As a makeup artist with hooded eyes,
I understand the struggles of applying eyeliner in a way that looks flattering and stays in place for hooded eyes.
But through years of experimentation and practice,
I’ve learned that with the proper techniques and products, anyone can master eyeliner on hooded eyes,
and I have packed pro tips and tricks in this guide for you to do eyeliner like a pro even if you have the most challenging hooded eyelids!
Let’s begin
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Eyeliner for Hooded eyes: What are Hooded eyes?
First, let’s define what hooded eyes are.
Hooded eyes are when the skin on the upper eyelid droops over the eyelid crease, making it difficult to see the eyelid and apply eyeliner.
To determine if you have hooded eyes… look in the mirror and pay attention to your eyelid shape when your eyes are open and when you’re looking straight ahead.
If you can see the eyelid crease and fall, covering some or all of your static eyelid space when your eyes are open, you likely have hooded eyes.
It’s also essential to identify your eyelid crease, as this is where you’ll want base on to apply your eyeliner to create definition and shape.
Now that we know how to identify hooded eyes from others, let’s talk about eyeliner.
Eyeliner for Hooded Eyes vs other eye shapes
As someone who has hooded eyes, I understand the struggle of trying to apply eyeliner.
The hooded shape of my eyelids causes my eyeliner to smudge, smear or sometimes disappear during the day.
However, one of the critical things I have learned about eyeliner application for hooded eyes is to focus on creating a defined line on the upper lash line rather than trying to create a dramatic wing.
Should you do a winged eyeliner?
This can be achieved by using a pencil eyeliner and smudging it slightly (I teach this technique and more in this makeup book + I provide personalized feedback and a certificate of completion)
or using a liquid eyeliner with a fine-tip brush.
Additionally, I worked with hundreds of different women at a beauty and makeup salon,
most of them with hooded eyes (this eye shape is more common than we think), and I mastered the technique for my clients.
Overall, I’ve learned that applying eyeliner for hooded eyes is a bit different than for other eye shapes, but with the right techniques, you can still achieve the desired look, and I share my tricks in this post.
Why do Hooded Eyes need a different eyeliner technique vs. other eye shapes?
Have you ever watched probably a YouTube video about makeup or eyeliner
and you see how EASILY the person on the video does their eyeshadows and eyeliner, and then you try it on YOUR hooded eyes, and…
It doesn’t look like the video.
I’ve been there.
Trust me.
If we do not change the techniques, we won’t get the same results!
This applies not only to eyeliner but to eyeshadows as well.
Other eye shapes, like almond eyes, have ALL the eyelid space to put as many eyeshadow colors as they want. Plus, they apply their eyeliner and open their eyes, and the eyeliner looks LIFTED, haha.
Things we, as hooded-eyed women, NEVER see!
We struggle with applying our eyeliner and end up with a downturned wing or with an eye looking even more hooded than what it actually is.
So yes, once we understand our natural eye anatomy, we can adapt ANY eyeshadow and eyeliner style to our beautiful hooded eyes!
Here’s my free guide on everything about eye makeup for hooded eyes (from eyeshadow to eyeliner).
You can check that post and then come back or read that post after this one.
This one is only about Eyeliner.
Should hooded eyes wear winged eyeliner?
The answer to this is a massive YES!
With a huge BUT…
As someone with hooded eyes, whether or not to wear winged eyeliner can be a tricky decision for your makeup look.
While winged eyeliner can enhance the shape of the eye and create a dramatic look,
it can also be challenging to apply and may not stay in place throughout the day.
Also, hooded eyelids can cause the wing to disappear or smudge, making the overall look less defined.
So let’s say that if you have slightly hooded eyes, you can wear a winged eyeliner look.
This style will make your eyes look lifted and elongated.
However, if you have hooded eyes and especially if you also have deep set eyes (different from hooded eyes, but you can have both, deep set, hooded eyes, I explain more on this in this post)
you can try the winged eyeliner technique with different tips and tricks in mind. Overall, wearing winged eyeliner is a personal choice, and it’s important to find a look that works for you and your eye shape.
For my mature hooded eyes, the best way to apply eyeliner is by doing a smudged eyeliner technique!
You can read more about it in my free guide about mature skin makeup or you can get the full technique on my Mature skin makeup ebook here.
If you are not comfortable with the application and difficulty of wearing winged eyeliner, you can opt for a more NATURAL liner on the upper lash line and skip the wing.
that will still enhance your eye shape or you can try a smudged eyeliner ef
fect, as I teach on my hooded eyes makeup ebook.
Step 1.The Importance of Primer and Concealer for Hooded Eyes
Our eyes are hooded, which means we have extra skin falling down that covers some or all the area of our eyelid.
This means that we have some friction over there on our eyelids happening all the time
and if we do not properly prime and set our eyelids before eyeliner, this can end in a bad mess.
I always prep and prime my eyelids!
No matter how much eye makeup I wear that day, I always make sure my eyelids are nice and set to be ready for my eyeliner.
If you have oily eyelids, an eye primer and a good matte concealer to even out the skin on the eyelid area are perfect.
I can’t think of a tutorial/guide on hooded eye makeup I have made without mentioning my superstar concealer, the tarte shape tape.
All the hype is for a reason, it’s pricey ($30 something, I’m not sure you can check the price here) but it’s the best, and I can’t find another one as good as that one.
I’m very careful with what I recommend to people, and I’m very confident in recommending this one for hooded eyes.
Related: Should you apply concealer as an eye primer? Here’s the answer
I do this routine:
1. Eye primer
2. Concealer to even out the the skin on the eyelid area
3. Setting powder to set and mattefy our concealer
Step 2. Choosing the Right Eyeliner Formula and Brush for Hooded Eyes
I have tried several different types of eyeliners in several different brand and I always find is that, waterproof smudge proof, liquid eyeliner formulas are best for hooded eyelids.
