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Eyes are beautifully diverse, coming in various sizes, colors, and shapes. And each one deserves to be spotlighted at its best. Naturally, with each eye shape comes different makeup tricks and tips to enhance it. (If that's what you choose to do—the only hard and fast rule when it comes to makeup is that there are no rules.)
Not sure what eye shape you even have? We've got you covered. We asked makeup artists Tim Quinn, Risa Rodriguez, and Glenn Brownell how to discern each eye shape and accentuate its unique characteristics with makeup. And. we even made a handy eye shape chart as a helpful visual. Read on to find your eye shape along with the best ways to accentuate them.
Meet the Expert
- Tim Quinn is a celebrity makeup artist known for his work on on both red carpets and editorial sets.
- Risa Rodriguez is a celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist based in Nashville, TN.
- Glenn Brownell is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York, NY.
How to Determine Your Eye Shape
Step one: Forget what someone else might have told you about your eye shape. "First off, don't trust what just anyone has told you," says Rodriguez. "I've had many clients complain about how difficult their 'hooded' eyes are because someone at a makeup counter told them that years ago. When, in fact, they have more almond, mono, or really any other eye shape."
So how do you decipher your eye shape on your own? "You always want to have your eyes relaxed and open when determining your eye shape," explains Rodriguez. "Your eye shapes shift with every expression you make, some more than others. So no smiling or flexing your brows when checking."
The first thing you'll want to take stock of is your creases. "Start with seeing how much of your eyelid shows between your lashes and your crease; this likely won't be completely symmetrical for both eyes," explains Rodriguez.
- Monolid Eyes: "If you don't see any of that lid space, it's safe to say you have monolids," says Rodriguez. With this shape, the crease of the eye isn't visible when your eyes are open, or it may seem like you don't have much of a crease where your eyelid meets the skin below the eyebrows (and the shape of the lid tends to be flatter).
- Hooded Eyes: "When you see a lot in the inner corner, and none half or a third of the way to the outer corner, you likely have hooded eyelids," continues Rodriguez. Often, this may appear like the skin under the brow folds over to the outer corner.
- Round Eyes: One of the main characteristics of round eyes is that your crease will always be noticeably visible. Another way to decipher if your eyes are round is by looking straight in the mirror and noticing whether or not you can see white on the top or bottom of the iris. If you can see any white, you probably have round-shaped eyes, which appear more open at times.
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You'll also want to examine the outer corners of your eyes.
- Downturned Eyes: The easiest way to determine if you have downturned eyes is to look at the outermost corner and see whether it lifts up or downward. "If the outermost part of your eye is slightly lower than the innermost corner, you have downturned eyes, like Anne Hathaway," notes Brownell.
- Upturned Eyes: Similar to determining whether or not you have downturned eyes, to decipher if they are upturned, you will look at the outer corners to see whether they tilt up or down. "If the outermost corner of your eye is higher than the inner corner, you have upturned eyes like Kendall Jenner," says Brownell.
- Almond Eyes: If you see a visible crease when looking at your lids and the iris of your eyes touches white on both the top and bottom, you have almond-shaped eyes. You will also notice that they turn slightly upward in the outer corners. "If your eyes taper to a point in the inner and outer corners, you probably have almond eyes like Kim Kardashian," explains Brownell.
Makeup Tips to Enhance Your Eye Shape
Round
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Sticking to a neutral color will really show off the beauty and shape of round eyes. Quinn suggests using a liner in your waterline. "Keep the lid color [lighter] and apply a deeper shade to the crease, [and] when applying mascara, focus mainly on the top lashes." For a smoky eye, like Ashley Olsen's, Brownell says to "take the shadow low on the bottom lash line. A blown-out smoky eye looks great on rounder eyes."
"To enhance round eyes, stay away from wings," advises Rodriguez. "Although wings are gorgeous, they are meant to elongate and flatten the upper eyelid. Always, always curl your lashes for more open and round eyes." However, if you do want to elongate the eye and create the illusion of less roundness, Rodriguez recommends opting for a flattened winged liner (as opposed to upturned at the ends).
Monolid
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Utilizing eyeliner is best for the monolid eye shape, as it can bring instant definition. When referencing what makeup is best for a monolid eye, Quinn says: "Keep it simple, clean, and chic." A trick he often uses for monolid eyes is smudging "the liner as you reach the outer edges. And be sure to arch the brow to define the eye shape." A nude eyeliner on the lower waterline with softly smudged eyeshadow is another way to enhance monolid eyes.
"Monolids can hold a lot more color than they are given credit for," asserts Rodriguez. "My number one recommendation if you want to do a smoky monolid is to make it more punk rock and sparkly. This can bring a glow to your eyes that flat browns and blacks can't. With too many matte dark colors, you [risk] making your eyes look heavy, and they can get lost."
