Eyeliner for Your Eye Shape: How to Apply
Most of us know how to play up our best features with makeup. We know how to highlight our cheekbones, we know which color palette best suits our eye color, and we put a lot of effort into shaping and defining our eyebrows to whatever the Kardashians tell us is the latest look. But when it comes to eyeliner, a lot of people mistakenly believe that one size fits all. How complicated can it be, right? You just follow your lash line with your liner and then add a wing if you’re daring and the least bit skilled.
But maybe there’s more to it… We may adjust the color eyeliner we choose from ebony to light brown, or even to blue to suit our eye color, but what do we do to best suit or enhance our eye shape? While all eyes are different and unique, their shapes generally fall into some general categories, and makeup artists know all the tricks to either enhance or subtly alter these eye shapes to bring dramatic results.
How to apply eyeliner to Almond-shaped eyes
Almond-shaped eyes are the most common eye shape and the eye shape that most eyelining techniques strive to achieve. Almond-shaped eyes come to symmetrical inner points, have a visible eyelid crease, and there’s no space between the irises and upper and lower lids. Like the nuts they are named after, they turn up slightly at the outer corners. People with almond-shaped eyes can pull off any eye-liner shape.
A very flattering look for upper eyelids on almond-shaped eyes is to begin with a light line on the inside upper lid and then increase the thickness toward the outer third of the lid. You can stop the line there or add a slight wing at the end. For added dramatic effect you can add emphasis to the bottom lid by lightly lining along the lower lash line as well. For a smoky look, lightly smudge the upper and lower corners.
how to apply eyeliner to Hooded eyes
Hooded or monolid eyes are eyes with the upper lids folded over at the crease. This creates the famous sleepy, “bedroom eyes” look, and can appear mysterious. With hooded eyes thin liner is difficult to see when the eyes are open, so you want to go with a thicker line and a bold wing at the ends to open the eyes. You can also make your eyes look rounder by thickening the line in the top center and thinning it at the ends.
How to apply eyeliner to Downturned eyes
Downturned eyes have an almond shape but turn down or droop at the outer corners for a sexy, sleepy look. To give the eyes a more awake, open look, start your liner at the highest arch point of the top lid and then move up and outward with an upward flick at the outer corners pointing toward the temples. To further open the eye, avoid over lining the bottom lash line. Either line very thinly at the lash line or leave it bare.
How to apply eyeliner to Round eyes
Round eyes have equal curves on the upper and lower lids resulting in a big, wide-eyed and youthful look. To elongate round eyes, line the upper lash line and play up the outer corners with lengthened cat-eye type lines. When lining lower lids, avoid a harsh line and instead go for a smudged, soft line look.
How to best apply eyeliner to Small Eyes
While it may seem like a lot of eye product is the obvious answer to make small eyes pop, small eyes can actually be overwhelmed and buried by too much eyeliner and may even end up looking smaller. To play up small eyes, try using a white liner on your lower inner lid to add size to your eyes. Don’t use black or dark liner on your waterline because it tends to make eyes look smaller. Then start a thin line on the outside of your upper eyelids and work your way inward. If you want liner on your lower lids, play up the bottom outer corner with a smudged smokey line to add size.
No matter what your eye shape, you can enhance their natural beauty or subtly alter their look by experimenting with different eyeliner techniques.
Resources— Byrdie, Makeup.com, Beauty and the Boutique
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