The strategic use of jewelry to direct the viewer’s focus is often powerfully demonstrated in advertising from the cosmetics industry. Because most cosmetics, like much jewelry, focuses upon the face, the connection is logical and even somewhat symbiotic. After all, no jewelry ad will ever utilize a model who isn’t styled with makeup and/or airbrushed to perfection.One of the hottest areas of product development in the cosmetics industry today is devoted to lush, beautiful eyelashes. Along with new mascara formulations and new shapes of mascara wands, there are heated eyelash curlers, a vibrating mascara primer, and even a new prescription serum called Latisse, which is receiving rave reviews for helping individuals grow longer, thicker eyelashes. The cover of the September 2009 issue of Allure magazine features lovely young actress Amanda Seyfried. Although she is wearing embroidered and beaded apparel, little of it is visible; the focus of the photograph is her beautiful eyes, framed with lush eyelashes.

Eyelashes are essentially a natural adornment for the eyes. Emphasizing the lashes is a proven way to draw attention to the eyes. Jewelry can be used very effectively to emphasize eyelashes.

This technique is beautifully demonstrated in a new ad for CoverGirl mascara featuring actress Drew Barrymore. Notice how the delicate loops of metal edging her earrings are reminiscent of the fringe of her eyelashes, focusing attention on her eyes. Her earrings help bring the focus to her eyes.

[Illustration: Picot edge ribbon from papermart.com]

Picot edge ribbon, sometimes called feather edge ribbon, can accomplish the same effect. This type of ribbon has an ornamental loop along its edges. One of the brooches in my personal collection is a vintage brooch depicting a bow constructed of picot edge ribbon. The closer in proximity to the eyelashes a piece of jewelry is worn, of course, the stronger the visual connection of design elements. Earrings are ideal for bringing a delicate fringed design close to the eyes for emphasis.

A woman who uses makeup and likes to look polished, is also likely to want to refine her image with jewelry. If she prefers to emphasize her eyes, as evidenced by lush eyelashes, well-chosen jewelry can heighten the effect.

JCK