A Step-by-step Tutorial On Eye Makeup For Hooded Eyes

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Ultimate Guide On How To Get Perfect Hooded Eyes Makeup Look

By Khanak Mehta 

 
If you have hooded eyes and are wondering why that winged eyeliner or smokey eye tutorial isn’t translating quite the same on you, we’ve got some answers. Hooded eyes are characterised by their lack of visible lid space when your eyes are open. This means that most eye looks can practically disappear when you open your eyes, and there is a high chance of your makeup smudging, too. Luckily, all you need to do to fix that is switch up some products and makeup techniques, and you’re good to go. Here’s how you can get it right. 

 

Must-have makeup for hooded eyes

Before we dive into the steps for eye makeup for small eyelids, you’ve got to assess what’s in your makeup bag. After all, the tools that you use can make a bigger difference than your technique. Make sure that you have an eyeshadow primer, a basic eyeshadow palette to get started, a black or brown eyeliner, and mascara. If you don't know where to begin, we as your beauty matchmakers have got you covered. Here are some of our top picks that deserve a spot front and centre in your makeup bag.

Step 1: Define your eyebrows

You know the saying that your eyes are the windows to your soul? Well, your eyebrows are definitely coming in at a close second, at least in our books. When it comes to acing hooded eye makeup, the first step is to make sure that your brows are well-shaped. Use an eyebrow pencil or a brown gel to fill in any gaps in your eyebrows. Remember, they should be sisters and not twins. If you are new to filling in your eyebrows, a good idea is to follow the natural curve of your brows and start from there.

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Step 2: Prep your eyelids

One big problem when it comes to makeup for small eyelids is that all your eye makeup can transfer since there is no visible lid space. This, coupled with humidity during summer and monsoon, makes it tough for your eye makeup stay intact all day long. The key to tackling this is investing in a good eyeshadow primer. So, instead of using concealer to prep your eyelids or skipping it entirely, you should use a heavy-duty eyeshadow primer that will help control oiliness and keep your makeup looking vibrant for longer.

Step 3: Apply eyeshadow

When it comes to applying eyeshadow and eye makeup for hooded eyes, always keep in mind that you have to create your own crease line. Since your natural crease line will not be visible, you can fake it by placing a darker eyeshadow colour higher than your natural crease line and deepening that area. So, when your eyes are open, this will give the illusion of more lid space. Plus, it's always a good idea to look forward instead of downwards when doing your eye makeup so that you can actually see the colours, placement, and the space that you're blending your eyeshadow in.

Step 4: Lift and highlight

If you're someone who loves their highlighting shades, raise your hand! By strategically placing lighter colours in and around your eye area, you can lift the appearance of hooded eyes. Wondering how? Use a shimmery, bright eye shadow (either in a gold or silver tone, depending on your makeup look) and place it in the inner corner of your eyes, on the middle of your lid, and on your brow bone as well. Since hooded eyes tend to have the appearance of a heavier lid, this will open up your eye shape, too.

Step 5: Line with eyeliner

 

If you love graphic eyeliner shapes, don't be discouraged. There are many styles for hooded eyes that you can do, with just a little bit of tweaking. To begin with, avoid making any experimental graphic eyeliner shapes directly on your lid. Instead work with shapes that are placed higher than your natural crease line. Along with this, you can also do a winged eyeliner for hooded eyes by creating a slight dip on your eyelid near the wing for the winged liner to show up properly. This is an easy way for beginners to try eyeliner on hooded eyes.

 

Read more: How To Do Your Makeup Like A Pro

 

Step 6: Add finishing touches

Now, your main eye look is done! Finish your hooded eyes makeup look by curling your lashes with an eyelash curler. When using it, be careful to not go too close to the lash line so that you do not damage your natural eyelashes.

 

Pick a volumising mascara over a lengthening formula and apply at least two to three coats to define your eyes further. Be sure to fan the mascara outwards in the outer corners of your eyelid to give a natural winged effect.

 

If you choose, you can finish up your eye look with a pair of false lashes as well. Just be sure to not pick a style that is very dramatic or heavy, otherwise it will not suit your hooded eyes. We recommend picking up a voluminous set, or one that has a cat-eye effect.

 

You can also take your eye makeup look to pro level by cleaning up any edges with a concealer. This will help give that flawless makeup finish that we know you love. Use a brush instead of a makeup sponge to blend it out, for the ultimate precision for hooded eyes.

 

Makeup tips and tricks for hooded eyes 

 

  1. Choose a pigmented eyeshadow palette and look for eye products that have a ‘waterproof’ or ‘long-lasting’ label on them. Since hooded eyes are prone to having smudged makeup, this will help your look last longer.
  2. If you’re a beginner with eye makeup, a pen-style liquid eyeliner will be your best bet over other formulas as they’re super easy to use.
  3. Choose lighter eyeshadow shades over darker ones to avoid making your hooded eyes look too heavy. When it comes to eyeshadow placement, always blend upwards and outwards so that your hard work is visible even when your eyes are open.
  4. Avoid wearing kajal in your lower waterline – this will make your eyes look smaller, which is basically the opposite of what you would want for hooded eyes. Instead, apply eyeliner to the top lashline (or tightline) to make it look fuller.

Ready to elevate your eye look? 

We're not going to lie, makeup for hooded eyes can definitely take some time to get right, since you need to majorly tweak a lot of techniques. But, once you’ve got it down to a science, you can feel extra confident trying out any new eye look since you know how to make it work for your hooded eyes. Plus, don't forget to shop our top eye makeup product picks to get started, too. 

 

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Hooded eye makeup 101

 

Q. What is a good beginner eyeliner style for hooded eyes? 

Winged eyeliner is a great place to start – and remember to keep your lines thick so that it shows up.

 

Q. Which eyeshadow colour is the best for hooded eyes? 

Lighter shades like light golds, silvers, champagne, creams, and light browns are all great eyeshadow hues for hooded eyes.

 

Q. Can hooded eyes use cream eyeshadow? 

 

Yes, cream eyeshadow works well for hooded eyes as long as the formula dries down and stays put in place to avoid any transfer.