If you really want your eyes to sparkle this Christmas then you need to be wearing the right eye make up. Female First look at how to choose the best products and colours to create show stopping glamorous eyes.

The 'Three Ls' make up the basic stages of eye make up application- Lids, Liner, Lashes- and you need to be sure your make up bag has the perfect product for each stage if you want to make the best of your peepers.

Lids

The eye lid are where it's at for colour. There are so many gorgeous colours out there at the moment- the whole Barry M eye pots range has every colour you can think of. But that means it' can be so tempting to go wild and pick the brightest, most glittery tone you can find but nothing screams drag queen more than over the top eyes. The truth is you should pick colours that sort your natural colouring and base all your eye looks around that. The best eye make up styles are made of three colour tones on the lid.
Firstly a base should be applied between the lashes and the brow. This needs to be a very light colour that just creates a shimmer. A grey/silver or beige/gold shade usually works best. Bourjois Little Round Pots in Bianc Diaphane and Beige Rose (£5.75) are great for this and they last for ages.

Next to add colour. You will need a main colour for the whole lid and then a darker tone of the same colour for the crease and corner of the lid if you want to emphasise your eyes and make them the main feature of your face. Experimenting with colours you like is the best way to learn what suits you best but check out the colours we think work best:
Blue Eyes : The natural colour of blue eyes shines brightest when surrounded by warm natural colours. Using light brown tones with a pretty pink shade always works well.
Green Eyes : Dark brown or mocha shades are great for a natural earthy daytime look while purple tones contrast well with green eyes to create more drama.
Hazel Eyes : The different coloured flecks in hazel eyes allow you to highlight the different tones depending on your mood. Try using a green shadow with a hint of gold alongside a pale yellow or lighter green to pick out the different tones within the brown of your eyes.
*If you're not sure what colour do go for then don't forget any eye colour looks great with a smoky eye make up. Celebrity make up artist Lisa Eldridge has some top tips on achieving a sultry smoky look:

Sexy Smoky Eyes Made Simple

Liner

Eye liner is probably one of the most common things that people struggle with when it comes to beauty. The hassle of getting your lines straight and even and avoiding smudging can make it all too tempting to give this stage a miss but it really is essential in defining the shape of your eyes.
The secret to perfect eye liner is all about choosing the right product for you. There are three main types of eye liner to choose from:
Kohl Pencils: are best for beginners. They glide on easy and can be blended and smudged without much effort. However this does mean they may smudge where you don't want them too after a few too many vodkas.
Liquid Liners : last the longest and create the most drama but you need a steady hand to apply the liquid and it's not so easy to remove if you make mistakes.
Felt Pen Liners : are a cross between the first two they are easy to apply like a pencil without going blunt and have the liquid smoothness. They can also be more difficult to correct when you have a little slip up however.
*Black eye liner may look too severe for those with blonde hair and fair skin so try using a brown or grey shade to soften the look.

Lashes

Lovely lashes are the finishing touch to any gorgeous eye look. The longer and thicker you can get your lashes the more glamorous they will look. Stars including Kate Moss, Hayden Panettiere and Gisele Bundchen love to flutter false eye lashes on the red carpet and it's now easy enough to get the hollywood lash look at home. Celebrity lash designer (yes that is a real job) Christina Smith tells us the best way to apply false lashes:

Top Tips for Lovely Lashes

If you don't fancy the hassle of all that cutting and sticking there's always the good old traditional curlers and mascara method. The best eye lash curlers are usually the most basic ones. Some people find that heated curlers make their lashes stay shaped for longer but usually a good squeeze with a standard pair is just as good.

There are some great mascaras on the market at the minute that can lengthen, thicken, strengthen, separate and even make your lashes grow.
Double ended mascara's such as Boujois Coup de Theatre (£8.95) which have a white liquid to lengthen and strengthen lashes and a colour to apply over the top. These are brill formaking lashes fuller but it can sometimes be difficult to completely cover the white base without too many clumps.
Waterproof mascara is essential if you're off to a hot and sweaty club or plan on crying to a soppy film. Rimmel Extra Super Lash (£4.79) is waterproof but also adds fab volume and can create a decent curl even without using eyelash curlers and it's a great price too.
If you're looking to splash out a bit celebrity make up artist Gary Cockerill reccomends his favourite: “I love the Christian Dior Show Mascara. It's just a really great mascara. It really builds the lashes up and it's really intense.”
The latest product on the market for lashes is Dermaquest's new DermaLash which is a bit more pricey at £98 but claims to have a unique Eye Lash Growth Promoter Complex that stimulates hair follicles, improving the length and thickness of the eyelashes.

Tilly Harris- Female First