Thread: Eye shadow for down-turned, hooded eyes

I've been watching some of the fantastic eyeshadow tutorials that can be found on youtube, and getting more and more frustrated with each one.

I have very deeply hooded eyes, so when I open my eyes my eyelid pretty much disappears beneath my brows. Yes, I can find tutorials for hooded eyes, although a lot of them seem to be created by girls whose eyes aren't hooded at all, which makes them very confusing.

I also have eyes that turn down at the outside corner. I've been told my whole life that I have "sad eyes". The crease of my eye turns down very deeply at the outside edge, making it so far impossible for me to use any of the cute cat-eye eye-liner tails or curls that are so popular with dancers. I can find tutorials for eyeshadow for down-turned eyes as well, although, once again they seem to be done by ladies with eyes that don't turn down.

On top of both of these things, my eyes are pretty closely set, and using heavy eyeliner seems to exaggerate the problem, which means that most of the tutorials above would make me look like my poor little eyeballs are bumping into each other in the middle of my face.

What I really need, is tutorials for doing stage eyes for someone with close set, down-turned, deeply hooded eyes. LOL

Lordy, are there any such things?

I'm just getting bored with the way I do my eyes and really want some new looks to play with.

Do you think you could post a closeup pic of the top part of your face? It might help in making suggestions. I have very deep-set eyes, myself and they are difficult to make up, too.

It sounds like we have a similar eye shape. I try not to use very dark colours and I usually wear false lashes when I perform.
I've noticed that the shape of the eye brows make a huge difference too.

I don't have tutorials or good pictures, but I've noticed that getting a really light color right under the brow line & on the inner corner helps a lot- i still use dark colors on the crease on occasion. & yes, shaping the brow helps a lot too- mine curve down naturally, & giving them a straighter line on the outer edges helps give everything a lift.

My eyes turn down. With the eyeliner thing, if you want a flick/tail, you need to draw a line that does not follow the line of your lashes. A helpful technique can be to make a dot on the outer corner of your eye, where you want the flick to end, ie where you want it to show on your face when your eyes are open. Then you draw a line with your liner from the middle of your eye out to that point. Then go back in to the inner corner and draw a line along the lashes to that middle point. Run the two lines together, creating a bit of curve, fatten it up to your taste etc. If you are me, you'll probably fill in the outer corner with more liner. Then, a black shadow in a squashed C shape in the outer corner/socket. The trick is not to let this go down too far, and it's REALLY easy to do, so err on the edge of caution.

Basically make all the makeup on the outer edge of your eye go up, rather than follow the line of your lid. And don't wear shadow under your eye.

most insurance will cover removing the upper extra lid as it reaches a certain "length"...it makes it hard to see, so it is covered..."impareing vision"

Originally Posted by zamora

most insurance will cover removing the upper extra lid as it reaches a certain "length"...it makes it hard to see, so it is covered..."impareing vision"

Thanks- good to know! Still doesn't help with general shape of the eye tho ,f::

I have hooded eyes as well and I've been playing with this a lot... and also looking at older actresses on TV to see how they are making them up these days.

The main things I've noticed:
a. lightest eyeshadow all over the eye, concentrated on brow bone and inside corner of eye.

b. medium eyeshadow on lid and up just beyond crease.

c. darkest eyeshadow NOT IN CREASE, only in outside corner of eye, edging along the lashes a bit towards the center of the eye.

d. not necessarily taking the eyeliner all the way across the top lid. When the eye is hooded it already looks smaller. Eyeliner all the way across can emphasize that. And the eyeliner shouldn't be applied too thickly or that's all people will see.

e. Avoid super-bright or super-dark makeup colors.

f. A local makeup artist recommended matte eyeshadow over frosty or glittery.

