5 easy ways to make your eyes pop if liner isn't your thing

Sometimes, eyeliner just sucks. There, we said it. 

It can ruin the smokey eye you spent an hour on, it can smudge all over giving you panda eyes, and sometimes it just takes too damn long to perfect. 

When you're trying to make your eyes pop, it's tough to find other ways to do so when eyeliner is hailed as the hero of eye makeup.

But don't despair, we have found five other ways to accentuate your eyes that steer clear of any liquid black lines.

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#1 Go for a bright lipstick

If you really want your eyes to look bigger and brighter, it's time to stop playing it safe with your lipstick. When you find the right shade, it can make your eye colour pop, and the whites of your eyes appear brighter - which in turn makes your eyes look bigger. When we're thinking of how to best flatter our eyes, we don't usually consider how powerful the right lipstick colour can be - and that friends, is a big mistake. 

Image credit: @hoskelsa, @keke, @melaniemakeup. 

bh loves: Estée Lauder Pure Color Love, MUD Moisturising Lipstick, Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick, M.A.C Love Me Lipstick, Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick, Karen Murrell Natural Lipstick - 18 Sugar Rush

#2 Brush up your brows

Image credit: @emmachenartistry

Brows are arguably the most transformative step in a beauty routine. Good brows accentuate and shape the face, and can be powerful in drawing attention to the eyes. When brushed upwards, your eyes will appear bigger and more open. It's also a super easy look to achieve: all you need is a spoolie and a clear brow gel for longevity. 

​bh loves: DB Cosmetics Un-Brow-Lievable Clear Brow Gel, Ardell Brow Sculpting Gel, Estée Lauder Stay-in-Place Brow Gel, Benefit Angled Brow Brush & Spoolie, Bobbi Brown Dual-Ended Brow Definer/Groomer Brush

#3 Luscious lashes

Any of us who have found ourselves addicted to lash extensions know the power a good set of lashes can have on the face. Long, dark lashes make eyes look bigger and help achieve the highly coveted 'doe-eyed' look.  

If falsies aren't your thing, you can achieve a similar look with an eyelash curler and a thickening mascara. Make sure you blast the curler with your hairdryer before you use it to get your lashes extra curled and luscious. 

Image credit: @sammyrobinson

​bh loves: Glam by Manicare Sienna Lashes, M.A.C Lash #7,  Ardell Double Up Wispies Lashes, QVS Curl Wonder Lash Curler, MUD Lash Boost Define & Curl Mascara, essence get BIG! LASHES volume CURL mascara

#4 Lighten the waterline

Have you ever lined your waterline with black to find your eyes look tiny? Rimming your bottom waterline with white liner will have the opposite effect, as light colours open up your eyes, making them look bigger and rounder. You have to be careful to not use a shade that's too stark, as this will look unnatural and won't have the desired effect. Using a light hand, go for a natural white or a nude to really make your eyes pop. 

Image credit: @emmachenartistry

​bh loves: Models Prefer Kohl Pencil, Chi Chi Rich Payoff Eyeliner, ulta3 Limited Edition - Freestyle Liquid Liner 

#5 Brighten and de-puff the underye

Image credit: @dietmtndewy

You know when you've had a big night and your undereyes get puffy, leaving your eyes looking beady and blah? There is a solution. If you're finding that dark, puffy eyes are causing you grief, try a hydrating and soothing under eye mask to combat the issue. Once you're puffiness has gone down, you'll see how much bigger your eyes look when they're not being held randsom by stubborn under eye bags. 

For extra impact, keep your eye masks in the fridge. Not only does it feel great,  but it helps the de-puffing properties work more effectively. 

​bh loves: Simple Brightening Under-Eye Hydrogel Mask, Skin Republic Brightening Eye Mask, Spascriptions Hydrogel Under Eye Mask – Cucumber, Swissline Essence Masks Algae-Peptide Eye Mask, Glow Lab Age Renew® Repairing Eye Mask

Do you have any go-to tricks to make your eyes stand out?

*This article has been updated since its original publication date.

Main image credit: @hoskelsa