How to Make the Whites of Your Eyes Even Whiter

This one might be a no-brainer, but when it comes to itchy red eyes, nothing works as efficiently as eye drops. You might see improvement from using whichever bottle you find first at the drugstore, but for really noticeable results, ditch your standard eye drops and pick up one of the formulas beauty editors and makeup artists rely on instead. Matin's personal pick is Lumify but makeup artists also love Rohto’s Cooling Eye Drops ($4) and Innoxa’s Gouttes Bleues ($12), a French secret for canceling out hints of red and yellow.

Never underestimate the power of an eyelash curler. If you have a history of bad experiences with lash curlers and have sworn them off because of it, consider giving the makeup tool another shot. Lifted lashes open up your eyes, which combats shadowing as a result and can help your eyes appear brighter and whiter. For the best results, start with the right tool.

While mascara might cover a good bit of your waterline during the application process, it definitely leaves some blank spots on your upper lash line. Filing in those blank spots with black eyeliner will help create more contrast, making the whites of your eyes look more starkly white against a black lash line.

If you're someone who prefers to wear eyeliner along your bottom lashes, be careful when tracing your waterline (the area inside the rim of your bottom lashes) with a dark pencil. Many makeup artists use this technique when outlining the eye to create a smoky effect, but the end result can close in the eye and create darkness. And if you've ever applied makeup to your waterline, you know how easy it can be to poke yourself or get makeup fallout inside your eyelid, which in turn makes your eyes watery and bloodshot. So, for brighter, wider looking eyes, leave the waterline of your eyes bare and focus the line below your lashes. If you desperately want to correct redness along the lashes, lightly fill in the area where you need to with a bright white (or flesh-toned, for a more natural look) pencil to neutralize redness and contrast the blue eyeliner.

A pop of highlight on the inner corners of the eyes can make the whites of your eyes look whiter, as well as help you achieve a more generally bright-eyed, awake-looking appearance. Using a tapping motion, gently pat a small pop of highlight into the inner corners of your eyes. You can use a sweeping motion to blend if you go a little too heavy-handed on your first go.

When trying to make the whites of your eyes appear brighter, the contrast of mascara will do wonders. Opt for a formula that's lengthening and volumizing for maximum impact. Matin recommends Climax from Nars.

Per Matin, look for a shimmery (but sheer) eyeshadow to finish off the eye. This will help brighten the overall appearance of the eyes, with the whites of your eyes "picking up" the glitter on the lid and vice versa.