My eyes are deeply set and if I use shadow in the natural crease in my eyes, it will make them kind of droopy looking. So what I have to do is put the darker shadow pretty high up, even onto my brow bone, especially towards the outside of my eyes. It took some trial and error to figure out where to put it. Here's some photos that might help:

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flissybug/3671674681/in/set-72157622180431279/"]Decked out! | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flissybug/4954589572/"]Inappropriate Hafla Makeup Test Run | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]

UGH! Sorry I can't get the images to work. If you click on the links, you can see them.

You can also see that with my eyeliner, I try to "wing" it by following the lower lid line rather than the upper one. Hopefully this is helpful! I don't really have any makeup expertise, I just keep winging it until I get my eyes to look as huge as possible!

Depending on the extent of the downturning and hooding, you could try applying the bottom liner line first, so you can better control the angle for the meeting point, and/or allow a space in between top & bottom line and highlight it as in the top model here: Makeup Workshop Photos

Although the model is not very hooded, both Fahtiem and Princess Farhana use this trick (so do I) and it seems to work well for stage with some hooding (a little weird up close). It's all about the illusion you're creating with the contrast. Worth a shot! :)

Makeup Geek did a whole series of makeup tutorials for various eye shapes. Here is one for hooded eyes. I love her video to make eyes look bigger, and some of her holiday looks are great for bellydance, as well.

My eyes are beginning to "hood" as I'm getting older, so the old "dark shadow in the crease" doesn't cut it anymore (as you explained in your case).

This what I do and it works well for me. I get some medium brown or plum shadow on my brush, stand back away from the mirror just a little and, with my eyes open, I gently run the brush across the arc over my eyes where I'd see shadow in the perfect place where the crease, if I still had a definable one, would be most flattering to my eyes. Then you just need to blend it with whatever other shadows you're using (adding darks & lights if you want, etc.), keeping it dark enough towards the lid so you don't emphasize the hood.

-Devora

P.S. Zumarrad, your explanation on how you draw the "tail" is clearly written, but I wish you had a video on youtube of it!

[QUOTE=Devora;742922]My eyes are beginning to "hood" as I'm getting older, so the old "dark shadow in the crease" doesn't cut it anymore (as you explained in your case).

With the "cat eye" look, I find I have to draw an almost perpendicular line out past my eye, then fill in the triangle to get that look now that I'm 45.

Nice info on shadow placement, though, I don't wear it much anymore because of the droopy crease.

Originally Posted by nasila

Depending on the extent of the downturning and hooding, you could try applying the bottom liner line first, so you can better control the angle for the meeting point, and/or allow a space in between top & bottom line and highlight it as in the top model here: Makeup Workshop Photos

Although the model is not very hooded, both Fahtiem and Princess Farhana use this trick (so do I) and it seems to work well for stage with some hooding (a little weird up close). It's all about the illusion you're creating with the contrast. Worth a shot! :)

I pretty much do that for big stage, but I don't ring the inside corner like that - I bring the inside liner down from the corner of my eye a bit and run a straight line at an angle along underneath instead as my lower lid is quite round and it makes my eyes look tiny if I follow it. I do giant ballet eyes basically.

i also have very hooded eyes always have (thanks grandma...lol) the trick with the light colour all over, & dark on the outer corner & then dragging it above the crease helps. light colour right under the brow bone. try falsh eyelashes. i was AMAZED how much bigger my eyes look with them. if i can find glue that doesn't burn my eyes that is...lol. good luck.

Both I and my friend Princess Farhana have had "hooded eyes" all our lives. I would also describe mine as small and close-set. I have used most of the ideas that the princess uses, and she has written a great blog describing her make-up method entitled "Girlz in da Hood: Eye Make-up for Deep-Set, Hooded Eyes" which you can find on her Facebook page in the "Notes" section. I would add that, for me, I find it very important, when I want to look good, to (1) wear eyelashes, and (2) I emphasize the BOTTOM lid of my eye: I use a lot of eyeliner, both on the inner lid and the outer, then I smudge to give myself that "smokey eye" look, and blend it out and up into a triangle shape. Eyeliner on my UPPER lid is just about totally useless--it either disappears or, worse, makes an ugly "repeat" mark on the folds of eyelid that cover it! When I'm too lazy to do eyelashes (in my everyday life), I make sure to wear lots of mascara, on the lower lids as well as upper, and especially in the outer corners--a SMALL, delicate mascara wand/brush works best for this.

