Does Your Makeup Make You Look Fat?

Eyes

"Make your eyes look gigantic," says Valerie Sarnelle, creator of Valerie Beverly Hills cosmetics. "The bigger and wider they appear, the slimmer the rest of your face gets," she says. False eyelashes applied to the outer corners of your eyes help, as does extra mascara (but not on lower lashes, as this can enclose the eyes). 

Tip: Well-groomed brows add definition and interest to the center of your face and take the focus off the perimeter.

Lips

"Plump up your lower lip," recommends Paula Dorf, a New York City makeup artist. When your lips look small, the rest of your face looks larger by comparison. The best way to beef up your mouth is to dab a shimmery gloss in the middle of your lower lip (on top of a lip-tone lipstick or gloss), says Dorf. 

Tip: Don't encircle your mouth with liner; it'll make your lips look smaller.

Cheekbones

"Bring out the angles in your face," suggests celebrity makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen. How? By highlighting the "high points" of your face (cheek and brow bones) using iridescent powder. 

Tip: Use your regular blush and eye colors in the areas that recede, like the hollows of your cheeks and the creases of your eyes, to exaggerate the effects.