My eye makeup has to compensate for a couple of challenges that come with my eyes. One is built-in: I've inherited a lack of lower lashes from my Chinese mum (Hi Mum!). The other is self-inflicted: my sleep patterns are somewhat awry -- I average about four or five hours per night, and no, it's not enough. #workingonit. My lower-lash deficiency isn't a big deal. I just don't bother. But to fake big, wide-awake eyes after too-little-sleep is my daily mission. (Step-by-step photos after the jump.)

With the help of the new Maybelline New York Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara -- omigod I love it -- the first mass-available mascara with a plush wand for the upper lashes and a tiny wand for the lower (detail sneak peek here), not only do I get bigger-looking eyes than ever, for the first time I get to participate in the doll-eyed makeup trend we've been seeing for the last couple of seasons in NYC.

Rather than dissect this no-makeup situation and re-hash the no-lower-lash thing, let's move on to my eye makeup routine.

I always start with Maybelline New York Dream Fresh BB Cream SPF 30. Its physical UV filters (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) make it my go-to for daily sun protection, so I put it all over. Then I blend concealer on my upper lid at the inner corner as well as below over the dark circles, and a bit on the outer edge to knock back that slight redness. When my circles are no-sleep dark, I tap a peachy-pink concealer over them instead -- it's more effective at camouflaging really dark circles than a concealer that merely matches my usual skintone. (The deeper your complexion, the more orange your concealer should be for covering really dark circles.)

Next I dust on a very light layer of translucent powder, and curl my lashes. (See the difference it makes?)

Then I line the lower waterline with a pale lavender or shimmery white pencil to make my eyes seem brighter and alert.

To make my upper lashes look thicker, I tightline the inner rim with black liner, such as Maybelline New York Unstoppable smudge-proof pencil liner in Onyx. This trick adds heft at the lash roots, whereas a black line along my lids would just look like makeup, and visually shorten my lashes besides (they'd disappear against black liner).

I like a shimmer when I line my upper lashline -- when it catches the light, it subtly makes eyes look brighter and bigger, too. Here I've used a small liner brush to apply Maybelline New York Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. It delivers just the right amount of light reflection to look any-age appropriate, rather than old-person-trying-to-be-a-teen.

More subtlety: I've swiped a light wash of creamy warm champagne shadow across my lid with a bit of a coppery shade over it in the crease for a hint of definition.

A dab of shimmery white shadow, or champagne, or gold if you have a deeper complexion, is a must-do for brighter eyes. I've used Maybelline New York Color Tattoo in Too Cool, a bright white that goes on in a lovely sheer creamy swipe. I've put a bit in the middle of my upper lashline (you'll see that more clearly soon), a bit at my inner corners, and from my inner corners about a third of the way along my lower lashline.

Um... wow. Maybelline New York Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara promises to deliver twice the impact of single-brush types. But look at the difference with only the top lashes done. I start by pushing the plush upper-lash mascara wand against the base of the lashes a few times, then I go back to apply the smooth formula from root to tip, many, many, many times, until I get the effect I want.

Here, a quick peek at the bit of Color Tattoo in shimmery white Too Cool in the middle of my upper lashline.

I love the lower-lash microbrush component of the Maybelline New York Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara. Its slenderness and compact bristles allowed me to get at every one of my teeny-tiny lower lashes without getting any mascara on my skin.

This is my 360º-lashes finish. And while the top-lashes brush delivers fabulously lush results, I can't say enough about the genius lower-lash microbrush. I like it so much because it's barely tapered (see a detailed sneak-peek shot here). More lushly lower-lashed types will get a more dramatic effect, but it was a huge feat for me to get the look I did with zero smearing from wand to face during application. You have to be similarly un-blessed in the lower-lash area to know what I mean and its importance.

Here, naked vs all-dressed eyes.

Now I can cast extra-flirty big-eyed glances at tall, hot werewolves everywhere. Watch out, Dyson and Alcide.

(Confession: I couldn't stop looking at my eyes after this application.)

I especially appreciate that Maybelline New York The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara is a 2-in-1 combo, which means its double-impact tube won't take up double the space in my on-the-go makeup bag.

Let the wolf-whistles begin. *grin*

Maybelline New York The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara ($11.99) is available at drugstores and mass retailers. Get more Big Eyes makeup tips  from the amazing Grace Lee, Canada's official makeup artist for Maybelline New York, via the Maybelline New York Canada Facebook page.

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