23 Genius Eyeliner tips for Hooded eyes: How to do eyeliner

How to wear eyeliner and eye makeup on your hooded eyes like a pro! 

We all come in different shapes and sizes and so do our eyes!

And when it comes to eye makeup, we know that some eye shapes,

like hooded eyes, are more challenging than others. 

Makeup newbies, especially those with hooded eyes,

may find it tricky when applying eyeliner and eyeshadow.

I got you!

Here I will help you with some awesome tips and tricks

that’ll help you wear eyeliner and eye makeup on your hooded eyes like a pro! 

Tips for wearing eyeliner on hooded eyes

How do you identify hooded eyes?

This eye type has a flap of skin that hangs from the brow bone and covers a part of the upper eyelid such that very little of the eyelid is visible.

Hooded eyes could be a genetic feature but sometimes get more pronounced with age.

Beauty vloggers who teach beautiful eye makeup tutorials cater more to regular-shaped eyes,

and their methods don’t always work for hooded eyes.

We’ll teach you 23 cool techniques to work with eyeliner and help you master the makeup look for your unique set of hooded eyes.

1. Get the right products to suit your eyes.

Use a sharp-tipped felt liner or a gel with a small eyeliner brush to line the upper lash line.

You can also line your eyes using a pencil for a smokey style. 

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Our #1 favorite sharp-tipped felt eyeliner is the LANCOME Ultra-precise felt tip waterproof eyeliner. It’s just the best!!

2. Formula, is important

Make sure that your liquid liner is not too watery or thick.

The liquid should be free-flowing to create smooth lines.

The same applies to gel and pencil liners too.

They should not be too hard or dry as they could tug on the skin and create an uneven finish.

Looking for a complete list of the best eyeliners for hooded eyes? Check this list of the best eyeliners for hooded eyes (pencils, liquids, and creams)

3. Prep your eyelids

Just like skin prep is critical before makeup application, eye prep is equally vital to get a smooth finish.

Good eye creams help moisturize the skin,

and some solutions even help tighten the skin around the eyes and make them look more lifted and bright.

If you have hooded eyes AND OILY EYELIDS, an eye cream should be used only at night as a skincare step, not as an eye primer.

Instead, apply a GOOD eye primer to control the illness of the eyelids and prevent your eyeshadow from creasing.

Here’s my favorite eye primer for oily hooded eyelids.

4. Prime and color-correct.

If you want your eyeliner and eye makeup to last longer, it’s a good idea to use an eyeshadow primer.

Discolored eyelids and under eyes will appear even when color-corrected with a concealer that matches your skin tone.

Primer and concealer help the eyeliner and eyeshadow sit well on the skin and stay put for long hours.

Should you wear concealer as an eye primer? Check my post with the answer to this.

5. Clean up your brows

Hooded eyes have shorter spaces between the brows and the eyelids.

By creating more room between them,  you can give your eyes a lifted look.

To do this, start by clearing your brow area of unwanted hairs.

Brush the brow hairs upwards and use a brow gel or pencil to fill them in.

Shape your brows such that they are slightly arched, but at the same time, do not curve around the eyes. 

6. Play with eyeshadows

The skin flap over the eyelids often hides your natural crease line,

and the absence of a crease makes it tough to create different makeup looks.

Using a blend of neutral, medium, and dark matte eyeshadow colors will let you build a faux crease line and give you a better-defined eye shape.

Here’s how: How to fake a crease with eyeshadow

For best results, always prime your eyelids or use concealer before going for eyeshadows.

Not only will this ensure that the eyeshadows last long,

but they will also prevent creasing and help in a much neater application process.

7. Eyeliner application

When you have sweet little lid space, it is critical to be precise with eyeliner application.

Choose a fine-tipped liquid liner like this one to line the upper lash line keeping it very thin and as close to the lashes as possible.

✍The liner should be darker than your skin tone and preferably matte, but not necessarily black.

While using gel color, use a fine liner brush to apply the product similarly.

8. Tightlining with pencil

Tightlining is a neat little trick that works wonders in accentuating your lash line without crowding the lid.

But you have to do it correctly; otherwise, you will make your hooded eyes look more hooded or smaller.

