As a glasses-wearing beauty editor, I’ve heard one too many times that wearing glasses makes doing makeup difficult. Feeling discouraged from playing with eye makeup while sporting frames isn’t a new concept (if you’re curious, search online for “vintage beauty guides” on Youtube to see how it’s been navigated throughout history), but I’m a firm believer that we can never have too much access to new sources of information and products to match.
If you’re wearing glasses on the daily, why not highlight your eyes even more with eye shadows, luscious lashes, and eyebrow pomades? With that idea in mind, I’ve pieced together a guide to glasses-worthy makeup with the help of two beauty experts: celebrity makeup artist and educator Monika Blunder and beauty expert and entrepreneur Tomy Rivero. Keep scrolling for the seven biggest tips, tricks, and products for pulling off the perfect makeup look for glasses every time.
Tip #1: Prime and Conceal Around the Eyes
Monika Blunder
Blunder Cover
“I love to use Blunder Cover on the eye lids before applying makeup. It will act as a primer,” Blunder begins. “[It will] also make your eyes look more awake, and it gets rid of any redness around your eyes.” Infused with natural botanicals, this all-in-one concealer-and-foundation hybrid is designed to improve the appearance of the skin using a formula that can be sheered out for a wearable base or built up to be used as a concealer for areas that need additional coverage.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Eye Primer
Rivero recommends paying special attention to the formulas of your chosen complexion products. “I would avoid using very emollient creamy concealers or foundations. I would also avoid silicone primers,” says Rivero. “Silicone primers make everything have more slip, making your glasses crease your makeup wherever you have touch points—it can also make your glasses slide throughout the day.” This Anastasia Beverly Hills eye primer enhances the vibrancy, color payoff, and durability of the makeup without budging.
Nars
Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base uses a unique polymer and mineral powder formula that creates a seamless canvas, keeping cream and powder eye color looking fresh and vibrant all day. Formulated with deep-sea and antioxidant rice extracts, it also dries quickly upon application for a smooth eyelid that makes eye shadow application easy.
Tip #2: Add Length and Volume to the Lashes
Next, Blunder recommends curling your lashes and selecting a volumizing and lengthening mascara, avoiding long, false lashes. If you do opt for false lashes, consider a natural-looking pair that offers more volume than length. Shiseido’s Eyelash Curler is the perfect place to start. It features an edge-free design with a broad curve that grabs every lash from the inner to outer corner while its flexible silicone rubber pad is gentle and safe.
Freck Beauty
Lashrocket Mascara
Here’s a lash-lengthening and conditioning serum-infused mascara that’s highly pigmented and ideal for all lash types. Comfortable to wear and extremely long-lasting, this mascara creates immediate volume with a nourishing lash-peptide complex that encourages long, strong, and full eyelashes with every use. It’s also incredibly lightweight and easy to remove with an oil-based cleanser.
Clinique
Bottom Lash Mascara
Sometimes, your bottom lashes need a little extra help to reach their full potential. Clinique’s Bottom Lash Mascara boosts the length and volume of your tiny lower lashes using a smudge-free formula. Its brush is engineered to grasp and comb through your smallest lashes for even application, creating a your-lashes-but-better look.
Tip #3: Try Soft Eye Makeup
Merit
Solo Shadow Cream-to-Powder Soft Matte Eyeshadow in Studio
When it comes to eye shadow, Blunder keeps things simple. “I would stay away from heavy or smoky eyes because the frames are already a bit heavy around your eyes, so I think soft eye makeup is better,” she says. “I usually do a thin liner on the lash line and a matte taupe shape on the lid or in the crease to create a little dimension.” Merit’s Solo Shadow Cream-to-Powder eye shadow in Studio is a gorgeous cool taupe shade that looks stunning on all skin tones.
Ilia
The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Nude
Makeup by Mario has made the perfect set of six talc-free eye shadow shades that go far beyond your basic neutrals by offering matte, satin, and metallic finishes. They’re velvety, blendable, and long-wearing; these eye shadows can easily take any look from day to night with highly pigmented color and no pesky product fallout.
Bobbi Brown
Long-Wear Smudge-Proof Gel Eyeliner in Espresso Ink
“I also love using a chocolate brown or black eyeliner on the upper waterline and wiggle it into the lashes. Instead of an obvious eyeliner on the top lash line, this makes your lashes appear thicker, and it looks super natural,” says Blunder. She also suggests opting for a nude shade on the eyeliner to make your eyes appear larger and brighter. This long-wear gel eyeliner by Bobbi Brown has been a permanent staple in my makeup routine for years.
Tip #4: Frame Your Eyes With Elongated Brows
Don’t forget to frame your eyes by elongating your eyebrows! Remember: Adding dimension to the face is the key to an effortless makeup look while sporting your favorite frames. Luckily, soap brows are one the rise once again, and you’ve been given the perfect opportunity to hop on the trend with the help of clear brow gels like E.l.f. Cosmetics’ Soap Brow for a full, feathered finish.
