A Full Breakdown of the "Siren Eyes" Look That's All Over TikTok
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I think I speak for us all when I say my relationship with TikTok went from casual to serious (like, spend-every-waking-minute-together serious) during 2020, and is still going strong in this post-pandemic world. There's nary a TikTok makeup hack or TikTok beauty product I haven't tried, but one look really stands out among the rest: the "siren eye" TikTok trend (which, we'll be honest, is more of a decades-long look than a new trend, but hey).
This makeup look took off in the summer of 2022, but unlike other TikTok trends that fizzle out as soon as you swipe to the next video, this eye-makeup idea has quickly established itself as one of 2022's biggest makeup trends. If you have yet to attempt the viral look (or maybe you tried and gave up), let us give you a few pointers. We went straight to the pros, celebrity makeup artist Jenna Nicole and TikTok creator Steph Hui, to give you their best advice and product recommendations so you can (finally) perfect the look yourself.
What does "siren eyes" mean?
It's basically just a TikTok-created term that refers to the popular winged liner look that's both soft and smudgy. “Siren eyes are a soft but dramatic eye look done with eyeliner or smoked-out eyeshadow,” says Nicole. “It gives the illusion of a narrow and elongated cat-eye shape.” You know, like the look of a thread-lift but with makeup instead. Hui says in addition to the signature winged liner on the outer corner, siren eyes typically line the inner corner as well.
How do you get siren eyes?
So glad you asked! Join the other 3.6M people and watch the above video of Hui demo-ing the viral "siren eyes" TikTok trend. Then, follow the below steps for a few extra tips.
1. Create the base of your eye look. Use eyeshadow and a fluffy makeup brush to create a long, outward shape along your upper and lower lash lines. Start with a lighter shade of eyeshadow, then switch to a darker one to intensify the "V" shape on your outer corners.
2. Trace the wing with eyeliner. Hui prefers pencil liner, while Nicole likes liquid liner for this technique, so the moral of the story is to use whatever type of liner you feel most comfortable with. For "siren eyes," the angle of the wing you draw is more important than the product you use. Instead of extending the lash line from your upper eyelid (the traditional way), Hui recommends extending the line from your bottom water line for a lower flick that brings the eye out rather than up.
3. Connect the flick into your lashes. If you used a pencil liner, blend the line into your upper and lower lash lines with a dense shadow brush to connect the wing to your eye. If you used liquid liner, continue the line onto your lash line and taper it off toward the center of your eyelid.
4. Define your inner corners. Grab your eyeliner of choice and trace the water line on your inner corners. Although you can trace the entire length of your eye, Nicole suggests focusing on the corners and keeping the liner thin on the middle of the lids to really elongate the shape. If you're using a pencil liner or eyeshadow, you'll then want to use a small angled brush (Hui prefers the Morphe M165 Angle Liner/Brow Eyebrow Brush) to pull the line outward toward your nose and extend your inner corners. To keep the liner from smudging, Hui recommends using a waterproof or sweatproof liner (Hui's fave is the Make Up For Ever Acqua Resist Color Pencil Eyeliner), then setting it in place with powder eyeshadow.
5. Finish with mascara. Load up your outer lashes with mascara to emphasize the elongated shape you just created. Or, really amp up your look with a set of fake eyelashes or magnetic lashes.
Not a fan of the "classic" look? Welp, one plus side to waiting a bit for a trend to pop off is the number of tutorials available when you're ready to give it a shot. “A lot of siren eyes we’re seeing are usually smokey and dark, but don’t be afraid to play with color as well,” Hui says. Start with the smokey wing and defined inner corner, and build the rest of the look from there. Follow these tutorials to try one of these unique takes on the trend:
1. Siren eyes for beginners
Finding the right angle is essential, so make it easy on yourself and trace it first. Grab a business card (or anything with a straight edge), line it up under your bottom lashes, and angle it up slightly—but not too far. While pressing the card against your skin, create a "V" shape on the outer corner of your eye with a fluffy blending brush and bronzer.
Drop the card, and now you have a subtle outline to use as the base of your look. Use an angled brush dipped in black eyeshadow to darken the wing and bring it in toward the center of your eyelid. With your liner brush and shadow, trace in the inner corner of your eye to continue the line all the way through your eye.
2. Tape trick for siren eyes
Grab a piece of makeup tape, and use it as a stencil for your flick. Line up one side underneath your bottom lashes, then angle the tape outward to create the elongated siren shape. With a damp angled brush dipped in eyeshadow, trace along the edge of the tape to create the wing. Smudge the wing out to give it a smokier finish, then, remove the tape. To intensify the wing, go over the top with a gel liner and don't forget the signature "V" in your inner corners, too.
3. Siren eyes with false lashes
To really exaggerate the shape of your "siren eyes," Nicole recommends adding a few individual lashes on the outer corners. As shown in this TikTok, you can also cut a full strip of false lashes in thirds and glue one segment to the outer corners.
4. Soft siren eyes
For a softer overall finish, skip the liner and stick with just eyeshadow instead. Using your angled liner brush, start with a lighter shade of shadow, then build up the color with a darker shade on the inner and outer corners. To add a little extra definition, line the bottom waterline with a pencil liner in a matching shade.
5. Super-smokey siren eyes
For this semi-smokey eye, use a kohl liner and load it up along your bottom lashes before blending it out. Remember how Hui said to extend the bottom lash line? This tutorial is a great example of that by concentrating the pigment on the bottom lashes and keeping it lighter up top.
6. Bold siren eyes
To intensify the look, trace the liner across your entire lower and upper lash lines. Just make sure to keep the flick low, straight, and in line with your inner corner "V" shape to give it the signature "siren eyes" look.
Meet the experts:
Jenna Nicole is a Los Angeles–based celebrity makeup artist who has worked with Selena Gomez and Cassie Randolph.
Steph Hui is a Hong Kong-based digital creator with 1.5 million followers on TikTok, 515,000 followers on Instagram, and dozens of viral beauty videos.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Brooke Shunatona is a contributing writer at Cosmopolitan for over three years and has 10 years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle across print and digital, including roundups of the best makeup gift sets and the best colored eyeliners. The “siren eyes” product picks were based on expert recommendation, social media trends, and personal testing.
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