Have you ever struggled while putting on eyeshadow, ending up with final looks that are way off the initial inspiration you started off with? Eye makeup for older women often requires a few clever tips and tricks as your skin and facial features evolve with age.
When it comes to experimenting with different styles or colours, it is important to understand if you have hooded eyes, as they require slightly different application techniques and tips. This is why we have rounded up the best eyeshadows for hooded eyes along with some expert guidance from makeup artists and skincare specialists for their trusted tips and suggestions to master eye makeup for hooded eyes.
What are hooded eyes?
You can identify hooded eyes by taking a close look at the space between your eyebrows and eyes. If you see a flap of skin covering most or all of this space on your eyelids, that means you have hooded eyes. You may also face a similar issue if you have very deep-set eyes, and your brow bone hides most of your upper eyelid.
While some people have hooded eyes as a genetic trait that was passed down, most people also tend to develop hooded eyes as they age, when facial muscles and skin around the eyes become a bit more relaxed or loose.
So having hooded eyes means you have less eyelid space under your brows to work with when applying eyeshadow or eye liner. This is why it helps to master a few hacks and expert tips to make your eyes pop.
We spoke to Kate, the founder of Rumi Cosmetiques, a brand that specialises in creating beauty products designed for mature skin, to understand how applying eye makeup on hooded eyes can be different.
“Our bodies change, and so should our beauty products. Choosing makeup designed with your needs in mind makes the process more enjoyable and effective.”
“First of all, it's important to remember that hooded eyes can be beautiful at any age. When it comes to makeup for hooded eyes, one should focus on enhancing and opening up the eye area,” she says.
“A soft, blended crease, a touch of eyeliner, and a light shimmer on the lid can create the illusion of more lid space. This can be the base you work with for eyeshadow looks,” Kate adds.
Best eyeshadows for hooded eyes
Best matte finish eyeshadow for hooded eyes
Best blendable eyeshadow for hooded eyes
Best creamy eyeshadow for hooded eyes
Expert tips to master eye makeup for hooded eyes
We spoke to Buster Knight, a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with the likes of Millie Bobby Brown and Kris Jenner as well as international make-up artist Sarah-Jane Froom who has worked with celebrities like Emma Forbes, Naomi Campbell, Alexa Chung and fashion brands like Vivienne Westwood, Chanel and Ralph Lauren to bring their professional make up tips and hacks to you.
“For hooded eyes, makeup that focuses on opening and lifting the eyes is ideal. This includes techniques like cut creases, gradient smoky eyes, and strategic use of eyeliner and mascara,” says Sarah.
“To create a perfect cut crease, apply a contrasting colour above the natural fold to create the illusion of larger eyes. You can also go for the halo eye effect by applying darker shades on the inner and outer corners of the eye with a lighter, shimmery shade in the centre,” she explains.
How to apply eyeshadow on hooded eyes?
“Apply your eyeshadow with your eyes open. When you close or pull your eye to apply shadow, it can often leave you with an odd shape when you let go. It’s important to apply the shadow on your eye as it looks normally,” says Buster Knight.
He explains why a smokey eye is his favourite look for hooded eyes and shares the technique he follows to perfect it.
“For hooded eyes, I often go for a smokey intense eye with black kohl on the waterline. I tend to stay close to the lashes on hooded eyes and keep it very natural. Sometimes, I also intensify the look with black smudged kohl.”
“Waterproof kohl pencils are my favourite as they smudge easily to create smokiness and once they set, they won’t transfer onto other skin around the eye for a lasting look,” he says. “I avoid blown out smokey looks and I don’t tend to “wing” the eyeshadow up or out as this can draw attention to the extra skin around the eye and tends to make the eyes look droopy,” he adds.
Sarah also shares some of her most trusted products when it comes to eye makeup for hooded eyes.
Primer: Use NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base to prevent creasing. You can also use the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.
Transition Shade: Apply a soft brown like MAC Eyeshadow in "Soft Brown" above the crease.
Crease: Apply a medium shade slightly above your natural crease, like Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow in “Dolce Vita”.
Outer Corner: Deepen with a darker shade like NARS Eyeshadow in "Coconut Grove".
