8-Step Eye Makeup Tutorial for Hooded Eyes

If you have hooded eyes, you’ve likely noticed that certain makeup tutorials just don’t seem to work for your eyes. You can practice the same winged eyeliner technique over and over to no avail—and the same holds true for smokey eyes and other sought-after eye makeup looks. But don’t despair. With some minor adjustments to your techniques, you can master hooded eye makeup.

Here, we’ve created a guide to makeup for hooded eyes, complete with our best tips, tricks, and tutorials. You’ll learn all about applying eyeliner on hooded eyes, plus how to do eyeshadow and more. Keep reading for everything you need to know.

What Are Hooded Eyes?

Hooded eyes are characterized by an extra layer of skin that hangs down from the brow bone, covering most or all of the eyelid. As a result, certain eye makeup looks can be more challenging to execute. Because you have less visible eyelid space than other eye shapes, your eye makeup may appear hidden when your eyes are open. However, this shouldn’t limit you from trying different makeup looks. There are plenty, including a cut crease, that can seriously flatter hooded lids. It’s all about using techniques specifically meant for hooded eyes.

How Do I Know If I Have Hooded Eyes?

To check if you have hooded eyes, grab a mirror and examine your eye shape. If, when your eyes are open, you don’t notice a crease and the skin beneath your brows droops towards your lash line, you likely have hooded eyelids. If you can’t see most of the makeup on your eyelids when your eyes are open and looking forward, this is another good indication that you may have hooded eyes.

It can also be helpful to look at pictures of celebrities with hooded eyes and compare them to your own eye shape. Or, you can use an eye shape chart or graphic, like the below, to help.

Techniques for Hooded Eye Makeup

Once you know you have hooded lids, it’s time to learn some tips for applying makeup on hooded eyes.

Apply makeup with your eyes open

One of the reasons makeup for hooded eyes can be challenging is because it looks so different when your eyes are open versus closed. But, if you apply your makeup with your eyes open, there won’t be any surprises. You can precisely apply eyeshadow and eyeliner, knowing that it will be visible when your eyes are open. Plus, applying makeup with your eyes open can help prevent smudging or transferring. Speaking of which…

Opt for long-wearing, waterproof formulas

When you have hooded eyes, it’s not uncommon for makeup to smudge and transfer onto your upper lid. Avoid this by using smudge-resistant and waterproof eye makeup formulas like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner, L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner, and L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Waterproof Lengthening Mascara.

Tightline your upper waterline

Your eyelids may be hidden, but your waterline should be visible. Use this to your advantage and tightline your upper waterline. A darker shade can help your lashes look fuller, while a white or nude liner will give your eyes a more open, wide-awake look.

Stick with thin lines

When you do apply eyeliner to your lids (and not just your waterline), keep the lines thin. Heavier lines are more likely to be completely obscured and can also make your eyes look smaller.

Use the right tools

Small blending eyeshadow brushes are essential for hooded eye makeup because they allow you to be precise and blend in small areas.

Don’t reach for dark shades

Dark eyeshadow can make your hooded eyes appear heavy. When doing eyeshadow for hooded eyes, reach for lighter shades and spend your time blending upwards and outwards to give your eyes a more lifted look. If you want to use a darker shade to create a smokey eye, blend it with lighter shades to make sure the dark shadow isn’t all you can see when your eyes are open.

Avoid super heavy lashes

Dramatic lashes can be very fun, but paired with hooded lids, they may make your eyes look droopy. Opt for a light, wispy style instead to visibly lift your eyes. Even better if you pair the lashes with a lengthening mascara formula, like the aforementioned L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Original Waterproof Lengthening Mascara.

How to Do Makeup for Hooded Eyes

To put some of the above tips to good use, grab your makeup bag and follow this step-by-step, hooded eye makeup tutorial.

Step 1. Prime your lids

If you have hooded eyelids, smudged eyeliner is likely a common occurrence. To prevent this, reach for a long-wearing eye primer, and make sure to apply it to your lids and your brow bone area.

Step 2. Fake a crease

Using a pencil eyeliner like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner, draw a fake crease above your natural crease. This line should go from the outer edge of your eye toward the inner corner. Arch the line to create a semi-circle shape—this will help make your hooded eyes appear bigger.

Step 3. Blend it out

Before your drawn-on crease fully dries, use a small fluffy blending brush to soften the line, blending it in an upward motion toward your brow bone and the outer corner of your eye. Keep the bottom edge of the line precise, as this is the defining characteristic of a cut crease.

