Drawing a perfectly symmetrical cat-eye flick is challenging for anyone without makeup artist-level skills. But if you’re unsure how to apply eyeliner on hooded eyes, it can be even more daunting. Fortunately, ‘90s undone makeup is back and, with it, a move away from crisp lines. Better still, summer’s beauty mood of deliberately lived-in flicks and kohl-smudged waterlines actually works in your favour as it helps to lengthen and lift a hooded eye.
To take the guess work out of applying eyeliner on hooded eyes, keep reading for tips on how to work with your eye shape and prevent product from pulling off a brilliant vanishing act by midday.
How to apply eyeliner on hooded eyes
The term hooded eyes refers to a fold of skin below the brow bone that covers the crease of the eyelid and sits directly over the lash line when the eyes are open. It’s a very common eye shape, especially for anyone over 40, with makeup artist Laura Geller noting that, “some people are born with it, but it’s also very common to develop more hooding over time as the skin naturally loses elasticity.”
The challenge with hooded eyes is to prevent your eyeliner from looking too heavy or disappearing behind that fold. “Thick or heavy eyeliner closes the eye down, so it can feel like a losing battle if you’re not approaching it in the right way,” says Jessica Kohn, a makeup artist and eduction manager at Laura Mercier. “The constant contact between skin and product means transfer is almost inevitable, too, as eyeliner lifts straight off the lid and onto the hood, leaving you with a smudged crease rather than a defined line.”
In other words, mastering eyeliner on hooded eyes is about adjusting your placement and technique. One golden rule is to “keep eyeliner away from the inner corners of a hooded eye,” says Kohn. “Taking it all the way across makes the eye appear smaller and more closed. Instead, focus the colour on the outer two thirds of the eye.” Another, is to keep your eyeliner close to the lashes “and extend outward rather than inward,” she adds.
A final tip: Look straight ahead into a mirror when drawing it on to see the exact placement. And don’t worry, a cotton bud dipped in makeup remover will quickly wipe away any mistakes.
What eyeliner shapes suit hooded eyes?
While there are no hard-and-fast rules, three shapes work especially well on hooded eyes:
Tightlining
One trick is to tightline by lifting your upper lashes with your index finger and using small strokes to apply eyeliner underneath. You can either do this directly onto the waterline or at the base of the lashes, concentrating the eyeliner in between the roots.
“It gives the illusion of thick, voluminous lashes and defines the eye without taking up a single millimetre of lid space,” says makeup artist Ruby Hammer. And don’t underestimate the power of beige eyeliner on the lower waterline, adds Geller. “This instantly brightens and makes the eyes look bigger and more refreshed,” she says.
‘Bat-wing’ eyeliner
As the name implies, the idea is that you use eyeliner to draw a bat-wing shape in the outer corner of your eye. It sounds crazy but makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes went viral with this technique.
Start by sketching your wing. “Look straight ahead and place a small dot just above the socket line to indicate where your flick will extend to,” advises Kohn. Draw a fine line up towards that dot. Next, draw another line from that dot across the crease towards the lash line on the outer corner of your eye to create the triangle of the wing. Don’t be afraid to draw over the fold of the hood – your eyeliner will naturally hop over it, creating a stepped gap. Fill in the wing then continue lining along your top lash line towards the centre of your eyes. You can only see this gap and the bat-wing silhouette when your eye is closed – “when your eye is open, it looks like a classic, sharp wing,” says Hammer.
The smudgy wing
“A lived-in wing done with an eye pencil is also incredibly forgiving around the fold of a hooded eye and offers a soft, lifted silhouette without the harsh geometry of a liquid liner,” says Hammer.
What are the best eyeliners for hooded eyes?
The best results are as much about choosing the right eyeliner as they are prepping the eyelid first. “Using setting powder on your eyelid before any eyeliner – and as a final step on top – can really increase its longevity by absorbing oil on the lid,” says Kohn. “Opt for a translucent shade that won’t interfere with your eye look but will do the heavy lifting when it comes to remaining smudge-free.” Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder in Crystal, £36.50, works on all skin tones. Likewise, lean on waterproof formulas. “Because the skin folds over itself, the friction and natural oils will melt off regular eyeliner,” adds Hammer.
When doing bat-wing eyeliner, Hammer recommends using a liquid eyeliner. Her Precision Liquid Eyeliner, £19, has an ultra-fine tip for extra control when working on a smaller lid space. Also good is Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner, £25, which is like a skinny felt tip pen, making it easier to squiggle over the eyelid.
“Pencils are best for tightlining and creating a lived-in, smudged look,” Hammer notes. Laura Geller’s Kajal Longwear Eyeliner, £22, has a longwear formula that also contains caffeine to help with puffiness, while Charlotte Tilbury’s dual-ended Sleep Cheat Liner Duo, £26, allows you to brighten the waterline with the nude shade and define with the dark.
Alternatively, opt for a gel eyeliner in a pencil format, which is Kohn’s preference: “This gives me the scope to create a tightline, a winged liner or a smoky wing” with just one product. She recommends Laura Mercier’s Caviar Tightline Eyeliner, £23, which comes in seven shades and is so creamy it never tugs on the delicate skin around the eye. If you have sensitive eyes, try Ilia’s Clean Line Gel Liner, £26, which uses charcoal, a kinder alternative to carbon black. Finish by curling your lashes and adding a swipe of mascara to open up the eye.
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