Lid: Apply a lighter shimmer like L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Eyeshadow in "Gold Mania" on the centre of the lid.
Highlight: Highlight the inner corner and brow bone with BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in "Moonstone".
Best eyeshadows for hooded eyes
Featuring 16 stunning and blendable shades, this warming eye shadow palette is fantastic value for money. Perfect for everyday use and special occasions as it features both creamy matte shades and sparkly shimmery ones.
Our tester June Forrester, aged 64, said: "The first thing I noticed about this palette was the pretty patterns that are stamped into the many of the shades. It gives it a real luxury look. I loved the range of the colours, they all compliment each other nicely. I found the eyeshadows really easy to blend. I also really liked the fact that I would probably use all of the colours on different occasions, unlike some palettes where there are often shades I never touch.
Because the eyeshadows were easy to blend I found I could create a nice shadow in the eye socket crease which helped to disguise the appearance of my hooded eyelids."
Pros
- Great choice of colours
- Very blendedable
- Good staying power
- Ideal for everyday use and special occasions
Cons
- No applicator included
The Rimmel London 12 pan eyeshadow blushed edition features shades that can work as eyeshadow, liner and highlighter making it a multipurpose product to add to your collection.
Our tester June Forrester, aged 64, said: "There's a great choice of colours here, I really like the blush pink shades. Even though the shades look quite sparkly in the palette they have a nice matte finish. They blended very well. I choose a light shade to use on the entire lid, then a medium shade on the outer corner of my eye. Then I used a dark colour in the crease of my eyelid and blended it well. I was really pleased with the results. It didn't last quite as long as some of the other eyeshadows I'd tested but stayed put for most of the day."
Pros
- 12 shades in one palette
- Blendable shades
- Neat matte finish
Cons
- Reviewer felt that it didn't last quite as long as some of the other eyeshadows in the same price range
You can contour your eyes to perfection with this versatile palette featuring 8 perfectly matched shades. The silky smooth texture of these eyeshadows means you can blend your prefered look from pale to deep tones and allows you to contour your eyes in endless combinations - from a daily nude to a subtle smokey eye for a night out.
Our tester June Forrester, aged 64, said: "This palette comes with a handy two-sided applicator which allows precision application and easy blending. I was really impressed with how smoothly this eyeshadow went on. It blended perfectly, even though some of the shades appeared to be quite dark in the palette, once on my eyes they looked much more subtle.
I wore this eyeshadow all day and it lasted really well, even though I have the tendency to touch my area, this makeup did not budge."
Pros
- Includes two-sided applicator
- Silky-smooth texture
- Blends well
- Great staying power
Cons
- Shades are subtle so if you like very bold colours this might not be for you
The Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot (Soft Ochre) works brilliantly as a base eyeshadow that offers good, long-lasting coverage that can be used to build more coloured or intense looks. The formula does not settle into creases or fine lines and gives a smooth look to your lids.
Our tester June Forrester, aged 64, said: "This eyeshadow feels really creamy and luxurious. It goes on so smoothly with just your finger. Even though it dries quickly it still blends very well. I think it would be a fabulous base colour. It also lasted really well, all day long. I'd really like to try a few more colours and try and do a bit contouring on my eyelid as I think it would give me a natural glowing, smooth look and feel to my eye area as well as giving me a more youthful appearance."
Pros
- Creamy and smooth formula
- You can apply it with your finger
- Blends well
- Long lasting
- Works well as a base eyeshadow
Cons
- The quantity is a bit less compared to other products in the same price range
Available in three different shades Clarins Ombre Satin Eyeshadow has a gel-cream texture, enriched with polymers and glides easily on the eyelid for a velvet soft touch finish.
Apply as eyeliner and blend in your chosen shade with fingertips or a blending brush. Layer multiple textures and shades of eyeshadows to add dimension and intensify eyes.
Our tester Yours.co.uk editor Claire Tapley, aged 42, said: "You need to think of this as less of an eyeshadow and more of a cream eyeliner. I applied this using an angled brush to my eyelash line. Then I blended it to give it a softer edge. The idea is that you then use other light shades to create a contouring effect.
This creams dries very quickly and has excellent staying power but I found it hard to blend and was dragging my skin at one point to try and achieve a softer look. It's certainly not as blendable as the other eyeshadows in this article. As a subtle eyeliner it works really well but I certainly wouldn't recommend putting this over your whole eyelid as it would be very hard to blend and far too dark.
I also found that this eyeshadow tended to sit in my wrinkles which only really highlighted them. "
Pros
- Softer alternative to eyeliner
- Creamy texture
- Excellent staying power
Cons
- Very dark colour
- Not that easy to blend
This easy-to-blend, creamy shadow goes on smoothly and is waterproof so lasts for up to 24 hours! Wear on your entire lid or across lash line for a bold eyeliner look.
Our tester June Forrester, aged 64, said: "This cream powder goes on incredibly easily especially with the handy applicator brush that fits neatly into the lid. It glides on smoothly like a cream eyeshadow but dries like a powder. The consistency is great, it doesn't sit in your wrinkles at all. The colour looks quite dark in the pot but it's actually very blendable so you can make it as subtle or dramatic as you like. I loved the fact that's waterproof as I have quite watery eyes so I didn't need to worry about it running or smudging. It stayed put perfectly!"
Pros
- Waterproof
- Easy to blend
- Applicator brush included
Cons
- You need to purchase a few colours to contour your lids
Best shimmery eyeshadow for hooded eyes
www.sephora.co.uk
The Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Palette Pillow Talk is the perfect option if you are looking for a shimmery eyeshadow palette that will help enhance your eyes and make them look brighter and wider. This product also comes highly recommended by makeup artist Sarah-Jane Froom for hooded eyes. It includes four shades - champagne pink, matte dusky rose, soft matte brown and a rose gold sparkle. These colours can be combined or used on their own to create eye makeup looks that are effortless for everyday wear or for special occasions. The best part is that the matte and satin finish of the shades feel soft on your skin and do not settle into wrinkles or fine lines. Reviewers who have tried the palette share the same opinion. They also add that they are easily blendable and buildable if you wish to go for a more pigmented or intense look.
Pros
- Does not get flaky and blends well
- Soft, buttery feel
- Lasts all day
- Can build up to create more pigmented and intense looks
Cons
- Higher price point
Best smokey eyeshadow for hooded eyes
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
The Huda Beauty Smokey Obsessions Palette is the only palette you need if you are a fan of the smokey eye look and it is recommended by makeup artist Sarah-Jane Froom. This product comes with nine shades that range from rose golds, coppers, browns and silvers. They feel buttery soft on the skin and is made to blend easily to create intense and bold looks. The shades are quite pigmented and can be easily applied with a brush or using your fingertips. Reviewers shared that only the silver shimmery one needs to be applied with your fingers as it is difficult to get it on neatly with a brush. Some reviewers also felt that there was some fall out with the shades as in the powder falls onto your face when you put it on. But if this is something you feel confident about mastering, this palette can cover your day and night events easily with the most stunning eye looks.
Pros
- Comes with 9 shades
- Feels buttery and soft on the skin
- Blends well
- Can be applied with a brush or using your fingertips
Cons
- Reviewers mentioned that the silver shimmery one needs to be applied with your fingers
- Some reviewers also felt that the product tends to fall onto your face a lot when you apply it
Best single shade eyeshadow for hooded eyes
www.sephora.co.uk
The MAC Small Eye Shadow is a product that is worth investing in if there is a particular colour of eyeshadow you regularly use and don't to purchase an entire palette just because you have run out. As a pot full of a single colour of eyeshadow, there are over 60 shades to choose from. It is in powder form, highly pigmented and blends well so you can go as light or dark as you wish. It stays on without smudging or running for up to 8 hours. Reviewers shared that with these shades, a small quantity goes a long way as they are quite pigmented. They also added that it does not crease and gives a smooth finish. While some reviewers felt that it is overpriced given that it is only one colour, the quality of the product does make up for it.
Pros
- Over 60 shades to choose from
- Highly pigmented powder form
- Blends well
- Stays on smudge-free for upto 8 hours
- Does not crease
Cons
- Some reviewers felt that it is overpriced given that it is only one colour
Best eyeshadow with shade variety for hooded eyes
www.boots.com
The Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Palette Norvina is a palette that offers a wide range of shades so you can use the same product for several occasions, be it neutrals for day looks or colourful shimmers for night events. With these 14 highly pigmented shades, a little goes a long way. The packaging is sleek with a built-in mirror as well. The colours blend very well, and reviewers have shared that there is minimum fall out with the shades too so you don’t have to worry about the powder falling on your face while applying it. The only downside some reviewers mentioned was the higher price point.
Pros
- Comes with 14 different shades to choose from
- Highly pigmented so you only have to use a little at a time
- Blends well
- Has a built-in mirror
Cons
- Higher price point
FAQs
What makeup should you avoid with hooded eyes?
"Avoid heavy, dark eyeshadows over the entire lid, as this can make the eyes appear smaller. Also, avoid overly thick eyeliner on the upper lid, which can reduce visible lid space. Instead, opt for thin, precise lines and focus on the outer corners to elongate the eyes," says Kate, who is an expert with makeup for older women.
"I would also avoid heavy lower lash lining as it can make your eyes look smaller," adds makeup artist Sarah.
How to make hooded eyes look younger?
"Lighter, luminous colours are always a win. Soft flesh tones and reflective eyeshadows really help to brighten the eyes and therefore appear younger. Curled lashes also help to open the eye and create a wider effect. Another favourite tip of mine is to use flesh toned pencils in the waterline of the eye to create space and open the eye up," says Buster Knight, celebrity makeup artist.
How do you apply mascara to hooded eyelids?
"When applying mascara to hooded eyelids, focus on lifting the lashes. Apply the product from the roots to the tips. For added lift, use a water-resistant formula on the lashes to hold the curl better," says Kate.
"Always curl your lashes. There are some amazing tools out there to use as a shield when applying mascara and to stop it printing on your skin as it dries - even a bit of tissue can help work as a barrier. I would always steer clear of “wet” or tubing mascaras as they tend to be more difficult to work with and take longer to dry," adds Buster Knight.
What colors look good on hooded eyes?
"These are my go-to colours for hooded eyes. Neutrals like browns, taupes, beiges. Jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, amethyst, Warm shades like coppers, golds, bronzes and Pops of Colour like teal, burgundy and plum," says Sarah.
However Buster Knight adds, "The trick is to keep the shadows closer to the lash line and create a “sunrise” blended effect rather than a blown out wing or cut crease. Hooded eyes do not mean you can’t experiment and have fun with your eyeshadow."
Does shimmer or glitter work for hooded eyes?
"Shimmer can work beautifully on hooded eyes if applied correctly. Use a subtle shimmer on the mobile lid to catch the light and open up the eyes. Avoid heavy glitter, as it can accentuate texture and may not stay in place," says Kate.
"It’s a myth that sparkle doesn’t work with hooded lids. Sparkle works for everyone and it’s fun. The trick is to keep it closer to the lashes and use it in smaller amounts. A full sparkle lid will be harder to achieve, but maybe the inside corner of the eye or under the bottom lash line will give you drama, without transferring onto the skin of other parts of the eye," adds Buster Knight.
Meet the experts:
Buster Knight is a London-based celebrity makeup artist who has worked with the likes of Millie Bobby Brown, Kris Jenner, Vogue Williams, Naomie Harris, Niamh Walsh, Arlo Parks, and Patricia Allison. His work has been featured in titles like Vogue Scandinavia, Glamour, Attitude, and Petrie.
Sarah-Jane Froom is an international make-up artist who trained at the Glauca Rossi School of Makeup in London and went on to become the Chief Makeup Artist at Unlisted London. She has worked with celebrities like Emma Forbes, Naomi Campbell and Alexa Chung as well as fashion brands like Vivienne Westwood, Chanel and Ralph Lauren.
Kate is the the founder of Rumi Cosmetiques, a specialised brand that focuses on creating makeup products ranging from mascaras to blushes formulated for the needs of mature skin and hair, catering to issues like thinning hair and fine lines.
Akhila Thomas is a digital writer at Yours.co.uk and her areas of interest are beauty, fashion, food, wellness and lifestyle. She has previously written for magazines like Leftlion, Women’s Health and t’Art and worked extensively with art, culture, fashion and social media trends. She also likes to travel and explore new cultures and cuisines.