One of the most powerful skills in makeup artistry is understanding how to enhance different eye shapes. As visagistes, we approach each client with an individualized perspective, recognizing that techniques that work beautifully on one eye shape may not be flattering for another. The key is to identify your natural eye shape and then apply techniques that enhance your unique features.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore makeup techniques tailored to the six most common eye shapes: almond, hooded, round, monolid, downturned, and upturned. You'll learn how to identify your eye shape and master application techniques that will bring out the best in your eyes.

Identifying Your Eye Shape

Before diving into specific techniques, let's establish how to determine your eye shape. Look straight into a mirror with a relaxed expression and observe the following characteristics:

• Almond Eyes: Your iris is partially covered by your upper and lower eyelids. When open, your eyes have a slight upward tilt at the outer corners, resembling the shape of an almond.
• Hooded Eyes: You have extra skin that folds down from the brow bone, partially or completely covering the mobile eyelid when your eyes are open.
• Round Eyes: Your eyes appear circular rather than oval, with visible white of the eye (sclera) above and below the iris when looking straight ahead.
• Monolid Eyes: You have little to no visible crease in your eyelid, creating a flatter appearance across the eye area.
• Downturned Eyes: The outer corners of your eyes tilt downward slightly compared to the inner corners.
• Upturned Eyes: The outer corners of your eyes tilt upward compared to the inner corners.

Keep in mind that many people have combination eye shapes, and these characteristics exist on a spectrum. The techniques we'll discuss can be adapted and combined as needed.

Almond Eyes: Enhancing the Classic Shape

Almond eyes are often considered the "standard" in beauty, but that doesn't mean they can't be further enhanced with the right techniques.

Flattering Techniques for Almond Eyes:

• Crease definition: Apply a medium-toned shadow in the crease, focusing on the outer third of the eye to enhance the natural shape.
• Winged eyeliner: Create a clean wing that follows the natural upward tilt of your eye.
• Highlighting: Apply a light, shimmery shade to the inner corner and center of the lid to create dimension.

Pro Tip: Almond eyes can handle a variety of eyeshadow placements, so don't be afraid to experiment with different looks, from soft and diffused to bold and graphic.

Hooded Eyes: Creating Visible Dimension

The key to makeup for hooded eyes is working with light and shadow to create the illusion of space where the hood obscures the mobile lid.

Flattering Techniques for Hooded Eyes:

• Apply with eyes open: Do most of your eyeshadow application with your eyes open to ensure the colors are visible when your eyes are in a natural position.
• Create a "floating crease": Apply your crease color slightly above your natural crease so it's visible when your eyes are open.
• Thin, straight eyeliner: Keep liner thin and tight to the lash line to maximize lid space. Avoid thick wings that can disappear into the hood.
• Focus on lashes: Curled lashes and volumizing mascara help open up the eye area.

Pro Tip: Use matte eyeshadows for the crease and outer corner as they create more effective shadows than shimmery formulas, which can draw attention to the hood.

Round Eyes: Creating Elongation

Round eyes are beautiful and expressive. Makeup can be used to elongate and add definition while maintaining their naturally open quality.

Flattering Techniques for Round Eyes:

• Focus darkness on the outer corners: Apply deeper shadows at the outer third of the eye in a sideways "V" shape to create elongation.
• Winged liner: Extend eyeliner beyond the outer corner to create the illusion of an almond shape.
• Avoid heavy under-eye makeup: Keep the lower lash line relatively light to prevent emphasizing roundness.
• Concentrate mascara on the outer lashes: This helps extend the eye shape horizontally.

Pro Tip: Place your darkest eyeshadow shade just above the outer corner of your eye and blend upward and outward toward the end of your eyebrow for an elongating effect.

Monolid Eyes: Creating Dimension Without a Crease

Monolid eyes offer a beautiful canvas for makeup, with techniques that focus on gradient application rather than traditional crease definition.

Flattering Techniques for Monolid Eyes:

• Gradient application: Create a gradient effect from lash line to brow bone, with darker colors at the lash line fading to lighter shades as you move upward.
• Winged eyeliner: A slight wing can help elongate the eye. Try the "bat wing" technique, where the liner is thicker in the center of the lid.
• Tight-lining: Apply eyeliner between the upper lashes to define the eye shape without taking up lid space.
• Highlight the inner corner: This opens up the eye area and creates dimension.

Pro Tip: Waterproof formulas work best for monolids, as the natural shape can cause regular formulas to transfer and smudge.

