Whether we're 'growing' our locks with hair extensions or faking a slimmer face with contouring, using make-up and beauty products to enhance our natural features has been going on for hundreds of years.

And these days it's all about the transformation.

Of course, many of us know how to put on make-up but true make-up mastery is all about creating an illusion. From simple contouring, to the more outrageous Insta-worthy overhauls, make-up can work wonders.

And eye make-up isn't any different.

For those of us with mono lids or smaller eyes - mastering eye make-up to make your eyes look bigger has always been on our beauty goals list. But what are the dos and don'ts of makeup for smaller eyes? And how do you keep things looking doe-eyed instead of Drag Race?

Thankfully it's way easier than you might think - here's how to create bigger looking eyes using make-up.

Girl face wearing contoured eyeshadow makeuppinterest
Zoe Dubs
1. Contour yourself a crease

    Contouring your face is just the beginning of the rabbit hole. You can use a similar technique to create an eyelid crease, even if your own lid is not very defined.

    Take your contouring colour and use a small brush to buff the colour along the socket, to mimic the crease of your eyelid. Finish with a dusting of highlighter in the centre of the eye, for a really prominent 3D effect.

    Before after comparison eye with eyelinerpinterest
    Zoe Dubs
    2. Eye-opening eyeliner

    It's a bit of a beauty myth that small eyes shouldn't use eyeliner. When used in an entire ring around the eye, black liner can exaggerate the smaller shape, but the trick is to use a contrasting white or pearl-coloured liner in the lower waterline and keep the smoky eyeliner to the lower lashes instead.

    This opens up the lower half of the eye, making it look bigger and brighter.

    Girl face with eye makeuppinterest
    Zoe Dubs
    3. Use the socket space

    Mono lidded eyes may lack an eyelid crease but this means that you've got loads of space to work with between the socket and the brow.

    Applying eyeshadow high onto the brow bone sounds like a massive make-up fail for many but, when applied on mono lids, it serves to create the illusion of a bigger, deeper eye. Just be sure to blend carefully so you don't have harsh lines under your eyebrows. Not the one.

    Girl wearing false eyelashes makeuppinterest
    Zoe Dubs
    4. Dolly lashes

    If you're a single-step kinda gal then false eyelashes can quickly take your eye game to the next level, adding definition and shape to a mono lid. Asian eyes can get away with really long lashes due to the space between the eye and the brow.

    A lot of lashes are designed to create a feline, winged look but Asian eyes are already rocking this shape so instead you could opt for a curly pair that opens the eye upwards, making them look rounder.

    Line only the top waterline to really accentuate the almond shape of the top lid - sooty, gel liners work really well here.

    Girl wearing strong contrasting makeuppinterest
    Zoe Dubs
    5. Contrasting corners

    To really exaggerate the shape of the eye, try contrasting colours at the inner and outer corners. We're no stranger to an exaggerated cat eye but don't forget about the inner corners too.

    A large black wing elevates the eye outwards and a contrasting dusting of pearl eyeshadow in the inner corners will continue to extend the shape inwards, for a super-fierce feline shape and absolutely giant eyes.

    ELLE Edit: 12 Of The Best Liquid Eyeliners For The Ultimate Cat Eye
    best liquid eyeliner