Loose Change

Description tip #1: Capture more than hair color and eyes

When you describe someone, don't just tell us what they look like. Try to give a sense of who the person is, as well as paint a portrait of their history and character.

When he smiles his face breaks into the splotchy weathered lines of an Irishman with too many years in the sun. His eyebrows curl upward and disappear beneath the brim of an aging canvas he is never without. ~ Erika Swyler, The Book of Speculation  

It is tempting to describe someone's hair and eyes, but that tells us so little. What is unique about them? What captures their essence? Also, from a purely pragmatic point of view, this is your opportunity to squeeze in bits about their past or heritage or lifespan with doing an info dump. Is this a young man? No. What is his heritage? Irish. Does he work at a desk or somewhere else? "Too many years in the sun" suggests an outdoor job.

Use your description to both intrigue and inform the reader, not just to describe. This isn't a police report, it's writing!