How to apply eyeshadow to hooded eyes, according to makeup artists

As a makeup novice, it wasn’t until I learned how to apply eyeshadow to hooded eyes that I finally started seeing the results I was looking for. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way that not every tutorial on your FYP will give you the same result – dependent on your eye shape – and eyeshadow for hooded eyes can come with some unique considerations.

The term hooded eyes refers to a very common eye shape in which a fold of skin or soft tissue below the brow bone mostly or completely covers the upper eyelid when the eyes are open. Because of this, eyeshadow applied directly to the eyelid may seem to disappear, and pigmented looks that extend beyond the crease into the brow bone can appear fragmented.

“I have hooded eyes, and eyeshadow – and really making it show up on the lid – has always been a challenge,” says professional makeup artist Kirin Bhatty. Product creasing within the eye’s natural fold can also be tricky, says celebrity makeup artist Christian Briceno. But don’t worry, with the right techniques you can create eyeshadow looks that not only work with your lids, but make your eyes – and your whole makeup – pop.

From bold swipes of colour to soft shimmering glam, keep reading to find out our experts’ best tips for how to apply eyeshadow to hooded eyes.