger, and better.

How to Try the Eyemaxxing Trend

Eyemaxxing is all about expressing your natural beauty, amplified! The goal for shaping? To lift and intensify. We recommend lining your eyes on your upper and lower lids, and extending the liner beyond the outer corner of the eye to make a cat-eye shape. The point is to outline your eyes and make them the main attraction. Whether you opt for a cream, liquid, or matte liner, you’ll love the stunning effect of working with your individual eye shape to draw out your look. 

How to Shape:

1. Begin with shadow as your base.

2. Add in a liner to define and accentuate.

3. Extend your product to the outer corners of the eye.

4. Finish the look with mascara.

Now let’s get down to business; which products are the best fit for you and your eyemaxxing?

How Color Theory Makes Your Eyes Pop

It’s true; opposites attract, but complementary colors are calling as well. Using contrasting shades from the color wheel to make your eyes appear more saturated and enhance your natural hue has been a longtime color theory trick. Not only does color theory use science to enhance the appearance of your eyes, it’s also a fun way to experiment with your routine and play to your natural features. Usually when referring to color theory, artists use “opposite” colors to draw out your eyes. 

In addition to strictly sticking to contrasting shades, we’re noticing outside-the-box thinking. Creators and beauty lovers alike are opting for eyeliner in unimaginably cool colors, vibrant mascaras, and shadows that shimmer for the ultimate cool-girl look. 

The Best Makeup Colors for Your Eye Color

Color theory is a great starting point, but the options are truly endless when it comes to eyemaxxing. Experimentation has been the foundation of this trend, and sometimes the most unexpected combinations are the most exciting. Try this if you have:

Green Eyes: 

First things first, the ultimate pairing with green eyes will be a peach shadow. For the perfect peach, we love TOO FACED Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette. It’s highly pigmented, has cream and powder options, and is peach-scented. You’ll want to go in heavy-handed with the shadow, and trust us when we tell you it’ll pop! Next, a copper liner will round out your shadow and give a sleek effect; it’s close to opposite from green on the color wheel, and will pair nicely. We love CHARLOTTE TILBURY Eye Colour Magic Liner Duo in Copper Charge. With options for both matte and metallic looks, you can experiment with using either, or both! For the finishing touch, apply RARE BEAUTY Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara in Brown. It´ll give your lashes lift and volume for the ultimate green eyemaxxing.

Brown Eyes: 

A lighter brown base on the lower lid and lightly applied to the under eye will work like a charm to contour and complement your eyes. A touch of purple-toned brown shadow to follow the natural curvature of your eye will accentuate the base to enlarge the appearance of your eye, and it’s absolutely fierce! Our fave palette to try these fun shades is the CIATÉ LONDON I Am Woman 24 Shade Eyeshadow Palette V2. With 24 shades in browns, nudes, purples, and pinks, you’ll love mixing colors to find the perfect combination for you. Warm earth tones like brown go hand-in-hand with rich purples and reds. To intensify your base, you can go in with shades Perfectly Not Perfect or Ambitious for a gorgeous glittery finish. For eyeliner, use ESTÉE LAUDER Double Wear Infinite Waterproof Eyeliner in Deep Plum. Complementary warm tones such as plum and burgundy will create your perfect eye-catching look. To truly maxx in your shade, you’ll want to draw a generous amount of the liner on your under eye on both the waterline and directly below to create a bold, polished look. We’d finish this look with a brown mascara, with WANDER BEAUTY Mile High Club™ Length and Define Mascara for a fanned-out, lengthened look. You’ll be loving it all day long! 

Blue Eyes: 

Start with a taupe or cream-colored base for shadow. The E.L.F. COSMETICS No Budge Matte Shadow Stick in Vintage Suede delivers high-pigment in a soft format. The lighter hue pairs well with your blue, and creates a soft, easy base to build off of. Next, you’ll want go in with a liner that builds off of your specific shade. For lighter blue-toned eyes, try NYX COSMETICS Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Stone Washed for a matte look that’ll stay all day. If you have deeper blue eyes,  SHADES BY SHAN COSMETICS The Pearl Gel Eyeliner in Berry Blue will get you right. For the cherry on top, you’ll love a striking cobalt blue or teal mascara. The  HALF MAGIC Eyelectric Extreme Lengthening Mascara in Teal Widdit will give you lengthened, defined lashes, all while in a vibrant shade of blue that’ll work for you.

Should You Try Eyemaxxing?

Let’s recap… why eyemaxxing? Not only does the trend look good, it promotes confidence and inspires you to express your unique beauty. Your beauty routine is a form of self-love, and what’s better than using your natural features to create a look you love?! There’s no right way to eyemaxx; it’s all about experimentation, expression, and elevation. This trend is inclusive, and we’re all for it. We just know you’ll want to try this at home!