Fashion trends come and go. But for performing, the main idea is for the audience to be able to see your eyes. They are of course the window to who you are. One concept is that the almond shape is the desired shape for the eye; however, our eyes don't always conform to what the current standard of beauty is. Be glad.....we all don't want to look the same! There are some tricks that you can do, while using the below hints, to make your eyes more of the almond look. Thank goodness for makeup,right?

EYE LINER:

• If you put some of your face powder on your eyelids first, just a bit, then the pencil will stay on better.
• For a nice tip on your pencil, put it in the freezer for a couple of minutes. If you are on tour (a bus, etc.) lay the tip of the pencil on an ice cube for a second. That will harden it.
• Pencil tends to smudge. You might want to think of using eye liner. However, that will give you a hard line. You have to know what look you are going after. I always thought that eye liner worked best. You got the hard line that you need for performance from a distance and it didn't tend to smudge like pencil does.
• Don't stretch your eyes as you apply. Start in the middle of your eye and work outwards.
• If you close the edges of your eyes with your lines, your eyes will look smaller from a distance. Try leaving just a bit open in the inside corner. You can even put a bit of white there and that will "open your eyes" quite a bit.
• If you make a mistake, don't smear it off. Use a Q-tip that is moistened with some lotion. (spit works sometimes too. EEEEUUUUWWW!)
• To get the correct angle from the end of the eye out, try laying your pencil from your nostril to the outer edge of your eye. With the edge of the pencil angled from the nose to the outside of the eye, you get the correct 45 degree angle. You can lay down the edge of the pencil while holding the 45 degree and make a dot with the tip of the pencil. Then just follow from the outer edge of your eye and you've got it.
• If you want extra big eyes, try applying a small white line just below the line on lower eyelid.

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Eye Shadow:

• Use a color that suites your face and enhances your costume.
• If you apply a bit of face powder first, your shadow will tend to last a bit longer.
• The lightest color goes closest to the eyebrow, the darkest color goes in the crease.
• Its best to smudge the colors that that they smear together well.
• Glitter? Well, the audience can't see it, but if you like it, then sure. But will it hurt when it gets in your eyes? Yes. But who cares. Pain for beauty right?

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Eye Brows:

• Don't forget your eyebrows. They are important to defining your eyes from a distance.
• Use a color that matches your hair color, or just a shade darker.
• You want to try to make a slight arch with the highest point just on the outside of your iris of your eye (when you are looking forward).