The best eyeliner formula for hooded eyes is a waterproof, smudge-proof liquid liner.
This type of formula will help prevent smudging and fading throughout the day.
A fine tip brush or felt tip pen applicator is the absolutely best type of eyeliner for hooded eyes as it allows for more precision and control when creating a regular eyeliner, a winged, or cat eye look.
Besides that, some gel or cream eyeliners with a small angled brush can also work for hooded eyes
but I’d dare to say that this is my last option when it comes to choosing the best best one for hooded eyelids.
What’s the best eyeliner for hooded eyes?
I have a list of the best 9 eyeliner for Hooded eyes here, with the pros and cons and everything you need to know to buy the right eyeliner for your eye shape.
But here’s my #1 recommendation: The Stila Stay all day waterproof pen eyeliner
The best eyeliner for hooded Eyes: techniques
Now that we have our eyelids perfectly prepped and we know
what’s the best formula and type of eyeliner to use for hooded eyes, it’s time to select the best style/technique for us.
Technique #1: Winged eyeliner look
- 1.Start by applying an eyeliner primer to your upper lid. This will help the eyeliner adhere better and last longer.
- 2.Next, take your liquid eyeliner and shake it well to ensure that the formula is mixed properly.
- 3.Using the fine tip brush or felt tip pen applicator, begin by making small dots along your upper lash line. This will serve as a guide for the wing.
- 4.Connect the dots by drawing a thin line along your upper lash line, starting from the outer corner of your eye and working your way inwards, but keep this line as THIN as possible.
PRO TIP: We want to make our eyeliner as thin as possible because we want to try to still show some of our eyelid area when we open our eyes.
If we fail on this, and make a thick eyeliner in our upperlash line, the result is a hooded eye that look even more hooded and smaller.
- 5. Once you have a basic line, it is time to create the wing. Hold a small mirror at a slight angle and tilt your head back slightly, this will help you to see your eyelid better.
Starting from the outer corner of your eye, angle the brush or pen upwards and outwards, creating a small triangle shape to the outer corner of the eye.
This step is important for hooded eyes, to create the wing that shows up over the eyelid.
Use a small brush or a q-tip to clean up any mistakes, smudges or uneven lines. OR you can clean up your wing with concealer.
Finish the look by applying mascara or false lashes.
Repeat steps 3-7 on the other eye.
Remember to be patient and take your time while applying winged eyeliner.
It may take a few tries to get the hang of it, but with practice, you will be able to create the perfect winged eyeliner look for hooded eyes.
Eyeliner for Hooded Eyes: Technique #2
Tightlining: A Trick for Defining Your Lash Line on Hooded Eyes
In the last technique I mentioned that it is important to keep our eyeliner as thin as possible to make our eyelid show as much as possible and create the illusion of a less hooded eye.
Well another way to achieve this is by doing the tightlining technique.
This consist on taking a black pencil eyeliner like this one and apply it to the waterline of your upper lashline to create a fuller eyelashes look and style the eye without hiding eyelid area.
1.Start by prepping your eyes with an eye primer to ensure that your eyeliner will stay in place.
2.Take a pencil eyeliner and sharpen it to a fine point.
3.Starting at the inner corner of your eye, close to your tear duct, gently press the pencil against the roots of your lashes.
Gently drag the pencil along the roots of your lashes, as close to the lash line as possible.
4.Continue to tightline your upper lash line, moving towards the outer corner of your eye.
5.To help open up the eyes, you can also tightline the lower lash line. (optional)
6.Once you have tightlined both the upper and lower lash lines, you can use a smudge brush to blend the liner slightly for a softer look. (also optional)
7.To finish, apply mascara to your lashes to make them appear fuller and more defined.
Note: It’s important to be careful when tightlining and to avoid getting the liner too close to the inner corner of the eye, as this can cause irritation.
Also, practice makes perfect, so it may take a few tries before you get the hang of tightlining with a pencil eyeliner.
In conclusion, eyeliner can be a great way to enhance the appearance of hooded eyes.
Tightlining, in particular, can be an effective technique for creating the illusion of larger and more open eyes. By applying eyeliner as close to the lash line as possible, and using a smudge brush to blend the liner, hooded eyes can appear more defined and awake.
Pencil eyeliner can be a great option for tightlining because it allows for precision and easy blending.
However, it’s important to remember that practice makes perfect, and that it may take a few tries to master the technique. Overall, with the right technique and product, hooded eyes can be beautifully framed and accentuated.
Final tips on Eyeliner for Hooded eyes
In conclusion, eyeliner for hooded eyes can present some challenges, but with the right techniques, it is possible to achieve a defined and beautiful look.
Instead of trying to create a dramatic wing, the focus should be on creating a defined THIN line on the upper lash line. and keep the wing nice and lifted as much as possible. remember that I show you how in this liquid eyeliner tutorial.
It’s also important to remember that every eye shape is different and what works for one person may not work for another.
It’s important to experiment with different techniques and products to find what works best for you. And if you are not comfortable with the traditional winged eyeliner, you can opt for a less defined and more smudged line on the upper lash line that will still enhance your eye shape.
Mature hooded eyes? I show you how to do eyeliner for mature hooded eyes with loose skin on my mature skin makeup ebook plus more pro anti-aging makeup tips for mature women!
More Resources about Hooded eyes makeup:
- How to Apply Eyeshadow For Hooded Eyes
- 20+ Amazing Eyeliner hacks for Hooded Eyes
- Cut Crease Eyeshadow Makeup for Hooded Eyes
- How to Apply Makeup to Mature Skin
- How to apply Eye makeup or deep set Hooded eyes
