Eye Shadow for Hooded Eyes: Shadow Tips for Hooded Eyes

Hooded eyes are a natural facial feature in which the skin below the eyebrow—around the brow bone—folds down to cover part of the eyelid, sometimes touching the upper lash line. Hooded eye shapes are usually genetic; however, they can also develop with age.

Makeup artists recommend having these beauty products on hand when applying eye shadow to hooded eyes to help create a smudge-free, glam look.

1. 1. Concealer: Applying a thin layer of concealer to your eye area can help make your eyes pop. Apply the concealer under and around the inner corner of the eyes to cover dark circles.
2. 2. Eyelash curler: The trick to applying hooded eye makeup is making the eyes appear more open. Use an eyelash curler before applying your mascara to lift the eyelashes upward.
3. 3. Liquid eyeliner: A liquid eyeliner lasts longer than a pencil liner. When applying eyeliner to hooded eyes, start with your upper lash line and keep your eyes closed for a few minutes to allow the liner to dry. This prevents the hood of your eye from smearing the liner onto your lid.
4. 4. Matte eye shadow: While shimmery shades reflect the light and expand the look of the brow bone, matte eye shadow palettes have the opposite effect. Apply matte eye shadows to minimize the look of your brow bone and enhance the appearance of hooded eyes.
5. 5. Primer: Eye primer is a creamy makeup product formulated to absorb excess moisture and prevent makeup from creasing. Gently dab the eye shadow primer along the skin of your eye area, allowing the product to set into your skin before applying additional beauty products.
6. 6. Waterproof mascara: Mascara on your top lashes can rub off on the skin of hooded eyes, so opt for a waterproof mascara to prevent the pigment from smudging onto your skin.

Eye shadow can get hidden below hooded eyes, making it challenging to create a long-lasting eye makeup look. Try the makeup tips and hacks in this step-by-step tutorial to create an effective eye shadow look for hooded eyes.

1. 1. Use eye shadow primer. Primer helps your eye shadow stay in place and prevents creasing. Apply eye primer with your fingertips or a makeup brush.
2. 2. Apply eye shadow with your eyes open. Look directly into the mirror, keeping your eyes straight and open as you brush on eye shadow. When your eyes are open, it’s easier to locate your natural crease, which acts as a guide for placing eye shadow. Applying makeup with your eyes open also prevents the makeup from smudging beneath the hooded lid.
3. 3. Create your own crease. Draw a faint line above your natural crease with your transition eye shadow shade, a shadow similar to your skin tone that helps blend two eye shadow colors. Using this line as your crease adds depth to your eye area, giving the illusion of more lid space.
4. 4. Use light and dark colors for depth. Layering dark eye shadow on your center lid can weigh the eye down and create a drooping effect. Enhance hooded eyelids by using light shades on your center lids and blending dark shades in the outer corner of your eyes. For a more dramatic eye look, create a cut crease, which uses lighter shades on the eyelid and darker shades along the crease.
5. 5. Blend upward and outward. To make your eyes appear lifted, blend your eye shadow up toward your brow bone and out past the ends of your eye.
6. 6. Highlight part of your brow bone. Highlighting your entire brow bone can overwhelm hooded eyes. Instead, highlight the arch of your brow bone to create a slight highlight that will open the eyelid area.
7. 7. Use eye shadow as eyeliner (optional). Consider creating a winged shadow look for hooded eyes, similar to a cat-eye winged eyeliner look. Brush the eye shadow across the bottom of the eyelid, tracing the upper lash line to create a winged liner with eye shadow. For a glam evening look, consider using a shimmer eye shadow to trace the outer corners of your eye. You can also use eye shadow to highlight the lower lash line, applying the eye shadow to accentuate your eye shape.
8. 8. Finish the eye look. Add mascara to your upper lash line. Adding mascara and lining your lower lash line (also called tight lining) will add even more depth, and it’s a great way to finish a smoky eye look.

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