Hooded eye makeup follows the same steps as any other eye makeup, with one important difference: where you put the color. A hooded eye has a fold of skin that hangs over the crease and covers some or all of the lid when the eye is open. Eyeshadow placed in the usual spot disappears as soon as you look up.
How to tell if your eyes are hooded
Look straight into a mirror with your face relaxed.
- If you can see little or none of your mobile lid, your eyes are hooded.
- If the skin under the brow touches or nearly touches the lash line, they are strongly hooded.
Hooded eyes are common in every ethnicity. Many people have them from birth, and lids often become more hooded with age.
The most important rule: work with your eyes open
Apply and check your eyeshadow while looking straight ahead into the mirror. What you see with your eyes open is what everyone else sees. Makeup that looks perfect with the eye closed may vanish when you open it.
Eyeshadow placement
- Prime the lid. Hooded lids touch the skin above them, so eyeshadow transfers easily. Use a primer and set it with a skin-toned powder.
- Find your "new crease". With your eyes open, place a fluffy brush just above the fold, on the part of the hood that is visible.
- Blend a matte medium shade there, in small back-and-forth strokes, keeping the color slightly higher than your natural crease.
- Deepen the outer corner with a darker matte shade, blending upward and outward towards the tail of the brow. This gives a lifting effect.
- Add a light shade to the lid and the inner corner to open the eye.
- Check with your eyes open, and add more color above the fold if it has disappeared.
Finishes to choose
| Finish | Where it helps | Where to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Matte | On the hood and outer corner; makes the fold recede | None |
| Satin | On the lid | None |
| Shimmer | Center of the lid and inner corner | On the hood itself, where it emphasizes fullness |
Eyeliner for hooded eyes
- Keep the line thin. A thick line can fill the whole visible lid.
- Tightline. Press a soft pencil into the roots of the upper lashes to define the eye without using lid space.
- Draw the wing with your eyes open. Mark the end of the flick first, following the upward angle of your lower lash line, then connect it. The line may look uneven with the eye closed. What matters is how it looks open.
- Use long-wearing or waterproof formulas to prevent the liner printing onto the hood.
How to Apply Winged Eyeliner for Beginners explains winged liner step by step.
Lashes and brows
- Curl your lashes before mascara. Lifted lashes show more of the eye.
- Use a waterproof or tubing mascara if mascara tends to mark your upper lid. See How to Apply Mascara Without Clumps.
- Keep the brows tidy and slightly lifted at the arch. A clean brow bone gives the eye more room. See How to Shape and Fill Your Eyebrows.
Stopping transfer and creasing
- Powder over primer or concealer before eyeshadow.
- Choose powder eyeshadow over creamy, slippery formulas, or set cream products with powder.
- Let liquid liner dry fully before you look up.
- Blot the lid with a tissue during the day if your skin is oily.
Looks that suit hooded eyes
- A soft matte "halo" of color blended above the fold.
- A lifted outer corner in a deeper shade.
- A thin, smudged line along the upper lashes.
- A smoky eye kept low and smudged outward. See Smoky Eye Makeup: A Simple Step-by-Step Tutorial.
- A pop of color along the lower lash line, which is always visible.
What to go easy on
- Heavy, dark color all over the lid, which can make eyes look smaller.
- Glitter or frost on the hooded skin.
- Thick liner along the whole lid.
These are guidelines for visibility, not restrictions. If a look makes you happy, wear it.
For basic technique, start with Eye Makeup for Beginners: Easy Steps to Follow.
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Frequently asked questions
Can hooded eyes wear winged eyeliner?
Yes. Draw the wing with your eyes open, keep the line thin on the lid and angle the flick upward so that it clears the fold.
Why does my eyeshadow disappear when I open my eyes?
The fold of skin covers the area where you applied it. Place the transition shade higher, above the natural crease, while looking straight ahead.
Is shimmer bad for hooded eyes?
No. Shimmer on the center of the lid and the inner corner brightens the eye. Matte shades work better on the hood itself.