Eyeshadow Styles: Hooded and/or Heavy-Folded Eyes
1:53:00 PM
How you place eyeshadow can make a big difference in how your eyes and their shape look, and knowing what you're doing is the best way to do exactly what you intend. Hooded eyes or eyes with a heavy crease fold have a tricky way of definitely not accepting eyeshadow shapes the way they look on big or non-hooded eyes; this is one of the main reasons people get frustrated trying to copy looks they see in photos online or tutorials. It may not be you, it just might be your eye shape! A girl with big, round eyes with tons of mobile eyelid space is definitely going to be able to do different looks than smaller, hooded, or monolid eyes. Neither way is wrong- it's just a matter of knowing what suits your eye shape, just like face shapes and body types. You might do a super clean, sharp cat eye then open your eye and look straight on and it looks awful and droopy- see? Not always an error in skill.
Also, sometimes people have eyes that aren't totally symmetrical- most commonly they have hooded eyes that are drooped slightly different, and monolids can have the same problem. The best way to help even them out is through tactfully done eyeshadow.
I've collected some images of my eye looks and categorized them into different shapes. I hope that my hooded/heavy lidded eyes can serve as a better reference point for those with similar eyes.
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| Using a mid-tone eyeshadow; on the top, blended past my crease. On the bottom, blended under my crease. |
First of all, how you layer eyeshadows is very important. When applying your last dark shade to your lid, try to make sure it ends just above your crease, so that it can be seen and make your crease less heavy-looking. Very dark eyeshadows of course do the best job, because they can make that area and your hood look less distinct, hiding it.
I personally still struggle daily with making sure I use this trick, and often every angle looks different once I do it as my eyelids move, but I'm not super worried about making my hoods look less distinct.
Another tip is to not apply a shimmery white or cream color anywhere on the lid or above the crease, unless you're doing a highlight on the inner corners and just a touch under the eyebrow. The light shimmer will make whatever you put it on come forward and be most noticeable. A lot of people tell hooded eye people not to wear shimmer eyeshadow at all, but to those sirs I bite my thumb at. You can absolutely wear shimmery and metallic eyeshadows! It's a matter of choosing the right colors and placing them well.
The dome, or half-circle shape is becoming very popular for hooded eyes, as it makes them look more round. I struggle with making domes because I'm so used to blending things out in a smokey V, but alas, I try. I really like the look though both on my eyes and others'! If you're doing a dome shape with a light center color like I did in one look, I suggest opting for a matte. However, if you're going all dark, glitter to your heart's content, or maybe pop a color into the inner corner or lower lashline for some fun detail.
It can be tricky to make a graphic eye look without it just looking like you blended with both your eyes shut and a dollar store paint brush. For this I definitely recommend sticking to really high-quality shadows that will blend without going patchy or becoming a blob, and using small brushes. This is also a great way to get a cat eye look for hooded eyes, because you aren't trying to work around your crease and it will keep a sharp edge instead of drooping. Again, dark colors will hide your crease the most, but isn't required. Keep light colored shimmers towards the inner part of the eye, and extend any center light colors up past your crease for the most smooth look.
This is my go-to shape, mostly because it's so easy. This can also be known as the "smokey eye" shape, because it's so good for having shadows start light near the center and get darker as you go outwards. The only trick you need for hooded eyes with this is to have the top be placed above your crease so that it doesn't get lost. You can easily do a look with any colors with this shape, from the usual black and brown smokey to neons or pastels.
A wash of color is usually just a single eyeshadow shade blended out all over the lid, or maybe two. It's blended out evenly across the lid and the edges especially. This is often what is done if the focus is going to be a cat eye. Avoiding light colors is best for hooded eyes because it will make them look more puffy. Neutrals like light or medium brown or grey, soft rose pink, or slate blue or navy look gorgeous as a wash. You can either do an even layer or layer it a bit more near the lashes for more depth. When putting on a base color for a shadow look, usually a wash of it is done over the whole lid, so shadows will blend on top of it better. The current trend or trick I see a lot is using a cream eyeshadow in nearly the same color as your skin as a wash base to even out the lid and make shadows look more pigmented. However, if you have hooded eyes or oily lids, this will probably just make your eyeshadow crease like crazy like it does on me. Stick to a translucent primer and powder for the best longevity.
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| A quick compilation of most of my most recent looks. Sometimes I blend past my crease, sometimes I don't. I love using colors and creating a wing with my bottom lash trick. I'm still learning and experimenting for what's best on my eyes and what colors look good together. |
xx,
Charity
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4 comments
This is really informative! Great post
ReplyDeleteAwesome ty!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome ty!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have such beautiful, intense eyes. I hope you're a model.
ReplyDelete