6 Life-Changing Tips for Applying Eyeliner on Hooded Lids
As someone with hooded eyelids, I know first hand the struggle that comes with applying eyeliner.
Unlike those who have more space on their lids, it takes a lot of trial and error to make your eyeliner last — and be visible. One wrong move and the once clean and crisp eyeliner is either smudged or quickly hidden in the folds of your lids as soon as you drop your eyebrows.
Getty Images
And the struggle extends beyond winged liner, too. In a time where graphic eyeliner looks are everywhere, it can seem nearly impossible to execute those intricate shapes and designs.
Fortunately, though, celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes, a fellow member of the hooded eyelid community, shared an Instagram video of her most coveted tips and tricks for applying winged eyeliner.
As it turns out, with the right technique and tools, all of your eyeliner dreams are, in fact, possible. So, to help take the guesswork out of eyeliner application, keep reading for Hughes' and other professional makeup artists' best tips for applying liner on hooded eyelids.
Tip 1: Use a Creamy Eyeliner and a Precise Eyeliner Brush.
Throughout the video, Hughes emphasizes that the right tools and products will make this process a whole lot easier. She recommends using a creamy black eyeliner pencil and a thin eyeliner brush so that you can control the amount of product and shape of your eyeliner.
Tip 2: Look Straight Ahead When Applying Eyeliner.
According to Hughes and celebrity makeup artist Cara Lovello, the biggest tip is to make sure you're applying eyeliner with your eyes open and looking straight into the mirror in front of you. Doing this will help you see where the folds are and prevent your eyeliner from getting lost in or smudged. "Once you have the wings sketched out, you can close your eye and finish the liner," says Lovello.
RELATED: The 13 Best Eyeliners for Every Look and Budget
Tip 3: To Create a Wing, Less Is More.
Hughes says a hack she does to create a winged eyeliner is applying a small amount of product on the outer corner of her eye. Instead of using the actual eyeliner pencil to create the wing, she applies a small etch of product and then shapes the wing using a detailed angled eyeliner brush.
Lovello says adding eyeliner on the outer corner of the eyes will also help make them appear more lifted and awake. "The black [eyeliner] along the whole top is going to close the eyes more," she says.
Celebrity makeup artist, Tobi Henney, also recommends keeping the line thin and long. "By giving it some length, it will allow the liner to be seen and will still look natural."
Tip 4: Create a Graphic or Dramatic Eyeliner Look by Going Over the Folds.
If your winged eyeliner look gets lost when your face is fully relaxed, you can exaggerate your winged eyeliner by applying the product over the folds. At around the 11:00 minute mark in the video, you'll notice Hughes begins to extend her original winged eyeliner by drawing on top of her hooded lids.
When she raises her eyebrows and her lids become smooth, however, there's a disconnected triangle shape that appears at the outer corner of her eye. Lovello says this look is sometimes referred to as "bat wings" and is a foolproof graphic eyeliner look for those with hooded eyes. All you have to do is define the triangles so that it looks like an interesting design.
Tip 5: Lift the Angle of Your Wing to Make Folds and Eyes Appear More Lifted.
Disguising hooded lids to make them appear more lifted is all about the angle of your eyeliner, says Hughes in her video. Point the flick of your winged eyeliner towards the tail of your eyebrow, as opposed to straight ahead, if you want that lifted appearance. If you want to get technical, Henney recommends aiming for a 45-degree angle.
Sarah Tanno, makeup artist and global artistry director at Haus Labs Makeup by Lady Gaga, says smoking out the eyeliner also helps to elongate and lift the eye. "You can achieve this using an eyeliner and brush or any eyeshadow," she says. "I would recommend going far out towards your brow when blending that way it lifts and elongates the eyes."
Tip 6: Have Clean-Up Tools Handy.
"One last tip for any liner look for hooded eyes is to have mini Q-tips on hand and micellar water or your favorite makeup remover," says Melissa Hurkman, celebrity makeup artist. That way, you'll be able to fix any mistakes and make your lines even and sharp as a knife. When it comes to eyeliner application, though, remember that practice makes perfect. Oh, the lines are sisters — not twins!
