Let’s admit it: eye makeup is hard. Whether you’re a professional or a novice, mastering the perfect winged eyeliner or a flawless eyeshadow blend—not to mention primers, color combinations, and the creasing of the concealer or eyeshadow—can be a huge task. We absolutely get how overwhelming this can be, but worry not, as we bring to you some genius eye makeup hacks to make your life much easier:

Embrace the primer
A primer is one of the best solutions for oily, cracked, and uneven eyelids. It also works wonders when you face difficulty fading or smearing an eyeshadow (it even holds the eyeshadow in place.) If you don’t have a primer, then consider using a concealer, which has a thicker consistency.

The white eye pencil hack
To make your eyes appear bigger, line them with a white eye pencil, right adjacent to your waterline. You can also use it to make your eyeshadow appear more vibrant (make sure you apply an eyeshadow base first.) If white looks too harsh, then try using a nude-colored pencil.

Know where to apply what shade
When in doubt, always remember: darker shades are applied closer to the lash line, the medium ones go on the lid, and the bright shades are applied closest to the brow bone (the part beneath the eyebrow). Blend these shades in an upward angle, avoiding the eye’s outer V.

Wing it!
The easiest way to get a perfect winged eyeliner is to use tape or sticky notes next to your eyes. Simply stick them in a slanted angle (angle is everything) close to your outer V and trace the outlines. For smoky eyes, remove the tape and lightly blend around the corner to remove harsh lines.

Lift your brow in an instant
Apply some white eyeshadow or pencil on your brow bone to give your brow an instant lift. Remember to blend it well, because no one likes a streak of white lingering above their eyes.

No more goopy mascara!
If you want to elevate your eyelashes, then try out this trick: hold your business card, credit card, or a similar object near the border of your eyelid. Then apply the mascara such that your movement is upward, along the direction of the card. This will not only make your lashes appear more curled, but will also leave behind all the unnecessary mascara clumps on the card, thereby resulting in flawless lashes.

Know your eyeshadows
Pressed eyeshadows are perfect for blending. Cream eyeshadows act as good bases for powder or single-color application. Loose or shimmer eyeshadows increase the eyes’ glamor quotient but are slightly trickier to be applied. Use them at the end with your fingers for a better effect.

Best shades according to your eye color
Bronze, light purple, midnight blue, and slate gray eyeshadows, along with neutral shades like beige, work best for blue eyes. Green eyes look stunning with browns, deep purple, and plum; while shades of black, plum, burgundy, and blue make brown eyes pop.