Merit
Brow 1980 Volumizing Eyebrow Pomade Gel
To say I’m obsessed with Merit’s brow pomade gel is a major understatement. Offered in three shades, this tinted eyebrow gel is designed to create full, face-framing brows with a long-lasting hold. Its mineral-based formula features vitamin B5 and kaolin clay, while its tapered precision brush evenly coats every hair for a natural-looking finish. Plus, how gorgeous is the retro-inspired packaging?
Make Up For Ever
Artist Color Pencil Brow, Eye & Lip Liner
I love to find multipurpose makeup products that help cut down my routine by minutes when I’m in a time crunch. This cult-favorite pencil can be used on the lips, brows, eyes and face for all your makeup needs. Its creamy, long-lasting formula is blendable and buildable, making this pencil perfect for anything from adding contour to creating bold eyeliner looks.
Tip #5: Apply Powder to the T-Zone
Clinique
Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder
“Don’t forget to powder the T-zone so your foundation won’t rub off on your frames,” Blunder advises. If you have oily or combination skin, consider grabbing Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder before your next glasses-compatible full beat. has an oil-free formula that offers matte finish with sheer coverage. I also love using this to help combat the small oily spots on my skin without covering up my natural skin texture and tone.
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
Rivero echoes Blunder’s tip to preserve the complexion. “One of the most important things to do if you wear glasses is to double set your nose and use a creamy concealer that doesn’t require much powder under the eyes,” he says. The Airbrush Flawless Setting Powder does the job with a high-performing formula that blurs imperfections and reduces shine using light-reflecting pearls to brighten the complexion.
Westman Atelier
Vital Pressed Skincare Blurring Talc-Free Setting Powder
Westman Atelier’s weightless, talc-free setting powder is one of the most beloved beauty products used by our beauty team. Offered in five versatile finishes, this setting powder is packed with skin-refining actives to deliver an instant diffused look. It sets without diminishing radiance, smoothes away pores, and diminishes shine.
Tip #6: Play With Bold Lip Colors
Monika Blunder
Kissen Lush Lipstick Crayon in Marlene
Bader also recommends pairing your simple eye makeup look with bold lip looks, as it draws attention to the lips and further enhances your other features. She uses her brand’s Kissen Lush Lipstick Crayon in the shades Marlene (a peachy nude shade) and Charlotte (a bright, poppy red pigment) to accomplish this when creating makeup looks for her glasses-wearing clientele. It’s a pillow-soft lipstick infused with botanicals and oils that glides across the lips for long-lasting, satin finish.
Merit
Signature Lip Lightweight Satin Lipstick in Millenial
Merit’s aptly named satiny lipstick has been a crucial part of my makeup routine since its launch and has continued to be one of my most recommended lightweight lipsticks to date. It’s a sheer lipstick with a satin finish that serves all the nourishment of a lip balm (we’re talking squalane, sunflower oil, and more), without the heaviness of traditional lipstick. Swipe once for a sheer flush of color or a couple more layers for rich, long-lasting color.
Kosas
Wet Lip Oil Plumping Peptide Lip Treatment Gloss in Bare
Use this hybrid lip treatment and gloss to plump and hydrate the lips while adding a bursty of juicy color. Its non-sticky formula glides onto the lips using a nourishing blend of hyaluronic acid, peptides, evening primrose oil, and other botanicals to protect the lips. This is one of my top picks for a lip product that delivers the Y2K, futuristic vinyl look that’s been going viral over the past couple of years.
Tip #7: Apply a Pop of Color to the Cheeks
Glossier
Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush in Spark
According to Blunder, applying blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweeping it upward toward the temples can “give you a brighter and more awake look.” By elongating the blush, dimension is added to the face, allowing your eyes to take center stage no matter which frames you decide to wear. The Glossier Cloud Paint Gel in Spark is a favorite of mine since it looks so effortless and natural on the complexion.
Clinique
Cheek Pop Blush in Heather Pop
If you’re going for more of a pop of color than a whisper, use this buildable cheek color to deliver major pigment. Clinique’s vibrant yet natural-looking Cheek Pop Blush has a silky-smooth, virtually powder-free finish that gives your cheeks a just-pinched look. Available in range of shades that complement every skin tone, this makeup must-have will be in my bag for as long as it’s on the market.
Hourglass
Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat
This groundbreaking hybrid blush and highlighter offers the eye-catching lighting effects of Hourglass’s best-selling Ambient Lighting and Strobe Powders combined with buildable pigment. Described by the brand as “the perfect balance of pigment and powder,” the Ambient Lighting Blush collection is formulated using soft-focus, multidimensional color with a lightweight formula for a naturally radiant finish.
