Almost every makeup tutorial comes with a little nugget of advice that you can tack onto your routine and claims to make a world of difference. Want eyes as big as Zooey Deschanel's? Line your waterline with a nude eyeliner! But is the difference between normal eyes and gorgeous doe-like eyes really as simple as a few swipes? Is it a placebo effect? Or are your eyes just watery and full of liner?

We gathered up a bunch of those little makeup tricks to get to the bottom of it all. The twist? We're not telling you which is which. Click through each side-by-side comparison to see just how big (or little) of a change they make. Can you spot the difference?

Credit: Bugs Beauty Blog

Lip liner

We usually turn to lip liner to make sure we color inside the lines with our lipstick, but blogger Ahalya at Bugs Beauty Blog shows the difference a liner can make in adjusting a hard-to-wear color to your skin tone. By simply tracing MAC Viva Glam Nicki, $16, a vibrant pink lipstick, with NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Toast, $4, a slightly darker shade, the lip instantly looks more wearable.

Credit: Beautezine

Mascara on lower lashes

Taking the time to apply mascara to your bottom lashes can be time consuming and messy, but the bloggers at Beautezine show that when it's done properly, coating those wispy lower lashes can really give your eyes a bolder look sans top lash mascara or eyeshadow. Try Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara, $5, a double-sided mascara wand with a micro-brush specially designed for teeny-tiny lower lashes.