UOne of the most popular eye shapes, elongated and exotic, is the so-called eye shape almond-shaped eyes, typical of oriental populations, elongated and sinuous. A legacy, it is believed, thousands of years old, derivative from ancestors who lived in Central Asia and Siberia. In these places, populations were forced to keep their eyes half closed to protect their sight from the wind intense, often also full of earth and sand, and by the intense light reflected by the snow, so much so as to influence, in the long run even on a genetic level, the shape of the eye. How to best enhance them or imitate them for those who wish to “lengthen” their gaze?
Almond-shaped eyes: how to draw them with makeup
Almond-shaped eyes tend to be oval in shape, with the irises touching both the upper and lower eyelids, with a slight lifting of the external corners. If these characteristics are absent, to obtain an oval shape in the center and thinner on the outer sides, professional make-up artists adopt a series of steps using make-up tools.
«The first step is to draw a very thin line with pencilblack or another color, along the edges of the eyelids, superior and inferior. It serves to create the perimeter of the eye, and it is important to pay attention to drawing the line near the roots of the eyelashes”, he explains Paolo Pinna, International Beauty Expert, Brand Global Beauty Consultant and make-up artist.
With the right precautions, makeup allows you to easily obtain an almond-shaped eye effect (Instagram photo @adnana.adam).
We then move on to color, which creates the basis for obtaining the optical effect of lengthening the eye. «The edge of the pencil should be blended with an eyeshadow of the same colour, taking care to start coloring starting from 3-4 millimeters from the inner corner of the eye, direct the application of the shade towards the outside of the upper eyelid and upwards» says the expert. «The colored powder should be placed about 2-3 millimeters away from the line drawn with the pencil, expanding up to the crease of the eyelid».
A determining element is the eyeliner, which must be a shade darker than the one chosen for the pencil and eyeshadow. «It should be drawn along the edge of the mobile eyelid an irregular line, which goes from thin to thicker», explains Paolo Pinna. «It starts from the internal corner of the eye, near the roots of the eyelashes, and continues outwards and upwards. Just before reaching the middle of the eye, the tip of the eyeliner must gradually detach itself from the edge of the eyelid, until it reaches a distance of 3 millimeters from the external corner of the eye, lifting upwards.” To finish, blend the color with a small flat brush, always proceeding from the inside out.
«After carefully applying the mascara, starting from the roots and combing the eyelashes outwards, move on to the light points, strategic and essential elements to obtain the almond-shaped eye effect. A small dose of highlighter should be blended both under the external tail traced with the eyeliner and on the external portion of the eyebrow arch”.
Aesthetic medicine with an almond-shaped eye effect
Help to “slim” the look also comes from aesthetic medicine. “There’s a plastic surgery called canthopexy”, explains Marco Klinger, professor of reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery at the University of Milan, head of the plastic surgery operating unit of the Humanitas Clinical Institute of Rozzano (Milan).
«Canthopexy has the ability to elongate rather round shapes, it does not lead to unnatural and unreasonable results, with exaggerated horizontal extensions of the eye”, specifies the doctor. «It can be combined with the classic anti-aging touch-up that “lightens” the upper or lower eyelids or both (upper, lower or complete blepharoplasty) or performed alone».
The surgery consists of a small incision at the upper or lower eyelids. «It serves to create an “entrance” which serves to attach the canthal tendon (made up of the ligaments that contain the eye inside the orbit and the eyelids) to the orbital frame to obtain the desired lengthening», explains Professor Klinger.
«The touch-up takes place under local anesthesia and day hospital. After 3-4 days you can start wearing makeup again. The stitches are removed after approximately 1 week. The scar tends to be completely invisible. The price varies from 3 to 5 thousand euros, plus the cost of the clinic.”
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