Eye Makeup for Hooded Eyes

Eye makeup can be tricky to perfect at the best of times, but eye makeup for hooded eyes can present a unique set of challenges. Hooded eyes have a smaller amount of lid space and eye makeup can be hidden when the eyes are fully open. Just as we apply our face makeup so it enhances our natural features, you can also adjust your eye makeup application so that it flatters your individual eye shape. Below, Lancôme makeup experts have devised several techniques to help you master hooded eye makeup and give your eyes the spotlight they deserve.

What are hooded eyes?

There are a number of distinctive eyes shapes and sizes such as almond, monolid, round, upturned, downturned, and of course, hooded. The shape of your eyes is typically governed by genetics, though ageing can also affect the elasticity of your eyelids. If you have hooded eyes, you’ll notice that the eyelid skin hangs over the eyelid, sometimes touching the upper lash line. So, when the eyes are open, you might have hidden or limited eyelid space. This can make your eye makeup ‘disappear’ into the crease. The ethos of makeup for hooded eyes focuses on crafting your own space outside of the natural shape of your eye so your stunning makeup look is on full display.

How to do eye makeup on hooded eyes?

Learning how to apply eye makeup for hooded eyes might take some practice, but it ultimately comes down to a few key principles: ‘lifting’ and ‘opening’ the eye while creating the illusion of a larger eyelid. Your makeup products and tools will be instrumental in crafting your hooded eye makeup, so we suggest seeking products that help prevent creasing or transferring, and smaller eye makeup brushes that allow you to create your look with careful precision. Continue reading for our step-by-step guide to applying eye makeup for hooded eyes.

1. Prime your eyelids

Before applying any eye makeup for hooded eyes, it’s important to prime your eyelids to prevent smudging, creasing or transferring of product. Hooded eyes can be more prone to transfer due to the fold of the crease, but a primer or concealer will help to prevent this from occurring and extend the wear of your eyeshadow. Take your eye primer or Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer and apply over the entire eyelid, all the way up to your brow bone. The skin on the eyelid can be oilier that other parts of the face, so you may want to set your primer or concealer with a translucent setting powder for a smooth, matte canvas.

2. Create a lifted eye shape with eyeshadow

Eyeshadow is going to form the basis of your hooded eye makeup look and this is where the ‘lifting’ method first starts. Take a clean makeup brush to avoid any product transfer and select your neutral transition shade from the Hypnôse Eyeshadow Palette. These shades a richly pigmented for vibrant colour and the soft, creamy texture allows for easy blending – a big plus when applying eyeshadow for hooded eyes.

With a small fluffy brush, blend the shade across and above your natural crease in upward sweeping motions to ‘lift’ the eyelid. This technique of going outside the crease will give the impression of a larger crease that will still be visible when your eyes are open. You can gauge this by keeping your eyes open as you build up your shadow.

Next, you’ll want to add some dimension to the outer corners of your eyes using a darker shade and a more tapered brush like Petit Crease No13 Precision Eyeshadow Brush. Use the same upward sweeping technique toward the direction of your brow so your darker shade further accentuates your larger-than-life lift.

Use your fingertip to apply a shimmery shade to the centre of the eyelid for an iridescent effect. Take this one step further by applying a small amount of shimmer to the inner tear duct to brighten the eye.

3. Opt for thin, sleek lines

Overly thick eyeliner can overload a small eyelid, so when you apply eyeliner for hooded eyes, you’ll want to strike the right balance of fine, sleek lines that don’t mask your eyeshadow. The best way to achieve thin lines is with gel or liquid eyeliner, so opt for Idôle Liner, which has a precise, soft felt tip for smooth application and control.

Depending on how pronounced your hooded eye shape is, there are a several different methods you can use for eyeliner application. For a minimal look, simply tightline your upper waterline to enlarge the eyes. Or, if you love a winged liner look, apply a fine line across the upper lash line and draw a small wing that doesn’t touch the crease of your hood – that way, when your eyes are open, you can still see that stunning, crisp flick.

4. Brighten eyes with mascara

A swipe of mascara is essential to any makeup look, but for hooded eyes, opening up the lashes can brighten the eyes and make them appear bigger. We know that hooded eye shapes can be more prone to makeup smudging, so you might find that waterproof and smudge-proof mascara works best for hooded eye makeup. Apply Hypnôse Waterproof Volume Mascara to intensify and add up to 6 times volume to your lashes, and add a light coat to the lower lash line to really open up the eye area.

5. Embrace the arched brow

While your eyeshadow, eyeliner and lashes are undoubtedly the focal point of your hooded eye makeup look, your eyebrows are going to frame your masterpiece. Straight brows have a tendency to ‘shrink’ the area between the eye crease and the brow, so opt for a more defined arch to elongate this space. Use the dual-ended Brôw Shaping Powdery Pencil to first comb and groom your brows, then fill in sparse areas and perfectly shape your arch with the pencil end. For a more natural look, you might want to use the spoolie end to blend the shade through the brow hairs. As an optional extra, apply a dusting of highlighter to the brow bone to naturally accentuate and lift your arch.