Oddly enough, when I have done my make-up well, sometimes complete strangers tell me I have "beautiful eyes"--not something I would ever expect (although they may just be remarking on the fact that they're a pretty green color). DO read Princess Farhana's article, which includes photos--she explains much better than I do!

It's occurred to me that the reason I've shied away from using a lot of dark colour *under* the eye rather than on top is that a) I do have some visible upper lid still and b) I have Hayuuuuge dark circles and actual pronounced eyebags underneath that nothing hides completely. On the rare occasions I've had makeup artists attack them and hide them I look like I have a cold, with tiny puffy eyes. Leaving my dark circles visible actually makes my eyes look a lot larger... hmmm.

When I was a lot younger and wasn't actually *sunken* under the eye I used to use purple shadow on my inner bottom corner to enhance that look of dissipation. LOL. I have to try this technique...

Quote Originally Posted by zamora View Post
most insurance will cover removing the upper extra lid as it reaches a certain "length"...it makes it hard to see, so it is covered..."impareing vision"
Thanks- good to know! Still doesn't help with general shape of the eye tho ,f::

Well, from everything I'm told, if you go that route you can, erm, get them to tweak a bit more if you like. I know several people who've had medically necessary work done on their noses and the surgeon has said "do you want me to take off that bump while I'm in there?"

Originally Posted by Zumarrad

I do giant ballet eyes basically.

Hmm. At all similar to those seen here? http://danceadvantage.net/2010/11/23/ballet-eye-makeup/

I think I need somebody to draw me a picture. (Also I need an afternoon to do nothing but put on eye makeup and take it off again.)

Yes. Similar but with heavier lines to how Moira Shearer wears hers here or here, really demonstrating what stage makeup used to look like

Originally Posted by tigerb

Hmm. At all similar to those seen here? http://danceadvantage.net/2010/11/23/ballet-eye-makeup/

I think I need somebody to draw me a picture. (Also I need an afternoon to do nothing but put on eye makeup and take it off again.)

I am seriously going to request a mommy's spa day just so I can work on my eyes. One more week 'till hubby is done with classes & can actually help out with the kids!!! (we just have to survive this week's final papers/projects...)

& I need pictures too. Will definitely check out Princess Farhana's blog- thanks for that!

as long as I'm here- I just want to say how *jealous* I am of everyone who says this is a recent problem- I've always had hooded eyes, & anemic allergy sufferer that I am, the bags were always awful! If anything, I'm doing better now that we've got the allergies & anemia under control, but still...

Originally Posted by tigerb

d. not necessarily taking the eyeliner all the way across the top lid. When the eye is hooded it already looks smaller. Eyeliner all the way across can emphasize that. And the eyeliner shouldn't be applied too thickly or that's all people will see.

I second tigerb's comment. I LOVE the look of heavy eyeliner completely surrounding the eye, lining the 'waterline' and everything..... it's just that it looks terrible on me. If your eyes are already close-set, lining the inner corner can just create an almost cross-eyed look. Sticking to the old line-the-outer-third or 2/3 of your eye really works for some eye shapes.

Originally Posted by Lara L

as long as I'm here- I just want to say how *jealous* I am of everyone who says this is a recent problem- I've always had hooded eyes, & anemic allergy sufferer that I am, the bags were always awful! If anything, I'm doing better now that we've got the allergies & anemia under control, but still...

you & me both ALWAYS had hooded eyes it runs in my family. i'm pretty certain i'll have to have surgery done at some point as my lids already fall over my eyes a little.