It involves using a pencil or kohl liner on the inside of the upper lash line, going between the lashes and filling any gaps,  and creating dense-looking lashes that appear naturally thick.

⭐️ A good pencil eyeliner and a CHEAP one is the Infallible pro-last waterproof eyeliner.

9. Try a winged eyeliner

Hooded eyes greatly benefit from a wing at the end of the line.

While drawing a perfect winged line does take some practice, there are some techniques you can try:

• Draw a line angling slightly upwards from where your upper lash line ends. You could do a short or long line, depending on how much of a wing you want.

• Form a triangle by joining the end of the line to the outer third of the lash line while looking down, positioning it such that the triangle is visible when you look straight ahead.

•  Fill in the triangle. You can choose to thinly line the whole lash line and add a narrow triangle or go for a thicker line and triangle if you don’t have a pronounced hooded eye. 

• Clean up the wing using concealer so that the lines look sharp

See the complete step-by-step pictorial and guide on how to do winged eyeliner for hooded eyes here.

10. Use a pencil for the wing

If you have tried the classic winged eyeliner without success,

an easier option is a smudge winged eyeliner with pencil or eyeshadow.

Instead of eyeliner, use a dark pencil or eyeshadow with an angled brush for an easy, soft wing.

As we described before, draw an extended line on the outer corner of your eye,

but instead of making it more precise, softly smudge the line to get your desired shape.

As always, use a concealer to clean up any mess you make.

11. Look straight ahead

When you have loose skin over your crease, drawing a line over it could look messy and crooked.

For this reason, it is important to relax your eye and facial muscles.

Look straight into the mirror and have a steady hand while lining your eye. 

NEVER apply your eyeliner without opening your eyes between strokes to see how it looks with your hooded eyes open.

12. Explore other liner styles.

With a winged or elongated liner look, there are many styles you can explore.

While the cat-eye is quite similar to a wing,

the reverse cat-eye and the foxy eyeliner styles also look beautiful on hooded eyes without weighing them down.

The batwing style is also a great way to enhance and define the eyes. 

Yet another trick is to begin the line from the center of the eye and elongate it outwards.

You could even use eyeliner on the inner and outer corners of the eye and extend the lines on both sides, all while leaving the center bare.

13. Pay attention to the entire eye area.

Focusing on the outer corners of the eyes to give them a faux-lift is a makeup trick that is especially helpful for hooded eyes.

Work on the outer edge using liners, pencils, and eyeshadows, but also pay attention to the inner corners.

Use a highlighter on the inner corner of the eye and the brow bone to balance out the darker outer corner and for brighter, larger-looking eyes.

✅ Check my guide on how to apply inner corner highlighter like a pro!

14. Line the waterline

When compared to other eye shapes, applying makeup to hooded eyes is a pretty challenging activity.

 ⚠️ The lining helps accentuate the eyes,  but lining the entire bottom area or going too dark can make hooded eyes look small and even a bit droopy.  

Try this instead:

➡️Line only the outer third or half of the lower lashline, and with a smudge brush and eyeshadow, slightly blend it downwards for larger-looking eyes.

➡️Using a pencil or eyeshadow, merge the end of the bottom waterline to the wing created at the upper corner of the eye for a smokey look.

➡️Line the bottom line with a nude or skin-toned pencil for big, bright eyes. You could also opt for pencils with a metallic finish for a glamorous look!

15. Mascara is your friend

Any makeup look is incomplete without layering on some mascara.

To apply mascara properly on hooded eyes, start by curling your lashes, focusing on the outer corners.

Tilt your head slightly backward and wiggle the mascara wand from root to tip to evenly coat the lashes.

Pull the mascara wand outwards and upwards at the corner to give it a flared look.

Additionally, use mascara with a thinner wand to coat the lower lashes.

Related post: This is literally the BEST Mascara for Hooded eyes I have ever tried!

16. Add on falsies

While mascara by itself does wonders for the eyes, adding on false lashes is a surefire way to give them a glamor boost.

Choose falsies that aren’t too long or dramatic so that they define the eyes without weighing them down.

Short wispy lashes that taper give a flare to the eyes and make them look lifted.

You could also go for multiple individual lashes at the outer corners that’ll help accentuate a winged line.