For more everyday looks, Rodriguez recommends blush tones. "They will bring more light around your eyes," she says. "And always use a highlight on the inner corner."
Downturned
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Using a lash curler on downturned eyes can make a huge impact on the shape, keeping the lashes curled and upright. Brownell also likes applying a touch of highlighter or concealer to the outer corner of downturned eyes: "It will give a lift to that area by reflecting light," he says.
To accentuate a downturned eye shape, Quinn suggests following the shape of the eye in a straight motion with eyeliner versus curving it. "Keep the eyeliner linear," he says. "Slightly cheat the outer edge, then smudge out the lower lash line with a shadow or your favorite liner."
"For downturned eyes, you want to pay a lot of attention to your eyeliner," echoes Rodriguez. "Often, you don't want to use the same stroke all the way across. Most often, your waterline only needs to be on the outer half of your eye. The inner half is usually smaller for downturned eyes and will close up quickly when too many dark colors are used anywhere on the side closest to your nose. If you want to get funky, try using bright colors on only the outer half of your eye."
Hooded
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For hooded eyes, Quinn emphasizes the importance of makeup not transferring to the eyes when they are open and recommends using waterproof liner and mascara to achieve this. "I use waterproof liner and mascara so it won't transfer and add a touch of light to the inner corners and just under the brow bone," he explains.
"Beware of winged liners," adds Rodriguez. "If your eyes are truly hooded, your wing is likely to blend into your eye creases, making you look like you have heavier crow's feet. Use darker colors for more depth where you have the least natural depth. I suggest ending your darkest crease color early. Rather than connecting it at your lashes, think of it more like a soft cut crease."
Hooded eyes are also easily accentuated with color; if you want to make them seem bigger, Rodriguez suggests experimenting with bold colors in the waterline and under the bottom lid. "It draws away from the hood that can cover up where we're usually taught to place our colors."
Byrdie Tip
"Eyelashes are a great way to enhance or alter your eye shape more subtly," adds Brownell. "If you put a few individual lashes in the center around the iris, it will give you a more open, round shape. Adding lashes on the outer edges of the eyes will give a more feline, almond effect."
Upturned
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Winged eyeliner complements upturned eyes instantly and is a great go-to makeup trick. "Enhance the shape even more by keeping the depth of the shadow on the outermost part of the eyelid and blend upward toward the temples," advises Brownell. Adds Quinn: "Well-defined brows really set the tone for this classic eye look. I love to play with colorful liners and keep the lid cleaner."
"Upturned eyes are rare and fun to play into. If your eyes are upturned without any other combination, then the sky's the limit," says Rodriguez. "Your eye shape can hold most looks. If you are worried they are too upturned, try keeping your top eyeliner on the outer half of your eye. Avoid the inner half because this is all about creating balance, not consistency."
Almond
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Almond eye shapes work well with accentuated eyelashes (they can be real or falsies) and carry smoky eyeshadow looks very well. For smoky eyes, it's all about the blending technique, which quality makeup brushes will help you with. Quinn suggests using eyeliner to accentuate almond eyes by applying it on the top and bottom. "Be it winged, ombré, or smudged eyeliner, you can play with all styles," he says. "Don't be afraid to experiment with color and, of course, lots and lots of lashes."
"Almond eyes can get away with a lot," adds Rodriguez. "They're a great eye shape [for playing] with winged and graphic eyeliner, as well as harsh creases. I'd focus on finding the right colors for your skin tone and eye color that help you feel the most confident."
To make almond eyes appear more rounded, she recommends keeping the depth in your crease near the center and the lightest color on your lid. "That light lid color should be placed as rounded as possible as well, meaning it ends no further than your lashes and peaks as high as it can before hitting the crease."
Byrdie Tip
Just as with brows, eyes are often sisters, not twins. "No one's face is exactly symmetrical," says Rodriguez. "Your strokes and methods don't have to be completely the same on each eye to make your eyes look the most symmetrical."
The Final Takeaway
There are many eye shapes out there, and you might have one or a combination of two types (for example, you might have hooded eyes that are also downturned). It's important to realize that no matter what eye shape you have, all are beautiful.
Experimenting with different makeup tricks and techniques should be fun and something you enjoy, as it will further your knowledge of the best ways to accentuate your individual eye shape. "Be kind to yourself, and take your time trying to learn new looks," says Rodriguez, who adds that people rarely get it right the first time. "Pay attention to people and celebrities with features similar to yours, and save pictures when you see a look you'd like to replicate."
In other words: Try everything you feel like trying—there really is no limit to what you can create when you're in the mood to play with your eye makeup. Whether you love to wear bold colors or more natural-inspired looks, feel free to get as creative as you want.
