Makeup
Eye Makeup 101: The Complete Guide to Makeup for Hooded Eyes
Mastering the art of eye makeup can be a daunting challenge for many beauty junkies, especially for people with hooded...
By: / January 3, 2020
Mastering the art of eye makeup can be a daunting challenge for many beauty junkies, especially for people with hooded eyes. No matter the amount of YouTube tutorials there are on the internet, the truth is that those obsession-worthy #makeupinspo looks may not work on your hooded eyes. However, having hooded eyes does not always spell gloom and doom. With the new year upon us, grab your brushes and learn the know-hows to perfecting hooded eye makeup to slay that New Year’s Eve party look!
Here are Beauty Insider’s tips and tricks to applying eye makeup for hooded eyes.
Contents
What Are Hooded Eyelids?
People with hooded eyelids have an extra layer of skin folding down from the brow bone, which often causes closes up the eyelid space. This makes the eyes appear much smaller and droopier.
What distinguishes hooded eyes from other eye shapes is the visibility of the eyelid crease. If the crease is largely hidden by the excess skin fold under the brow bone, chances are you have hooded eyes.
More often than not, applying eyeshadow or drawing that killer-sharp eyeliner can be difficult for people with hooded eyes as they have very limited eyelid space to work with. Having said that, not all hope is lost! With the right makeup tips, anyone can rock those hooded eyes!
Use a Good Ol’ Primer
Thanks to the excess skin fold that people with hooded eyes have, people with hooded eyes are more likely to face product transfer or creasing. The solution? Invest in a quality eye primer! Not only does keep your eye makeup in place, but it also extends the lasting powers of your eye makeup! For starters, our go-to primer would be the cult classic Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.
Price: $35 at Sephora
Get a Waterproof Mascara
Applying mascara can often mean trouble for people with hooded eyes as the lashes are often touching the excess fold of skin on the eyelid. That usually calls for more smudging and not-so-cute eye makeup. However, that does not mean you have to forgo those full, voluminous lashes! Alternatively, keep a waterproof mascara by your side to prevent your mascara from running! Plus, longer eyelashes create the effect of bigger eyes and lift up drowsy eyes instantly! The Lancôme Grandiôse Waterproof Mascara is our recommended pick for waterproof mascaras.
Price: $50 at Sephora
Apply Your Transition Shade Slight Past the Crease
Applying your transition eyeshadow shade directly into the crease is an age-old makeup tip that has been sworn by YouTube beauty gurus as it is known to add depth to the eyes. However, this tip does not work on people with hooded eyes as this often closes up the eyelid space even more.
Instead, apply your eyeshadow slightly above your natural crease. For this step, mark out the invisible line right past your socket and apply your preferred eyeshadow shade on the line using a soft, fluffy brush. This creates an effect of a defined crease to widen your eyes dramatically!
Also, take note to not apply your eyeshadow too close to your brow bone, unless you are aiming for Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts look!
Cut that Crease!
When it comes to hooded eyes, ditch your natural crease and fake it ’til you make it! Defining your crease is the key to achieving those doe-eyed peepers as it creates the illusion of wider eyelid space. So what better way to glam up your eyes than to go for the coveted cut crease eye makeup look?
If you are looking to recreate this Instagram-worthy look, stick to matte, neutral eyeshadows to create your fake crease. Firstly, apply a dark brown eyeshadow right above your crease. Then, blend it out and apply a lighter shade for a more natural-looking crease.
Apply Darker Shades on the Outer Corners
The classic smokey eye look is undeniably dreamy and they work well in opening up hooded eyes! Having said that, a common rookie mistake many beginners make is applying a dark shade all over the eyelid. Instead of creating that sultry, smoked-out look, this actually closes up the eyelid space even more.
As opposed to applying a dark shade all over your lid, apply your eyeshadow onto the outermost corners of the lids in a tapping motion. This will help create more dimension and depth to your eyes while still lifting them up! Afterwards, sweep your eyeshadow in an upward motion towards the tail of the brow to open up your eyes. Check out this tutorial by Sephora to learn how to slay that smokey eye makeup on hooded eyes!
Also, do not apply a dark shade onto your entire lower lash line unless you are going for panda eyes. Instead, blend the same dark shade along the outermost corners of your lower lash line to add a sultry vibe to your eye makeup.
Add a Pop of Highlight!
According to Executive Director of Makeup Artistry at MAC Cosmetics, Lyne Desnoyers, the trick to lifting up your eyes is to focus the shimmer application onto the centre of your eyelids before bringing it up to the brow bone!
It is also best to apply a shimmer eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes to widen the eyes and create the illusion of wider eyelid space.
Wing it Out with An Eyeliner
A winged eyeliner can define any eye makeup look, which is why go for thick and bold wings! For this look, line your eyelids with the thinnest lines possible before stopping at the outermost corners of your eyes. Make sure to line as close to your lash line as possible. Next, flick your eyeliner up at a 45-degree angle and draw a sexy cat-eye wing to open up your hooded eyes instantly!
For beginners, the triangle method is a nifty trick to perfecting your wing. All you have to do is to draw an isosceles triangle on the outer corner of your eyes before filling it up! If you need a visual, check out Michelle Phan’s eyeliner tutorial!
In need of an eyeliner? Go for the Tarte Kitten Liquid Eyeliner to achieve that sexy cat-winged eyeliner!
Price: $31 at Sephora
Choose the Right Pair of Falsies
It looks like the saying ‘lashes make everything better’ is true after all.
False eyelashes are not just for the drama-loving beauty aficionados — false eyelashes are the perfect tools for transforming droopy, hooded eyes into wide, doe eyes!
With that said, the right pair of falsies can make or break your eye makeup look. Avoid falsies with longer hairs tapered to the end as they can accentuate downturned eyes. In place of that, opt for falsies that have shorter hairs on the ends and longer hairs at the centre to create the illusion of rounder and bigger eyes. Do not forget to trim your falsies to fit your eye shape!
For starters, the Velour Lashes ‘Short but Sweet’ falsies are a great pick for people with hooded eyes.
Price: $38 at Sephora
