Most people wear eyeglasses to enhance their vision, but there’s no reason you can’t have a little fun with them, too. Glasses can be a great fashion accessory, and you can even incorporate them into your makeup looks—if you keep a few considerations in mind.

Gorgeous with Glasses

The eyes are the focal point of many makeup looks, so it stands to reason that the glasses surrounding them have a big impact in this area.

If your prescription magnifies your eyes, a subtle look might suit you best. Tone down the super-shiny shadow and instead think neutral shades that are well blended, along with a natural-looking mascara and thin layer of eyeliner that enhances your eyes without making them appear overdone or exaggerated.

Some lenses do the opposite—make your eyes seem smaller. If that’s the case, choose an eye look that “opens up” the eye. In general, that means avoiding very dark shadow colors and not lining your lower lash line, which can make eyes appear to recede. Focus instead on lush lashes and, if you prefer, choose shimmering shades to make lids pop.

Lids, lashes, and the lash line aren’t the only areas to consider, though. The frames you wear can either stand in for your eyebrows (if they go high enough up on your face), or your brows can show above the top rim of your glasses, giving a double brow look.

If your frames are thick or very dark and they reach up to your eyebrows, you can skip brow enhancement altogether. If your frames sit below your brows and fall into the same category (thick and dark), you can still use brow products, just keep in mind that a natural look is best. If your frames are clear or a neutral or light metallic shade, it’s fine to go a little bolder with your eyebrows.

A couple of other things to keep in mind: Having long eyelashes means they can sometimes brush right up against your lenses every time you blink. If that describes your situation, choose mascara formulas that aren’t overly wet or take too long to dry, as they can wind up smudging your glasses.

Also, if your glasses create a shadow beneath your eyes, consider a brightening product that reflects light, lessening the shadow effect.

Last, but certainly not least, make sure you check out your finished look in the mirror with your glasses on before you head out the door! Making sure everything looks balanced and well blended will give you great confidence that you look your best.