Downturned Eyes: Creating a Lifted Appearance

Downturned eyes have a naturally sweet and approachable quality. Makeup techniques can create a subtle lift at the outer corners for balance.

Flattering Techniques for Downturned Eyes:

• Focus darker shades above the outer corner: Place your deepest shadow slightly above the outer corner and blend upward to create the illusion of lift.
• Angled eyeliner: Start your wing by looking straight ahead and drawing the flick in the direction toward the end of your eyebrow, not following the natural downward slope.
• Highlight the center of the lid: This draws attention upward and creates dimension.
• Avoid heavy lower lash makeup: Keep the lower lash line clean or focus product on the outer third only.

Pro Tip: When applying mascara, focus on lifting the outer lashes upward rather than straight out to enhance the lifted effect.

Upturned Eyes: Enhancing Natural Lift

Upturned eyes already have a naturally lifted appearance at the outer corners. Makeup can be used to enhance this feature while creating balance.

Flattering Techniques for Upturned Eyes:

• Emphasize the natural lift: Apply darker shadows at the outer corner, following the natural upward tilt.
• Cat-eye liner: This style naturally complements the upturned shape.
• Balance with inner corner application: Apply a medium tone to the inner corner and crease to create harmony across the eye.
• Lower lash definition: Defining the lower lash line can create beautiful balance for this eye shape.

Pro Tip: For special occasions, upturned eyes look stunning with dramatic cat-eye effects that follow the natural angle of the eye.

Universal Techniques for All Eye Shapes

While specific techniques vary by eye shape, some fundamental approaches enhance all eyes:

1. The Importance of Proper Blending

Regardless of eye shape, seamless blending is essential for professional-looking eyeshadow application. Invest in quality blending brushes and take your time to eliminate harsh lines between colors.

2. Strategic Highlighting

For all eye shapes, highlighting the inner corner of the eye and the brow bone (just below the arch) creates brightness and dimension. Use a light matte or subtle shimmer shade.

3. Mascara Application

Curled lashes and well-applied mascara enhance every eye shape. Focus on the roots of the lashes and wiggle the wand upward for maximum lift and definition.

4. Brow Framing

Well-groomed eyebrows that complement your eye shape create a beautiful frame. The highest point of the arch should generally align with the outer edge of your iris when looking straight ahead.

Adapting Trends to Your Eye Shape

As makeup trends evolve, it's important to adapt them to suit your unique features rather than following them exactly as demonstrated.

Graphic Liner

For graphic liner looks:

• Hooded eyes: Create the graphic element above the crease so it remains visible
• Round eyes: Extend designs outward for elongation
• Monolid eyes: Place graphic elements higher on the lid for visibility
• Downturned eyes: Angle graphic elements upward for lift

Smoky Eyes

For smoky eye looks:

• Hooded eyes: Concentrate color above the crease and at the lash line
• Round eyes: Focus intensity on the outer corners
• Almond eyes: Classic application works well
• Monolid eyes: Create a gradient effect with the darkest color at the lash line

Product Recommendations by Eye Shape

For Hooded Eyes:

• Long-wearing, smudge-proof eye primers to prevent transfer
• Waterproof eyeliners that won't transfer to the hood
• Matte eyeshadows for creating dimension
• Tubing mascara that resists smudging onto the brow bone

For Round Eyes:

• Angled eyeshadow brushes for precise outer corner application
• Liner pens with fine tips for creating elegant wings
• Lengthening mascara for the outer lashes

For Monolid Eyes:

• Waterproof and transfer-resistant formulas
• Gel and cream eyeshadows for intensity and staying power
• Eyelash curlers designed for flatter eye shapes

For Downturned Eyes:

• Angled liner brushes for precise upward flicks
• Eyelash curlers that can reach the outer lashes
• Crease brushes for targeted application above the outer corner

Practice Makes Perfect

Mastering eye makeup for your specific shape takes practice. We recommend:

• Taking close-up photos of your eyes to better analyze your shape
• Practicing new techniques when you have plenty of time, not before an important event
• Starting with neutral colors until you master placement, then introducing bolder shades
• Taking photos of successful looks to reference later

At Amber Folio, our visagistes are trained to analyze and enhance every eye shape. During our personal makeup lessons, we work one-on-one with clients to develop techniques specifically tailored to their unique features.

Understanding your eye shape and learning the techniques that enhance it can transform your makeup routine. Rather than working against your natural features, these approaches celebrate and optimize what makes your eyes uniquely beautiful.

Interested in a personalized eye makeup lesson tailored to your specific eye shape? Contact us to book a session with one of our experienced visagistes.