Eye shapes come in so many shapes and sizes, each with their own unique beauty. However, as a beauty editor, I often get asked, “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 unique, but 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 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.”
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 eye shadows 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 outward. 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.”
What are almond eyes? Like the name suggests, almond eyes resemble the shape of the oval-like nut. Zoë 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,” she says. “For eye shadow, 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.”
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. Jenna 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 eye shadow 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.”
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.
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 eye shadow 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.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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