17. Use waterproof products

With the excess skin and limited crease space, you’d find that hooded eyes are

more prone to getting eyeliner and makeup products smudged around the eye area.

To prevent this, choose waterproof, transfer-proof eyeliners and mascaras.

For a long-lasting look, use primers and setting sprays so that the products stay in place. 

Check this list of my top favorite cheap waterproof eyeliners and this list of the best waterproof/ sweatproof makeup products

18. Clean up and sharpen with concealer

Using eyeliner is not easy for non-experts, and getting the shape to match both eyes takes some work.

But it’s alright if you make mistakes or have uneven makeup on both eyes.

Makeup remover and concealer will let you fix problematic areas with minimal effort.

You can also clean up the lines and the surrounding area to get crisp, smudge-free, perfectly lined eyes.

Related post: What’s the best concealer for cutting the crease? Here’s the answer

19. Go for glitter

You’ve probably heard that shimmery eyeshadow and glitters are a strict no-no for those with hooded eyes.

While it’s true that highlighting the hooded part makes the eyes look puffier, other areas can benefit with some subtle application of shimmer. 

We already talked about adding a highlighter to the inner eye corner and the brow bone.

A small amount of shimmer or glitter added to the center of the eyelid (the visible part) makes it open up more and adds a hint of glamor!

Have you ever tried a pressed glitter palette? These are literally the best!

You apply your glitter as you would do with a regular eyeshadow (because they are pressed)

without the need of glitter glue or clear eyelashes glue and without adding any color like a shimmery eyeshadow would do.

The glitter stays in place all day (or night) and you can even apply it with your fingers.

Here’s a really good (and affordable) pressed glitter palette to try.

20. Get creative with eyelid tapes

Hooded eyes have the crease concealed beneath the skin folds,

making it nearly impossible to carry off a lot of makeup looks. The solution? Eyelid tapes!

These clear skinny tapes are quite the trend as they can almost magically create a crease line and even give the eyes a visible lift.

They are a great beauty accessory for those with hooded or sagging eyes.

It’s a non-surgical anti-aging instant eyelift!!

21. Experiment with colors

Even with its challenges, it’s great fun to experiment with different looks for hooded eyes.

And what better way to accentuate the eyes than going in with some bold-colored eyeliners and mascaras?

A few artful strokes will add a nice pop of color and give you a completely different look!

Similarly, opt for browns, taupes, and grays over black eyeliners for a softer, everyday makeup look.

22. Watch makeup tutorials

Watching makeup tutorials is a fun activity for many.

Some even call it therapeutic!

If you’re new to makeup, there’s no better way to understand makeup methods than by watching informative tutorials.

To know your way around applying eyeliner and makeup for hooded eyes,

follow and emulate beauty vloggers who address similar issues.

BONUS tip: Be part of the real beauty school community!

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23. And finally, keep practicing.

Practice makes perfect!

With a good amount of practice, in time, you could be an expert in lining your eyes near perfectly. But don’t forget to have fun while you’re at it!

Do you have hooded eyes, and you struggle with your eye makeup?

I highly recommend you the master makeup program, where I teach my secrets and best tips to master your eyeliner, eyeshadow, eyelashes, and the rest of the makeup with your hooded eyes and other advanced makeup techniques!

Final thoughts on the best eyeliner hacks for hooded eyes

We share these tips with the hope that they’ll tremendously benefit our readers who find working with their hooded eyes a complicated, time-consuming activity.

These tips are also equally useful for those with matured or drooping eyes.

Hooded eyes should never be the reason to stop you from trying out eye makeup.\

All eye shapes are beautiful and can look even more attractive with smart makeup techniques. With the right products, methods, and practice, you’ll be a pro in no time!

What’s next? More Hooded eyes makeup posts:

• How to Apply Makeup for Mature HOODED Eyes (Lifted Effect!)
• Eyeliner for Hooded Eyes: How-to & Expert tips!
• How to Apply Liquid Eyeliner for Hooded Eyes (Tutorial)
• The Best Eyeshadow for Hooded Eyes Tips and tricks (Full guide)
• How to Do Siren Eyes Makeup for HOODED EYES: Step-by-Step Tutorial, Tips + Video

23 Genius eyeliner tips for hooded eyes