12 Genius Makeup Tricks for Hooded Eyes, According to Pros originally appeared on Parade.
If you have hooded eyes, you’ve probably struggled with eye makeup. Perhaps you’ve carefully applied it but ended up making your eyes look smaller or more tired. But with the right techniques and products, you can create absolutely stunning eye looks that make your eyes pop.
The key to flattering makeup for hooded eyes is understanding how to work with your eye shape rather than against it. To learn how to do this, Parade talked with experts to get their techniques to transform your makeup routine and help you achieve looks that truly enhance your (already gorgeous!) eyes.
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What Are Hooded Eyes?
Before diving into techniques, it’s helpful to understand what makes hooded eyes unique. The eyelid and crease are not as visible with hooded eyes, making eye makeup tricky, but hooded eyes are beautiful. Consider Michelle Williams and Gabrielle Union—gorgeous!
“I’ve worked on every eye shape—hooded, almond, monolid, mature—you name it,” says makeup artist Dionne Phillips. The challenges with these eye shapes include eyeshadow disappearing when eyes are open, difficulty achieving visible eyeliner, and the tendency for makeup to transfer or smudge due to skin contact.
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How Do I Apply Makeup to Hooded Eyes?
Start with a Good Base: Always use an eyeshadow primer or the concealer trick to create a smooth, long-lasting base.
Work in Thin Layers: Build color gradually to avoid harsh lines or muddy results.
Use the Right Brushes: Smaller, more precise brushes work better for hooded eyes than large, fluffy ones.
Set Your Work: Use a translucent powder to set cream products and prevent transfer.
Practice Makes Perfect: These techniques may feel different at first, but with practice, they’ll become second nature.
Don’t Forget Mascara: As Shea notes, “Mascara on the lashes always helps open up the eye a bit more also.”
Related: 6 Common Makeup Mistakes Made By Women Over 50
12 Genius Makeup Tricks for Hooded Eyes
1. Do Your Eye Makeup with Eyes Open
Gray’s number one tip revolutionizes the entire application process: “My favorite trick is to do eye makeup when your eyes are open, so that you can see how it will look when your eye is open.” This simple change allows you to see exactly where to place colors for maximum impact and prevents the disappointment of invisible eyeshadow.
2. Place Matte Shadow Above Your Natural Crease
Phillips shares this game-changing technique: “Place matte eyeshadow slightly above your natural crease to fake a lift.” This creates the illusion of a higher, more defined crease and makes the eyes appear more open.
Celebrity makeup artist Lauren Shea agrees: “I generally recommend bringing a deeper shade slightly above the crease fanning outwards creating an illusion of a higher, lifted lid.”
3. Use Strategic Concealer Placement
Phillips reveals her secret weapon: “I love using a clean-tone concealer, 1–2 shades lighter, right on the inner lid and upper eyelid to camouflage the hood. It lifts, lightens, and visually opens the eye.” Her favorite is Iman Cosmetics Concealer for its affordable price and creamy, blendable formula.
4. Master the Art of Lash Curling
Gray emphasizes the importance of this often-overlooked step: “Curl your lashes with a quality curler (I love the Shiseido Eyelash Curler, it fits most eye shapes perfectly and really reaches to the base of the lash for the most curl). Most lashes stick out straight on hooded eyes (sometimes the lid is literally pushing them down), so curling them upright instantly opens the eyes more.”
Phillips offers an alternative: “Curl your lashes! Or just come get my No Lash Look D’Lashes extensions—they open the eye instantly.”
5. Try Tightlining Instead of Heavy Liner
Phillips suggests a more subtle approach: “Use tightliner on the upper waterline—not heavy top liner—to define without dragging down.” This technique defines the eyes without adding bulk that can make hooded eyes appear smaller.
6. Highlight Inner Corners and Brow Bone
Phillips recommends this brightening technique: “Highlight the inner corners and under the brow bone to lift and brighten.” This creates the illusion of larger, more awake eyes by drawing light to key areas.
7. Don’t Fear Blending Past the Lid
Gray encourages thinking beyond traditional boundaries: “Do not fear blending out past the actual eyelid.” This ensures your eyeshadow is visible even when your eyes are open and creates a more lifted appearance.
8. Add Lightness and Brightness
Gray explains the principle behind this technique: “Add some lightness/brightness (such as lighter colored or more shimmery eyeshadow) to give the illusion of the eye being more open.” She recommends Catrice’s Safari Fever Slim Eyeshadow palette, noting that “spirit” and “golden hour” are perfect champagne and gold shimmery shades that “immediately open up the eye if blended over the lid!”
9. Focus on the Mobile Lid
Aimee Carr, founder of Voodoo Makeup, keeps it simple: “Hooded eyes keep a nice matte beige. I would say in our Honey Chile’ color it is just what you need for bringing out that hidden lid and a little taupe could be used on the hooded eyelid. The idea is to focus on the lid.”
10. Choose Matte Over Shimmer (Sometimes)
Shea offers this guidance: “I generally recommend more matte shadows overall with hooded eyelids as shimmery shades can sometimes emphasize folds.” However, Gray notes that strategic shimmer placement can work: “Light or eyeshadow colors that illuminate light (shimmers), will give the illusion of the eye being more forward, while shading the eye with a deeper color will give the illusion of depth.”
11. Address Under-Eye Darkness
Gray explains why this step is crucial: “A color corrector works by neutralizing any discoloration and in terms of the eye area, there is almost always darkness under the eyes. And darkness under the eyes gives the illusion of the eyes being even more sunk in than they actually are, which would be especially difficult for those with hooded eyes.” She recommends Catrice’s viral Under Eye Brightener, which “instantly gives you the look of 8 hours of sleep.”
12. Use Foolproof Cream Shadows
Madeleine Gibson, celebrity makeup artist to Paige DeSorbo and more, recommends cream shadows for their ease of use. Her top picks include:
Armani Eye Tint: “I like this shadow because it’s truly fool proof. Can be applied without a brush and blended out with your finger. Very creamy and blendable and doesn’t dry down too quickly.”
MAC Paint Pots: “These are an OG and found in every makeup artist’s kit for a reason. She’s the perfect base for any eye look and goes on like butter. Comes in a massive variety of shades and finishes.”
Danessa Myricks Colorfix: “These shadows are a little bit more of an advanced user due to their quick dry time and highly pigmented formula, but if you’re able to master this formula, it’s incredible. Once it’s on, it doesn’t budge and you’ll be waking up with it on even if you scrub your eyes.”
Sources:
Emily Gray, MUA
Aimee Carr, founder at Voodoo Makeup
Dionne Phillips, MUA and Celebrity Lash Expert
Lauren Shea, Celebrity Hair and Makeup Artist
Madeleine Gibson, MUA to celebrities and reality TV stars
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12 Genius Makeup Tricks for Hooded Eyes, According to Pros first appeared on Parade on Jun 23, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