Step 4. Trace over your line

With your eyeliner in place, blend a matte eyeshadow like L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Matte-ison Avenue, Matte It Up, Mix and Matte, or Matte Chill on top. Blend the shadow upward, creating a diffused effect.

Step 5. Add some shimmer

Matte colors are great for hooded eyes but a little bit of shimmer applied to the visible lid can help brighten your eyes. Try it out with L’Oréal Paris Brilliant Eyes Shimmer Liquid Eye Shadow Makeup in Diamond Drop.

Step 6. Highlight your inner corner and brow bone

Reach for a light eyeshadow like L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Monos Eyeshadow in Little Beige Dress to brighten the inner corner of your eye, and the area right beneath the arch of your brow. Highlighting the brow bone can help further open up your hooded eyes.

Step 7. Create a cat eye

To create your wing, start by drawing a line that extends from the outer corner of your eye, then draw a very thin line across your upper lash line. Connect this line to the wing for a seamless cat eye.

Editor’s tip: A double wing is a great way to wear cat eye eyeliner if you have hooded eyes. To give this look a try, simply add a thin wing just beneath the one you already created.

Step 8. Define your lashes

Bring your look together with a few coats of waterproof, lengthening mascara.

How to Do a Smokey Eye for Hooded Eyes

A smokey eye is a timeless makeup look associated with sultry drama, dark shades, and expert blending. When you have hooded eyes, a few adjustments need to be made to ensure the look doesn’t overwhelm your eyes.

Step 1. Blend a light brown shade all over the lid

Start by swiping a shade of brown eyeshadow across your lid. You can also use a bronzer, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Bronzer. Keep a light hand and blend upward for a soft, gradient effect.

Step 2. Line your upper and lower lash lines with gel eyeliner

Using the aforementioned L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in Brown Denim or Intense Black, line your upper and lower lash lines. We recommend this eyeliner for smokey eyes because the gel formula glides across the lids without skipping or tugging and easily smudges to create dramatic eye looks.

Step 3. Smudge the Lines

Smudge out the lines you created on the upper and lower lash line (the eyeliner we recommended has a built-in smudger, but a cotton swab or small makeup brush can work, too). At the outer corner of your upper lash line, smudge outwards and upwards to create a soft wing shape. Be sure to work quickly because you have a limited amount of time to smudge your liner before the formula sets.

Once you finish blending, swipe your eyeshadow brush across your lids to help further blend out any harsh lines.

Step 4. Apply mascara

Finish with a generous coat of mascara on both your upper and lower lashes. We love L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Washable Mascara for getting a volumized, fanned-out lash look.

How to Apply Eyeliner for Hooded Eyes

Learning how to make eyeliner work for your hooded eyes is essential if you want to elevate your makeup looks. The good news is—it’s a lot simpler than you might think.

Step 1. Create your wing

With your eyes open, look straight forward into a mirror and draw a wing on the visible part of the skin. Angle the wing upward (not just out) for a more flattering effect. We recommend using an extra fine tip liner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Lineur Intense Brush Tip Liquid Eyeliner, to get a more precise finish.

Editor’s tip: Keep in mind, everyone’s eyes are different. This means what works best for one person with hooded eyes may not work for everyone. You might need to try multiple techniques to find your favorite. Another popular option for hooded eyes is “batwing eyeliner.” For this technique, you draw the wing outward from the outer corner—as you normally would—but at the tip, drag the wing inward toward your crease. This creates a batwing shape when the eyes are closed, and a perfect flick when they’re open.

Step 2. Line your lash line

Create as thin of a line as possible across your upper lash line, pressing the eyeliner into your lashes. Connect the line to your wing, being careful not to thicken it too much.

How to Apply False Lashes for Hooded Eyes

Just because you have hooded eyes doesn’t mean you can’t wear false eyelashes. Similar to eyeliner, you just need to make a few tweaks to the standard application method.

Step 1. Choose your lashes

For hooded lids, you want to avoid thick, densely packed false eyelashes as they can completely obscure any visible lid space you may have. Instead, go for longer, thinner lashes.

Step 2. Customize the shape

A full strip lash can make your eye area look slightly droopy. To avoid this, you can trim your lashes down (or use individual lashes). Applying them to just the outer corner will have an eye-opening effect.

To get the right length, hold the lash up to your eyes, and cut the strip so it’s half the length of your natural lash line.

Step 3. Apply the lashes

Apply a small amount of glue to the lash strip, and wait for it to get tacky. Then, close your eye, and line up the lash strip with your lash line, starting at the outer corner of your eye. Press it into place and ta-da.

Next Up: How to Get Thicker Eyebrows With Makeup in 3 Simple Steps

Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris