An Expert Just Told Me the Best Makeup for Every Eye Shape, From Hooded to Round

Eye shapes come in so many different shapes and sizes. All different kinds of eye shapes have their own unique beauty, however, if there’s a question I get asked a lot as a beauty editor, it’s: “What eye makeup suits my eye shape?” Having spoken to makeup artists over the years, I’ve picked up a few makeup tips for hooded eyes (which I have myself), and learned that you can in fact do eyeliner on hooded eyes. It’s all about understanding your individual eye shape and making the most of its qualities. So, I set about finding more on the eye makeup looks that suit every eye shape out there.

First things first, it’s good to identify your own unique eye shape if you don’t already know what kind you have. Learning this first allows you to enhance them to their full glory with eye makeup. “It’s a good idea to consider your eye shape before deciding how to accentuate them,” says Rachael Divers, Makeup Artist at Face The Future.

Of course, everyone’s eye shape is totally unique, but they most fall into eight key eye shapes: hooded eyes; round eyes; almond eyes; monolid eyes; upturned eyes, downturned eyes, close set eyes and wide set eyes. To find out the best eye makeup looks for the eight key eye shapes, I spoke to Divers and Dana Abes, KVD Beauty Events Team Artist, to find out the expert makeup tips for each shape.

What is a hooded eye shape? If you have hooded eyes like Blake Lively, then you may find your upper lid is less visible, particularly when you look straight ahead into a mirror. “Have you ever done your eyeshadow and then as soon as you open your eyes you can’t see it anymore? Chances are that you have hooded eyes,” says Divers. “This is where you have an extra fold of skin that covers your crease.” You may also find that eyeliner of an eyeliner wing looks too heavy. What eye makeup suits hooded eyes? “Priming and setting with powder is key to keep makeup in place as hooded eyes tend to smudge,” explains Divers. “When applying eye makeup, keep the eyes open to find the natural crease, then, place the shadow slightly above the crease so that the colour doesn’t get lost. Apply shadow to the bottom lashes as well as the top to keep it balanced,” she says. Eyeliner is key with hooded eyes, and you might find that a traditional liquid eyeliner doesn’t sit right. “To make the most of the space, apply liner to the upper lash line use the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner to ensure there are no gaps and create a really tight eyeliner that will instantly thicken the look of lashes.” says Divers. “A sparkly eyeshadow is very complimentary on a hooded eye as it brings brightness without overpowering the lid with shadow pigment. Top tip: “Lots of mascara is a must too, use Illamasqua Waterproof Raven Mascara to avoid smudging,” she adds.

This concealer doubles up as an eyelid primer to help your eyeshadow stay put on hooded eyes.

What are monolids and epicanthic folds? “Monolid eyes don’t have a crease, so there’s a smooth transition straight up to the brow bone,” says Divers. If you have monolid eyes (also known as epicanthic folds) like Sandra Oh, you won’t have a visible ‘crease’ or ‘double eyelid’. This eye shape is common in people with Asian descent.

What eye makeup suits monolids or epicanthic folds? “A spotlight eye is perfect for accentuating your eye shape,” says Abes. “Focus depth on the inner and outer corners of your eye leaving the centre free for shimmer which will make your eyes pop! Gently pat KVD Beauty’s Dazzle Stick into the centre of the lid for an eye catching look.”

Top tip: “A general trick with monolid eyes is to prime the eyelids first to create a sticky base for eyeshadows to grab, as generally there can be quite a bit of fallout because there isn’t a crease to catch the pigment,” says Divers. “Keep darker tones and definitions as close to the lash line and then blend outwards. Use long lasting gel liners like the Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner that will hold and follow the shape of the eye and go upwards and outwards.”

Use a shimmery eyeshadow to ‘spotlight’ highlight in the centre of your lid.

What are almond eyes? Like the name suggests, almond eyes resemble the shape of the oval-like nut. Zoe Kravitz is an example of someone with almond shaped eyes. “Almond eyes tend to be oval in shape with the outer corners being slightly upturned —like an almond,” says Divers.

What eye makeup suits almond eyes? “Almond eye shapes can pull off pretty much any kind of eye look,” says Divers. “You can accentuate them by doing a soft wing liner, one of the most complementary shapes for almond eyes. Stick to liner just on your top lash line as this will give extra dimension and shape and help to elongate eyes for a more feline look,”s she says. “For eyeshadow, use a deeper colour on the outer corners of your eyes and use a lighter colour on the waterline of the bottom, this helps to make eyes appear bigger.”

