The Long Stretch

Stretch typically has negative connotations (Think stretched-out jeans or—gasp—your first stretch mark!), but when applied to eye makeup designs, stretching yields mostly pros. Makeup artists pulled eye shadow borders well past the eye’s outer edge into either sharp (Derek Lam) or blunted (Lanvin) points. The effect, as Dior makeup artist Ricky Wilson notes, is stunning. “Stretching the shadow past the end of the eye is something women have done since the days of the ancient Egyptians. It instantly makes the eyes appear longer, sexier and more open.”
 
Does an elongated eye design work for everyone? Almost. Wilson points to women with round- or almond-shaped eyes as benefiting best from this trend. "The only time I shy away from doing this look is on someone whose eyes are wide-set," he says. "In this case, creating a stretched eye shadow design will only make the eyes look even farther apart."
 
If pulling pigment beyond the eyes' borders appeals to you, you'll naturally need practice and guidance. Wilson maps out the best plan of action for an extended eye design: prep, sketch and blend to beyond!
 
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