In 2017, I had the unforgettable experience of visiting the Monster Exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, featuring Kirk Hammett’s private collection—yes, the legendary guitarist of Metallica. The exhibit was a stunning blend of art, film history, and horror, with one part standing out vividly: “The Eyes Have It.” This section emphasized the primal, evolutionary pull that eyes have on us, whether they belong to monsters or victims. Eyes, it argued, captivate us because our survival has long depended on our ability to interpret them. Some eyes threatened, others conveyed terror, and some simply pleaded to be understood. As I walked past the posters, those eyes followed me—just as they must have followed theatergoers in decades past.
This idea immediately resonated with my work in beauty and makeup. Eyes are our most expressive feature, capable of communicating everything from confidence to vulnerability with just a glance. Makeup, like the eyes in those movie posters, tells a story. A well-crafted smokey eye can invoke mystery or danger, while soft eyeshadow hues might convey innocence or calm. Much like the monsters in Hammett’s collection, our eyes can enchant or intimidate, depending on how we choose to enhance them.
So, whether it’s through liner, shadow, or just a swipe of mascara, the question is: what story do you want your eyes to tell today?