Top tip: “For a bold look, use a liquid liner and If you prefer a softer look, a pencil is a great alternative,” says Abes. “For added drama use combination of both. KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner is a must have for eyeliner. With its bristle applicator for ultimate precision and flexibility, your liner will be as sharp as ever.”

When it comes to eyeliners that deliver a smooth, precise line with a long-lasting finish, it doesn’t get much better than this.

What are round eyes? “Round eyes tend to be equal in width and height, so you have a lot of space to create beautiful eye looks without looking too overdone,” says Divers. Jenn Ortega and Elizabeth Olsen have this round eye shape.

What eye makeup suits round eyes? “Enhance the outer corners of round eyes to add a bit more balance to the shape. Keep the eyeshadow colours neutral on the lid and gradually add darker shades toward the outer corner,” says Divers. “The Illamasqua Nude Collection Unveiled Artistry Palette has a wonderful mix of light and dark shadows for you to play around with. The outer shading should almost look like a sideways ‘V’ with the point angled slightly up towards your temple. A wedged, smokey liner also really complements a round eyes as it elongates the eye shape without taking away the natural shape. For extra lift ensure that the liner is directed upward at the end.”

Top tip: “Using one colour is a perfect way to draw attention to your eye shape, whether that be a bold or neutral colour,” says Abes. “For a softer look, buff the colour all over the lid and slightly underneath. If you prefer a bold eye, add the colour into your waterline too.”

This palette is packed with every neutral tone you could ever need—only wearable shades here.

What are upturned eyes? “Upturned eyes are slightly different to the classic almond eyes because the outer corners of the eyes point upwards, and the lower lash line looks longer than the upper lash line. This shape gives you a natural cat eye shape,” says Divers. What eye makeup suits upturned eyes? “You can easily create a sultry smokey eye look by taking dark shadow across the lower lid and smudging it out,” says Divers. “Use Eyeko Limitless Eyeshadow Palette 3 which has lots of shades for you to play around with. Don’t be afraid to go a little heavier on the lower lash line too to balance out the shape of the eye. You can emphasis the lifted shape even further by extending your shadow and liner on the outer corner of your eyes too.” Abes agrees: “Focusing the depth on your outer corners, creating a ‘V’-like shape will draw attention to your eyes. Using an eyeshadow will give you a soft defined finish, control how bold you would like to go with the intensity of colour you pick. Top tip: “Push the eyeshadow into your brush on the back of your hand before application to avoid any fallout from excess product,” says Abes.

The mix of neutral and darker shades are ideal for creating a sultry, smokey eye.

What are downturned eyes? “For downturned eyes, the outer corner of the eyes turn down lower than the inner corner of the eye,” says Divers. Anne Hathaway and Katy Perry have this kind of eye shape.

Why eye makeup suits downturned eyes? The main aim of your makeup is to create the illusion of a more lifted eye,” says Divers. “Concentrate most of your eye makeup on the lid instead of the bottom, and winged eyeliner is going to be your best bet for an instant lift,” she says. “Apply a thin liner and extend upwards at a 45-degree angle. Don’t be afraid to pull the wing out, and start your wing from just before the end of your lash line.” This will help to balance your features.

Top tip: “Curling your lashes and using mascara that lifts and curls will add a lift and open the eyes more for a wide-eyed lifted effect,” she says.

If you crave a long-lasting curl, this mascara is the one. It leaves lashes with a glossy, fanned out finish that flatters your eye shape.

What are wide set eyes? “Wide set eyes tend to have a lot of distance between the eyes,” says Divers. Celebrities like Halle Bailey and Amanda Seyfried have this eye shape. What eye makeup suits wide set eyes? To make the eyes look closer together, line the entire lash line with a black or brown eye pencil as this will create the illusion of the eyes looking closer together,” says Divers. “Pull your eye shadow closer towards the inner corner of the eyes to close the space, and blend all your darker shadows inwards, but keep it slightly softer on the outer corners.” Top tip: “Highlight under the further part of the brow and outer corner of your eyes instead of the inner corner,” she says.

Is this the greatest highlight of all time? Quite possibly.

What are close set eyes? Opposite to wide set eyes, which are set further apart from each other, close set eyes are nearer to one another.

What eye makeup suits close set eyes? “To give the illusion of wider set eyes, focus your eyeshadow on the outer corners on both the top and bottom of your eye. When applying liner, your start point should be in the centre of the eye and feel free to pull the liner out at the corners. To create the illusion of more space I would suggest taking a light eye pencil, and applying it to the inner corner of each eye.

Top tip: Reflective or shimmer shadows add light and bring forward areas of the eye.