Whether it’s simple or intricate, dedicating time to creating an eye look is a surefire way to elevate your make-up – as is enhancing your natural features, using them to guide your application. But those with hooded eyes will be familiar with the trial and error that comes with achieving a flattering eye, while also preventing smudging, transferring and the look seemingly disappearing with every blink.
“Working with hooded eyes is different as the eye’s natural structure changes how and where make-up shows,” explains Heather Jackson, Bobbi Brown’s UK&I education manager. While most eyeshadow looks involve placing depth directly into the natural eye crease, this crease disappears when hooded eyes are open.
So, from clever eyeshadow placements to defining the eyes with eyeliner, discover Bazaar’s guide to eye make-up for hooded eyes ahead.
What should you consider when doing eye make-up on hooded eyes?
“Placement is key when working with hooded eyes,” says Jackson. This means that the main consideration is ensuring that the eyeshadow you apply is still visible when your eyes are open, not just when they’re closed.
Alessandro Viero//LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT
Celebrity makeup artist Zoë Taylor explains: “When working with hooded eyes, you need to create the shape by emphasising the socket higher than it naturally is. Often you’ll work more of the colour under the eye to give the illusion of size.”
Certain eyeshadow formulas will also make application that much easier. Jackson recommends opting for long-wearing, waterproof and matte textures, particularly eyeshadow sticks. “They glide on with ease and you can use them to prime, line, define or highlight with different shades.”
How best to apply eye make-up on hooded eyes
For both eye make-up novices and those seeking a minimal but sophisticated eye for daily wear, below, the best routine for hooded eyes.
Prime the eyelids
“You may find that you get a transfer of eyeliner when working on a hooded eyelid, so I always like to prime the lid with an eyeshadow primer or a matte eyeshadow stick,” advises Taylor. The latter is known to set fast, so you can seamlessly build up colour on top.
Taylor adds that opting for a colour which closely matches your skin tone is ideal; this will make the ‘primer’ shade appear invisible.
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Apply a base shade
If you prefer working with powder eyeshadows, choose a matte formula to avoid patchiness. Taylor says to buff the shadow (a nude, warm taupe will flatter all eye colours) over the eyelid, then “check with a relaxed face to see if you need to build the colour up higher on the lid, in order to be seen”.
Alternatively, if you’re using an eyeshadow stick, Jackson suggests swiping a light shade back and forth across the eyelid, starting from the lash line and moving upward towards the crease. “To blend, use a fluffy brush and gently sweep up toward the brow bone for a soft, diffused finish.”
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Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks
Hourglass No. 3 All-Over Eye Shadow BrushDefine with a darker shade
“Take a darker shade and apply it along the lash line for added depth,” says Jackson. “By taking a dense, precise brush and blending the shadow into the lashes, you’ll create definition while enhancing the shape of the eye.”
Luca Zanoni//LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT
According to Taylor, it’s important throughout each step to keep checking how the make-up looks with a relaxed face. “The hood takes up a lot of space, so don’t be surprised if you see you need to make the colour darker, or take it higher,” adds Taylor.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Wardrobe
MAC 239S Eye Shader BrushUse a long-wearing eyeliner
This step is optional, but can further add definition to the lashline, elevating the look without applying more product under the hood of the eye. “You will need to apply a slick of liner along the top lashes, check, tweak and check again,” stresses Taylor. “The important thing is that it looks good with a relaxed face.”
Taylor recommends Lisa Eldridge’s sleek, fine-tipped liquid liner which sets firm (without budging throughout the day) and gives you a little more time to work with the product before drying.
Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner
Enhance with mascara
As a finishing step, first curl your lashes to open up the eye. Then, completing the look with mascara, “coat your lashes thoroughly, using upward strokes to brighten the eyes and get a wide-awake effect,” explains Jackson.
Opting for a waterproof formula will allow for a stronger hold and further prevent smudging throughout the day.
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And for evenings or special occasions which call for a bolder, more dramatic eye, Jackson says that following the same steps but adding a hint of sophisticated shimmer will do the trick. “Use your ring finger to gently press a cream shadow onto the lid, adding a touch of sparkle and glamour to your eye make-up.”
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