The Best Eye Makeup for Hooded Eyes, According to Experts

It took me years to understand the best eye makeup for hooded eyes. While my gaze isn’t completely hooded, I definitely have less upper lid space than most. Too much eyeliner, and it smudges onto my eye crease. Too thick of a mascara coat, and suddenly my gaze droops. Too smokey a lid, and my eyes looked heavy. Over much trial and error (including several failed eye makeup looks), my solution these days is to keep things simple—a subtle flick on the outer corner of my eyes, thin enough for a slinky siren look.

As it turns out, this is the correct approach. “Heavy dark shades across the entire lid, thick eyeliner, and dramatic cut creases can weigh hooded eyes down,” pro makeup artist Catrina Breitweiser tells Vogue. “Keeping depth focused on the outer corners helps maintain an open, lifted appearance.”

The key is understanding that eye makeup for hooded eyes requires a different strategy to create lift and light. “On non-hooded eyes, you’ll see shadow placement of darker shades right in the natural crease. However, when you do this on a hooded eyes you’ll end up creating more visual weight and heaviness,” pro makeup artist Kasey Spickard adds. Ahead, four failsafe steps that make the most of limited lid space, according to the pros.

Opt for Gradient or Single Eyeshadow

“Eyeshadow placement matters so much on hooded lids because the natural crease isn’t fully visible when the eyes are open,” says D’Amelio Ventre, who recommends applying your eyeshadow while looking straight into the mirror. She opts for matte or satin shades, placing the eyeshadow brush slightly above the eye’s natural crease. “Keeping depth focused on the outer third of the eye and blending a deeper crease color upward and outward helps the eyes look more open, especially for anyone recreating a look at home,” she adds.

To achieve this effect, Spickard recommends opting for a single or gradient eyeshadow look. “Keep in mind that whatever you’re applying onto hooded eyelid will ‘disappear’ from certain angles,” he says. For a gradient look Spickard prefers to keep the lid a single, nude shade, and play with the lower lash line for added drama. “I love a rich chocolate brown in the waterline and then smoking it out with a similar color in the lower lash line,” he adds. Both Chanel and Ilia offer satiny palettes with a tight curation of cohesive shades. For a quicker approach, apply a single shadow shade (like Merit’s solo shadow) to the recommended placement above the crease, then use the residual product on your brush to sweep across the lid and lower lash line.

Brighten Up Your Inner Corner

Another hack to awaken hooded eyes? Brightening up your inner corner with a nude pencil or shadow. “A soft, light-reflecting inner-corner highlight brightens the eyes and enhances openness without drawing attention to the hooded area,” says Breitweiser. The key, according to D’Amelio Ventre, is keeping your application subtle and precise. She prefers to avoid anything overly glittery and stick to finely milled shimmers or satin finishes. “When applied just at the tear duct, it adds light without distracting from the overall eye shape, which is especially flattering on hooded eyes,” she adds.

For something subtle, Chantecaille’s cream pencil and Laura Mercier’s eyeshadow stick do the trick. For a more opaque nude color, try Jones Road’s eyeshadow in the shade cream or Victoria Beckham Beauty’s brightening pencil.

Get Specific With Eyeliner Placement

Don’t be intimidated—you can, in fact, sport winged liner, regardless of visible eyelid size. “With hooded eyes, eyeliner should enhance the eye shape, not overpower it,” says D’Amelio Ventre. She recommends skipping a thick liner across the entire lash line and focusing on the outer corner instead. “A soft, subtle flick that lifts upward can make a big impact without closing off the lid space.” Breitweiser agrees, adding that tight-lining the upper waterline “adds depth at the lash base while preserving lid space for shadow.”

To perfect your winged liner technique, D’Amelio Ventre suggests a tailored approach for hooded eyes. “Keep your eyes open and look straight ahead. Then, tilt your head back slightly, flick outward, and gradually taper the liner back down toward the upper lash line, ending around the midpoint of your eye.” MAC Cosmetics’s liquid eyeliner dispenses from a thin brush tip, which makes precision application a breeze. For a Mila Kunis-esque waterline eyeliner look, Chanel’s waterproof formula locks in place to prevent dreaded under-eye drainage. Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham Beauty’s viral satin kajal liner blends like a dream for a subtle smokey eye.

Keep Your Lashes Lifted

Get your eyelash curlers at the ready because a few squeezes plus a swipe of a lifting mascara does wonders to open up hooded eyes—it’s a fail-proof way to add a bit of intrigue to your gaze, even if your lid is fully covered. “Curling your lashes will make you look instantly more awake,” pro makeup artist El DeBratto previously told Vogue. “I like to curl my lashes to the gods, squeezing the curler from the base of the lashes to the tip to ensure that I get an even bend throughout the lash. Then I’ll opt for my favorite tubing mascara to hold it all together.” Hourglass Cosmetics’ tubing formula is a favorite among several Vogue beauty editors. Meanwhile, Maybelline’s Lash Sensational mascara is a drugstore option whose performance rivals prestige alternatives—while it’s not a tubing mascara, it is water-resistant.