Okay babes, grab your favorite eyeliner ‘cause we’re about to get into EVERYTHING you need to know about applying eyeliner based on your eye shape! ✨💁♀️ 🖋 Seriously though, putting on eyeliner isn’t some “one-look-fits-all” kinda thing. Our eye shapes are all unique, and knowing what works best for your eyes can make your liner pop even harder.
Totally fine if you’ve been doing the same eyeliner look forever; love that for you! But if you’ve ever wondered why your fave celeb’s winged look doesn’t hit quite the same way on you, it might be because their eyes are shaped completely differently than yours. So, let’s figure out YOUR eye shape and get you slaying that eyeliner game 💥👁️.
First Question: What’s Your Eye Shape, Sis?
No joke, knowing your eye shape is like, step zero. Not everyone has those perfectly symmetrical almond-shaped eyes we see on Instagram (and who even cares?). Recognizing which shape you have will totally change how you approach eyeliner. So here are the main types, and I’ll walk you through how to spot yours:
| Eye Shape | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|
| Almond Eyes | Classic; narrow at the outer corners, wider in the middle. |
| Round Eyes | Big, open, and where you can see most of your iris when your eyes are wide open. |
| Hooded Eyes | Your crease isn’t super visible because of some extra skin that folds over when they’re open. |
| Monolid Eyes | Little to no visible crease; flat-looking eyelids. |
| Downturned Eyes | Outer corners of your eyes tilt downward. |
| Upturned Eyes | Opposite of downturned; the outer corners flick upward. |
| Close-set Eyes | Your eyes are pretty close together; less space between them. |
| Wide-set Eyes | The opposite! You’ve got more space between your eyes. |
Almond Eyes: Lucky You, It’s Go Time
If you’ve got almond eyes, congrats, babe! Most eyeliner styles work on you, and I’m kinda jealous. 😂 However, what looks super chef’s kiss on almond eyes is accentuating your natural shape with an eyeliner that follows that beautiful upward flick of your outer corners.
What To Do:
- Start with a thin line close to your lashes.
- Gradually thicken it as you work outward.
- Cat-eye wings were basically invented for your eye shape, so GO BIG if you wanna be that eyeliner queen today. 🖤🖋
Almond eyes are like the denim jacket of eye shapes; they go with everything and everyone looks cute in them.
For a little extra drama, extend your wing A BIT more than usual, giving you that sultry, bombshell look like Ariana Grande’s signature cat-eye. Who doesn’t want to channel her?
Round Eyes: Let’s Define That Shape
Big, bold, and beautiful! That’s round eyes for you. But, the tea? Because your eyes are pretty big and wide open, doing a more defined line can help elongate them sliiiightly.
What To Do:
- Start with a thin line from the inner corner.
- Increase thickness at the outer half.
- Make sure not to create too much of a noticeable wing close to the inner corner; it could round them out even more.
- Go for a LONG wing on your outer corner ‘cause this helps pull the eyes out horizontally.
By tapering the wing outward, you’ll keep your eyes looking more on the elegant side and less surprised, ya know?
For a little inspo, think Katy Perry vibes when she’s feeling her dark, sultry self 🖤.
Hooded Eyes: Eyes on the Prize… Liner!
Girl, if you have hooded eyes, you already know the struggle. Like, where did my lid space go? 😫 But no worries, I gotchu! Eyeliner can definitely be a game-changer for hooded eyes; it’s all about realizing what you’re working with.
What To Do:
- Thick liner is your new BFF, mostly because thinner lines might disappear into your hood.
- You’ve gotta be strategic with your wing placement; try imagining where the line will still be visible even with your eye fully open.
- Straight wings that go out toward the temples are bomb. No worries if it looks weird when your eyes are closed; you’re optimizing for them being open anyway.
Celebs like Blake Lively are perfection when it comes to eyeliner on hooded eyes. She’s all about that wing that stays sharp while keeping that natural hood as low-key as possible.
Pro Tip: “Hold a mirror at a slight angle, looking down while applying eyeliner; that way you can see where the folds are and adjust your wing game accordingly.”
Also: Ditch the shimmer shadows above your eyelid (it doesn’t vibe well with the hood situation). Instead, keep it matte up there and let your liner have the spotlight ✨.
