For glasses wearers, makeup can sometimes feel like a balancing act—striking the right harmony between enhancing facial features while making sure that the glasses don’t overshadow the look. Whether you’re a long-time glasses wearer or someone who’s recently made the switch from contacts, knowing how to adjust your makeup routine to suit your frames is essential. After all, glasses don’t have to hide your beautiful eyes or make you feel like your makeup is less noticeable—they can actually enhance your overall appearance when paired with the right makeup choices.
In this essay, we will explore key makeup tips for glasses wearers that not only enhance your natural features but also help you feel more confident in your look. From the eyes to the skin, we’ll cover everything you need to know to create a makeup routine that complements your frames perfectly.
- Start with a Flawless Base
Creating a smooth, even canvas is crucial for glasses wearers, as glasses can sometimes highlight imperfections like redness, dark circles, or uneven skin tone. For this reason, starting with a good skincare routine is essential—hydrate, moisturize, and prep your skin before applying makeup.
Prime Your Skin: Using a good primer can help fill in any texture issues and create a smooth base for foundation. If you wear glasses, your skin may experience more friction around the nose and temples, areas where the frames rest. Opt for a mattifying or hydrating primer depending on your skin type to prevent makeup from moving or settling into lines throughout the day.
Foundation and Concealer: Choose a foundation that matches your skin tone and has good staying power. A medium-coverage foundation works best for most glasses wearers, providing enough coverage to smooth out the skin while still allowing your natural beauty to shine through. If you have dark circles or redness, use a concealer that matches your skin tone for a natural look, or go one shade lighter to brighten under your eyes. This can also counteract the shadows caused by the frame pressing against the skin.
Set with Powder: If you’re prone to oil around the nose, forehead, or chin, set your makeup with a translucent powder. However, be careful not to overdo it. Glasses can sometimes leave indentations on the skin, so using a finely milled powder will prevent a cakey look and keep everything in place without emphasizing texture.
- Emphasize Your Eyes
Your eyes are one of the main focal points when you wear glasses, and the right eye makeup can draw attention to them without clashing with your frames. Depending on the shape and style of your glasses, there are several techniques you can try to make your eyes pop.
Use Neutral Eyeshadows: Bold, dark eyeshadows can sometimes compete with your frames, so neutral tones like beige, taupe, and soft browns are the way to go. These shades provide definition without drawing too much attention away from your glasses. For a natural look, apply a matte neutral shade to your lids and blend well. You can use a slightly darker shade in the crease to add dimension to your eyes.
Lift the Eyes with Liner: A great tip for glasses wearers is to focus on eyeliner. Glasses can sometimes create a shadow that obscures the shape of your eyes, so using eyeliner strategically can help lift and open the eyes. If you prefer a subtle look, opt for a thin line along the upper lash line. For a more dramatic effect, winged eyeliner or cat eyes work well for those who want to accentuate their eyes further. Just be sure to use a waterproof or long-lasting formula to avoid smudging.
Mascara: Mascara is a must for glasses wearers, as it helps define the lashes and open the eyes. The key here is to apply enough mascara to make your lashes visible through the frames. Curling your lashes before applying mascara can also make a big difference, as it keeps them from touching the lenses and causing smudging. If you wear heavy glasses with thick frames, you may need a volumizing mascara to ensure that your lashes are noticeable. A lengthening formula is great for lighter frames, as it will subtly enhance your natural lashes without overpowering them.
Highlight Your Brow Bone: Glasses can sometimes obscure the upper part of your face, especially if the frames are large or cover a portion of your brows. To combat this, use a soft highlighter on the brow bone to lift the eyes. You can also use a matte, light eyeshadow on the inner corners of your eyes to create the illusion of brightness and openness.
- Contour and Highlight for Balanced Proportions
When wearing glasses, it’s important to create balance between your face and the frames, particularly if you’re wearing bold or oversized glasses. A bit of contouring and highlighting can help define your features and bring attention to the right places.
Contouring: Glasses can make the face appear flatter, especially if you’re wearing frames with a large or thick frame. To prevent this, contour the sides of your face to add depth. Use a matte contour powder or cream to carve out your cheekbones, jawline, and temples. For a natural look, blend the contour well, and make sure you don’t overdo it—subtlety is key. The goal is to define your features without competing with the glasses.
Highlighting: Highlighting the high points of your face can help brighten the areas that glasses might cover. A touch of highlighter along the tops of your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, and on your cupid’s bow can create a glowing effect. If you wear glasses with thicker frames, this will bring light to your face and prevent it from looking too shadowed.
- Choose the Right Lip Color
While your eyes take center stage when wearing glasses, your lips should still be part of the equation. Opting for the right lip color can help balance your entire look.
Neutral Lips: For an everyday look, neutral lip shades such as nude, peach, or rose work well with glasses. These colors won’t compete with your frames, but still provide a polished, cohesive appearance. A matte or satin finish is ideal for a sleek look that won’t transfer onto your lenses.
Bold Lips: If you’re wearing glasses with a more minimalistic frame, you can get away with a bold lip. A classic red, berry, or plum lipstick can give your look a chic touch and help create balance. If your frames are bold, keep your lips more subdued to avoid overwhelming your face.
Lip Liner: Glasses can sometimes make lips look smaller, especially if the frames are heavy or dark. To create fuller lips, line the edges of your lips with a lip liner that matches your lipstick. This will define your lips and prevent lipstick from bleeding throughout the day. You can also use a lip gloss for added shine and to make your lips appear fuller.
- Avoid Makeup Smudging or Sliding
A common issue for glasses wearers is makeup transferring onto the lenses or rubbing off due to the frames resting against the skin. To prevent this, follow a few simple steps:
Long-Wearing Formulas: When applying makeup, use products that are designed to last. Opt for long-wearing foundation, waterproof mascara, and smudge-proof eyeliner. These formulas will help your makeup stay intact despite the contact your glasses may have with your face throughout the day.
Set Your Makeup: After applying your makeup, set everything with a fine mist setting spray. This helps lock in the look and prevents makeup from moving around or smudging. Additionally, a setting powder around the nose area, where glasses often rest, can help minimize shine and prevent makeup from rubbing off.
- Frame Your Face with Your Glasses
When choosing makeup for glasses, don’t forget to consider the shape and style of your frames. Bold, oversized frames often look best with minimal eye makeup and a statement lip, while smaller frames can be complemented with more dramatic eyes. The key is to create a balanced look that allows both your makeup and your glasses to shine without overpowering each other.
