How To Get the Doe Eyes Look with Eyeliner and Mascara

If you're looking to make your eyes appear bigger, brighter, and more awake, the doe eyes makeup trend might be just what you need. Soft, wide-eyed, and dreamy, this look is all about creating a round, open effect that makes your eyes pop in an incredibly flattering way. Whether you're going for a natural daytime vibe or a full glam moment, keep reading to figure out how to get the doe eye look with eyeliner, mascara, and a few well-placed highlights.

What Are Doe Eyes in Makeup?

The doe eyes makeup look is all about mimicking the wide-eyed innocence of a deer—think large, round eyes with soft, fluttery fringe. Unlike the sharp, sultry shape of siren eyes, which elongate and lift the corners of the eyes, doe eye makeup focuses on opening the eyes vertically. It creates a more youthful, sweet appearance.

No matter your natural eye shape, the right techniques and products can help you achieve this effect. It's all about placement, color, and a bit of glow.

How To Create the Doe Eyes Look: Step-by-Step Guide

Here's a step-by-step doe eyes makeup tutorial that you can nail with products you likely already have on hand.

Makeup for doe eyes: What you’ll need

• Eyeshadow primer
• Neutral matte eyeshadow
• Shimmery eyeshadow
• White or nude eyeliner
• Highlighter
• Lash curler
• Volumizing mascara
• Optional: False lashes

Step 1: Prime the lids and apply a neutral base

For the perfect doe eye makeup look, start by prepping your eyelids with an eyeshadow primer to keep everything in place. A smooth base helps colors pop and prevents creasing throughout the day.

Next, sweep a matte, neutral-toned eyeshadow all over your eyelids. This helps create an even canvas and subtly defines your eye shape.

Step 2: Add a center lid highlight

To bring the center of your eyes forward and create that open, rounded look doe eyes are known for, add a dab of shimmer to the middle of your lids. The L'Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Twinkly Rose is perfect for this—just glide it onto the center of your lids and pat it out with your fingertip for a soft, diffused feel. You can also tap a little of the same shade under your lower lash line to reflect even more light.

Step 3: Define with eyeliner

Now it's time to add eyeliner—but the placement does matter. Doe eye eyeliner should be soft and diffused rather than sharp and defined. So, instead of winging it out the way you would for a cat eye look, draw a thin line along your upper lash line that slightly dips downward at the outer corners. Then, smudge the liner ever-so-softly with a brush for a gentle, shadow-like finish. The L’Oréal Paris Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner is a great option for this step, since it comes with a built-in smudger.

Step 4: Brighten the waterline

Next, apply a nude or white eyeliner to your lower waterline to instantly make your eyes look bigger and more awake. The L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Up To 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in Nude is a great option for this step since it boasts a creamy, waterproof formula that won’t budge for up to 24 hours. This one trick alone can dramatically enhance the doe-eyed effect.

Step 5: Highlight key areas

Next, use a creamy highlighter like the L'Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick to add brightness to your inner corners, brow bones, and just under your pupil on the lower lash line. These touches catch the light and help “open up” the eye area even more.

Step 6: Curl lashes and add mascara

After applying your eyeshadow, eyeliner, and highlighter, you can move on to what we’d argue is the centerpiece of this look: your lashes. Start by curling your lashes carefully, focusing on lifting the center of your lashes. Then apply mascara, concentrating, again, on the center lashes to enhance the round-eyed shape.

The mascara you choose should be dictated by your specific needs and preferences. If you want your lashes to look longer, we suggest the L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara. For natural-looking volume and definition, the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Waterproof Mascara is tough to beat. Whichever you choose, apply two coats, letting the first dry before layering on the second.

Optional add-ons to elevate the doe eye look

Add individual lashes to the center

Applying a few individual false lashes right in the center of your upper lash line can instantly enhance the round, wide-eyed effect. This technique draws attention to the middle of the eye, helping it appear more open and doe-like. Choose shorter, natural-looking clusters to keep the effect soft and fluttery.

Use brown eyeliner for a softer look

If black eyeliner feels too harsh, switch to a deep brown for a more subtle, romantic version of doe eyes. It still defines your eyes, but with a warmer, less intense contrast. This is especially flattering for those with lighter complexions (or for a more daytime-friendly look).

Try a small inner wing

A small inner corner wing can add a gentle curve that enhances the rounded shape of your eyes. This trick mimics the innocent look often associated with cartoon or anime-style eyes. Keep the line short and soft, angled slightly downward to maintain that wide-eyed, innocent look.

Doe Eyes Makeup Tips for Different Eye Shapes

Doe eye makeup can work for everyone with a few adjustments tailored to your eye shape.

Hooded eyes

Tightlining your upper waterline is a great way to make your lashes look fuller without taking up valuable lid space. Try placing a matte eyeshadow just above your natural crease to create the illusion of a higher crease and add a subtle lift.

Monolids

To help add depth to monolid eyes, try using a gradient eyeshadow technique that goes from darker near the lashes to lighter toward the brow bone. Keep your eyeliner super thin and tight to the lashes to avoid visually closing off the eye. A soft highlight at the center of the lid and a good lash curl can really make your eyes pop.

Almond eyes

Almond eyes are already beautifully balanced, so it’s all about enhancing that natural shape. Focus your shimmer and mascara right at the center of the eyes to give them that open, doe-eyed feel. A nude eyeliner on your lower waterline is a quick way to make your eyes look rounder and more awake.

Downturned eyes

If you have downturned eyes, keep your eyeliner close to the lashes, and instead of dragging it outward, gently lift the outer edge for a subtle upturned effect. This helps lift the eyes while still keeping a soft, rounded shape. A pop of highlighter in the inner corners draws the focus to the center and brightens up your whole doe-eye look.

Doe Eyes Makeup FAQs

How do I make my eyes look more doe-like?

To get doe eyes, combine brightening tricks (like nude waterline liner and shimmer) with rounded eyeliner placement and curled lashes. Focus everything on making your eyes appear wide and vertical rather than pulled out.

Can I get doe eyes without makeup?

Yes, you can get a subtle doe-eyed effect without makeup. To help visually open up your eyes, try curling your lashes, focusing the curl at the center of your lids. Brightening eye drops can also help make your eyes appear more open and awake.

What’s the difference between doe eyes vs. siren eyes?

Doe eyes are round, soft, and innocent—perfect for an open, sweet expression. Siren eyes, on the other hand, are lifted, elongated, and sultry. Doe eye makeup is also well-suited for day, while siren eyes are more dramatic and work well for evening.

Which eye shape works best for doe eyes?

Any eye shape can pull off doe eyes makeup. It's all about adjusting techniques to work with your unique features. Curling lashes, smart eyeliner placement, and light-reflecting touches are your best friends when it comes to creating this sweet look.

Next Up: How To Find The Best L'Oréal Mascara for Your Lashes

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris