Four tips to creating day-to-night eyes

The stylish Olivia Palermo always looks pristine with classic eye makeup that can be pulled off casually or on the red carpet.

We’ve all been there: rushing from one post to the next without so much as a glance in the mirror. But while you may have an emergency pair of heels stuffed under the desk or flats stashed in your handbag, do you have a go-to makeup refresh plan for an out-of-office meeting or after-hours event?

Make note of these tips to transform your day-to-drinks look in an instant.

1. Wear false lashes
“I love the effect that adding a few individual false lashes to the outer corner of your eyes has. It helps open up your eyes and make them appear brighter and bigger – which is just what you need after a long day in the office,” says Lucy Adams, marie claire beauty editor.

2. Master the cat eye
Another great desk-to-dinner look is the classic cat's eye, suggests Adams. “For the perfect wing, stamp three dots diagonally upward from the edge of the outer corner, then connect them with a felt tipped eye liner,” she says.

3. Add a pop of colour
Sometimes all it takes is a slick of colour under or on top of the lash line to open up the eye area and create some nighttime sparkle. Blue eyes can up the glamour by lining either the top or bottom lash line with a turquoise-green eye pencil or play it safe but sexy with a shimmery copper gold.

Brown and green eyes should go for a deep plum or try a navy or olive green for something different. Bonus: if you’re all out of eye shadow, use a coloured eye pencil by gently smudging it from lash line to crease.

4. Shimmer, shimmer
Now you’re out of the office, you can get a bit more creative with your eye shadow choice. To make your eyes the stars of the show, smudge in a shimmery eye shadow but keep the colour palette restrained if you’re still on the clock. Finish the eye with a fine gel liner on your top lash line. Finally, load lashes with lashings of mascara.