If your eyeliner keeps playing hide-and-seek in your crease, smudging halfway through the day, welcome to the club. These eyeliner tips for hooded eyes are here to help you finally get the hang of it. Hooded lids come with their own rules, but the good news? With a few makeup artist-approved tricks, you’ll go from struggling to slaying in no time, even with your small lid space. Let’s jump right into the tips.
Your Eyeliner Plays by Different Rules
Does your upper lid fold over your lash line? That means all the drama you draw can disappear when your eyes close. That’s why eyeliner tips for hooded eyes aren’t just suggestions; they’re survival tactics for pretty ladies.
The first trick is to apply your eyeliner with your eyes wide open, staring straight into the mirror. This helps you see exactly what’s going to show up when your eyes are at rest.
1. Waterproof or Smudge-Proof
Listen, if you’ve got hooded eyes, regular eyeliner just doesn’t cut it. You need something that stays put, like waterproof or smudge-proof formulas that don’t transfer every time you blink. Gel liners, felt tips, or anything labeled “long-wear” are your best friends here. This little beauty hack means no more raccoon eyes halfway through brunch.
2. Floating Liner
Now this is the glow-up move you’ve been waiting for. Instead of trying to cram liner into that tiny lash line, draw a thin line slightly above the fold. That’s the magic of the floating liner. It shows up even when your eyes are wide open—and it’s beginner-friendly too.
Honestly, it makes easy eyeliner for hooded eyes way more realistic, and you’ll wonder why no one told you about it sooner.
3. Don’t Sleep on Tightlining
When your eyeliner keeps ghosting you, tightlining is the comeback move. Just fill in your upper waterline. It makes your eyes pop without crowding the lid. Top it off with mascara and a lash curl, and you’ve got a bold look with half the effort. Want something low-key but still polished? This is the eyeliner application technique you’ve been missing.
4. Sketch It First
Trying to nail a liquid wing on the first try? Don’t do that. Grab a pencil liner and lightly sketch your shape before going in with liquid or gel.
It’s way easier to fix pencil mistakes than clean up black ink all over your lid. This one is a tried-and-true makeup hack that saves time and sanity, especially if your lids have a mind of their own.
5. Create Soft Wings
Sharp wings are cute until your lid crease turns them into a mess. The best way to do it is to go for a soft, smoked-out wing using shadow and a small, angled brush. It lifts your eyes without the stress of getting each side perfectly even. It’s also the perfect base if you’re going for smokey eyes for hooded eyes—blended, bold, and totally forgiving of little mess-ups.
6. The Mirror Trick
It feels weird at first, but you get better results when you apply your eyeliner with your eyes open and looking straight ahead. No more tilting your head back or squinting one eye shut.
Hooded eyelids change shape when you relax your face, so you’ve got to work with your natural expression. This is one of those eyeliner tips for hooded eyes that feels small but makes a lot of difference.
7. Use Tapes
Matching both wings can feel like a cruel joke, especially with folds and creases in the mix. That’s where tape comes in. Just pop a tiny piece at the outer corner of your eyes as a guide, and just like that, you’ll have clean lines without the drama. Not a fan of tape? There are plenty of winged liner stencils and tools made for easy eyeliner for hooded eyes. Use whatever helps you stay sane.
Nobody Becomes a Pro Overnight
Learning how to draw your eyeliner perfectly is a journey. Some days it’ll look flawless; other days you’ll wipe it off three times before giving up. That’s normal. But with consistent practice, these eyeliner tips for hooded eyes will help you start nailing it more often than not.
Don’t let a shaky wing ruin your vibe. Have fun, try new makeup hacks, and remember that even the best makeup artists were once struggling with their first liner pen.