Monolid Eyes: Let’s Create That Definition
Monolids are so cool because you don’t really have a defined crease, which means you get to create alllll the drama and dimension with liner! Hello, canvas, am I right?? Whether you want a clean lined natural vibe or something hella dramatic, monolid eyes give you full creative control.
What To Do:
- Thicker lines; since you don’t have a crease, thin lines won’t be seen much.
- Try doing an elongated wing that follows the natural line of your lower lash if you want a bit of flair.
- Honestly? Monolids handle graphic liner designs really well. You can legit get artsy with it.
Use dramatic, bold lines to highlight that smooth shape. Catch me trying the newest Euphoria-inspired liner looks whenever I see someone with this eye shape!
Downturned Eyes: Lift & Elevate
Okay, so your outer corners tilt downward, which we LOVE for giving you that sweet, doe-eyed vibe. 🦋 But if you wanna lift those outer corners, eyeliner is right there, helping you change things up.
What To Do:
- Keep your liner upward on the outer corner. Seriously. Up up up ✨.
- Apply your eyeliner from the middle section of your eye and flick upward. Bonus: This accentuates that tilt-less appearance.
For reference? Billie Eilish’s downturned eyes create that signature vibe, but when she does eyeliner, peep how she smartly lifts those outer corners.
Upturned Eyes: Reverse the Script
Okay, if your eyes lean toward the upbeat (aka upturn) side, giving off a flirty vibe is soooo easy! You don’t have to do much to make your naturally lifted eyes stand out even more.
What To Do:
- Balance your liner by focusing a little more on the outer edges of your lower lash line.
- Doing so creates a parallel look instead of drawing even more attention to the upward tilt.
You’ve likely seen this on celebs like Taylor Swift; her upturned eye shape ALWAYS slaps, especially when she goes for a fine wing paired with her bold red lip.
Close-set Eyes: Separation Is Key
If your eyes are just a liiiitle closer together, it’s all about creating the illusion of widening them! Try keeping most of the eyeliner action on the outer half of your eyes.
What To Do:
- Start your liner closer to the middle rather than directly from the inner corner.
- Widen your wings by extending them out; and feel free to go big (we’re avoiding making the eyes look smaller here).
By not loading up the inner corners with too much liner, your eyes will have that visual separation tricked effortlessly.
Liner hack: Avoid heavy liner right near your tear ducts because this can make close-set eyes look even closer together.
Wide-set Eyes: Let’s Get Cozy
Wide-set eyes are iconic; they give off that modelesque vibe, for sure. If you want to bring them in closer, eyeliner is the glue that’ll piece everything together.
What To Do:
- Start your eyeliner right from the inner corner and draw it straight through your eyelid.
- If you’re adding a wing, keep it sleek and close to the lash line instead of flaring way out to the sides.
The goal here? Pulling the eyes in a little with the eyeliner game strong up in the inner section.
Quick-Brush-Up Cheat Sheet for Eye Shapes and Liner Tips 🎨✨
| Eye Shape | Eyeliner Tip |
|---|---|
| Almond Eyes | Thin to thick for PERFECT cat eye wings 😘 |
| Round Eyes | Long wings to elongate those beauties |
| Hooded Eyes | Rock a thick line because your lids be sneaky 🤭 |
| Monolid Eyes | Go bold and thick, especially with graphic eyeliner (you daredevil, you!) |
| Downturned Eyes | Wings that FLY upward to keep your eyes perky |
| Upturned Eyes | Keep it subtle to the lower lash to balance that upward tilt |
| Close-set Eyes | Start mid-eyelash for that “hello, room to breathe” vibe |
| Wide-set Eyes | Line from the inner corner to bring the drama closer |
So there you have it!! Tailoring your eyeliner to your eye shape is probably the key to nailing all of those Pinterest-worthy looks. No cap, once you figure this out, you’re gonna feel so much more confident about literally ANY eyeliner look you wanna try.
Oh, and remember: Makeup is supposed to be fun! So play around with it, mix styles if that’s your jam, and don’t forget: eyeliner wipes exist. 😘
Ciao, and keep slayin’ those liner wings, babe! ✨💫
