Eyeshadow for Hooded Eyes

One of the most asked questions I get is, “How do you do makeup for hooded eyelids?” Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am finally here to share with you SIX tips for making your hooded eyes your b!t(h.

Before you dive in, you MUST remember that your eyes are beautiful and you can really do whatever the heck you want with your makeup. If you feel confident, then don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong. These tips are best practise straight from my brain and the world of makeup artists but they might not work for everyone! Struggling? Send me a message and let’s chat.

Alright, now you can proceed.

1. Primer

Oftentimes, hooded eyes can cause your eyeshadow to smudge or transfer to your top eyelid. This can be a huge pain in the a$$ but it can be fixed! The key to preventing this is finding a primer or priming method that works for you! Personally, I just use concealer but that won’t work for everyone. A few of my favourites are the MAC Paint Pots, P. Louise Base, and the NARS Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base.

2. Be Mindful Of Eyeshadow Placement

When you have hooded eyes, you will often be told to place your eyeshadow “above your natural crease.” What the heck does that mean?

If you look at the image to the right, you will see that your natural crease is where your eye naturally creases when your eye is open. However, when people have hooded eyes this typically disappears or becomes very small when the eyes open.

So, the solution is to place your darker crease eyeshadow shade slightly above (see photo) so that you can still see the dimension when opening your eyes.

3. Lift the Eyes

Typically hooded eyes can also appear “droopy” or downturned. To lift the eye you can use a classic technique by using tape, or a makeup wipe to clean up eyeshadow and create a “lifted” appearance.

In this image, you can see that the outer corner has been cleaned up at an angle upwards towards the brow, lifting the eye. (yes she has beautiful big eyelids, but just ignore that.)

4. Choose the Right Style of Eyeshadow

There are a few styles of eyeshadow that are my go-to’s for clients with hooded eyes. The first is a classic smokey eye. I know, I know. The example is dark, but you can use this technique with any colour. The main point is that you start with the darkest shade at the lash line then gradually blend into the lightest shade the closer you get to your brow.

Another favourite is a halo eye. This just simply means that you focus the darker shades on the outer AND inner corners of the eye, then use a lighter shade on the centre of the lid and blend it up.

5. Go For the Right Lash Style

The most popular lash styles are those that are shortest in the outer corner and longest towards the outer corner. These are beautiful if you are going for a more elongated effect. However, I find the most success with a lash that is longest in the centre of the eye like these to the right.

6. Get a Transfer-proof Mascara

Last but not least, if you have long lashes, you might find that you end up with a dark shadow or some black on your eyelid or below your eye throughout the day. This is common and can be resolved by using a transfer-proof mascara. A solid choice is the Thrive Causmetics Liquid Lash Extensions mascara. This one is a tubing mascara so it is locked and loaded until you decide to take it off.